Straight to Hell (USA-UK-Spain, 1987) 86 min color DIR: Alex Cox. PROD: Eric Fellner. SCR: Alex Cox, Dick Rude. MUSIC: Pray For Rain. DOP: Tom Richmond. CAST: Dick Rude, Sy Richardson, Courtney Love, Joe Strummer, Dennis Hopper, Xander Berkeley, Grace Jones, Elvis Costello, Jim Jarmusch. (Island Pictures)
The uninitiated may not get the reference that this is a Spaghetti Western parody (however set in modern times, with cars instead of horses, and a discernible 1980s punk sensibility), although its niche audience will probably already know that going in. Admittedly influenced by Giulio Questi’s 1967 classic, Django Kill… If You Live, Shoot!, and although it was shot in Almeria, Spain (whose rolling hills were a common filming location for many Spaghetti Westerns), the film riffs the plot conventions, if not the style, of the Italian-made oaters… unless you count the store owner with the raspy Clint Eastwood voice.
It isn’t every day that you get a film featuring cameo appearances by Elvis Costello, Jim Jarmusch and Grace Jones. And amusingly enough, The Pogues all appear as a group of desperadoes. The cast gets into the spirit, but the screenplay doesn’t give them much to do. Admittedly, this film was quickly assembled due to the musicians’ Nicaraguan tour being cancelled, and looks it. Sy Richardson and Joe Strummer get the joke, and Courtney Love, God help us, is genuinely amusing as their whining female sidekick. However, this muddled film seems to be just an excuse to fill the film with actors and musicians that Alex Cox admires. One of the Mexican bandidos asks Richardson: “What do you want here?”. He replies: “Just passing through.” What he means is, he is not just passing through town, but he is just passing through a crowd of people at a party when he is asked this question! The film could have used more clever bits like this, regardless of their subtlety. This flick is nonetheless worth a look for the enjoyable acting performance of ex-Clash singer Joe Strummer… especially if someone had already rented Mystery Train the same night. Rest in peace, Joe. You are missed.
Originally published in Vol. #1, Issue #8. UPDATE! In 2010, Cox released Straight to Hell Returns, his director’s cut of the film, with some added scenes and enhanced visual quality. As of this writing, I’ve not seen it, but I hear that overall it won’t change your mind about the movie.
Greg Woods
Greg Woods has been a film enthusiast since his teens, and began his writing "career" at the same time- prolific in capsule reviews of everything he had watched, first on index cards, then those hardcover dollar store black journals, then an old Mac IIsi. He founded The Eclectic Screening Room in 2001, as a portal to share his film love with the world, and find some like-minded enthusiasts along the way. In addition to having worked in the film industry for over two decades, he has been a co-programmer of films at Trash Palace, and a programmer/co-founder of the Toronto Film Noir Syndicate. He has also written for Broken Pencil, CU-Confidential, Micro-Film, and is currently working on his first novel. His secret desire is for someone to interview him for a podcast or a DVD extra.