Below you will find Meghan and Heesu’s podcast about Antes Llega La Muerte, or The Seven From Texas. Produced with Anchor.
In this episode of the Cineamerican Dream, Meghan and Heesu talk about the spaghetti western Antes llega la muerte, known as The Seven from Texas in English. In the film, Bob Carrey is arrested after shooting a man to protect his fiance Mary, but after spending 5 years in jail he learns that she is married to another man, Clifford. Clifford discovers that Mary has a brain tumor and needs life-saving surgery in another town (Laredo), but doesn’t inform her and instead tells her she is pregnant to explain her symptoms of headaches, nausea, and more. They plan to move to Laredo, and Clifford hires other men to help them along their journey. The audience is taken along on this journey in the unforgiving heat of the desert as the travelers experience Indian attacks, dehydration, and deaths of loved ones. In our podcast, we express frustration with the portrayal of women, particularly Mary, in this film, but we also extend beyond our frustration to discuss how Mary and her pregnancy may be symbolic of the American Dream – something desirable but ultimately false or unattainable. The idea of borders also plays an important role in this film, as it is set in the US Southwest by the US-Mexico border. This movie portrays classic stereotypes of different groups: Native Americans as violent and savage, Mexican Americans as lazy, and Chinese Americans as eating dogs and speaking with very strong accents. Make sure to tune into this week’s podcast as we break down these different components that give insight into the European perspective of America, specifically the US Southwest!
