Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (1974) User Reviews

Whither the Crucial Missing Scene?

[Mudsharks · 8/10 · 16 January 2002]

The following commentary should only be read by those who have seen the film. It is, in a sense, a spoiler for something that doesn't exist in the film's current release.

I first saw Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia here in Manhattan on the day it opened so many years ago. After the reviews came out, the studio immediately pulled the prints from the theaters and cut the most CRUCIAL scene in the film.

The original release contained a scene wherein upon discovering his lover dead, the Warren Oates character makes love to her corpse. He does so tenderly, and with deep regret. Then he buries her along with Garcia's remains in the grave he's just desecrated.

It is in this moment that he slips into madness. If you watch the film again, note the transition from the "pre-grave" character and the "post-grave" one. (Also note the somewhat disjointed transition from his holding his dead lover in his arms, to his leaving the graveyard.) I'm sure you could view his character change as simply being a reaction to her death. But if you imagine the missing footage, his impending lunacy has greater depth, and makes more sense. It also gives the film a different resonance than his other films that employ a machismo/revenge motif.

It's always driven me crazy (so to speak <G>) that this most important scene was taken out of the film, denying the audience a true understanding of the Oates character in the last third of the film.

I eagerly await a DVD release that restores this footage. I hope it hasn't been lost forever.

Bleak, Depressing, and Utterly Fascinating

[williampsamuel · 8/10 · 6 December 2014]

Sam Peckinpah's Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia is one the bleakest, most violent, and most depressing movies I have ever seen. It chronicles a cycle of violence and destruction that kills all who are sucked into it. There is no hero in this story, and no one remotely likable, with the exception of a middle aged whore. It was hated by critics and audiences upon its release, and I can't blame them. But I don't agree with them either. This is a good movie.

It's not a good movie because it's easy to watch, or because we like the people in it, or because it carries some important message. If it even has a message, it's that nothing matters and everybody dies. It's a good movie because it is one of the most powerful expressions of disillusionment and nihilism ever produced. It's a good movie because it has no illusions about itself. It knows that it's about rotten people and wretched deeds, and refuses to shy away from the ugliness or make excuses for the things that happen. And it's a good movie because it's absolutely fascinating.

The reason that anyone wants Señor Garcia's head is that he had the poor judgment to impregnate the daughter of a wealthy crime boss, who now offers a million dollars to the man who will deliver his head. There are many who wish to claim the bounty, but no-one knows where he is. No-one except Benny, a poor bartender who learned from his girlfriend that Alfredo is already dead and buried after a fatal car accident. Now all he has to do to claim part of that reward is dig up his old friend and cut off his head. Or so he thinks.

At this point, the sheer futility and pointlessness of everything that will happen should be perfectly clear. A million dollars is being offered so that an evil old man can have his revenge, but what's the point if he's already dead? And it only becomes bitterer and more cynical from there. Benny never had anything against Alfredo. His girlfriend once loved the man. But if desecrating an old friend's grave will get him $10,000 then he'll do it. Because that head is his ticket out the slums. He's been stuck in a dead end existence without prospects, without hope, far too long to let anyone or anything stop him.

And there will be many who try. Lots of people want that head. Some are driven by the same greed as Benny. Others have more personal reasons. But none of them will back down, and none of them have anything resembling scruples, or the slightest bit of mercy. And so the bullets will fly, and the body count will rise. And the fighting and killing will continue long after there's any reason for it, past the point where money is on the line, until anger and killing have become ends unto themselves.

And that is what fascinates me. Most of the people who die in this movie didn't have to die. Benny didn't have to fight them. But he doesn't know how to stop fighting. He's lost too much, and his anger has consumed him utterly. When he started out he was already desperate, impatient, and unhappy, and as his journey becomes ever more miserable he's gotten closer to the edge, until killing is the only thing left to him.

There's a section in the middle where he's retrieved the head and is driving back alone in his battered car. And the head is sitting in the car next to him, wrapped in bloody cloth and surrounded by files. And he's talking to it, almost shouting at it, telling it how none of this was worth it and it's his fault that so many have died. It's like the Wilson scenes in Castaway, only a hundred times more demented. And it stands out because it so perfectly sums up the madness, desperation, and sense of decay that permeate the entire film. It's just hard to believe that there can be a world that is so devoid of happiness or meaning, where so few people have so few morals, where the 'hero' will shoot a dead man "Just because it feels so good." And that Peckinpah can make it so engaging, and achieve such purpose out of futility, is the most amazing thing of all.

The most critically hated (and misunderstood) movie of its time

[fredschaefer-406-623204 · 7/10 · 31 January 2014]

BRING ME THE HEAD OF ALFREDO GARCIA was a punch line from the day it was released in 1974; and for director Sam Peckinpah, a commercial and artistic disaster that did great damage to his reputation; a reputation built on his impressive earlier work like THE WILD BUNCH and STRAW DOGS, both milestones in the cinema of violence. But for many of his most ardent fans in the critical community, ALFREDO GARCIA, was an ultra- violent and self indulgent wallow in ugliness for its own sake, alternately homophobic and misogynistic in the extreme. What they didn't understand was that ALFREDO GARCIA may well have been one of the most truly personal films ever made, a full representation of how Sam Peckinpah saw himself and his place in a very nasty world-that world being Hollywood.

Bennie the lounge lizard is clearly Peckinpah, and his odyssey to find and retrieve the head of the late Alfredo Garcia in return for a bounty that he believes will allow him to redeem a wasted life is an allegory for all his years of toil in the film business, while the parade of killers, rapists, henchmen, Mob toadies, and El Jefes Bennie encounters along the way are stand ins for the lowlifes (mainly producers and their flunkies) who bedeviled Peckinpah throughout his career and thwarted his ambitions while stifling his talent. ALFREDO GARCIA is by Peckinpah's own account his one film that was most fully realized and free from outside tampering.

And what does it say for Peckinpah that his own stand in is a sleazy, alcoholic failure, getting by down in Mexico on the wrong side of 40 by playing the piano in dive bars after years in the Army? A man willing to hunt down a corpse and decapitate it for money-said money being a reward posted by a back country Mexican crime lord, a man so ruthless he'd break his pregnant daughter's arm to learn the name of the man who knocked her up. By all recollections, the real Sam Peckinpah was a remarkably sensitive man, but one who hid it all behind a well crafted veneer of hard drinking, foul tempered, sarcastic, macho BS. He was also deeply paranoid, alcoholic and possibly Bi-polar. That he would lay it all out on film for all the world to see says much about this supremely "difficult" man.

