The Dude Goes West (1948)

"Man alive! Where did a DUDE learn to shoot like that?", 23 December 2015

Daniel Bone (Eddie Albert) is a New York gunsmith. Seeking greener pastures, Bone heads to a Wild West town appropriately called Arsenic City. Along the way, he meets a woman named Lisa Crockett (Gale Storm) who is also headed west seeking her fortune. She has a map that leads to her late father's goldmine. But there are others who want Crockett's map and they will do anything to get it. Fortunately for her and whether she likes it or not, Bone saves her skin time after time. 

At it's absolute worst, I'd still call The Dude Goes West harmless enough and a bit of fun. At it's best, however, it's often quite funny and gives Eddie Albert a chance to shine in a leading role. His character, Bone, is a fish out-of-water and this often leads to the funnier bits. It's very reminiscent of his character, Oliver Wendell Douglas, that he'd play 20 years later. There's a scene where Bone is lecturing the townspeople about the importance of the American judicial system that sounded straight off of Green Acres. All it needed was a fife playing in the background. Albert is joined by a very able cast featuring Storm, Gilbert Roland, and Barton MacLane. The films's pacing is nice and at only 86 minutes, it never feels tired. While the plot is often predictable, it's still fun to watch the events unfold. Some of the comedy may seem corny by today's standards, but it works just fine to me. 

Overall, a 7/10 from me.

7/10

A Time for Killing (1967)

"Bentley would kill Bentley.", 9 December 2015

Toward the end of the Civil War, Union officer Maj. Tom Wolcott (Glenn Ford) is hot on the heals of a band of escaped Confederate prisoners headed for the Mexican border. The mission is especially important to Maj. Wolcott as the Confederates have kidnapped his fiancé, Emily Biddle (Inger Stevens).

Overall, A Time for Killiing is a real mixed bag with the bad generally outweighing the good. One of my chief problems is inexplicable character motivation. Characters are liable to do just about anything from scene to scene. There's no consistency, with Maj. Wolcott being one of the worst offenders. The direction and plot are also weaknesses. The direction is often flat and the script does little to provide surprises. And there are moments where scenes go from location to indoor sets that's often jarring. Add to that overly bombastic and repetitive music, inappropriate comic relief, and Max Baer, Jr., and the problems are obvious. 

Despite its problems, there are positives. Some of the acting is quite good. Ford gives his excepted quality performance. Stevens is both good and beautiful. And I was also impressed with Harry Dean Stanton (always good) and Todd Armstrong in supporting roles. Another plus is the scenery. When the production is on location, the scenery is breathtaking. 

I'm giving A Time for Killing a 4/10.

4/10

The Deadly Companions (1961)

"You don't know me well enough to hate me that much.", 27 November 2015

The Deadly Companions was Sam Peckinpah's first non-TV directorial effort. Overall, I wasn't overly impressed. Peckinpah would go on to make some of my personal favorites, including The Wild Bunch and Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia. But, unfortunately, I can't even call his first film "good".

The plot centers on an ailing ex-Army officer, called Yellowleg (Brian Keith), who accidentally shots and kills a young boy. The boy's mother, Kit Tildan (Maureen O'Hara), insists on traveling through dangerous Indian country so her son can be buried beside his father. To try to make-up for his mistake, Yellowleg travels with her despite her insistence that she doesn't need help.

The Deadly Companions has a number of problems I could cite (cheap sets, poor score, etc.), but I think I'll limit this to the biggest issue I have - the movie has a horribly uneven feel to the whole thing. For example, character motivation is all over the place. The ups and downs of Yellowleg and Kit's relationship feels so forced that it's more awkward than enjoyable. From one second to the next, you have no idea how they'll react to one another. It has a random feel to it like the script was being written and re-written daily (which I think was the case). The actors aren't helped by the ridiculous dialogue they're forced to spout. It's often embarrassing. And to make matters worse, I never felt any real chemistry between Keith and O'Hara. Being a pro, O'Hara is generally quite good, but it's not hard to see she would rather be anywhere else than on Peckinpah's set. Overall, it's a poor effort. If I have to come up one positive it would be Chill Wills in a supporting role. He's quite good.

