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Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia
Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia
Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia

Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia

1974
Drama
Suspense/Thriller
1h 52m
A family scandal causes a wealthy and powerful Mexican rancher to make the pronouncement -- Bring me the head of Alfredo Garcia! (imdb)

Directed by:

Sam Peckinpah Sam Peckinpah

Written by:

Sam Peckinpah Sam Peckinpah Frank Kowalski Gordon T. Dawson
+2 more

Starring:

Kris Kristofferson Kris Kristofferson Isela Vega Warren Oates Warren Oates Robert Webber Robert Webber Gig Young Gig Young Helmut Dantine Enrique Lucero Chalo González Jorge Russek Emilio Fernández Emilio Fernández Chano Urueta Farnesio de Bernal
More

Genres:

Drama, Suspense/Thriller, Crime, Action

Countries:

Mexico, USA

Languages:

English, Spanish, Latin
imdb More information at IMDb
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Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia

1974
Drama
Suspense/Thriller
1h 52m
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Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer
Avg Percentile 65.07% from 1061 total ratings
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

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moribunnyMoribunny
Rated 14 Aug 2007
98
99th
An ingenious tale of violence, greed, and poetic justice. Gritty and turbulent from beginning to end, but also full of the subtlest symbolism. The violence in Peckinpah's works was never any worse than in other movies of the day, and yet he was constantly flamed by shocked critics. This is precisely because his violence is never gratuitous or exploitational - it always rings true. Peckinpah was not an escapist, he was a realist and a pessimist.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
alex_watkinsAlex Watkins
Rated 22 Jun 2007
4
70th
I love The Wild Bunch, but this isn't far behind. It's even dirtier, more violent and more hopeless than that one is. Warren Oates is pitch-perfect as Benny, bringing a depressingly cynical desperation to his character. There's a heavy inspiration from The Treasure of the Sierra Madre here, but the stakes in this are much higher, and it doesn't contain the same feeling of cosmic irony - Peckinpah lets Benny move on in full control of his fate, and he acts on his own terms. Bleak and brutal.
Rated 22 Jun 2007
goremeatgoremeat
Rated 12 Dec 2011
84
88th
Previously very under-awed by the supposedly great Peckinpah films, this one was a welcomely contemplative film. It's violent (as all Peckinpah), but counterbalanced by more humanist leanings. It's gritty, grimy and unrelentingly downtrodden - but there's a sense of feeling and subtlety that Peckinpah's others had lacked. The plot events are quite interesting too, and the ending fitted perfectly. Occasionally hard to buy the protagonists motives, but otherwise a dramatic and worthwhile western.
Rated 12 Dec 2011
nathan_sNathan S
Rated 11 Jan 2008
4
74th
Fuckin' gritty, man. Things just keep rolling downhill for Warren Oates, and his portrayal as the desperate piano player driven to near-insanity is great. Sam Peckinpah's films (or at least the two I've seen) are at once visceral and contemplative, and this one is overwhelmingly vicious and personal. The movie is unsettling, but even with all the pessimistic weight on its shoulders, it's still a lot of fun to watch. Excellent.
Rated 11 Jan 2008
martintellerMartinTeller
Rated 25 Jun 2008
73
45th
Like the other Peckinpah films I've seen, this didn't do much of anything for me, but I didn't hate it either. It was watchable and held my interest, and Warren Oates has an unusual screen presence. But I don't have much use for this brand of rampant nihilism (not to mention the unsettling misogyny, no matter how virtuous we pretend the intentions are). I'm also inclined to deduct points for being a direct influence on 8 Heads in a Duffel Bag, but that's not Peckinpah's fault.