But ALFREDO GARCIA is far from Peckinpah's best work, especially looking back from the vantage point of four decades. The pacing is clearly off and the strong narrative drive of THE WILD BUNCH, STRAW DOGS,and THE GETAWAY is sorely missing-the old energy just isn't there in many scenes. Even the shoot outs-a Peckinpah staple-often feel like retreads from earlier work. One does have to allow for the passing of time when seeing ALFREDO GARCIA now and realize that movies in the 1970's-made in the pre MTV and video game era-simply told their stories at a much slower speed. When Bennie and his whore with a heart of gold girlfriend, Elita, are traveling through Mexico to find the graveyard where Alfredo Garcia is buried, the movie seems to just amble.

Yet the brilliance of the old Peckinpah still shows up, especially in the opening scene, where El Jefe's pregnant daughter sits beside a quiet pond amid rural beauty. She is then summoned to the hacienda of her father and brutally forced to give up the name of the man who impregnated her-a former underling who got frisky with the boss's daughter. Only after we hear the title sentence and there is a quick cut to men racing away on motorcycles and in corvettes do we realize the film is set in modern times-a great fake out. And there is the scene where Bennie and Elita have a picnic and talk about the future; she gets him to propose and for a moment these two luckless characters actually seem to have a chance at turning their lives around. Peckinpah's love of Mexico and its way of life was never more vivid and self evident. As in all of Peckinpah's films, there is some great dialog.

ALFREDO GARCIA is a great showcase for Warren Oates, one of the few movies this wonderful and gifted actor ever carried on his own. Oates spent most of his career making a lot of mediocre films and TV shows a hundred times better than they would have been otherwise if he hadn't been in the supporting cast. A Peckinpah regular from RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY, MAJOR DUNDEE, and THE WILD BUNCH, his Bennie is Oates's finest hour. Who else could have pulled off those scenes where Bennie rides along in his car talking to a rotting head in the passenger seat? His sudden death in 1982 robbed us of years of great work; I've always felt that if he'd had another two decades, there would have been a Best Supporting Oscar with his name on it sooner of later, just like with Jack Palance and James Coburn.

Emilio Fernandez just had to show up and not smile in order to convey El Jefe's cruelty and hatefulness. Isela Vega, who played Elita, was no great actress, but she didn't have to be, I well remember her lay out in Playboy. By all accounts, Gig Young was a degenerate alcoholic by this point in his career and the violent murder- suicide that ended his life a few years later sadly underscores his scenes, especially the bloody shootout he and his partner/lover, Robert Webber, have late in the film. Kris Kristofferson shows up as a biker who rapes Elita and briefly lives to regret it.

After the debacle that was the making of PAT GARRETT AND BILLY THE KID, Peckinpah probably should have tried to make a more commercial film like THE GETAWAY, instead of something so close to his heart, but unlike his alter ego, Bennie, the man wasn't always after the big bucks.

A twisted and dark masterpiece

[contronatura · 9/10 · 27 February 2000]

There was probably no greater director in the U.S. from 1969-1974 than Sam Peckinpah. He made seven films, ranging from classics (The Wild Bunch) to superior genre pics (The Getaway). And before his career began sliding, he had one more masterpiece in him: Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia. This is the story of one man's alcohol-fueled journey into dissolution and redemption and a really strange film. Warren Oates plays Benny, a piano player cajoled by a pair of men into finding Alfredo's head. See, Alfredo impregnated the daughter of a vicious landowner, and now he wants him dead. But this isn't really what the film is about. It's more about Benny, and how his journey costs him everything. Warren Oates is wonderful as Benny, and there are some great darkly comic moments between him and the head. And this is one of Michael Medved's 50 worst movies of all time - what more of a recommendation do you require? Seriously, this is a great film.

One man and his quest for meaning turns into a Peckinpah classic.

[hitchcockthelegend · 9/10 · 4 March 2008]

El Jefe is outraged to find that his daughter has fallen pregnant to a man who has upped and gone, after learning the identity of the rascal (Alfredo Garcia), he offers one million dollars to anyone who can bring him the head of the Lothario running man. On the trail are hit men Quill & Sappensly, Bennie & his prostitute girlfriend Elita, and some other Mexican bandit types, all of them are on a collision course that will bring far more than they all bargained for.

This was the one film where director Sam Peckinpah felt he had the most control, the one where we apparently get his own cut and not some chopped up piece of work from interfering executives. Viewing it now many years after its release it stands up well as a testament to the work of a great director. On the surface it looks trashy, we have homosexual hit men, grave robbing, potential rape, murders abound, prostitution, lower than the low characters, in short the film is awash with Peckinpah traits. Yet it would be a disservice to even think this film isn't rich in thematic texture, for the journey that Bennie that our main protagonist takes is one of meaning. He is a loser, but we find him on this quest to find not only fortune, but respect and love. It's a bloody trail for sure, but it has much depth and no little Peckinpah humour to push the film to the bloody but triumphant finale. Warren Oates is rewarded by Peckinpah for years of sterling work for him by getting the lead role of Bennie, and he grasps it with both hands to turn in a wonderful performance that splits sadness and vibrancy with deft of ease.

Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia has a harsh quality about it, be it the violence, or be it the sadness of the characters, but what isn't in doubt to me is that it's harshness is cloaked in Peckinpah splendour. 9/10

Violent, Beautiful, Ugly, Haunting.

[Infofreak · 23 June 2001]

Watching this unforgettable near masterpiece for the first time it's impossible to understand why it isn't regarded as one of the greatest movies of the 70s - a decade that produced an astonishing amount of classics. How Maltin can dismiss it with the throwaway comment "sub-par bloodbath" defies belief! Almost everything about this movie is perfect, but the cornerstone is Warren Oates performance, perhaps his greatest. Rarely do you see such a completely engrossing, believable portrayal of a man who has lost EVERYTHING, who knows he cannot win, but also knows that he must keep going to the very end. Once seen, never forgotten may seem like a trite comment, but in this case it says it all. You will NEVER forget this movie!

