El francotirador (1977) User Reviews

Dark but well made drama

[johnbernhard · 7/10 · 4 February 2010]

EL FRANCOTIRADOR aka THE SNIPER ( 1977 ) finds Naschy in a deadly serious drama about a man who wants revenge for the death of his daughter. The bulk of the film takes place in Madrid, during the later years of Franco's dictatorship. The opening scenes reveal how a widowed clockmaker named Lucas loses his young daughter in an accident involving an anti government attack. After a random encounter with Franco himself, Lucas embarks on a plan to kill the General, whom he considers responsible for his daughters death. He goes to Madrid to plan his revenge where he encounters call girl with a heart of gold Blanca Estrada, who falls in love with him ( and get naked half a dozen times J, Ms Estrada has never looked better ). Meanwhile a group of political terrorists discover his plan and want to help him, as long as they can take credit for the assignation. Lucas refuses but is eventually pressured into accepting their offer. The terrorists also prepare a back up plan in case the first attempt fails, setting the stage for the anticipated grim conclusion.

Naschy is excellent as the tortured father mourning his daughter. He appears without hairpiece here, and the natural look suits his character, looking a bit older and worn down than other films from this era. Many scenes are free of dialog and Naschy carries these with a quiet dignity and intensity, all that practice brooding as Waldemar Daninsky really pays off here. The direction by Carlos Puerto is assured and steady, maintaining a slow, somber pace throughout. One strange sequence where Lucas is followed by a car is cut together with shots that end in blackouts, which is just plain strange, but otherwise the film is solid technically. THE SNIPER also avoids violent exploitation, instead focusing on the main character and his overwhelming grief. The real mis-step is Estrada's character, which is pure fantasy in the classic Paul Naschy "I wrote it so I get the girl: mode", but given the amount of exposure she receives here, I'm obliged to give him a pass.

While not up to the high water marks to be set by EL CAMINENTE and FRENCHMAN'S GARDEN in a year or two, EL FRANCOTIRADOR is a well made and grimly depressing drama, with an impressive central performance resulting in one of PN's better non horror outings.

Widescreen, English Fansubs 93 minutes

Mediocre Jacinto Molina thriller about an unfortunate father who searches vendetta

[ma-cortes · 5/10 · 26 January 2023]

Stars watchmaker Lucas who (Paul Naschy) lives with his daughter in a quiet town. Set in an indeterminate year of the Francoist Dictatorship, the protagonist Lucas has the idea of killing Franco after the death of his daughter in a most bizarre accident: a bomb explodes, the government car to which it is addressed (perhaps from Franco himself) goes off the road and runs over the girl, then flees. The poor watchmaker Lucas is seized by a desire for revenge . The pain and hatred take over Lucas and he decides to go to Madrid and plan the assassination of Franco. In Madrid stays at a boarding house run by Doña Flora (Carmen de Lirio) assisted by her servant Santiaga (Eva Leon) and with various guests holding their own characteristics (José Nieto , Carlos Casaravilla, Pep Munné) . Later on , at a night club , he meets a call girl (often naked Blanca Estrada) with a heart of gold and both of whom fall in love. There are some terrorists who threaten him and coerce to carry out their purports , just as they threaten and coerce the political system. Lucas, the free man in the middle, will have to decide what to do and how to do it when the time comes . The film develops the preparation of the assassination including identity counterfeit , weapons purchase, shooting targets , among others.

This " El francotirador" was written and played by Jacinto Molina Aka Paul Naschy giving a sober and sad acting as a deranged man . Naschy passed away at 2009 , he was an actor, screenwriter and director of various films about the role based on fictitious character, the Polish count Waldemar Daninsky. The first film about Waldemar was ¨The mark of the Wolfman (1968)¨ by Enrique Eguiluz . In fact , in 1967 he wrote the script for La marca del Hombre Lobo (1968) . He was forced, out of necessity, to play the lead role of tormented werewolf Waldermar Daninsky after Lon Chaney Jr turned it down. He reprised this character in over a dozen subsequent sequels. Naschy's portrayals of the anguished and sympathetic werewolf Daninsky became his signature part and consolidated his enduring cult status as a bona-fide horror icon . In other significant horror movies Paul played various horror figures , such as : the Mummy, Jack the Ripper, the Hunchback, the Frankenstein Monster, the Phantom of the Opera, and even the Devil.

"El Francotirador" is a so-so film with a strange plot : one day Franco suffers a terrorist attack, as a result of which Lucas's daughter dies , as he seeks revenge at whatever cost. It's necessary to be recognized that "El francotirador" has the courage to show society and ideals as they were considered at that time. The main influence of this film results to be¨Fred Zinnemann's The Day of the Jackal¨ made the same year (1973) , in fact here there's also the typical scenes about the counterfeiter, the peculiar weapon used is similar to the one in the previous film, and the training with the rifle in the field by firing at various targets. El Francotirador displays some action, suspense , tense, intrigue , but it results to be slow-moving and really dull .

The motion picture was middlingly directed by Carlos Puerto . He was a craftsman who wrote and directed some B-films , usually making all kinds of genres as thriller , terror , action ... such as : La vida, el amor y la muerte , La capilla ardiente , Trauma , Morir de miedo, En mil pedazos , El francotirador , being his biggest hit : Escalofrío (1978) . Rating : 4.5/10 . Only for Paul Naschy fans.