Rated 25 Jun 2008
nilkynarfynilkynarfy
Rated 21 Mar 2007
96
97th
Dirty, menacing, any grittier and it would be filmed on sandpaper. It starts off as a road trip from hell which, despite the adversity encountered, still looks to be somewhat optimistic for our protagonist and his lover. Then it quickly evolves into a fascinating , violently emotional look at a man unable to cope with simultaneous failure and success. A perfect tragedy in every sense of the word.
Rated 21 Mar 2007
paxtonPaxton
Rated 08 Feb 2012
67
53rd
Wouldn't it just be a blast to drive around the Mexico of Peckinpah, getting into adventures?
Rated 08 Feb 2012
jschlanskyJSchlansky
Rated 13 Aug 2023
83
83rd
Bring Me the Plate of Fettuccine Alfredo
Rated 13 Aug 2023
terrymacterrymac
Rated 11 May 2015
77
77th
This was pretty bleak and gritty, but I found it strangely enjoyable; blackly comical at points even. I really liked Oates in the main role, and the rest of the cast held their own. I definitely didn't expect the plot to go the way it did. Some of it left a bit of a bad taste in the mouth, but this is definitely worth seeing.
Rated 11 May 2015
glumpy99glumpy_99
Rated 04 Dec 2013
100
99th
A cockeyed masterpiece by Peckinpah spotlights Oates in an extraordinary star turn as a sort of modern 'Man With No Name' -- Leone's influence can also be felt in the gritty, broad characterisations and actions of the supporting cast (Webber and Young are a terrific pair in the misleading opening scenes), though the operatic, tragic tone which permeates the film, and is embodied by Oates, elevates the material to great status. A quite remarkable film.
Rated 04 Dec 2013
billkerwinbillkerwin
Rated 02 Feb 2010
94
93rd
A very ugly film with its own kind of beauty.
Rated 02 Feb 2010
gagkneegagknee
Rated 19 Sep 2008
59
21st
The acting is disjointed and generally bad, even for a 1970s movie, and it seems the screenplay was written with a "throw everything at it and hope something sticks" attitude. Western, Mexican Revolution, caper, hi-jinks, romance, bikers, car chase, hit men, buddy film, kitchen sink. All of it and more. Ah, well. I don't regret seeing it, but I was pretty disappointed with it.
Rated 19 Sep 2008
thedenizenTheDenizen
Rated 14 Aug 2007
95
98th
I love Sam Peckinpah. This movie is unbelievably and unashamedly violent. Alfredo's head is a powerful symbol of wealth, freedom and redemption, and Warren Oates' performance (essentially playing Peckinpah) is incredible.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
shmendrekShmendrek
Rated 26 Sep 2007
2
33rd
The last 45 minutes are gritty and frenetic. But a lot of the acting was wooden, the script was riddled with cliches, the pacing of the first hour was very strange, and the rape scene didn't advance the plot. I think it was only placed there to titillate the male audience, which is deplorable. Not a big fan... I had high expectations.
Rated 26 Sep 2007
dean_franzDean Franz
Rated 20 Jun 2008
100
98th
Bizarre, dusty and often quite violent tale. Represents the frenzied peak of Peckinpahs art and the very definition of scuzzy cool in an unforgettable turn by Oates. A beersoaked masterpiece.
Rated 20 Jun 2008
stainStain
Rated 26 Mar 2007
60
47th
Not good, but not one of "The 50 Worst Films Of All Time", either. Comes in a close second behind _Straw Dogs_ in the Most Misogynistic Peckinpah Film sweepstakes, but remains watchable due to its great and persistent weirdness. Elita is by far the most sympathetic character in the movie; it seems so degrading to bare her breasts so often. Oates is remarkably good as a rat who discovers machismo due to his total disregard for his own welfare
