Where Was Django Filmed? Here Comes The Lone Drifter!

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Well, it seems like the season of westerns. True film buffs can never get bored of watching good western movies. That is why we are here to suggest to you a classic film, Django. The 1966 Franco Nero starrer was a huge success back in the day and still continues to be one of the best westerns ever created by an Italian filmmaker. Now, when it comes to westerns, its location is vital as it brings a certain essence to the film. So, in this article, we’ll discuss the movie and tell you Where Was Django Filmed?

The story of Django (1966) revolves around the character of Django played by none other than Franco Nero, a former union man turned into a lone wanderer who drags a mysterious coffin along with him. Soon, he comes across a bunch of Mexican bandits who try to kill a prostitute named Maria by burning her alive. He confronts and kills them. With Maria, he arrives at a nearby town where he learns about the Red Shirts and Hugo’s Revolutionaries who are always in conflict with each other. 

Nevertheless, now that you’re aware of the storyline, let’s tell you the filming locations of the movie. Django was filmed in places like Tor Caldara Nature Reserve in Lavinio, Italy, Colmenar Viejo, and La Pedriza of Manzanares el Real in Madrid, Spain. These are the main locations where Corbucci’s classic western was filmed.

Let’s find out more about these not-so-common filming locations.

Where Was Django Filmed?

Where Was Django Filmed? Here Comes The Lone Drifter!

Django was considered to be one of the most violent films of all time, due to its realistic portrayal of brutality. However, over a period of time, the movie became a cult receiving numerous constructive reviews from critics all around the world. Franco Nero’s performance and Luis Bacalov’s soundtrack were praised. Anyhow, Let’s learn more about these interesting filming locations.

Tor Caldara Nature Reserve | Lavinio, Italy

Where Was Django Filmed? Here Comes The Lone Drifter!

The filming of Django began in December 1965 in Tor Caldara Nature Reserve which is situated in Italy’s small seaside town of Lavinio. The town of Lavinio is and was a popular tourist spot, due to its exceptional scenic beauty, where the sea and mountains blended together. The seaside town is a part of the municipality of Anzio and lies 50 km southwest of Rome.

Tor Caldara Nature Reserve, the exact location where the shooting of the movie began, is a distinctive place primarily because of its biodiversity. Tor Caldara, in 1988 was declared a protected area at the European level which increased the location’s international value. The Reserve is filled with uncommon vegetation along with different species of fauna. And the most fascinating places to visit here are the Torre delle Caldane and the sulfur mines.

Lavinio has a rich historical background as well, from the middle ages to the modern era. During the Second World War, the allied soldiers fought and died on the beaches of this town. In 1944 during the battle of Anzio, Lavinio was the location of the British beachhead landing.

Colmenar Viejo | Madrid, Spain

Where Was Django Filmed? Here Comes The Lone Drifter!

Colmenar Viejo was Corbucci’s second outdoor location for Django. After filming in Italy, his home country, he decided to shift to Spain along with the whole cast and crew.  A number of important scenes were shot here. 

The town of Colmenar Viejo is situated in the community of Madrid and lies 30 km north of it on the M-607 motorway. However, the town makes up for a great tourist spot, you can visit a number of significant archaeological sites like Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, Ermita de Remedios, saint of the town, and Visigothic archaeological tombs. If you ever visit this town, you have to go and check out these sites.

The town has its own festivities too, which tourists can be a part of. Few of the big festivals in the town are Fiesta de la Vaquilla, Fiesta de la Maya, festivities in honor of the Virgen of Remedios that take place on the last weekend of August, every year, and the Day of Colmenar Viejo, the people of the town celebrate to show respect to the late Ferdinand II, who was the king of Aragon.

It’s not common knowledge but Madrid as a city has been a base for a number of influential and successful films of all times. Movies like Stanley Kubrick’s Kirk Douglas starrer historical drama, Spartacus, Alexander The Great, Clint Eastwood’s The Good The Bad And The Ugly, For A few Dollars More, and Conan the Barbarian were filmed here. The Spanish TV series named Locked Up was also shot here in the town of Colmenar Viejo.

La Pedriza of Manzanares el Real | Madrid, Spain

Where Was Django Filmed? Here Comes The Lone Drifter!

This was the movie, Django’s last outdoor location for filming. La Pedriza is basically a geological feature situated on the southern slopes of the Guadarrama mountain range. In order to reach this location you have to go via Manzanares el Real, a district that lies in northwest of Madrid. According to the locals, La Pedriza is the ideal place for hiking on weekends. However, this is another location in Madrid where films like Anthony Mann’s 1964 epic historical drama, The Fall Of Roman Empire, and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1982 film, Conan The Barbarian were filmed.

Final Word

Some of these filming locations mentioned above are a little difficult to reach, but if you can manage, then it can be the trip of a lifetime. Italy and Spain both countries are widely known for their numerous tourist spots but these locations are special because an outstanding classic western like Django was filmed here.

Who Is the Director Of The Film Django?

Sergio Corbucci is the director of the film, Django.

What Is The Duration Of The Movie, Django?

The duration of the movie, Django is 1h 32m.

Who All Acted In The Movie, Django?

The cast of the movie, Django includes actors like Franco Nero, Loredana Nusciak, José Bódalo, Ángel Álvarez and Eduardo Fajardo.

What Are The IMDb Ratings Of Django?

The IMDb rating of Django is 7.2

Who Is the Writer Of The Film, Django?

Sergio Corbucci and Bruno Corbucci were the writers of the film, Django.

Ujwal Mattoo
Ujwal Mattoo
With full journalism and half engineering background, Ujwal has hands in both the tech and creative fields. He is a film enthusiast who loves all kinds of genres. As much as he enjoys watching movies, he is always amused to know more and write about the locations to feed his hunger for traveling. In this world of fictional louds, he voices his opinions softly! He is either busy writing or playing with Milo, his dog!

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