the death epic incomplete

The first of the three unfinished spaghetti western-inspired sagas, The Death Epic set the stage for the Dollars & Donuts team’s ambitious yet chaotic early projects. Only one scene was ever completed: a spaghetti-western-style showdown at the cemetery in Colma, CA, a frequent filming location for the group during those years.

The scene features Daryl Della in a rare early on-camera appearance, squaring off against Ray Revello. Daryl’s character sports a streak of blood down his face and wears Ray’s Hawaiian shirt—an accessory that would later become an infamous inside joke among the crew. With no additional help on set, Daryl and Ray filmed the entire scene themselves, alternating between being in front of and behind the camera, and relying on a tripod for shots requiring both actors in frame. Despite its minimal production, the scene was well-received when shown to their high school classes, an early sign of the creativity and ambition that would define their future work.

In a serendipitous twist, the team later discovered that they had unwittingly filmed their showdown at the gravesite of William Randolph Hearst, the legendary media tycoon and inspiration for Citizen Kane. Perhaps a touch of movie magic rubbed off on the filmmakers that day—one can only hope!