Rated 26 Mar 2007
djrossdjross
Rated 16 Feb 2021
40
26th
The slow pace makes it seem like it's intended as a character study, but the protagonists are oddly vague and ill-defined (concealing Oates's eyes behind dark glasses, while no doubt intended to make him "cool", only contributes to this problem). While one can see that the filmmaker took pleasure in filming the Mexican locations, it seems he never had a handle on most of the other aspects of the film. Kristofferson's non-rape scene is also rather arbitrary. As a whole, the film is strangely bad.
Rated 16 Feb 2021
carpetgiantCarpetgiant
Rated 20 Jun 2014
76
12th
I know it's dumb but I was kinda hoping that they'd find Alfredo Garcia buried under a big "W" in Santa Rosita State Park.
Rated 20 Jun 2014
cclzaCCLZA
Rated 14 Aug 2007
85
89th
All you can wish in a western is here. This dirty movie has brilliant 2nd and 3rd acts. After you see it, nothing in any western or even action movie will surprise you.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
redactedredacted
Rated 19 Nov 2013
82
77th
Things get a little 'Aguirre Wrath of God' towards the end with the unrequited conversations. Builds slow and steady on a throw away premise that turns out to be just that 'Throw it to the pigs'. Something about dusty, smoky, booze beaten women, cars & children begging next to bars that really sets the tone here. The laconic but coarse Oates doesn't like that sun in his eyes but a few dollars never didn't brighten someones day.
Rated 19 Nov 2013
overratedoverrated
Rated 14 Nov 2013
85
94th
Got a real proto-No Country For Old Men vibe from this.
Rated 14 Nov 2013
obdurateObdurate
Rated 10 Feb 2013
80
67th
Outside of a few hiccups along the way, and with a first act that's only okay, it picks up from then on, and becomes much better. The grittiness is there the entire time but then a more human side emerges later on. But don't worry, because people are still scums and it's pretty violent, especially at the end, where there's a satisfying pay-off.
Rated 10 Feb 2013
spleenspleen
Rated 10 Sep 2012
56
24th
For some reason, in high school we liked to hit drive-thrus, order fries, a Big Mac and "bring me the head of Alfredo Garcia". I understand that's not a relevant review but it's the best memory of Peckinpah I can come up with.
Rated 10 Sep 2012
johnny_geojohnny geo
Rated 20 Jan 2011
86
90th
a love story
Rated 20 Jan 2011
pavementsawpavementSAW
Rated 02 Nov 2009
95
99th
I love the lawlessness of this movie, it's a total 70s western. Bennie kind of reminds me of Bukowski or Burroughs. Production design is awesome too from Bennie's well-aged bar, to the modern hotel room and the open road itself. Dangerous despicable places that are a lot of fun to visit.
Rated 02 Nov 2009
hehejajahehejaja
Rated 13 May 2008
95
97th
A boisterous love poem soiled with blood, unabashedly nihilistic and unabashedly sentimental at the same time, a dirty, despairing masterpiece with just as much tenderness as savagery.
Rated 13 May 2008
peaceanarchyPeaceAnarchy
Rated 03 Apr 2009
87
87th
Possibly the grimiest, most hopeless of Peckinpah's film, and fascinating because of it. I loved it, but to say I enjoyed it would be inaccurate, because outside of a few moments near the beginning there's little joy to be found, a slow burning descent into despair where I kept wanting the lead to just quit, resolution be damned.
Rated 03 Apr 2009
lisa_iilisa-
Rated 14 Nov 2014
6
83rd
every peckinpah i've seen so far has taken the loose form of its genre, be it horror, western or crime, and critically peppered it with masculine violence. as such, his films are very pointed, but it depends how interested i am in the initial genre as to how much i'll like them. this one is very good. seems like the coen brothers had seen this while making [no country for old men].
Rated 14 Nov 2014