4/10

Forgotten Pistolero (1969)

Nice SW from Ferdinando Baldi, 13 November 2015

Overall, Forgotten Pistlero is a solid Spaghetti Western – not great, but good enough. Like a lot of the SWs I've seen, the central theme in this one is revenge. The children of a man murdered by his wife and her lover want revenge. It may be a familiar set-up, but Ferdinando Baldi does an excellent job of building interest and tension right to the final moments. Baldi also throws in a lot of other bits that I've come to expect from an entertaining SW – mysterious strangers (Leonard Mann and Pietro Martellanza) with over-the-top gun skills, an impossibly beautiful heroine (played by Pilar Velazquez), a gang of cut-throat killers, and lots and lots of sweaty men. And the film's finale is about as downbeat as you'll find. It's not as dark as something like The Great Silence, but it's definitely not a happy ending. It stuck with me long after the movie ended. Good stuff.

A few other thoughts:

1. The music, while very good, is often derivative and very Morricone-esque. It will remind you of a dozen other scores - but that's not necessarily a bad thing. 

2. The acting is good, but no one really stands out. The highlight of the cast for me has to be Luciana Paluzzi of Thunderball fame. 

3. For what seems like a modestly budgeted SW, there are a couple of set-pieces that are exceptionally well filmed. For example, the waltz scene looks like it came out of a film with a budget far exceeding that of Forgotten Pistolero. It's gorgeous. The other is the film's finale. The burning building is another set-piece that's very well done. 

I'll give Forgotten Pistolero a rock-solid 7/10.

7/10

The Bounty Killer (1967)

- El precio de un hombre
One of Tomas Milian's best performances, 13 December 2009

As far as Euro-Westerns go, The Bounty Killer has about as straight forward a plot as you'll find. Jose Gomez (Tomas Milian) is a prisoner being moved by coach to a new facility to await his death. The citizens of his hometown see him as something of a hero and want to help him out. Gomez's would-be love interest Eden (Halina Zalewska) slips him a gun at one of the stage's stops. But is Gomez the same man the townsfolk remember? Or, as bounty hunter Luke Chilson (Richard Wyler) warns, has Gomez changed and no longer deserving of their admiration? The locals are about to find out as Gomez and his gang with the bounty hunter hot on his heels are headed straight for their sleepy little town.

It's not perfect by any means, but for fans of Euro-Westerns, there's a lot in The Bounty Killer to enjoy. First, and most obvious, is Tomas Milian. I don't know how many of these Westerns he made, but this was his first. And quite honestly, it may represent his best acting performance. The multi-dimensions and facets he's able to give his character, Jose Gomez, is nothing short of brilliant. Even though he's an escaped prisoner, Gomez is a character we initially root for. But slowly, he changes. Toward the end of the film, Milian has transformed Gomez into the kind of ruthless killer that a hangman's noose is too good for. And his final moments on screen, all I can say is "Wow!" It's an incredible performance. As for the rest of the cast, they're all more than adequate with the familiar face of Mario Brega, the beautiful face of Halina Zalewska, and the steady, unflinching face Richard Wyler as anti-hero Luke Chilson. It takes a while for Chilson to grow on you, but once he does it's easy to appreciate the character. In fact, it takes a while for all of The Bounty Killer to grow on you. The film starts out slow (very slow in fact), but be patient – the payoff is worth the wait. Looking back at the film, the pacing director Eugenio Martin gives to The Bounty Killer is one of the movie's assets – culminating with a final act that features plenty of fight scenes, shoot outs, and various other killings. Not as graphic as some of the later Euro-Westerns, there's enough violence to keep most everyone happy. The Spanish country side is beautifully filmed and provides just the gorgeous dusty setting I've come to look forward to in these films. Finally, Stelvio Cipriani's score, though often repetitive, is rousing and memorable. Overall, it's a job well done.

8/10

A Pistol for Ringo (1965)

- Una pistola per Ringo
"Early to bed, early to rise, gets you shot between the eyes.", 30 October 2009

The leader of a band of Mexican outlaws is wounded as the group makes its getaway after a bank robbery. The bandits decide to hold-up at a nearby ranch. The outlaw leader, Sancho (Fernando Sancho), threatens to kill two hostages per day unless he and his gang are allowed passage to Mexico. The local sheriff feels hamstrung as he fears for the life of his girl, one of the hostages, if he makes a move against the bandits. Reluctantly, he turns to a prisoner he's holding, Ringo (Giuliano Gemma), for help. The plan – have Ringo, an outlaw himself, infiltrate the group and work from the inside to free the prisoners.