More interesting than beautiful

[pzanardo · 6/10 · 3 May 2002]

"Bring me the head of Alfredo Garcia" is more interesting than beautiful. The film has great merits, but it somehow gets lost along the development of the story. The idea the plot is based on is simple but very unusual. Luckily enough, the viewer is not distressed by over-macabre scenes. The very beginning is sensational. The scene of the clash between the over-bad Emilio Fernandez (great actor even in a small role) and his proud daughter is an actual punch to the stomach of the audience. Follows a long, slow-paced and (let's say it) boring search for Alfredo Garcia or, at least, his head. When finally Bennie (Warren Oates) finds the head, the film improves remarkably.

There are some action scenes, but not so well-done as it's usual by Sam Peckinpah. That's a disappointment for us Peckinpah's fans, no reason to deny it. The director seems more interested in representing the psychology of Bennie and Elita (Isela Vega) and in telling their love story: a so-and-so job. The cast is good, but, in my opinion, Warren Oates is not fit to be the main star, great supporting actor as he is.

The cinematography is stylish and accurate. The director shows Mexico as the country of decay. Everything is bleak, dirty, scraped off, worn-out. All the automobiles are terribly damaged. Nothing is clean and in order (save the hotels for the rich Americans). The Mexicans seem to be just desperate, under-developed, cruel savages. Yet Peckinpah notoriously adored Mexico: it was his own Paradise... It is difficult to get the director's point.

In the film we find a number of unexpected flaws and inaccuracies. The scene of the shoot-out in the hotel room is just clumsy. The guy at the reception of a modest Mexican motel says to Bennie and Elita that they don't take "that sort of women". But Elita has nothing of a prostitute, nor her plain dress justifies such a magical intuition by the guy... so? As a matter of fact, the choice of a looking-next-door-girl (Vega) to play a professional prostitute is a flaw of the movie. The scene of the motor-bikers is stuck to the film. It has no meaning for the remainder of the movie, save perhaps in showing that Bennie is a tough guy who can kill.

"Bring me the head of Alfredo Garcia": interesting work for people who admire Sam Peckinpah.

Unrivaled.

[sothisislife · 9/10 · 15 April 2005]

It is my humble opinion that Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia comes as close to capturing the maddening drive of man as any movie. That is to say that it sits at the same table as the greats, perhaps across the way from Citizen Kane or Raging Bull. If you contest this it is perhaps only because the film is not as beautiful, not as magnificent, as the rest of its ballpark. I would argue that that is partially the point.

Bennie's quest is stripped to its core so that the brutality of the film is expressive of Bernie himself. There is not a violent film with more validity for its actions than this one, it is the maddening human mind which causes deaths here. Peckinpah shows us everything that is important in this man's life and then shows us what a man is capable of doing once all that is taken away. The difference between this film and other similar films is perhaps that the movie has such humble beginnings. We build ourselves inside of Bennie. When we first meet him he is casually and happily playing the piano, quietly dreaming of settling into a different kind of love. We share a quiet picnic with him, witness his wedding proposal.

Perhaps also there has never been a chaotic killing spree that has seemed this environmental. While usually the hero goes on a rampage in a way that is appropriately heroic itself, Bennie is no hero. He is a man forced into a situation by the world around him, as it seems he is always forced into situations. Since he is never the man he wants to be it seems natural that he would become the kind of man that is the amalgamation of love and hate.

All the emotion a movie in this genre could handle.

"Meat in the pot, honey."

[utgard14 · 6/10 · 26 July 2014]

The teenage daughter of a wealthy Mexican known as El Jefe is knocked up by Alfredo Garcia. El Jefe wants Garcia dead and places a $1,000,000 bounty on his head. Dive bar piano player Bennie (Warren Oates) wants to collect on the bounty. Luckily for Bennie, his hooker girlfriend Elita (Isela Vega) knows where Alfredo's buried. So Bennie gets Elita to take him to Alfredo's grave, where he intends to cut off the corpse's head and take it to El Jefe. But things go horribly wrong along the way.

One of Sam Peckinpah's more controversial movies. Most people seem to either love it or hate it. I'm kind of in the middle. The first 3/4 of it is slow-going and you might find yourself checking your watch. When it finally picks up the pace it is undeniably interesting and hard to turn away from. It's Peckinpah so expect violence and nastiness with unsavory, dislikable characters and a somewhat nihilistic tone to it all. Excessive use of slow-mo in action scenes is also a bit much. It almost seems like the man is parodying himself. Peckinpah devotees will like it most.

what can they *really* want with the head of Alfredo Garcia?

[Quinoa1984 · 10/10 · 11 April 2007]

At one point Warren Oates's character Bennie asks this, and it may or may not be a rhetorical question at this point in the film. By this time several people are dead, though more on the way, and he's lost the love of his life and any sense of self-worth. Then again, maybe he never had much of it anyway. But the question still stands- what was Alfredo Garcia ("Al" as his head is called by Bennie as he has him in the passenger seat of his car) really in the grand scheme of things?

He's bounty for El Jefe, a wealthy Mexican rancher who sees a scandal in his daughter becoming "involved" with the notorious Garcia, and asks not too bluntly to bring his head, period. This leads to Bennie becoming involved, who is basically a drifter barfly who plays piano and has it in him to want a lot of money really bad. Bad enough, as it turns out, to bring along Elita (Isela Vega) along for the ride to find the grave he's been buried in after a car accident. But, as it's not too surprising to see in a Sam Peckinpah film, a form of hell breaks loose...actually, when it comes down to it, a form of purgatory. The question, as one might gather watching the film, is more directed to the soul than anything; how much is life worth? It's incalculable, is Peckinpah's thesis, I think, and it's this aspect of how life can lose its value in an instant that gives his film allegorical lift.

