Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia

Watch this movie you must.

Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia, may or may not be one of the most sought after cult films of the 70's, however its influence can go as far as to the latest action films been broadcasted now everywhere in the world. Names like Robert Rodríguez & Quentin Tarantino can surely ring a bell on how big the influence of this rather obscure 70's piece. In fact, the entire film making world owes this flick quite a debt.

Sam Peckinpah was an extraordinary and controversial filmmaker who during his career earned both respect and notoriety. "Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia" is a movie which illustrates some of the reasons why he achieved this reputation and also provides an offbeat piece of entertainment which leaves a lasting impression.

Some Peckinpah trademarks such as extreme violence, misogyny and well choreographed action scenes are featured on numerous occasions but the movie's most compelling component is its depiction of the journey taken by a guy whose motivation gradually changes from pure greed to a need to escape to a better life and then ultimately, a need for redemption.

Not your average piano player.

Have you seen this man?

When an extremely wealthy Mexican landowner called El Jefe (Emilio Fernandez) discovers that the man who'd deserted his pregnant, unmarried daughter is Alfredo Garcia, he offers a $1,000,000 reward for whoever brings him the head of the man who he'd previously treated like a son.

A little time later, in a tourist bar in Mexico City, two well dressed bounty hunters called Quill (Gig Young) and Sappensly (Robert Webber) meet Bennie (Warren Oates) who's the establishment's American piano player. The two hit-men are finding it difficult to locate Garcia and after Bennie learns from his girlfriend Elita (Isela Vega, wonderful naturally big boobs and a magnificent singing voice) that Garcia has recently been killed in a car accident, he agrees to bring them Garcia's head for a payment of $10,000.

Elita, a prostitute who'd previously had an affair with Garcia knows where his body is buried and so she and Bennie go on a cross country journey to locate the hunted man's grave. What follows includes the arrival of two bikers who plan to rape Elita, an attack by some other bounty hunters who steal Garcia's head and another attack by members of Garcia's family. Nearly all these people end up dead and the body count continues to climb inexorably until the movie reaches its violent and spectacular climax.

Love is where you find it.

Make sure you're clean enough before you meet with Mr. Garcia.

A tremendous number of people get killed in this movie (a body count of 21) and there are many examples of Peckinpah's propensity for depicting violence very graphically. His penchant for using slow motion sequences in shoot outs is seen by his detractors as a distasteful glamorization of violence whereas others regard it as an example of his undeniable talent. The most shocking incidents, however, are where El Jefe has his daughter publicly humiliated and tortured and Sappensly, very casually and cruelly knocks a woman unconscious.

The milieu within which Bennie makes his journey is bleak and chaotic and his efforts to progress or prosper become utterly futile. In this predicament and despite the obvious dangers involved, all that he's been able to do is follow his destiny and ultimately this is what makes his story so tragic and memorable. Whilst this movie may not be entertaining in the conventional sense, it is unquestionably a very powerful and absorbing drama which is also profoundly existential. 

Alfredo Garcia himself.

Shit is about to get real.

Ford had John Wayne, Scorcese has DeNiro...Peckinpah had Warren Oates. With BRING ME THE HEAD OF ALFREDO GARCIA, Peckinpah provides Oates with his best ever role...and a rare lead. In fact, this is surely Oates's HAMLET.  Peckinpah's direction has never been this tight. It's a real return to form after the efficient journeyman work he'd done on THE GETAWAY. It's also his most ironic work. Oates makes a what is essentially a grave-robbing sleaze into a very sympathetic character. Vega is excellent and is nicely matched with Oates. The rest of the cast, which includes brief appearances by Robert Webber, Gig Young and Kris Kristoferson, is great.  

I felt that Peckinpah was really trying to express something deeply human in this movie. I'm not sure I get it entirely, but it is certainly much more than a mindless bloodbath.

There is humor, action, horror, repulsion, love, hate, treachery, redemption, in short, all things that are human and that represent the struggle in man between the spiritual and the materialistic. In the words of Black Elk: "You have made me cross the good road and road of difficulties, and where they cross, the place is holy"

Isela Vega, a bombshell!

Overall, an excellent movie that sets the mood for future classics. The concept of a rude anti-hero who happens to go through an unwanted path is something that would subsequently be well exploited in the 80's & 90's action films, just know that before that concept became a cliche, there was a film maker that in 1974 set the standards for future generations. Don't believe me? Just watch Robert Rodriguez Mexico Trilogy & his Machete films to see what I mean.

Here's the original 1974 movie trailer: