Keoma (1976)
Keoma is an Italian Spaghetti Western from 1976 directed by Enzo G. Castellari. Starring Franco Nero. It is frequently regarded as one of the better Spaghetti Westerns, being one of the last films of its genre, and is known for its incorporation of newer cinematic techniques of the time (such as slow motion and close/medium panning shots) and its vocal soundtrack by Guido & Maurizio De Angelis.
Plot Keoma
Half Indian, half white Keoma returns to his home town to find his half-brothers in alliance with a bad guy named Caldwell. 
Caldwell and his gang rule over the town. With the help of his father and George, an old Black friend, he vows revenge. Keoma saves a pregnant woman from Caldwell’s group. Keoma is visited by an older woman called the Witch, who saved him of a massacre of an Indian camp. Then the confrontation with Caldwell’s group comes…
Notable scenes
The final shootout with the mother’s screams while her baby is born in the background.
Making of Keoma
The story line of the film was mostly improvised at the same time as the film was made. The original story treatment was written by Luigi Montefiori (aka George Eastman) and turned into a script by Mino Roli and Nico Ducci, but director Enzo G. Castellari didn’t like what had been written. Because of problems with the schedule, Castellari and actor Joshua Sinclair wrote the script for the next day every evening after filming of the day. Castellari was also open to suggestions from the cast and crew – Franco Nero has confirmed that he wrote some of his own dialogue.
Director Enzo G. Castellari has stated that out of all the films he has directed, this is his personal favorite.
Keoma is a Native Indian word that means “far away” and not “freedom” as it is often misinterpreted as.
Our view on Keoma
Castellari uses all the tricks of the directors book in this movie: strange angles, music and flashbacks. He uses Sam Peckinpah style slow motion deaths after someone is shot. In Peckinpah’s films it was used skilfully to highlight the brutality of certain killings here and there throughout the movie. In Keoma it is used more or less every time someone is shot this could have been better. Castellari, known for the original Inglourious Basterds was an inspiration to Quentin Tarantino for his movies. Keoma is clearly a classic. Exploitflix must see Western.
Trailer
Where to buy Keoma
DVD/VHS/Betamax/VCC
Watch on Youtube
Details
Genre: spaghetti western
Released in: 1976
Era: seventies
Actors: Franco Nero
Director: Enzo G. Castellari
Poster artist: unknown
musical score: Guido & Maurizio De Angelis
Country: Italy
