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.
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 (its 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.
Made by Alex Cox after the one-two punch of his classics Repo Man and Sid & Nancy, this was met with largely negative reviews and poor box office, though it eventually found a cult following, no doubt due in part to its eclectic cast of musicians. It is not as awful as its reputation, but is still pretty mild. Seen today, one feels that this could be another of the many films that Quentin Tarantino “borrowed from” for his own works. Three crooks in Reservoir Dogs black suits and skinny ties (Dick Rude, Sy Richardson, Joe Strummer) pull a heist, and then bury the loot just outside a Mexican town full of desperadoes with a coffee addiction! While they cool their heels in town, many interested parties want to get in on the stashed goods, leading to the inevitable blood-soaked shootout.
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. In 2010, Cox released Straight to Hell Returns, which is 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.