Thursday, March 24, 2022

Born To Kill.

It begins with a cheesy car chase, a man brutally stabbed by a knife clearly made of rubber, then Luis Aguilar unusually sings “Soy Un Esclavo” to Diana Ferreti in a crowded restaurant. This is just 6-8 minutes into Nacido Para Matar ("Born To Kill")

An unseen mob boss has put out a hit on former associates who don’t pay up some sort of bribe. Those who don’t comply are simply killed by the mob’s hired hitman “Frankie” (Agustin Bernal), whom was clearly born to kill. Frankie is a skilled killer who’s jobs are always gruesomely well done. He’ll stab with a large knife he carries around, he’ll also use an electric drill and he’ll even just use the strong hands & legs he was born with. The unseen mob boss is particularly after a wealthy man named Alberto (Luis Aguilar) who is hesitant on paying off the mafia and he’s also sleeping with his young secretary Alicia (Diana Ferreti) who just happens to be working alongside the mafia as an insider. Alberto continues to be hesitant on paying and his son Gilberto (Pedro Infante Jr) really wants this mafia payment bullshit to be done with and so he decides to do something about it—even if it means risking his own life. 


Nacido Para Matar was directed by Juan Manuel Herrera and he is quite the familiar name around here since he also directed La Metralleta Infernal and also did cinematography for Noche De Fieras & Yako: Cazador De Malditos. Both those movies very much feel like fever dreams and Nacido Para Matar feels that way as well with its synthesizer-sounding murder scenes and a scene with Luis Aguilar singing is just brought upon forcefully & Diana Ferreti clearly looking uncomfortable through out the whole song. Then pretty much every scene with Frankie not killing was very odd-feeling as well. All he does is hang out in a pool hall and later on he has extremely awkward sex with a bar girl he’s smitten over. There’s also another sex scene in the movie that lasts a little too long and features some very cheesy lighting effects & the music going along with it is so odd sounding. Not sexy at all. 


Agustin Bernal truly does a wonderful & wild job playing "Frankie" and it just happens to be that this was Agustin’s first leading role in a full-length feature after several key minor roles through out the mid 1980’s. Agustin’s first leading role would be something wild like this, but boy did he do it good. Agustin’s brute charisma was always believable in any movie he starred in and I’m so glad that I’ve been able to see his first time shining for the big screen.


Nacido Para Matar is unusually fascinating and will surely be joyous to watch at any time. If intoxicated, the viewing will perhaps be even more enjoyable.




























Thursday, March 17, 2022

2 Friends.

Filmed in 1977 & released until 1980; Director/writer Ruben Galindo just had to bring another famous corrido to life for the big screen after the huge success he had with La Banda Del Carro Rojo. It was only natural to bring a corrido by Los Cadetes De Linares to life which is Los Dos Amigos  ("2 Friends"). Los Dos Amigos was the corrido that Los Cadetes had become so famous for and it was also their first hit single when their popularity began in the mid-1970’s. The corrido is very emotional & machismo since it is about 2 fearless friends. Surely a song like this would make a great movie, que no?



Jose & Martin are 2 friends getting away from their hometown of Mapimi, Durango in route to Texas for a new life out there and the way they’re getting there is by stealing. They first steal a car, then 2 horses from an old rancher, they then rob a train and end up fighting some gunmen whom hassle a couple helping out Jose & Martin. Once Jose & Martin arrive in Texas, they begin to work with a drug boss named Ben (Eduardo Noriega) and their line of work is to guard & load in shipments of drugs coming from the other side of the border. It all seems to be going well at first and Jose even begins a relationship with Ben’s gorgeous daughter Mapy (Sandra Duarte), but alas—this criminal lifestyle brings in much trouble for everyone.   



The wonderfully machismo corrido Los Dos Amigos was written up into a screenplay by Ruben Galindo and he of course added much charm & drama to it and it worked out fairly well, especially with the casting of Valentin Trujillo & Pedro Infante Jr as the 2 friends. The movie of course includes plenty of exciting gun-firing action and the one near the end is pretty wild. A must see. Another great aspect in the movie is having Los Cadetes De Linares appear in the movie and performing some of their best songs which starts off with Los Dos Amigos then "El Palomito" and "Una Lagrima Y Un Recuerdo" is featured in a great scene with Valentin Trujillo’s portrayal of Jose feeling heartbroken after running into a former girlfriend. Even the manliest of men can feel glum & yearn hard.


Ruben Galindo’s best action-crime movie is for sure La Banda Del Carro Rojo, but Los Dos Amigos is right next to it because it features a pair of badass characters, exciting gun-firing action and for the plot to be based off a very popular corrido is truly special. A definite must see for fans of the corrido and generally anyone curious. They just don't make them like this anymore! 



Los Cadetes De Linares performing Los Dos Amigos on the television program "Aqui Rogelio".


A rough english translation of the lyrics to Los Dos Amigos. 


"They were two friends who came from Mapimi.


They robbed Guanacevi because they came with nothing.


They had two horses,

A dark one and a bright one.

On the dark horse they carried clothes and the money on the bright horse. 


They also brought good machinery with them. To unnail & change the rails.


Martin tells Jose:

Don't be yellow.

We're going to rob the train that's coming from Vermejillo.

 

I'm not being yellow. Yellow is my color. 

I've robbed many big trains just like it.

 

Oh gracious Santo Niño (Holy Infant of Atocha), they’ve captured Jose. 


At the corner of the market, they tied him up but he managed to escape. 


Perhaps It was prayers, 

the prayers his mother would give him.

Or was it simply just good luck that Jose was never harmed."