“Django, have you always been alone?” The song, written by Luis Bacalov and performed by Rocky Roberts, ponders, as an unknown man drags a coffin through the mud. That man is Django, a gunslinger who would go on to define a genre, and the protagonist of a gritty, violent and outrageously fun film. A man to respect, that is for sure.

Directed by Sergio Corbucci, the same artist responsible for classics such as Navajo Joe (1966) and The Great Silence (1968), the film is one of the most influential Spaghetti Westerns ever. It tells the story of Django (Franco Nero), a tragic hero with a mysterious background, who arrives at a town in war. Major Jackson (Eduardo Fajardo) and his men try to exterminate the Mexicans, who, led by General Rodriguez (José Bódalo) are trying to set up their revolution. In between the two sides is Nathaniel (Ángel Álvarez), the owner of the bar, hotel and bordello, who has to serve both sides.

A career-launching - and defining - performance by Franco Nero is one of the elements that make this flick a success. His character is defined by a constant feel of melancholy, to which Nero brings gravitas: while never losing his cool, especially through his steely and confident stares, Django is clearly portrayed as a haunted man. The supporting cast goes a long way in cementing the heavy tone of the film, especially Loredana Nusciak, giving a gutsy performance as a prostitute who falls for the titular character.

A notable part of this film’s magic are the action sequences. While extremely brutal for their time, including a man’s ear getting quite graphically severed, they are the absolute definition of “campy”. Instead of ruining it, it only makes the experience more enjoyable. The violence essentially gets a more humorous vibe, serving even as a relief from all the graveness that is present everywhere else in the movie.

The soundtrack is remarkable: not only does it present an unforgettable theme song for the opening, but it also has a spectacular use of the leitmotif (a recurring musical phrase).

Django is, in every possible way, a classic and standard bearer of its genre. Even with campy violent sequences for the public’s enjoyment, the film still maintains a serious storyline, and has great dramatic performances - especially by the central actor. As an answer to the question asked in the song, after gaining a huge legion of fans, it’s safe to say Django will no longer be alone.