emupieemupie
Rated 09 Jun 2014
70
5th
man, this was boring. for such a ridiculous concept, i thought it would be a little more fun to watch.
Rated 09 Jun 2014
lonewolf2003Lonewolf2003
Rated 03 Dec 2014
88
95th
(2nd watch, 1st: 90) It is one of those movies that's completely its own beast; unlike anything else. Its constant shifting in style and plot makes it hard to pin down. Grim despair rarely had more humane undertones. Warren Oates is great cause he plays a summation of everything you ever loved about Warren Oates.
Rated 03 Dec 2014
saltcureshamSALTCURESHAM
Rated 27 Dec 2014
95
68th
It's a little too mean for my tastes, and it doesn't feel quite as laser-focused as Wild Bunch, but it's still damn good.
Rated 27 Dec 2014
rexrex
Rated 14 Aug 2008
100
96th
Can't beat Warren Oates driving around talking to a fly-blown decapitated head!
Rated 14 Aug 2008
itbspodcastITBSPodcast
Rated 26 Oct 2015
100
0th
"This is the logical extension of what Howard Hawks did with a lot of his movies." http://illusionpodcast.blogspot.com/2015/10/episode-73-long-fall-of-sam-peckinpah.html
Rated 26 Oct 2015
thereeldealthereeldeal
Rated 06 Nov 2015
75
65th
A mexploitation of exploitations? It has to be Sam Peckinpah, and Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia's posters make both those facts obvious. Warren Oates might wanna be cool, but he's an aging poor bartender who lives in squalor with his prostitute lover. Problems aren't solved with a bullet and a laugh this time as Peckinpah frames a typical action movie setup around the true ugly, repulsively dirty world of crime. Oates plays one of the most interesting characters ever in a crime movie.
Rated 06 Nov 2015
pickpocketPickpocket
Rated 10 Nov 2015
7
68th
In contention for the greatest title to a movie of all time. Confused why multiple people labeled this as a western when it's nothing like a western. Oates is great in the lead and seems to only be in decent movies. His character was pretty unbelievable though...a drunk bartender who is seemingly invincible when in a gun fight. It's a tragic movie and ends predictably but the gun fights are cool as hell and it's a different movie than what you're used to
Rated 10 Nov 2015
yiannosYiannos
Rated 10 Feb 2017
78
89th
Peckinpah's nihilistic streak was pushed to new levels of extremity in this scuzzy low budget feature which is a serious, if blackly humorous, character driven piece with the veneer of an exploitation film. Because expectations can be misleading, it's a difficult film to assess, especially given its oddball tone, but Oates is great as Bennie, a broken and desperate man looking for a way out of his dead-end life, and Peckinpah's authentic feel for place adds plenty of rough-hewn charm and grit.
Rated 10 Feb 2017
kito1kito1
Rated 17 Aug 2017
60
47th
This film is a good, straightforward action flick; not boring, not too stylized, with a mean undertone.
Rated 17 Aug 2017
edkrakedkrak
Rated 01 Jan 2018
65
54th
It's ok, but honestly I don't see anything special here. Not much different from usual grindhouse flick of its time with similar production and acting value. Slightly overrated, probably just due to director's name.
Rated 01 Jan 2018
wwallce4prezWWallce4prez
Rated 17 Feb 2018
93
98th
Peckinpah's Mexican tragedy is a masterclass in character study. With Warren Oates in a rare lead performance, the protagonist's motivations are ripped open and shoved in his face in a profoundly sad manner. Oates is absolutely wonderful in portraying this man who has lost everything and, literally, has nothing else to live for. If this nihilism wan't enough, add Peckinpah's characteristic grime and violence to a setting that feels foreign but extremely vibrant.
Rated 17 Feb 2018
thedicemanTheDiceman
Rated 31 Mar 2018
65
73rd
Not bad.
Rated 31 Mar 2018
nathanbatesNathanBates
Rated 29 Jun 2019
80
78th
