Among the various environmental elements required
for the western genre there are also rivers. In the Spaghetti western genre,
often they are set in border areas between the United States and Mexico, the
script sometimes requires the presence of the Rio Grande (and Rio Bravo), which
marks the border between those two countries.
Rio Alberche
Rio Henares
Rio Jamara
The surroundings of Madrid,
thanks to the proximity of the high sierras of Castile,
offers in particular three rivers: Rio Alberche near Aldea del Fresno: Rio
Henares (a river born in the Sierra Minstra south of Medinaceli and enters into
the Rio Jarama) in Alcala de Henares: Rio
Jamara in Titulcia. Alcala de Henares is a charming historic city 33 kilometers
east of Madrid,
home to an ancient university and famous for being the birthplace of Miguel de
Cervantes (1547-1616). Rio Henares, with its winding course flows immediately
south of the city and was used in a series of westerns that benefited above all
from the drama of the high reddish-brown cliffs that rise on its southern
shore. Among the films shot there: “Zorro the Avenger” (1962); “Welcome Padre
Murray” (1963); “Gunfight at Red Sands” (1963); “A Coffin for the Sheriff”
(1965); “In the Shadow of a Colt” (1966); That Hot Damn Day of Fire (1968); I
Came, I Saw, I Shot” (1968); “Villa Rides!” (1968); “Garringo” (1969); “Guns of
the Magnificent Seven” (1969); “Sundance Cassidy and Butch the
Kid” (1969); “Companeros” (1970) (for which a bridge was built, used in a chase
scene by Mexican government troops); “Dead Men Ride” (1971); “The Hunting
Party” (1971); “Death’s Dealer” (1971) (the sequence, of Leonardo Mann's clash
with the Indians). Today the area near the banks of the Rio Henares in Alcala de Henares has changed compared to forty years
ago. It is in fact much richer in vegetation, lush, without those open spaces
near the river that were seen in western movies. A path was built along the
northern bank of the river, while on the other side is the Park of the Hills
(where a reforestation program is in progress) was created which covers the
arid highlands called Ecce Homo (835 meters) and La Tortuga (700 meters).
“The Sign of Zorro” 1962
“Gunfight at Red Sands” (1963)
“A Coffin for the Sheriff” (1965)
“I Came, I Saw, I Shot” (1968)
“Villa Rides!” (1968)
“Companeros” (1970)
“Hunting Party” (1971)
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