It's not just a question of the loss of life that brings some of the most extraordinary parts of 'Alfredo Garcia'. This was one of Peckinpah's most personal projects- the only one he had final cut on- and here and there I got the sense that it's as much a nihilistic plunge into the blackest despair in murderous revenge as it is a pulp fiction kind of take on film-making itself. Peckinpah, therefore, is appropriately mimicked through Oates (it's easier to see after watching a documentary on the director, though even without that it's pretty clear this has to be based on someone), as a desperado who at first is fine with selling himself out, as it were, but then as his trip goes darker and more violent and without a slice of hope- with the money turning to moot as the casualties pile up- the worth of a job well done, or what a job entails, comes into question. Peckinpah dealt with a lot of s*** in the movie business, and one could perhaps make parallels to the gun-toting Mexicans on his trail, or even the men who he's supposed to report to with said head, as producers or studio execs.

But without all of this in mind, even as it adds a bit of fascination to how Benny's fate unfolds, Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia works on the levels that Peckinpah's work at its best does: it reveals violence and murder as the most unglamorous, frighteningly quick and graphically empty thing known to man. And while Peckinpah isn't quite as successful as in the Wild Bunch of corralling a perfect array of the devastating effects of shoot-em-ups in his brand of subversion, he comes close to that same level of ironic exhilaration with Bennie's path.

He even does his best to fit in a depressing love story between Benny and Elita, as they can't leave one another but all the same Elita just can't understand why he needs to get that head. It doesn't help matters that she almost gets raped- in a one-of-a-kind scene involving Kris Kristofferson in a role unlike any other I've seen him in- and is ready to call off their engagement...until there's the incident at Garcia's grave. From there on in, love is no longer the issue but- getting back to the 'soul' theme Peckipah's after, about loss. Lots and lots of loss.

And all the while Oates makes this a quintessential turn in his career. An actor in more TV shows than I could even attempt to watch, he took on this role, which doesn't allow much for easy sympathy or sentiment, and makes it completely compelling. Some may take issue with him, as well as with Vega in the role of Elita (and, in truth, she's not the greatest actress out there), not to mention Peckinpah's own warped view of humanity as taken in the film. But it's a fearless turn all the same, and by the end I couldn't see anyone else in the role, for that moment in time anyway, where Oates had a parallel wavelength with Peckinpah as to the vision of the picture.

All in all, Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia is about as grim and almost ludicrously hopeless, but it has some of the grittiest moments in American 70s film-making, where being uncompromising just goes with the territory. That it also gets the mind going on what it means to be self-destructive or to lose one's soul, or to just be a filmmaker, is a very good plus. A+

No Way Out

[slokes · 7/10 · 27 September 2008]

It wasn't a hit in its day, and its title became a staple of late-show humor soon after, but "Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia" is regarded a good deal more seriously today as one of legendary director Sam Peckinpah's signature films, maybe second only to his "Wild Bunch".

It's a pretty good film, but likely to resonate more with those who appreciate Sam going in. In it, a hard-drinking piano man in Mexico with a mysterious Army past named Bennie (Warren Oates) gets wind of the fact a fellow named Alfredo Garcia, who has just taken Bennie's girlfriend Elita (Isela Vega) out for a three-day tryst, has a price on his head and is wanted by some scuzzy killers. Bennie knows Alfredo is in fact dead. All he needs to do is get Al's head out of his grave and bring it to the killers for a payoff. He offers his services to the killers, though not explaining the part about Al being dead already.

One of the killers calls Bennie a "loser," which sets Bennie's big teeth on edge. "Nobody loses all the time," he replies.

That's a signature line in "Alfredo Garcia", though there are other good ones, too. In one, Bennie watches as a pair of gringo assassins demonstrate their disregard for the fairer sex by knocking one of them cold as she sits at Bennie's piano. "How d'you guys like baseball?" Bennie asks, a line that comes out as random as it reads. In another, Bennie pumps bullets into an already prone enemy. "Why?" he cries out to himself. "Because it feels so goddam good!"

What else is good about "Alfredo"? Start with Oates in a rare lead role, playing a character barely holding it together for half the film, completely insane thereafter. Watching him chop dry ice to preserve a rotting head is like watching Laurence Olivier soliloquize over a skull. Vega is fantastic as the wayward but compassionate Elita, lolling naked on a bed trying to coax Bennie back to sanity. A lot of nude scenes in movies feel wrong for the way they work to showcase the actor rather than the character, but Peckinpah shoots Vega from less flattering angles, to the point that the scenes underscore not her sexuality but her vulnerability. It's bold, arresting work, from both Peckinpah and Vega.

Peckinpah seems to be working with half a movie, though, a script which is an interesting idea but underdeveloped. Robert Webber and Gig Young get a great introduction as a pair of killers (Webber's the one who cold-cocks the girl) but don't make much of an impact thereafter. There's a bizarre bit with Kris Kristofferson as a menacing biker, except since he's Kristofferson he's not all that menacing or credible. Nor is the scene, which serves no useful purpose. The music by Jerry Fielding is well below his usual standard, except for the surreal muzak that plays in a hotel room when Bennie makes his deal for Al's head. The negative overall vibe of the film makes it almost impossible to watch sober, at least for me.

Bennie seems to feel it, too. "I wanna go someplace new," he tells Elita. It's his justification for going after Alfredo's head. But it's also a cop-out. Wherever Bennie goes, he can't escape his insecurities, with Elita and himself, something she tries to get him to deal with until it's too late.

As a pulp fiction piece that doesn't really seem that interested in the usual pulp fiction rules, "Alfredo Garcia" does work in its askew way. The best scene in the film, perversely enough, is a picnic where Bennie and Elita declare their love for one another. Like Edgar Buchanan's speech on marriage in "Ride The High Country" and Jason Robards and David Warner contemplating the pain of lost relationships in "The Ballad Of Cable Hogue", it's another standout sequence that belies a director's reputation, one for good or ill the rest of "Alfredo Garcia" ruthlessly upholds.

Scratch the Surface and You Find Great Art

[mikenuell · 10/10 · 14 March 2002]

I believe Sam Peckinpah to be one of the most underrated directors in modern American cinema. We praise Scorcese to the sky (albeit deservedly) for ultra-violent work like Taxi Driver, yet tend to dismiss Peckinpah as a shallow director of action film and westerns.

Nothing could be further from the truth. When I watch this movie, it reminds me of what movies are all about, it is instructive, it elevates the consciousness of the form, which tends to be a factor in all great art.