This one took me by surprise: Beyond the over-the-top violence plastered on a ridiculous plot, there's a deep story of a man's descent into an unforgiving world, where every decision is almost forced, and will wind up leaving him much worse than when he started -- and yet he keeps going.
Rated 29 Jun 2019
bizortbizort
Rated 05 Aug 2019
76
69th
A wonderful atmosphere created
Rated 05 Aug 2019
icarusIcarus
Rated 18 Aug 2019
50
14th
AKA Everybody's Bad and Nobody Gets Out Alive. I love the title and Oates (who has something of John Huston in him, which is also great). I hate the easy way that Peckinpah humiliates and degrades women in this film.
Rated 18 Aug 2019
lance20000lance20000
Rated 14 Dec 2019
80
64th
A slow-burn crime/neo-western that doesn't really pick up until the titular character comes into play -- which is about halfway through the film. Before that point, I was prepared to write the movie off. After though, Peckinpah's character turns into a tormented man, almost something out of Poe. As well, the Mexico depicted is not typical. There is no romance in this world, just people struggling to live in a harsh world crumbling around them. The only opulence is with the villain.
Rated 14 Dec 2019
deaddillydeaddilly
Rated 02 May 2020
75
59th
Robert Webber straight up elbows a prostitute unconscious for no apparent reason in the first few moments of this film. Not sure there has ever been a better tone-setter than that. Warren Oates is phenomenal, as is his blood-collecting canvas suit.
Rated 02 May 2020
backwardsuitbackwardsuit
Rated 05 Jan 2021
80
80th
Delirious revenge-fueled road trip through masculine self-destruction into some kind of violence-crazed redemption. Basically competes with Ferrara's Bad Lieutenant for the sweatiest movie ever. Besides the whole psychotic masculinity this contains many of Peckinpah's familiar themes about the dynamics of freedom & exploitation (expressed also within the dynamics of USA & Mexico) & like the best of Peckinpah's films it comes out with a desperate poignancy that's quite without equal in cinema.
Rated 05 Jan 2021
theyshoot07theyshoot07
Rated 01 Mar 2008
80
68th
# 393
Rated 01 Mar 2008
esperhartEsperHart
Rated 03 Mar 2021
10
4th
https://esperwatchesfilms.tumblr.com/post/644660283277770752/bring-me-the-head-of-alfredo-garcia-1974
Rated 03 Mar 2021
moraesfelipemoraesfelipe
Rated 24 May 2021
95
98th
Existential action. Raw, sadistic, grotesquely funny portrait of an American pianist melting down as he gets fooled by bounty hunters -- reward is actually 1 million -- to bring them the head of a dead man, getting himself and his prostitute girlfriend in a world of feverish pain, violence, heat, mud, booze, sorrow, madness -- he talks to the stinky, fly-attractive head -- and deception. A film you can almost smell.
Rated 24 May 2021
shockularSHOCKULAR
Rated 06 Jul 2023
82
79th
An extremely 70s, gritty, visceral crime/action drama that is more or less what you'd expect from Peckinpah but hit for me more than a lot of his other work has. Warren Oates is really good and entertaining here. It's stranger than your average Peckinpah, but in a good way.
Rated 06 Jul 2023
kahKAH
Rated 16 Jun 2009
3
74th
A brutal dish, as gritty and bleak as they come. Thankfully skips the sentimentality that Peckinpah in my opinion doesn't fully know how to handle in his films. Not a movie that sticks with me, but works well in it's own right.
Rated 16 Jun 2009
castrophCastroph
Rated 18 Oct 2009
10
99th
Extremely gloomy, doom-filled modern western. Warren Oates rocks.
Rated 18 Oct 2009
amerigoamerigo
Rated 16 Aug 2009
69
21st
So I guess this film set the formula for the action movie but minus the happy ending? I have no problem with macho action hero films, but when the lead is such a shitty actor, the whole experience becomes hollow. What adds insult to injury is that somehow this whole pulpy endeavor came in an arthouse style, which makes the film deplorably frustrating. Add some misogyny and some pointless twists and you got yourself a befuddling train-wreck of a movie.
