The UTM History Club and Department of History and Philosophy Chair David Coffey presented The Wild Bunch at 7 p.m. Thursday in the UTM Library Media Center.

“This is an iconic American film,” said Dr. Coffey. He explained that the movie was released in 1969 and at that time, was scandalous and controversial.

Dr. Coffey said that the movie contains lots of violence and the use of slow motion photography emphasizes the action sequences. He said that the movie revolutionized the way to approach violence. Dr. Coffey called it a transition film.

“This film symbolizes a lot of things,” said Dr. Coffey. He said that it symbolizes the end of the old West, violence towards women, cultural ignorance, the way U.S. citizens see Mexico and the corruption of Mexican revolution.

The movie takes place in 1913 during the Mexican Revolution which was a violent social and cultural movement. The Wild Bunch, led by Pike Bishop, played by William Holden, breaks into a bank in Texas.

However, this robbery turns out to be a set-up plotted by Deke Thornton, played by Robert Ryan, a former member of the Bunch. Deke’s companions aim at the Bunch from a roof across the street. A vicious shootout occurs between the Bunch and Deke’s companions.

Only six members of the Bunch manage to escape and run away to Mexico. The Bunch visits General Mapache, played by Emilio Fernandez, to trade their horses and make a deal with Mapache to steal a U.S. arms shipment for money.

The Bunch holds up the train with the U.S. arms shipment. The Bunch goes back to Mexico and Deke pursues the Bunch. The Bunch finds out Angel, played by Jaime Sanchez, a member of the Bunch, was captured by Mapache. It was discovered that Angel was obsessed with getting his vengence on Mapache for the murder of Angel’s father. The Bunch demands Angel to be returned, but Mapache refuses it.

Finally Mapache cuts Angel’s throat. Mapache subsequently is shot down by Pike. A bloody gunfight begins between the Bunch and Mapache’s companies. The Bunch fights with the U.S. arms weapons that they stole. However, the Bunch can not handle the overwhelming number of foes and is defeated.

Even thought the movie was hard to understand because of my lack of knowledge of the history, Dr. Coffey’s explanation and humor during the movie kept me focused.

The History Club is open to any student who is interested in history, regardless of their major. The next meeting is at 12:15 on Tuesday, Feb. 7 in room 211 in the Humanities Building.