`Alfredo Garcia' actually has more in common with Cocteau's `Orphee' than action vehicles; like it's predecessor, it is an adaptation of the Orpheus myth, albeit more subtle. I'm not going to get exhaustive in analysis, but will highlight some of the most obvious metaphors and references:

The first blatant clue is early in the film, after Benny (Warren Oates) gets the contract to bring back Alfredo Garcia's head, he tells his girlfriend `this is our golden fleece, baby.' Orpheus, of course, was one of the Argonauts who accompanied Jason on his quest for the Golden Fleece.

When Orpheus was killed, his head was torn off, yet it continued to sing. In the same way, it is Alfredo's head luring Benny to the sweet tune of $10K, enough to start a new life, enough to find happiness. (Note also, when Benny asks

But Benny is in fact himself Orpheus, Alfredo Garcia simply his double. To wit, Alfredo had been sleeping with Benny's woman; her love is split between the two of them. More obvious is the scene when the two hit men come into Benny's piano bar, showing him the picture of Alfredo and asking if he's knows his whereabouts. Benny's reply is `You got me.' (Note also the thematic foreshadowing in this scene when Benny ask the Gig Young character for his name and he replies `Fred C. Dobbs', the name of Humphrey Bogart's doomed character in `Treasure of Sierra Madre.')

Our introduction to Benny is as a jaded singer in a low rent piano bar in Mexico. However, like Orpheus, he is able to inspire even the pathetic patronage to sing with relish.

Orpheus was said to be able to tame even the wild beasts with his sweet lyre, and later in the film, when Benny finds himself in great jeopardy, having fallen under the power of two random psycho's in the badlands (great Kris Kristopherson cameo by the way,) he uses the guitar to overcome his captor, first lulling him with song, then bashing him with the instrument.

Like the doomed Orpheus and Euridice, before Benny can marry his true love, she is randomly killed. In the old myth, Euridice is slain by an actual snake, in this film, she it is human snakes, i.e. devious, treacherous men.

(As Benny returns, cracking up over the death of his lover, he beings talking to Alfredo's severed head, now rotting in the heat. Could this be a statement on the rotten reality of the materialistic American dream?) Regardless, the head is clearly `singing' to him, although now it may be a bitter song of regret.

I don't want to spoil the ending (which is far more true romance than Tarantino's screenplay and the subsequent film of the same name, if one is familiar with the Tristan & Isolde paradigm,) but suffice it to say, at `the gates of the underworld,' home free, Benny, like Orpheus cannot resist `looking back' at his departed lover, and bring about his ruin.

The opening to this film is indisputably one of the greatest in cinematic history. As a parting note, I will elucidate this claim, as most people tend not to get it:

Set in Mexico, the film is a modern western and to bring this home, Peckinpah must bridge time.

It opens with old time Mexican music and an antique-looking black and white photo, which shifts into color and becomes the opening shot, a pastoral scene by a pond.

We see a pregnant girl in a very simple, homespun white gown dangling, her feet in the water. A maid in the garb of a timeless Mexican peasant, complete with shawl, comes up and consoles her. Two well dressed cowboys, complete with spurs and Colt .45's in their gun belts, approach to fetch her. In the background, a few more cowboys on horses ride past, one holding a rifle. In the background is an old style adobe building. Everything is right out of the 19th century.

This timeframe is reinforced when the girl is led to her father's office, the first view of which is of old-style oil paintings, on of a conquistador. This is actually a great hall with the architecture and furnishings of the 19th century. Her father, the quintessential Mexican Don from innumerable westerns is surrounded but surrounded by women in black, various functionaries, a priest and some nuns, all the antique garb of the era.

It only towards the end of the scene, if you looks very closely, will you notice that one man, a gringo, is wearing a dark banker's suit and has on a modern looking tie.

And very quickly after this, we cut to a motorcycle and then a line of cars driving out of the courtyard of the great house! And the next major cut is to a jet plane landing.

The film opens in the old west and after the set up, phases us abruptly into modern times when it is actually set. I'm not sure how this can be described as anything other than genius.

It is moments like this, along with great depth of character, emotion and theme, dramatic and symbolic unity, that makes this film an artistic achievement.

In my limited sphere of understanding, Peckinpah is as much in the ranks with Kurosawa and Pasolini, as with John Ford, Sam Fuller and other great Western and Action directors.

Great art, great entertainment and a quintessential action flick; this is a tremendous film that bears multiple viewings.

Heading down a dark path.

[Pjtaylor-96-138044 · 7/10 · 23 December 2020]

This dark, almost nihilistic film is apparently the only one of Peckinpah's not to be interfered with by a studio or someone of similar standing. The result is exactly what its director intended, a gritty and slow-burning pseudo neo-noir that takes its time getting to the squib-squirting shootouts that Peckinpah is known for. The story is centred around a head: the head of Alfredo Garcia, to be exact. After he impregnates a gang boss' young daughter, the man finds himself on the wrong end of an assassination contract. That's where our protagonist comes in; Oates' dive-bar pianist knows someone who knows where Garcia is, so he sets out to make some quick cash but gets much more than he bargained for. Most of the first half of 'Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia (1974)' is dedicated to the relationship between the hero and his girlfriend, which is given the time it needs to feel real. It's the underlying heart of the narrative. After a certain point, the picture takes a sharp turn and becomes a lot more bloody. Its final third sees its protagonist try to justify his actions in increasingly dangerous ways, taking violent risks seemingly for no real reason. In the end, though, that's the point: none of it was worth it and any reasoning is futile. It's a bleak conclusion, for sure, but it makes for a stark and distinct experience. Once it gets properly underway, the piece is rather enjoyable in a pulpy sort of sense. It's compelling to see our hero go through his downward spiral and there's this looming feeling of dread that builds as the thing approaches its conclusion. It's a dark flick, but it's often entertaining and is held together by a decent central relationship. 7/10

Unpleasant, nihilistic fare from a director capable of better.

