Django Shoots First 4K (1966)

 

        Studio Canal are releasing director Alberto De Martino’s DJANGO SHOOTS FIRST, one of many Italian westerns to bear the Django name yet having little to do with Sergio Corbucci’s Franco Nero-starring masterpiece of 1966. In fact this was one of the first out of the gate in the wake of the huge success of that film, managing to get released in the same year. And just because it capitalises on Corbucci’s film doesn’t mean it’s without interest, especially if you’re a fan of all things Euro from that period.

Glenn Garvin (Glenn Saxson), known as Django down in Mexico (according to a line of dialogue), meets a bounty hunter on his travels who just happens to have Garvin’s dead father strapped to the back of his horse. Garvin shoots the bounty hunter and decides to claim the reward for himself. However, when he gets to town he learns that his father actually owned half of it, which now naturally falls to Glenn. Also naturally, the owner of the other half, Ken Kluster (Nando Gazzolo) has no intention of letting him have any of it.

Made during the peak period of the Italian western (at least according to Alex Cox in his commentary and he’s probably right), DJANGO SHOOTS FIRST offers plenty for aficionados of the genre - a revenge plot, a town that will be familiar to viewers of DJANGO and THE GREAT SILENCE and many others, sweeping landscape vistas, and a bunch of familiar faces including Erika Blanc (THE DEVIL’S NIGHTMARE) and Fernando Sancho, best known to horror fans as the evil Mayor in Amando De Ossorio’s second Blind Dead film RETURN OF THE EVIL DEAD. There are plenty of fights and shootouts, and if you’re a fan of BLAZING SADDLES you might find yourself wondering if Mel Brooks was inspired to make his film by some of the characters and scenes here, especially the final punch up.

Studio Canal’s 4K transfer provides a nice vivid transfer with the option of English and Italian dubs. Extras include the previously mentioned commentary by Alex Cox which is very good, and if you’re new to the genre and want to explore more take note of all the titles Cox throws at you during his talk because they are all worth watching. There are also new interviews with Saxson (16 minutes), Blanc (16 minutes) and co-star Evelyn Stewart (23 minutes). The disc also comes with a 12 page booklet with a new essay from Peter Raleigh.

Alberto De Martino’s DJANGO SHOOTS FIRST is out in 4K from Studio Canal in both UHD and Blu-ray editions, and on Download, on Monday 24th August 2026