A Pistol for Ringo is an interesting and entertaining early Spaghetti Western. It's interesting to me because I look at it as something of a bridge between the traditional Hollywood Westerns and the Euro-Westerns just getting cranked-up in 1965. It's a mix of old and new. Old – costumes, the unrealistic portrayal of violence (no blood), and the lack of dirt (it always bugs me that no one in old Westerns ever gets dirty). New – the anti-hero, bandits like Sancho, the body count, and crazy plot points and twists. It's really cool to see these different elements blended into one movie like A Pistol for Ringo. As for entertaining, well it's just fun. Lighter feeling than some of the other early Spaghetti Westerns, A Pistol for Ringo has something of a playful tone to it despite the violence. The script is well written and includes many interesting pieces of dialogue – the bit about what makes men different in Texas being one of my favorites. The script also includes a well written, but heart wrenching, twist near the end that I really didn't see coming. It completely caught me off-guard. Director Duccio Tessari keeps things moving at a nice pace with lots of action, gun fights, and interesting set-pieces throughout. The acting is a real highlight. Gemma, Sancho, and the beautiful Susan Scott (Nieves Navarro) help make A Pistol for Ringo worth watching. Finally, there's Ennio Morricone's score. It's what I've come to expect from Morricone – wonderful

7/10

Have a Good Funeral, My Friend... Sartana Will Pay (1971)

- Buon funerale, amigos!... paga Sartana
Not a bad example of what I'm going to call a lesser SW, 10 May 2009

Sartana blows into town just after a local prospector, Joe Benson, has been murdered. Suddenly, there seems to be no shortage of buyers for the old man's land that most describe as nothing more than a pile of worthless sand. The two men who seem to want the land the most are the local crooked banker and the Chinese gambling parlor owner. But why? With Sartan's help, Benson's niece and heir plays the two potential buyers against each other looking to get the most for the land. Will she succeed? The only thing that's certain is that Sartana's going to do whatever he cam to make sure he comes out ahead.

Certainly not what I would call a top of the line Spaghetti Western, Have a Good Funeral, My Friend . . . Sartana Will Pay (let's shorten that to Have a Good Funeral for the rest of this comment) is still an enjoyable enough installment in the Sartana series. Gianni Garko is back as Sartana. He's excellent in the role and provides the character with just the right amount of mystery to throw doubt on his motivations. Even among the super human feats of other SW heroes, Sartana's abilities with a gun, a deck of cards, or being in the right place at the right time are unmatched. The supporting cast features a number of familiar faces – Helga Line and Franco Ressel being chief among them. But I was most impressed with Daniela Giordano and George Wang - the latter seemingly enjoying himself as much as anyone. Giuliano Carnimeo's direction is more workmanlike than artistic, though he does provide a visual flourish or two as Have a Good Funeral progresses. The plot has enough twists and turns to keep things interesting. And even thought the man behind the killings is easy to spot for anyone who's seen enough of these movies, it's still fun to watch Sartana figure things out. Finally, Bruno Nicolai's score is definitely a high point of the film, even if it is eerily reminiscent of some of his other work. Overall, not a bad example of what I'm going to call a lesser SW. Trust me, you could do a whole lot worse.

7/10

The Valley of Gwangi (1969)

"He who takes from Gwangi the evil one is cursed.", 29 April 2008

I'm racking my brain, but I can't seem to think of another movie quite like The Valley of the Gwangi. A Western with dinosaurs? What could be more natural? You gotta wonder why John Ford and/or John Wayne never tried it!

The plot – While searching for a mythical miniature horse for her circus, TJ Breckenridge (Gila Golan), Tuck Kirby (James Franciscus), and the rest of the cast/characters enter a strange, lost valley. There they find not only the miniature horse, but some other, more fearsome creatures as well. Dinosaurs rule this place. Now wouldn't that be an attraction at TJ's circus – a caged T-Rex?