[barnabyrudge · 4/10 · 24 February 2005]

Sam Peckinpah's Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia is hailed by some as a masterpiece (I've even seen reviews which claim, absurdly, that it is better than his film The Wild Bunch). Others view the film somewhat less favourably, seeing it as a deeply unpleasant sleaze-fest unworthy of the director's ability. I'm a huge fan of Peckinpah's work, but I'm afraid on this occasion I've got to go along with those who label the film a disappointment. The only Peckinpah movie that I like less than this is his final one, The Osterman Weekend. Mainly, I find Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia too self-consciously grim. Peckinpah wants to give us a dirty, sweaty antihero totally unlike any other hero we've seen before, but he makes Warren Oates' character TOO disagreeable, so that he goes beyond a mere antihero and becomes something truly unappealing, even unappetising. Likewise, the plot deliberately focuses on unpleasant detail, and the locations chosen are presented as seedily and uninvitingly as possible (presumably to add to the film's themes of anti-every thingness). Ultimately, the film chokes itself to death by over-doing the ugliness to such an extent that it becomes a turn-off.

Latin American moneybags El Jefe (Emilio Fernandes) is enraged to learn that his daughter has been impregnated out of wedlock by ex-soldier Alfredo Garcia. El Jefe promises a million bucks to anyone who can kill Garcia for him, on the proviso that they bring Garcia's head to him to prove that the killing has been carried out properly. An alcoholic American pianist, Bennie (Warren Oates), learns of the bounty and is immediately interested in the idea. Bennie knows what everyone else doesn't:- that Garcia is dead and has been buried in a Mexican graveyard. Therefore, he sets off with his girlfriend Elita (Isela Vega) planning to dig up Garcia's corpse, saw off its head, and take the head to El Jefe in order to collect the reward. The plan backfires and Bennie finds himself pitted against a whole bunch of unscrupulous and murderous bounty hunters, all of whom want the blood-stained sack that holds Alfredo Garcia's head so that they can hand it over to El Jefe, thus laying their hands on the million dollar purse.

During the shoot, Peckinpah was allegedly in a perpetual haze of booze and drugs. The effect is certainly pretty disastrous on he film. It's a deeply personal film in which he director seems to be dangerously angry, but at no point does he get enough grip on the material to fashion it into something coherent and meaningful. From time to time, people have also interpreted it as some sort of black comedy, but I couldn't see any truth in that interpretation when I watched it. The pacing is rather slow too, and worse still the editing is awfully sloppy (unheard-of in most Peckinpah movies, as they usually make innovative use of editing techniques). On the whole, Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia is a very dismaying failure; particularly disappointing when one considers Peckinpah's talent and reflects on how scandalously it has been wasted here.

Peckinpah has come full circle

[norm1972_8 · 27 January 2005]

First, I'm sure everyone commenting on this film has seen the documentary on Peckinpah, and the comments made by the film critics regarding this film. If I may quote one of the critics, and I'm sure you all agree "It's the one film of Peckinpah's that everyone tries to imitate". Even Tarantino does to some degree. I have issues with Quentin Tarantino from a cinematic and artistic point of view, but that is another review. Warren Oates' performance was flawless, as he actually assumes the identity Of Sam Peckinpah as a gesture of appreciation for gracing him with his first starring vehicle.

Warren Oates was taking Sam's journey for him, as Sam looked from behind the lens. This movie was Peckinpah at his best and his worst at the same time. The old Peckinpah themes are there; Mexico is the final frontier, where one can continue to be what he once was in a changing world, but eventually Mexico begins to change as well. As I said in my review of "Junior Bonner" (be sure to check it out, and get back to me)progress is the main antagonist in the lives of Peckinpah's characters.

Junior Bonner and Bennie (Oates' Character) have a common foe, the twentieth century, which is why we find Bennie in Mexico. The chance to improve his situation, and establish a solid relationship with his hooker girlfriend (played with tough sincerity by Isela Vega) arrives at a time in Bennie's life when he least expects it, but it's not as easy as it is set out to be. All he has to do is bring this head to "El Hefe", and at the last minute BAM!! Bennie grows a conscience. Along the way he loses his woman, and then just goes nuts, thus revealing "The Diseased Soul of Sam Peckinpah".

My favorite scene is actually the picnic, where Elita and Bennie discuss their future. Elita begs Bennie to ask her to marry her, he does and she begins to weep. The simple fact that he says it is a tender moment, and shows how the slightest thing can arouse a woman's emotions. Jerry Fielding's musical score, which successfully created the mood and atmosphere for "Straw Dogs" (my all time favorite Peckinpah film) is present, but very muted. Still, this may be the best scene of the film.

Sam Peckinpah finally had complete control to dictate the direction of this film; Free from the money men, and left to his own devices in Mexico where he felt at home. A lot of people say that Pat Garret and Billy the Kid was the last Peckinpah masterpiece, but I think Alfredo Garcia was the last one. It throws you off at the beginning with the horses, then all of a sudden a Corvette screeches by; This is the paradox that really signifies that "The West" is over, bringing Sam Peckinpah and his love for the west full circle.

The critics literally hated this film, but 30 years later because of it we have a Martin Scorcese, a Robert Rodriguez, and a Quentin Tarantino (yeah) to name a few, as well as achieving underground cult status. I'm proud to call "Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia" one of my favorite films.

A Journey Into The Heart Of Darkness

[gogoschka-1 · 9/10 · 11 February 2018]

Sam Peckinpah, the master of ultra violent stories about mercenaries and outlaws, sends Warren Oates on a journey into the heart of darkness.

The result is nothing short of a masterpiece: What an amazing film full of unexpected turns, totally messed-up characters and fantastic performances.

Was way ahead of its time and should be re-discovered by as many film fans as possible. 9 stars out of 10.

In case you're interested in more underrated masterpieces, here's some of my favorites:

imdb.com/list/ls070242495/

This HEAD has got guts!

[ReggieSantori · 10/10 · 12 March 2004]

BRING ME THE HEAD OF ALFREDO GARCIA is another great hard-boiled action masterpiece from Sam Peckinpah(THE WILD BUNCH). Like most of his films, this one has cult status while it ought to be hailed as the classic it is. It features generous helpings of Peckinpah's famous slow motion gun fights and has great lines like "you guys are definitely on my sh*t list!" I don't know how that sounds to you, but for me it was irresistible.

Warren Oats(BADLANDS) stars as the piano player hired to retrieve the head (of Alfredo Garcia), unaware that he'll have competition. He knows he's working for the bad guys, but doesn't care because he needs the money. He sets out with his girlfriend and things don't exactly go as planned.