Rated 16 Aug 2009
theyshoot10theyshoot10
Rated 14 Jan 2010
81
62nd
386
Rated 14 Jan 2010
stanthecaddystanthecaddy
Rated 21 Jan 2010
72
44th
The flick has some good action sequences, and its central concept is interesting. The problem is that the plot is a mess, and often lacks forward momentum.
Rated 21 Jan 2010
individualindividual
Rated 18 Oct 2007
95
63rd
Kris Kristofferson, Isela Vega and Warren Oates run after each other and after a dirty bag with a head that worth a lot of money. Fantastically brutal. Certainly one of Peckinpah's best.
Rated 18 Oct 2007
magbMagb
Rated 19 Oct 2010
75
50th
I'm getting a little tired of Peckinpah's nihilism. Objectively speaking, this isn't noticeably (if at all) inferior to The Wild Bunch or Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid, both of which I liked a lot, but the getup did less for me this time around. I don't regret watching it or anything though.
Rated 19 Oct 2010
slantmagSlantMag
Rated 25 Oct 2010
40
97th
"For something so bleak, so purposely revolting and unsentimental, there are reservoirs of profound poetry in Alfredo Garcia, the only film that Peckinpah ever considered completely his own." - Nick Schager
Rated 25 Oct 2010
janusjanus
Rated 18 Jun 2009
65
41st
I was bored by this for whatever reason.
Rated 18 Jun 2009
glmglm
Rated 01 Jul 2011
81
69th
81.000
Rated 01 Jul 2011
eduardocccEduardoccc
Rated 03 Jul 2011
70
0th
Apesar do caráter cult desse filme, assisti-o sem ter ideia do que se tratava. Talvez se já soubesse o que esperar, teria me incomodado menos com as situações bestas e os elementos trash do roteiro. Ainda sim, o ótimo humor negro e a jornada transformadora do anti-herói me cativaram. É um filme cujo enredo descaradamente trash, tiroteios e estilo de humor não me fazem ter nenhuma dúvida de que ele deve ser um grande clássico para o Tarantino.
Rated 03 Jul 2011
theyshoot11theyshoot11
Rated 30 Nov 2011
80
60th
#407
Rated 30 Nov 2011
jarmannJarmann
Rated 09 Sep 2008
82
76th
Dark and violent.
Rated 09 Sep 2008
dustydDustyd
Rated 17 Sep 2007
50
22nd
Interesting premise and a solid finale can't do much for this mostly dull film
Rated 17 Sep 2007
wetwillieswetwillies
Rated 02 Nov 2012
100
98th
One of the best films of the decade. It's a hell of a ride, with Warren Oates excellently gritty and cool performance. The comparison to Bukowski is spot-on. A must see.
Rated 02 Nov 2012
theyshoot08theyshoot08
Rated 19 Dec 2008
81
62nd
385
Rated 19 Dec 2008
mightysparksmightysparks
Rated 12 Feb 2013
65
80th
Took me a while to get into the story, but once I did, it was a pretty enjoyable ride. Oates is cool and you're rooting for him all the way. Would like to rewatch this at some point because I wasn't really in the mood for this kind of film.
Rated 12 Feb 2013
neonmanNeonman
Rated 14 Mar 2013
81
66th
A sleepily paced film that lets loose a grim tale of revenge and its violent contradictions. Oates is excellent as the grubby anti-anti-hero trying to keep on his cool façade as the violence around him (and from him) breaks down the usual hero archetype he's set up.
Rated 14 Mar 2013
hulothulot
Rated 01 May 2013
80
81st
watched: 2013, 2022
Rated 01 May 2013
vandelay1Vandelay1
Rated 30 Nov 2008
82
92nd
Nice
Rated 30 Nov 2008
jebJeb
Rated 18 Oct 2008
86
73rd
Dirty, menancing and gritty, this is one of the best westerns ever!
Rated 18 Oct 2008
halfjapaneseHalfJapanese
Rated 31 Dec 2007
85
76th
Not the most essential film by Sam Peckinpah, but still a damn good one.
Rated 31 Dec 2007
glm01glm01
Rated 26 Mar 2014
81
68th
81.000
Rated 26 Mar 2014
joojooJooJoo
Rated 15 Sep 2009
6
95th
Hell yes.
Rated 15 Sep 2009

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