It's not that I find The Valley of the Gwangi a bad movie, I just don't seem to have enjoyed it as much as many others who have posted comments on the movie. There are some parts that I actually find almost unwatchable. For the first half of the movie, there just doesn't seem to be much going on. I wasn't necessarily bored, but I did want something to happen. Plodding would be an adjective I would use. To top it off, the movie features a very contrived love story. It feels forced as if the writers decided that the male and female leads just had to get together. But The Valley of the Gwangi isn't a total waste. There are moments I really enjoyed. Who doesn't get a kick out of the scenes of the cowboys on horseback trying to lasso a T-Rex. You just don't see stuff like that every day. Ray Harryhausen's creatures are impressive. There are some really cool shots of Harryhausen's miniatures interacting with people and horses. It might not represent the best of his work, but the effects are very nice. Still, at least in my mind these good moments aren't enough to overcome the negatives. As much as I hate to do it, I've got to rate The Valley of the Gwangi a 4/10.

4/10

My Name Is Trinity (1970)

- Lo chiamavano Trinità...
"Welcome, brothers!", 28 April 2008

I am by no means an expert on the 19 or so Terence Hill / Bud Spencer films. But of the handful I have been able to see, They Call Me Trinity just might be my favorite. I distinctly remember watching this movie over 30 years ago and thinking it was one of funniest, most enjoyable movies I had ever seen. Re-watching it last night, I realized that, although my opinion isn't quite as high as it once was, I still enjoyed They Call Me Trinity immensely. It's not perfect, but it sure it fun. Hill and Spencer play off each other as well as any of the better known Hollywood duos. They complement each other in both style and appearance. There are a few moments that had me laughing out loud. Their first meeting with the Mexican bandits while unintentionally disguised as Mormons is one of these moments. Hill also has some particularly funny scenes on his own. One that I remembered from my first viewing three decades ago was the scene where Hill eats the entire plate of beans. Good stuff! And who doesn't get a kick out of the dust-covered Hill being pulled along behind his horse. It's a classic image right up there with Django dragging the coffin through the mud. There's just something about both of these scenes that I find very funny.

But what I really enjoy the most is the way They Call Me Trinity makes fun of some of the better known Spaghetti Western clichés. There are several examples I could use, but I'll just cite one. In most Spaghetti Westerns, the main character is usually an expert shot. So expert, in fact, that they almost never miss. Look at Lee Van Cleef in Sabata or Clint Eastwood in The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly for example. Van Cleef's Sabata is able to his any target at any distance and Eastwood's Blondie has no problem hitting the rope about to hang Tuco. Trinity takes this already exaggerated ability to the absurd. As seen in the one of the bar fights, Trinity can hit targets behind his back - without looking. If you're a fan of these movies, you'll enjoy They Call Me Trinity's poke at Spaghetti Western conventions.

8/10

A Knife for the Ladies (1974)

A weird mix of genres, 25 February 2008

A Knife for the Ladies (or Jack the Ripper Goes West) is a weird mix of genres. It's a Western with a slasher storyline running through it. A mad killer is slashing the necks of prostitutes in the town of Mescal. The sheriff, Jarrod (Jack Elam) seems incapable of finding the killer, so the town's leaders bring in a private detective named Burns (Jeff Cooper). Can Burns find the killer before Mescal's brothel is left vacant?

Overall, A Knife for the Ladies is one lousy movie. Neither the horror nor the Western elements work. Until the final scene, it's a total failure. Much of the problem comes from the fact that nothing looks real. The town is obviously a set – it doesn't feel "real". The people are obviously actors playing parts. They're not "real" either. Jack Elam's old grizzled hard-drinking sheriff is so over-the-top that he's ridiculous. And Jeff Cooper's Burns is too 1970s to be authentic. A Knife for the Ladies' lone highlight comes in its finale. It's actually a nice twist that I honestly didn't see coming. I could have never guessed the killer's identity. But as nice as the ending may have been, I still can't bring myself to rate A Knife for the Ladies any higher than a 3/10 – and that's being generous.

Finally, one especially annoying aspect A Knife for the Ladies is the way it tries to play the old-school sheriff against the more modern detective. But it's all talk. There's no evidence presented of any real clash between the old vs. new law enforcement techniques. It's as if someone involved with the movie's production thought this conflict would make a good storyline so they threw it into the movie without really adding it (if that makes any sense). Predictably, the old and new get into a completely unnecessary fistfight before they can work together. It's so forced it's painful.

