Line #8 Film/StraightToHell


1	[[quoteright:310:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/straight_to_hell.jpeg]]
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3	''Straight to Hell'' is a 1987 AffectionateParody of [[SpaghettiWestern spaghetti Westerns]], directed by Alex Cox (of ''Film/RepoMan'' fame). Though far from his best film, it still holds cult status for many on account of its AllStarCast of punk elites, including Music/JoeStrummer, Music/ElvisCostello, and Music/ThePogues.
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5	Three hired guns, Simms (Strummer), Willy (Dick Rude), and Norwood (Sy Richardson), sleep in and blow their job. Taking Norwood's pregnant girlfriend Velma (Music/CourtneyLove) with them, they rob a bank and flee to an OutlawTown run by the [=McMahon=] gang (The Pogues), a [[BanditClan family]] of maniacal [[MakesAsMuchSenseInContext coffee addicts]] hell bent on finding the heroes' riches. HilarityEnsues.
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7	The film's kooky cast of characters also includes a [[ButtMonkey constantly harried]] sausage vendor named Karl (Zander Schloss of Circle Jerks), the [=McMahon=]s' sassy Butler, Hives (Costello), a neurotic store clerk and his [[UglyGuyHotWife hot wife]], and plenty of [[LightIsNotGood bad guys in white suits]]. Oh, and Creator/DennisHopper and Creator/GraceJones for some reason.
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9	It may not be terribly well directed, or acted, or edited, or... anything, really, but it's regarded by fans to be SoBadItsGood. And anyway, as you'd expect with a cast and crew of musicians, the soundtrack's pretty damn good.
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11	Has nothing to do with the song by Music/TheClash, despite starring their frontman as the main character.
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14	!!Tropes used:
15	* BadassLongcoat: The [=McMahons=] all wear long duster coats during their final stand. They actually belonged to The Pogues prior to filming and were featured on the back cover of their first album.
16	* BaitAndSwitchGunshot: [[spoiler:Ed [=McMahon=], holding Willy at gunpoint, offers to spare his life, only to have Willy shoot him right in the head.]]
17	%%* BanditClan: The [=McMahons=].
18	* BlackAndGreyMorality: The main characters aren't exactly the best people. Heck, Simms even [[spoiler:shoots Willy, planning to keep the money for himself]].
19	%%* BriefcaseFullOfMoney: There's a lot of these throughout the film.
20	* ButtMonkey: Poor Karl. No one seems to like him. Over the course of the film he gets kicked, drowned, stabbed [[spoiler:and is eventually shot dead]] with absolutely no provocation whatsoever.
21	* ClosedCircle: Our criminal heroes wouldn't have ended up in outlaw territory if their car hadn't broken down.
22	%%* {{Cowboy}}: The [=McMahons=] are these.
23	* NewOldWest: There's enough cars, punk rock and coffee machines to place the setting firmly in the 80s.
24	* NotEvenBotheringWithTheAccent: Despite being filmed in Spain and set in Mexico, most of the town's residents have British accents, with a few Americans and a couple of Irishmen mixed in. Shane [=MacGowan=]'s North London drawl is especially out of place.
25	%%* OutlawTown: Most of the action takes place in one of these. A name for the town is never given.

Context Film / StraightToHell