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Directed by Alex de la Iglesia Cast: Sancho Gracia, Angel de Andres López, Carmen Maura, Eusebio Poncela, Luciano Federico, Enrique Martínez, Eduardo Gomez, Manuel Tallafe. 2002 |
Alex de La Iglesia & Co.
In production at the Almeria sets.
The Complete Cast.
Sancho Gracia attends to directions.
Sancho Gracia & Angel de Andres Lopez.
Ibercine is proud to preview the first images of Alex de la Iglesia's new film, shot entirely on location at the set of the old Spaghetti Westerns in Almeria, Spain.
While shooting La Comunidad (Commonwealth), Alex de la Iglesia started chasing some actors about another project: desert, Almeria, Western towns for tourists, good guys, bad guys, ugly guys and a lot of dust. According to Sancho Gracia, one of the actors involved: "he also wanted (and still wants) to shoot a film about pirates!". But De la Iglesia got himself down to it (t budget) In no time. It seems that he did not find any offers to his liking and decided to organise it himself. He created a production company which name could be a joke: Panico Films. He announced the title and the budget (in pesetas, as it was at the end of 2001) and in only one sentence he stated: "800 Bullets, one million per bullet".
Summary- Alex de la Iglesia says 800 Balas is a marmitako-western (note, marmitako is a Basque dish). Isn't it logical for a director from Bilbao to think that tuna with potatoes are a lot better than spaghetti? The story is about a bunch of guys who, during the sixties and seventies, worked as stunt artists in the old Western films shot in Almeria, and when they stopped making these films they got stuck without a job. De la Iglesia had the idea to meet some of these guys who "live there always wearing cowboy hats and boots with spurs. They all had anecdotes to tell".
The Cast-
Sancho Gracia -Julian. He is a hard guy who was the double to Clint Eastwood and lives traumatised after his son's death and out of reality working at Texas-Hollywood.
Angel de Andres- Cheyenne. He wants to leave the job but has no guts to do so. He is jealous and nasty.
Carmen Maura- Laura. Estate Agent, implacable, Julian's daughter-in-law and mother of his only grandson.
Eusebio Poncela- Scott. Unscrupulous executive and Laura's partner (in both senses)
The rest of the old stunt artists who work with Julian are: Enrique Martínez (Arrastrao- Crawler), Luciano Federico (Enterrador- Grave Digger), Manuel Tallafé (Manuel), Eduardo Gómez (El Ahorcado- Hangman).
Alex gives directions to Angel de Andres López.
Alex de la Iglesia walks with Carmen Maura.
Ibercine visited Texas-Hollywood in April 2001. Here are some of Ibercine's own photos of the Western Sets:
The sets- One road opens up from an Almeria road. An old red wooden billboard rads: Texas-Hollywood. A set copied entirely from a Western film with their gun men, indians and saloon girls performing their shows, tourists and photographs. That is the place where they shoot, without making any changes and open to the public, who get double for their money. All detail is looked after, for example: the production office is inside the building with the "Drugstore" sign on the outside. The end of shooting will be done in Madrid and surrounding areas.
On the set- There is a great mess about the set. It is hard to differentiate the real visitors of the set (there is an indian with huge feather gear and wearing a sailor's jacket you can't tell which group he belongs to) from the Chinese tourists who applaud after Julian and Cheyenne's act. They have been casted from the local Chinese restaurants…
The Atmosphere on the lot- Alex de la Iglesia looks like a kid on Christmas Day. He demonstrates the articulations on a life-size puppet which will be run over by a wagon. "it is so nice I feel sad to kill it". With the same enthusiasm he talks about Juan Maján, a historial stunt artist who works on the film: "He is a legend, he drove a Roman chariot on Wyler's Ben Hur" and confesses: "Fiction and reality get mixed up all the time". Only one scary point, a man who is always present wearing a top that reads: "Abraham Ambulances". Thank God he does not move a finger. Marina Mendialúa, the stunt artist, makes the first fall with bounces (roof, window pane, top floor's hand rail and floor) and looks stunning.
The Love Stories:
1) Alex de la Iglesia and Sancho Gracia. The first one made his feelings public while they were shooting La Comunidad (Commonwealth). It is Gracia's turn: "I had a very hard operation when Alex rang me to tell me that he was producing this one himself. I remember I told him, apart from saying that he had a pair of …, that two things could happen: one he could go bankrupt or other I could die. And he told me one of the most beautiful things I ever heard in my life: "Look, if you die I will go wherever you are, even to hell, and I chat up whomever I have to for them to let them out and make the movie. And after that we'll see if I let you go or not".
2) Alex de la Iglesia and Carmen Maura. She expressed her love for the director when they finished La Comunidad. And about her Alex said: "is there a bigger declaration then the two great roles I wrote for her?"
3) Carmen and Sancho: She says, while ellegantly touching his right arm's muscle: "it is such a pity we play enemies again". And looking to the reporter: "Doesn't this man look like he could give great hugs? Because there are some colleagues who hug you so badly on takes that one… pretends, and pretends…."
4) Sancho and Carmen: He listens to her and smiles silly. So…….
Read Alex de la Iglesia's promo interview
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Visit Alex de la Iglesia's official website here |
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Genre: Drama Length: To Be Announced Format: To Be Announced Rated: To Be Announced |
Special Features: To Be Announced Language: Spanish Subtitles: To Be Announced |