3/10

Last of the Wild Horses (1948)

Butterfingers of the Old West, 4 November 2007

There are a handful of generally unknown actors that I enjoy seeing in just about anything. One of those people is Douglass Dumbrille. From A Day at the Races with the Marx Brothers to Castle in the Desert with Charlie Chan, I always look forward to Dumbrille's performances. In Last of the Wild Horses, he plays the wheelchair-bound owner of the Double C ranch. His performance is by far the best thing this movie has going for it. Now that I think about it, Douglass Dumbrille is probably the only thing Last of the Wild Horses has going for it. The movie is one of those utterly dull, white-bread kind of Westerns where no one gets dirty and the good guys always win. It's the kind of Western that always seemed to feature an annoying comic relief character that you just wanted to see someone put a bullet through. All it lacks is a cowboy with a guitar to make my stomach really turn.

But the most unforgivable part of Last of the Wild Horses is the way director Robert Lippert continually cheats to keep the plot moving. On three different occasions, people conveniently drop evidence that is later found and used to advance the story. From a branding iron to a letter to a bandana – Last of the Wild Horses would have us believe that the cowboys of the Old West were a bunch of butterfingers.

2/10

Bandidas (2006)

"Always count your bullets, senoritas", 26 July 2007

Sara Sandoval (Salma Hayek) and Maria Alvarez (Penélope Cruz) are two very different women. They may be from the same area of Mexico, but everything else about their upbringing couldn't be more different. Sara comes from a wealthy family and has just returned home after having completed her studies in Europe. Maria is the daughter of a dirt poor farmer and has received little in the way of a formal education. But these two women are brought together when an enforcer (Dwight Yoakam) representing a NY bank comes to town to buy up land for the railroad. His methods include killing Sara's father to take control of his bank and seriously wounding Maria's father to get his farm. How are these two women going to right the injustices and get revenge? The pair come up with a plan – why not rob banks?

If you're looking for a deep, meaningful movie that explores life's mysteries – Bandidas is the wrong movie for you. I've seen the word "cute" used several times to describe Bandidas and that's better than any I can come up with. This is a light, fluffy, silly, popcorn movie from the word go. I mean, seriously, can you imagine a more unlikely pair of turn of the century, would-be bank robbers than Salma Hayek and Penélope Cruz? But that doesn't make it any less enjoyable. For me, it's all about suspending reality and just having fun with it. It doesn't hurt that Hayek and Cruz are two of the most stunning actresses working today. But their appeal here goes far beyond their looks. They have a definite chemistry on-screen that's very natural. And the constant bickering between the two is often quite funny. Yoakam and Steve Zahn provide solid support. Yoakam's bad guy performance is especially well done.

Overall, I don't have much to complain about. For me, Bandidas made for an entertaining way to spend 90 minutes. I don't want to get into my spiel about the importance of entertainment to me in rating a movie, but Bandidas is a good example. It's just a fun movie!

7/10

For a Few Dollars More (1965)

- Per qualche dollaro in più
"When the chimes end, pick up your gun.", 9 July 2007

Two bounty hunters are going after the same man – a crazed escaped convict named Indio (Gian Maria Volontè). Realizing that the job is too big for either one alone, Col. Douglas Mortimer (Lee Van Cleef) and Monco (Clint Eastwood) decide to put their egos aside a team-up to get their man. But can these two men take on and take out an army of outlaws?

A Fistful of Dollars may have come first and The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly may be the fanboy's choice, but my favorite movie in Sergio Leone's Dollar's Trilogy is For a Few Dollars More. In contrast to the first movie in the trilogy, For a Few Dollars More is a more sophisticated, more confident film. Leone took the ideas he developed in A Fistful of Dollars and ran with them. There's definite growth in Leone as a director. Similarly, you can see growth in Eastwood and Morricone. All three – director, actor, and composer – were coming into their own with confidence to spare. And in comparison with the better known third movie in the trilogy, For a Few Dollars More is a tighter, more fluid film. It may be one of the best movies ever made, but The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly does tend to drag every now and then. That's not he case with For a Few Dollars More. There's not a wasted moment. But please, don't misinterpret anything I've written – I think all three movies are works of genius. I just happen to prefer For a Few Dollars More to the other two.

