AND STARRING PANCHO VILLA AS HIMSELF - DVD review

The title's quite a mouthful, isn't it? What does it actually mean? Is this even a serious made-for-TV HBO movie? Well, for starters, this movie opens with the words, "The improbability of events depicted in this film is the surest indication that they actually did occur." So what actually occurred here? Before we find that out, first let me give you a brief history on the two parties--Mexican revolutionary hero Pancho Villa and the Mutual Film Corporation--that were involved in a highly unusual deal brokered at the turn of the last century.

Pancho Villa gained notoriety and prominence as one of the most well known military leaders of the Mexican Revolution that started in 1910. The populist revolution was against the dictatorship of Mexican President Porfirio Diaz, who ruled the country for thirty-one years, a time when most of the country's wealth is concentrated on the country's elite and the foreigners. Before the revolution, the charismatic Villa was already popular with the poor, as he established himself as a folk hero or even a Robin Hood-like figure. Converting themselves quickly from bandidos to revolucionarios, Villa and his men won many victories against the federales. To finance his army, Villa stole cattle in northern Mexico and sold them to merchants up north across the border, in exchange for guns and ammunition. Villa is also often cited as the only foreign "invader" who successfully raided U.S. territory, most notably Columbus, NM in 1916 after accusing the U.S. of openly supporting a fellow general, Venustiano Carranza.

In 1912, Harry Aitken formed the Mutual Film Corporation as a consortium of independent film studios--which later evolved into the famous RKO Pictures--in New York. Mutual was able to lure famed director D.W. Griffith into its ranks to produce some of his early features. However, Griffith's expensive Civil War epic, "Birth of a Nation" caused concerns within the company due to high cost overruns. Aitken was ousted from the presidency of the company and was forced to pay $40,000 to cover Mutual's investment in the film. "Birth of a Nation" later became one of the most profitable blockbusters of its time and Aitken made a fortune from it. Harry Aitken later went on to form Triangle Pictures. Mutual was also famous for signing Charlie Chaplin, who produced some of his best comedy shorts during his time there.

So, what does a ruthless Mexican revolutionary hero ever have in common with an American film company based in the East Coast? Well, not much, except for a tiny historical footnote that brought both parties together in an unlikely alliance.

Before war newsreels became a staple diet during World War 2, the enigmatic Pancho Villa (Antonio Banderas) recognized the importance of marketing himself to improve his own scruffy image, to spread the propaganda of the revolution and to gain possible financial support from his powerful neighbors up north. So, in exchange for $25,000 in gold, Villa agrees to let anyone willing to pay that amount, exclusive access to film him and his men doing battle with Mexican government soldiers. Mutual Film took the bait and the company sends Frank Thayer (Eion Bailey), Harry Aitken's (Jim Broadbent) nephew, to Mexico, in place of D.W. Griffith (Colm Feore), who was the original filmmaker requested by Villa. Even back then, Villa knows the extreme benefits of having a big-name director direct his "movie".

Shooting the battle scenes by the seats of their pants, Frank and his crew do the best they can, all while dodging bullets and exploding shells. However, the film comes off as a joke back in the U.S. due to the hurried filming and the lack of a proper story and narration. Unknown men running around shooting blindly at each other, all while covered in a haze of smoke don't really make very compelling viewing. William Randolph Hearst, the famous newspaper tycoon, condemns the film as trying to make Pancho Villa into some kind of a hero when Villa is in actual fact, just a common bandit. Later, we learn that apart from fighting the government, Villa is also raging a campaign against foreign interests who profit from Mexico's mineral-rich land. Chief among these profiteers is none other than Hearst.

Thayer, in order to gain back his credibility, proposes making another film about Villa but in a more organized manner. To combat the bad publicity spread by Hearst's newspapers, Villa agrees to make another film with Mutual. Only this time, certain rules--like fighting can only take place during daylight hours--are spelled out from the beginning. As both men try to use each other for their own selfish gains, they quickly learn that morality has very little meaning in the heat of battle. Villa, for all his good-heartedness towards children and the widows of the men killed in battle, slowly reveals an ugly side to his character while Thayer's adulation for the man as a champion of the poor is also shred to pieces.

Throughout history, using the media to spread propaganda is nothing new nor is it illegal. Politicians and military strategists do it all the time to get their own point of view across to win the hearts and minds of their targeted audience. However, the fact that an uneducated bandit-turned-revolutionary general is able to recognize and take advantage of the power of the media to change public perceptions is quite remarkable. Being able to put your own "spin" to the story to garner a more favorable response is the first thing any shrewd public personality should learn. And Pancho Villa is as shrewd as they come.

This unusual agreement also creates a moral issue for Mutual Film Corporation. Blasted by critics for profiting from the suffering of the many casualties of the revolution, Mutual insists that they are only telling a story about the poor and oppressed rising up against the tyranny of a brutal dictator. As a result, Pancho Villa gets an image makeover while Mutual makes money from the resulting film--a win-win situation for both parties. Looks like media "spin" was already alive and well way back in the early 1900's.

Even though this is only a made-for-TV movie, the production value of this film is very high. From the costumes to the sets and to the battle scenes, they are all faithfully recreated and quite believable. As for the cast, Antonio Banderas stands out from the rest, delivering a great performance as the conflicted general. Banderas can go from being ruthless one minute and tender the next, without breaking a sweat. Ably supporting Banderas is Eion Bailey, as a green Frank Thayer, who matures in many ways during his time spent with Villa. When it comes HBO-produced films, you can always be assured that quality is a foregone conclusion.

Video:
Like Steven Soderbergh's "Traffic", "And Starring Pancho Villa As Himself" depicts two different worlds--the one in New York and the one in Mexico--by coloring the scenes differently. While the Mexican scenes look very rustic and natural, the New York scenes feature a bluish and drab tint. Presented in anamorphic widescreen measuring 1.78:1, the video images look very clear without any visible flaws. Subtitles options include English, French and Spanish.

Audio:
The English Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track is very active and forceful. Explosions and gunshots can be heard and felt from all around the sound field. Dialogue is also clear without any audible distortion. Also available are English, Spanish and French Dolby Surround 2.0 audio options.

Extras:
Like many of HBO's made-for-television films, the DVD release for this film offers very little in terms of extra features. First is an audio commentary with writer/executive producer Larry Gelbart. As the writer, Gelbart is indeed very knowledgeable and is able to offer a lot of historical and production information about the making of this film. Next is a "Behind-the-Scenes Featurette" that runs for about four and a half minutes. It features interviews with the crew and only covers what is on the surface without getting into the more important details.

Finally, we have HBO promotional stuff like a clip montage featuring many of HBO Films movies and the trailer for "Angels In America".

Entertainment Value:
"And Starring Pancho Villa As Himself" is a great look at a historical event that many of us might not have known. Pancho Villa may be the most famous Mexican throughout history but his larger-than-life personality and his perceptive intelligence are some of the things that are seldom explored in film. I am glad HBO has taken up this challenge and delivered another great addition to its excellent and still growing movie library.