4 Star Classic Western, Classically Done.
A “Red Western” was not something I had come across before, but I’m very versed in the genre of the spaghetti Western and this is what it immediately brings to mind. The bright sky, dust on the lips, horses and guns.
Filmed seven years after the very famous Il bouno, Il brutto, Il cattiro, you can see the influencve in the filming styles, camera angles. I wish I had known about this particular genre so many years ago.
There is no good or evil just enemies, who at times will work together if it keeps them alive long enough to sort out their differences. while the young Aigul, is owned by one protagonist while she yearns for the attention of the other, it cannot end well.
You’ll also see three of the best horse stunt dismounts ever filmed.
Director: Ali Khamraev
Writer: Fridrikh Gorenshtein and Andrei Konchalovsky
Cinematographer: Aleksandr Pann
Cast: Suimenkul Chokmorov, Dilorom Kambarova, Bolot Bejshenaliyev, Talgat Nigmatulin, Melis Abzalov
The films of Uzbek director Ali Khamraev are long overdue discovery in the UK. This stunning ‘Red Western’ is a real revelation. Adapting the gritty nihilism of Sergio Leone’s Spaghetti Westerns to local landscapes, its story unfolds during the Basmachi Revolt of the 1920s, in which Communist reformers sought to suppress an uprising by the Muslim peoples of Central Asia.
In a feat of daring, Maxumov, a Red Army officer whose troops have deserted him for the charismatic rebel leader Khairulla, allows himself to be captured and attempts to win back his men to the Bolshevik cause from within the enemy stronghold. 
Khamraev’s depiction of the ensuing mind games admirably refuses to paint either side in black and white, while the conflicting psychological states of its protagonist are thrown into relief by the barren locales and ransacked villages in which the gripping gun-battles and chases unfold. The result is a film that has drawn comparisons with the work of John Ford and Akira Kurosawa. Screening from 35mm.
Adults £10.50 Asia House Friends £8.50 Concessions £8
Tickets for The Seventh Bullet should be purchased from Rich Mix directly here.
For the Second date showing on 10th April.
Tickets can be bought online here or they can bought from the venue by calling 020 7840 2200. Card payments can be accepted by phone.
Rich Mix is situated at 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6LA. It is in the heart of Shoreditch and on the doorstep of Shoreditch High Street station. For details on how to get to Rich Mix click here.
This film is being screened as part of the Asia House Film Festival 2015. To read about all the films click here.
| Director | Ali Khamraev |
| Genre | Adventure, War, Western |
| Starring | Suimenkul Chokmorov, Dilorom Kambarova, Bolot Bejshenaliyev, Talgat Nigmatulin, Melis Abzalov |