Beyond Leone, Eastwood, and Morricone, any discussion of For a Few Dollars More wouldn't be complete without mentioning the rest of the cast and the sets.

• The Cast: Eastwood may be the more known commodity, but he often is upstaged in this movie by both Van Cleef and Volontè. In fact, Volontè steals most every scene in which he appears. His dope-smoking, homicidal Indio is one of the most ruthless and memorable characters I've seen in a Spaghetti Western. Another interesting casting decision is that of Klaus Kinski. His screen time may be limited, but his scenes with Van Cleef are among the most memorable in the movie. The rest of the cast, especially Mario Brega and Luigi Pistilli, are just as solid.

• The Sets: For a Few Dollars more looks like a million dollars thanks to some wonderful sets. Some of the villages found in and around Almeria, Spain, are incredible looking. It would be difficult to duplicate the authenticity of a place like Los Albaricoques with its cobbled streets and white-washed adobe buildings. Yet when called upon to do so, Carlo Simi designed and built some equally impressive sets. His attention to detail in the planning and set decoration is impressive.

9/10

And God Said to Cain (1970)

- E Dio disse a Caino
Beware of budget DVDs, 8 July 2007

After serving 10 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit, Gary Hamilton (Klaus Kinski) is released. Hamilton has had 10 long years to plot his revenge and he intends to get it. His quarry, a man named Acombar (Peter Carsten), has assembled something of an army to help protect him and his family. But Hamilton appears to have something on his side – God. Hamilton rides into town just ahead of the wind, dust, and noise of a tornado. It's quite an entrance!

And God Said to Cain is a solid Spaghetti Western (SW) from often underrated Italian director Antonio Margheriti. With this movie, Margheriti put together one terribly effective SW. A lot of SWs include some sort of light-hearted, comedic moments. That's not the case with And God Said to Cain. It's as serious and dark as any SW I've seen. Margheriti doesn't allow a single moment of levity. Normally relegated to playing the heavy, Klaus Kinski gets a rare opportunity to play the lead. And he does a good job with it. He plays Hamilton as a man with a single-minded focus – get revenge. Before we as an audience even know who Hamilton is or what he's up to, he's killing people on a dark, stormy night. The action and shootouts are entertaining, the supporting cast is solid, the music is good, and the sets and locations fit the film nicely. What more can you ask for in a SW?

The only negative regarding my experience with And God Said to Cain actually has nothing to do the movie, but concerns the budget label DVD I watched. What a terrible transfer! Much of the movie is set at night and it was often very difficult to tell what was happening. Who knows? I might have rated the movie higher had I not missed about a fourth of the action. So be warned – in this case you get what you pay for.

8/10

A Fistful of Dollars (1964)

- Per un pugno di dollari
"Get three coffins ready.", 7 July 2007

A Fistful of Dollars is often incorrectly called the first Euro or Italian or Spaghetti Western. In fact, there were a number of Euro-Westerns made prior to Sergio Leone's A Fistful of Dollars. However, in comparison with Leone's first Western, the few Euro-Westerns I've seen tend to be little more than copies of American Westerns. Instead, Leone was first to usher in a new style of Western. Leone created a less romanticized Western where characters had faults, got dirty, and bled. A Western where the line between the good guys and the bad guys was blurred. A Western where events were unpredictable. A Western where the violence was over-the-top. The Spaghetti Westerns like A Fistful of Dollars may have had little in common with the real Old West, but neither did the Hollywood Western. And I'm not sure that Leone and the rest cared that their films lacked historical accuracy. The real West wasn't their inspiration – the Hollywood Westerns were their inspiration. These were entertainment pieces first and foremost. And if the audiences of the 1960s were entertained by this new style Western, Leone was going to give it to them.

It's impossible to mention A Fistful of Dollars and not discuss the genius of Sergio Leone. In this movie, you can see early examples of directorial flourishes that would become Leone trademarks. The extreme close-ups followed by enormous widescreen shots, the extended showdowns, and the use of music as an integral part of a film can be seen in his first Western effort. But just as amazing and genius as Leone and just as important to the success of A Fistful of Dollars is Ennio Morricone's score. I'm sure audiences familiar the Hollywood style of scoring were shocked by Morricone's music with its series of whistles, chirps, and other experimental sounds. It was a new sound for a new kind of Western. And it's brilliant.