The film also features a cameo by Kris Kristofferson(A STAR IS BORN) is a biker. It is one of the many great scenes in this movie. Another has Oats transporting Garcia's not-so-fresh head, talking to it as he goes.

Many think the movie is over the top or just plain bad, but they're wrong. This movie has guts and emotional intensity. There's a good amount of both action and drama, and they both work.

If you like Peckinpah, action, or movies centering on severed head, BRING ME THE HEAD OF ALFREDO GARCIA is for you!

American piano player in Mexico gets involved with bounty hunters , psychos and a bloody vendetta

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 4 July 2011]

Film starts promisingly enough , as the story takes place in the Mexican frontier with the U.S. , in 1974 . The Mexican baron land dubbed "The Boss" (Emilio Fernandez) to be aware his teenage daughter "Teresa" is pregnant , and he offers a reward : to take the head of Alfredo Garcia , a former employee . It is concerned by two American bounty hunters , "Quill" (Gig Young) and "Sappensly" (Robert Webber). Also, "Bennie" (Warren Oates), piano player and co-owner of a bar , along with her lover "Elita" Peach Vega (frequently naked Isela Vega), a prostitute and former girlfriend of "Alfredo Garcia" ; all of them are determined to get the reward . The pianist becomes mixed up vicious bounty hunters who are looking for the head of the man who has impregnated the wealthy owner's daughter and finishing in an orgy of blood and destruction .

An enjoyable film , it turns to be an elegiac and tough perspective at the world of losers . Taut excitement throughout , though soon becomes to drawn out , beautifully photographed and with brutal scenes and some images filmed in slow-moving . The film results to be one of the most strong and ferocious directed by Peckinpah . Tenth Sam Peckinpah film , shot with limited financial resources and total freedom . As it was the only movie directed by Sam Peckinpah that he had final cut on , all the others were re-cut by the studios . However , upon release , it was banned in Sweden, Germany and Argentina . The screenplay from S. Peckinpah , Gordon T. Dawson, develops a plot of S. Peckinpah and Frank Kawalski . It is filmed on location in various localities of Mexico . The picture is full of action , drama , adventure , crime , thriller , romance and western . There is a lot of bloodletting but seems almost restrained alongside nowadays's movies . It proposes a rough history , violent , sordid and heartbreaking . Abundant dust , odors , standing water covered with algae , watering foul , squalid housing , etc. It shows the poverty of the region , school children , nasty motorists , rapists stalking , assault , murder , shootouts , etc . Extremely violent throughout , it does show a side of Mexico rarely shot in American movies . Violence takes many forms , including long shootouts , punching, pushing malicious torture in private and in public . The central motive is a cruel revenge . The film is possibly the most brutal and ferocious made by Peckinpah , when he was dominated by alcohol , melancholy , loneliness and despair . Warren Oates turns in an excellent acting as independent pianist who is searching redemption by a crazy vengeance , he and Isela Vega strike real sparks . Warren Oates is on the screen as "alter ego" of the director, who creates one of his most candid self-portraits . It is a road movie , which develops the action as a long drive from the city of Mexico , near which lies the estate of "The Boss" . The film is formatted in a violent odyssey , peppered with unexpected incidents , outrageous situations , social problems and a stark as well as shocking bloody violence . It also has exalted friendship , companionship , affection and love . Displays signs of misogyny that characterizes the filmmaker , where women are not reliable : they are infidels , weak character , disloyal , deceitful, and all men are big losers . In the context of this bleak world , explores the mythic figure of the loser, in line with the general mood of the country after the end of the Vietnam War . It pays tribute to "The Treasure of Sierra Madre (Huston, 1948) , which is inspired and takes some elements included in the screenplay .

The soundtrack by Jerry Fielding , Peckinpah's usual ("The Wild Bunch" 1969), composed a score in short melodies that evoke the folk music traditional Mexican and 4 songs notables : "Bennie's Song", "A place to go", "Bad Blood Baby "(voice of Peckinpah) and" JF. " Photography, Alex Phillips ("Robinson Crusoe", Buñuel, 1954) , offers images that accompany and underscore the dirty , rough and violent film . Action , dialog , cinematography , score and slow-moving editing are Peckinpah classic in his film more authentic and personal. Professionally made by the famous director who was a real creator and author of masterpieces as ¨Cross of Iron¨,¨The ballad of Cable Hogue¨, ¨Wild bunch¨ . ¨Bring me the head of Alfredo Garcia¨ was lovely realized by Sam Peckinpah in his punchy directorial style . Hardcore Peckinpah moviegoers will appreciate this one more than the casual spectator .

Where is this Head-ed?

[virek213 · 9/10 · 9 July 2001]

Easily the darkest movie of director Sam Peckinpah's career, and one of the bleakest films ever made, period, BRING ME THE HEAD OF ALFREDO GARCIA is, depending on who you read, either a bizarre cult masterpiece or a bizarre piece of trash. Trashed by critics and audience upon its release in the summer of 1974, the pendulum has, in recent times, swung in its favor because people are willing to look much closer at it.

Warren Oates, one of the great character actors of all times, here given a starring role by his good friend Peckinpah, is compulsive as a down-and-out piano player in a Mexico City dive given the chance to "score" by delivering the head (and ONLY the head) of a Mexican gigolo who played around with the daughter (Janine Maldonado) of his former employer (Emilio Fernandez). Although he is offered $10,000 for the reward for Garcia's noggin by a group of Americans working for Fernandez, the actual bounty is one hundred times that. Since Oates knows from his girlfriend (Isela Vega) that "Big Al" died in a car crash exacerbated by too much Mexican booze, he thinks the retrieval of the head will be easy, fast, and a lucrative "way out. That, however, turns out not to be the case by any means, and it leads him into a nightmare from which he cannot get out of.

