Episode 19: And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself, Starring Antonio Banderas as the Eponymous Mexican Revolutionary

The fascinating topic of Pancho Villa’s savvy engagement of the film industry to prop up the Mexican Revolution is made somewhat less fascinating with this sometimes jaunty and crackling, sometimes bummer-ific 2003 HBO film And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself. Why must we have two Blandy McBlanderson tubs of vanilla ice cream as our way into this story? Why does one of them have to be the condescending communist and future episode subject John Reed? Why can’t this movie have more Alan Arkin? Is it possible to make Antonio Banderas unattractive? 

And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself gives us the opportunity to delve into the dark world of showmances, snuff films, additional strange moments from Sara’s incredibly interesting personal history, and the incredibly American tradition of standing around and watching battles. 

As a bonus: Another segment of “CorpseTalk” as we find out about the grim journey of Pancho Villa’s head post-death. 

And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself stars Antonio Bandaras as Pancho Villa, Eion Bailey as Frank Thayer, Alan Arkin as Sam Drebbin, Jim Broadbent as Harry Aitken, Matt Day as John Reed, Michael McKean as William Christy Cabanne, Kyle Chandler as Roaul Walsh, Colm Feore as D.W. Griffith, and Alexas Davalos as Teddy Sampson.

Spoiler Warning: We spoil everything. And we enjoy it.

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