At its core, A Fistful of Dollars is a very simple movie. The plot is simple (and even more so if you've seen Yojimbo). Clint Eastwood rides into town and discovers two warring factions. He uses the animosity they have for each other for his own gain. Like I said, it's simple. But the film's simplicity extends beyond the plot. Partially for budgetary reasons and partially the result of some judicious cutting and editing, there's very little in the way of fat. For example, the dialogue in A Fistful of Dollars is often very minimal. Considering the fact that he's the lead performer, Clint Eastwood's character has very few lines. Instead, Leone and Eastwood allow a look, an action, or a note from Morricone's incredible score to speak for Clint. Simple? - yes, but very effective.

Beyond Leone's direction, Morricone's score, and the style of the Spaghetti Western, A Fistful of Dollars excels in several other areas - especially the acting. For the budget the film was made on, the acting is superb. Eastwood and his minimalist "Man with No Name" may be the known quantity, but there are other, equally impressive performances in the movie. Chief among them is Gian Maria Volontè as the crazed Ramon. It's an amazing piece of work. As much as I enjoy Eastwood, it's Volontè that makes the movie for me.

Finally (and I'll end here because I could probably go on writing all night) I sometimes wonder if Leone or Eastwood or anyone involved with A Fistful of Dollars had any idea of what they were doing. Did they have any notion that more than 40 years later these movies would be more beloved than when they were made? I sincerely doubt it. I'll never forget the night I discovered Leone's Dollar Trilogy. I was in college in the early 80s and WGN was playing A Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More back-to-back. I was blown away! My conception of what a Western was changed that night. And I've been a huge fan every since.

Thank you, Mr. Leone.

8/10

Massacre Time (1966)

- Tempo di massacro
Fulci Goes West, 6 July 2007

Lucio Fulci may be best known for his zombie fright-fests, but I prefer his non-zombie movies like One on Top of the Other, A Lizard in a Woman's Skin, and Don't Torture a Duckling. I'm happy to say that Massacre Time joins this group of Fulci favorites. Once again, Fulci proves he was more than a gore-obsessed hack.

The story is typical Spaghetti Western stuff. Tom Corbett (Franco Nero) returns home only to find it's not the home he remembers. His family's ranch and the rest of the town have been taken over by a wealthy and seemingly cruel land baron named Mr. Scott. It's either do as Scott says or face the wrath of his henchmen – including his psychotic son, Junior (Nino Castelnuovo). Corbett turns to his brother, Jeff (George Hiilton), for an explanation and assistance, but finds he is more concerned with getting drunk than avenging his father's death. Can Corbett set things right for the town and his family? In typical Spaghetti Western style, the final showdown is not to be missed.

This is actually the second of Fulci's Westerns I've seen. While I enjoyed the other (Four of the Apocalypse) it was a little too far "out there" for my tastes. Massacre Time is much more conventional in its presentation. Massacre Time has more in common with the works of Leone and Corbuccci (Django in particular) than it does with Fulci's other films. And, there's a lot here to like. The acting is top notch. Nero and Hilton are both more than capable of carrying a film on their own and, together, they're dynamite. Nice chemistry from two pros. Coriolano Gori's score is as good as any I've heard. Fulci's direction was never better. The movie has more flow and pacing than some of Fulci's other movies I've seen. And finally, the writing is surprisingly good. Italian genre films are often criticized over their lack of coherent scripts. That's not the case with Massacre Time. Fernanco Di Leo's script is very nice. Overall, it's a wonderfully entertaining film that I'm very glad to have finally discovered.

8/10

Heller in Pink Tights (1960)

This one fails at almost every turn, 20 August 2006

What an average, ordinary movie. And by average and ordinary, I mean dull. The plot revolves around a traveling show in the old West. The group runs afoul of Indians, sheriffs, and killers as they seek to make their fortunes. Sophia Loren is the star and is in almost every scene, but not even she can save Heller in Pink Tights from achieving nothing more than mediocrity. Anthony Quinn is also top billed, but he is terribly underutilized and looks like he's just going through the motions. The chemistry between the pair is non-existent. The only bright spot in the cast is Eileen Heckart who, as usual, steals every scene in which she appears. Director George Cukor shot Heller in Pink Tights in the most gaudy of color schemes that hardly seems natural give the time period in which the movie takes place. An exploding paint store wouldn't produce this much color. I'm not sure what Cukor was going for, but he failed at almost every turn.