Few other films have ever mixed so many different genres into one, and ALFREDO GARCIA mixes in elements of Mexican melodrama; the western; the gangster/crime genre; romantic tragedy; vengeance; black comedy; and even horror. Less violent than his two big masterpieces (THE WILD BUNCH; STRAW DOGS), ALFREDO GARCIA nevertheless still has its trademark Peckinpah approach to violence, though it is done in a deliberately cold-blooded and calculated way. It also features a tremendous score by Peckinpah favorite Jerry Fielding that combines traditional and classical Mexican music elements with the more brooding influences that he used for STRAW DOGS. Its warped combination of genres will certainly not satisfy everyone, but with Peckinpah, that's just the way things go. But for those who are game, ALFREDO GARCIA is worth the risk.

Insane Enough To Remain Watchable

[Theo Robertson · 6/10 · 7 January 2010]

This is a very strange film . The more you discuss it the more realise just how insane the film is . Alfredo Garcia gets some criminal's daughter pregnant and does a runner so the girl's father has her limbs broken and organises a bounty for the man who brings him Garcia's head . Bennie , a piano player in some Mexican dive is approached by a couple of gay hit men and decides to take his whore girlfriend on a quest to find Garcia's body , chop off his head and claim the reward money

There you go that's the plot and don't tell me you've seen it all before because this is a unique film . Okay it's totally insane and be honest a rather poor one too . It's badly paced and looks like most of the budget went on Sam Peckinpah's drink and cocaine bill but there's just something that stops it from being a total turkey . I can understand it ended up in the Medved book 50 Worst Films Of All Time but can also understand why it also has staunch defenders

Much of it depends on how well you rate Sam Pekinpah as a director . I am a fan but if you're not there's no way you'll want to see this movie . It contains all the Peckinpah elements of bloody OTT violence and mysoginism . It also contains an offbeat sense of humour that I'm certain isn't intentional . For example one of the gay hit men is killed and Bennie nonchalantly asks his lover " Do I get paid now ? " . Cut to seething widowed gay hit-man husband squealing " Yeah I'll pay you " then precedes to try and blow Bennie's head off

Some people claim this is Sam Peckinpah's final masterpiece . They're entirely wrong because CROSS OF IRON from 1977 holds that honour . But BRING ME THE HEAD OF ALFREDO GARCIA does remain typically grotesque Peckinpah entertainment

Bennie's Chaotic Journey

[seymourblack-1 · 8/10 · 28 October 2011]

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.

When an extremely wealthy Mexican landowner called El Jefe (Emilio Fernadez) 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) 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.

A tremendous number of people get killed in this movie 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 glamorisation 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.

Sam Peckinpah classic

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 8 December 2019]

Mexican crime lord El Jefe summons his pregnant daughter. He interrogates her under torture and she reveals the father of her baby to be Alfredo Garcia. El Jefe proclaims a bounty of 1 million for the head of Alfredo Garcia. His men arrive in Mexico City to track down the former favorite underling. Nobody is willing to give much information. Elita tells her local hustler boyfriend Bennie (Warren Oates) that she had cheated on him with Alfredo Garcia who died recently. Bennie has the idea to do some grave robbing and claim the bounty.

It's a great premise and a great title from director Sam Peckinpah. The start is great. There is a meandering section after the opening until Warren Oates installs himself as the lead of the movie. I wonder if Bennie should have the opening scene despite the greatness of this movie's opening. Warren Oates is not necessary a cinematic lead. He's a character actor, a great character actor. In order for him to be taken as the lead, he needs screen time with him as the center. There are parts I like but a lot is not that thrilling. This Peckinpah classic really intrigues me but also frustrates me with what could have been. I have an issue or two with the ending. All in all, it fascinates me more than frustrates me.

Brilliant!

[mgtbltp · 10/10 · 21 January 2006]

This one is a masterpiece light-years better that Pat Garret & Billy the Kid. This film updates the traditional American anti-hero of films like Huston's "Treasure Of The Sierra Madre" Mitchum's "Out of the Past", Eastwood's "Leone trilogy" and re-incarnates him as a decadent "lounge lizard, piano bar operating, sleaze-ball" named Bennie, out originally for the easy money and then out for revenge. This film is tight, brutally tragic, and picaresquely funny with the continuing one sided dialog between Benny and Alfredo a hoot. Benny's battered oil burning red Chevy Impala convertible imprints an impression of an impromptu pimp mobile-environmental disaster as it lays a blue contrail down on the highway.

The best Peckinpah I've seen so far.

Great cinematography, great dialog's and memorable one liners. Benny take your place in the Pantheon of Anti- Heroes

Passionate and powerful film - even if not one of my favorites

[Galina_movie_fan · 7/10 · 31 July 2007]

Not often a movie would make both the Best and the Worst movies ever made list and "Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia" is one of them. One thing is for sure - it is hard to forget. It is certainly not my favorite movie ever made and I found it sometimes laughable - not once but twice, the guards of the important persons would let a suspiciously looking stranger go and talk to their bosses not even trying to search him for a weapon. But there is a lot of power and intensity and genuine feeling of despair, and incredible acting by Warren Oates (Bennie) and the rare chemistry between him and Isela Vega (Elita) and the poignant friendship between Bennie and ...the head of Alfredo Garcia. When I watched it, I kept thinking, "Dead man walking" and by the end, it has become clear to me that the movie was about dead men - everyone in the movie was doomed. It brought to my mind the ancient Greek legend about the head of Gorgona Medusa that would turn to stone any mortal who dared to look at it. The legend actually works in the movie because every man who dared to look at it (including El Jefe, the rich and powerful man who gave the order to bring him the head of Alfredo Garcia). The only male who avoided the curse of the head, was a newborn son of Alfredo - he escaped with his mother.

a bit too good for its own good.

[HollysDemoHell · 5/10 · 28 September 2020]

Straddling the boundary between grindhouse scuzz and Oscar-bait style earnestness, this film has an authentic and uncompromisingly gritty feel to it which makes me respect all the glowing reviews and cultish acclaim it gathers. What I couldn't do is enjoy it, because it came across as a slow meandering chore to get through. The plot was there, the atmosphere was there, but nothing was grabbing me. I felt like I should be transfixed, but found my concentration was lapsing so badly I had to rewind a few scenes 3 or 4 times before I took them in - and that was before the half hour mark.

There's a scene in Abigail's Party where Lawrence admires the complete Shakespeare collection sitting in his bookcase before saying "Of course, it's not the kind of thing you can actually read...". That's how I feel about this film. It's probably a classic, but I can't actually watch it.