Massacre Time
dir. Lucio Fulci · 1966
Plot
In 1866 New Mexico, Tom Corbett is a prospector who is called back to his hometown in Laramie Town, Texas at the bequest of a old family friend. Tom arrives in the town to see it under the control of a ruthless and greedy gangster named Jason Scott, who's psychotic and murder-crazed son, Junior Scott, runs it with fear with a posse of thugs who kill anyone who protests their business tactics. Tom finds his brother Jeff, a drunkard looked after by their family maid Mercedes. Tom then tries to persuade Jeff to help him take down the sadistic Scotts so the town can rest easy in peace and harmony again.
Why watch
Tom Corbett returns to his hometown only to find it under the tyrannical grip of Jason Scott and his psychotic son, Junior. As he confronts the darkness that has overtaken Laramie Town, the film immerses viewers in a world where justice is a personal vendetta and the line between right and wrong blurs in the face of survival.
Talking points
- the morality of revenge
- the impact of familial ties on personal choices
- the portrayal of power dynamics in lawless societies