In short, this one should be reserved for Cukor or Loren completists only.

4/10

Roy Colt and Winchester Jack (1970)

Hit and miss from Bava, 15 July 2006

Reading various comments on the internet about Roy Colt and Winchester Jack, you would think that it was the worst movie ever made. I've now seen most of Mario Bava's films (23, to be exact) and I've seen my fair share of Spaghetti Westerns. While Roy Colt and Winchester Jack isn't a very good example of either, it's hardly the worst film Bava made (see Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs) or the worst Spaghetti Western I've watched (see God's Gun). In fact, there are moments and certain set-pieces in the movie that I really enjoyed. The best example that comes to mind is the film's finale. Without giving it away, I'll just say that it's a nice twist that worked for me. The film's soundtrack is interesting. I wouldn't call it a traditional Spaghetti Western, but it's enjoyable enough anyway. Brett Halsey and Charles Southwood are okay in the title roles, but Marilu Tolo stands out in the role of Manila. More of Tolo would have been a good thing. Finally, while some of the more eccentric characters in the movie don't work, the gunfighter in the opening scenes with Tourettes Syndrome is a real hoot.

I actually would have enjoyed Roy Colt and Winchester Jack more and rated it higher if it weren't for two things. First, the movie hardly feels like a Bava film. There are none of the great director's flourishes of color or unique camera tricks I look forward to seeing. It's all rather flat and dull looking. Second, and my biggest complaint with the movie, is the character called The Reverend. A more annoying character I can't think of at the moment. He's not funny, he's not threatening, and his idiosyncrasies are downright painful to watch. Similar to what I wrote about Tolo, less of The Reverend would have been a good thing.

5/10

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)

- Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo
"When you have to shoot, shoot, don't talk.", 2 July 2006

I know some movie fans who consider The Good, the Bad and the Ugly the best movie ever made. While I don't even think it's the best thing Sergio Leone made, it's a solid Spaghetti Western that has all but transcended the sub-genre. There are images, such as Clint Eastwood in the poncho, and music, like the main title theme, that are known by people who have never seen the movie. I also know people who wouldn't be caught dead watching a movie made outside of the USA who love The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. I can't think of another Italian made film, let alone an Italian made Western, that has become so universally known and enjoyed.

There are so many moments in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly that I enjoy. One of my favorites is that of Tuco running through the cemetery as Morricone's "The Ecstasy of Gold" plays in the background. It literally gives me goosebumps. It's one of those movie moments that I look forward to no matter how many times I've seen them. I'm also a fan of the techniques Leone used in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Leone's use of the widescreen shots of the landscape inter-cut with extreme close-ups of faces is brilliant. It adds a sense of intimacy to vastness of the setting that allows the viewer feel like they're part the movie and gain some insight into the characters. It's a technique that very few other filmmakers have the guts to employ.

But I sincerely doubt that Leone's film would be so widely and wildly regarded if it weren't for the music of Ennio Morricone. I've already mentioned the main title theme and "The Ecstasy of Gold", but these are only two examples found in this amazing score. Can you imagine the final showdown without Morricone's music? I can't think of many instances where music and film go together to create such tension and anticipation. I've already used the word "brilliant" to describe Leone, but it's also applicable to Morricone.

Finally, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly wouldn't be the same without the three lead actors. Each, at least in this movie, is brilliant (there's that word again) in his own right. Clint Eastwood is "The Good". He's "The Good" in the sense that he's not as "bad" as the other two. Lee Van Cleef is "The Bad". He's a ruthless killer who would just as soon shoot you as look at you – as long as the price was right. And then there's Eli Wallach as "The Ugly". As good as Eastwood and Van Cleef are, Wallach is really something special. Wallach's Tuco is one of the most crazed, but complicated characters I've seen. It's a special cast for a very special movie.

9/10

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