Sabata (1969)

- Ehi amico... c'è Sabata, hai chiuso!
This ain't your grandfather's Western, 12 June 2006

The plot of Sabata sees the title character (played by Lee Van Cleef) stopping a bank robbery only to blackmail those responsible. The robbery ringleaders don't see too kindly to this and look to take out our hero and the rest of his ragtag bunch. Sabata has everything I look for in a Spaghetti Western - good gun fights, over-the-top violence, quirky characters, some nifty acrobatics, a plot that stretches credibility, and a strong anti-hero. Another thing Sabata has going for it is a sense of humor. The entire movie is done with the tongue planted firmly in cheek. If you take none of it very seriously, it's a lot of fun. Just remember - this ain't your grandfather's Western.

Other than the better known Sergio Leone films, this may be the best Spaghetti Western Lee Van Cleef made. He's almost perfect as the killer with nerves of steel capable of hitting a target at the most ridiculous of distances. He seems to always be at least two or three steps ahead of his adversaries. The supporting cast is just as good with William Berger and, in particular, Ignazio Spalla (aka Pedro Sanchez) giving nice performances. Spalla is one of the highlights for me of all the Sabata films.

Another thing I really enjoy about Sabata is the music. It's one of the better, more-catchy non-Morricone scores I've heard. I don't care how many times I've seen the movie, I always get that theme music stuck in my head. It's a silly tune, but it works for me.

8/10