Arizona Colt (Michele Lupo, 1966)

The new wild east Colt double bill is great. watched it yesterday and everything looked and sounded fine to me. As far as cuts I have no idea.

There is a great version from ‘Moviepower’ - 111’19 min. and 2.35:1
Unfortunately (not for me ;)) only german and italian dub

[quote=“scherpschutter, post:13, topic:552”]In the more serious parts, it becomes clear that the first two dollar-movies are his model, with an occasional wink at Django as well (the wounded hands, the execution of the singing cowboys).
(…) the finale, very similar to the final shootout between No Name and Ramon in Fistful, can’t live up to the expectations. There’s an explosion that announces Gemma’s arrival in town, there’s the line-up of Sancho’s men and Gemma’s walk towards them, and there’s the sudden outburst of violence … but was is totally lacking is Leone’s style[/quote]

Excellent review!

Regarding the finale, it should be noted that the confrontation in the gravedigger’s workroom anticipates the similar sequence in Se incontri Sartana prega per la tua morte.

and the uncut version has almoust 15 or 16 new deaths! ;D

Just saw this for the first time today and enjoyed it a lot. I too liked it more than Day of Anger. Really good soundtrack and the cast of characters is great. Awesome seeing Whiskey with such a big role, since I’m accustomed to him in For a Few Dollars More as the ticket guy at the railroad station

From the Forgotten Pistolero thread

Number 13?

The waystation proprietor

Franco Gulà appears as a bank employee but no Pesce

Number 13! :slight_smile:

Just watched this today.

What begins as an unremarkable if pleasant enough movie improves considerably as it goes on. Giuliano Gemma’s winking, wisecracking persona felt a little grating if I’m completely honest (it’s only been a matter of weeks since I saw A Pistol For Ringo for the first time, a superior movie but with Gemma in similar puffed-out mode), and for the first hour or so only served to rob the movie of any discernible tension. And: ENOUGH with the card games! Poker is THE most boring pastime to watch, ever. I would sooner watch a staring competition, or a round of “Who Can Stand Still the Longest”. The only thing worse than watching a hand of poker on the telly is watching a scripted hand of poker in a Spag western, where all of the “nobodies” at the table are “only” holding three jacks or a full house or something else that would in any other circumstance definitely win them the hand, except that we already know that the bad guy is going to draw four queens or something similarly improbable, only for the good guy to just rock over to the table, get dealt in and BLAM! Four aces, or Royal Flush or something, all as though it happens all the time. I suppose one could argue, “But, last.caress, you don’t object to similar flights of fancy when it comes to gunfights featuring antiheroes who can hit a ballbag from quarter of a mile away without even looking, or six-shooters than can fire fifteen rounds?” Well that’s true, but sod it; I’m a flawed, imperfect and unique creature. I am God’s own snowflake. ;D

Anyway, fortunately enough things pick up after an hour or so when Arizona is shot to pieces by Gordo the generic “Fat Mexican Waving His Hands About & Shouting a Lot” bad guy, with his face like a bearded collie. That’s quite late, maybe TOO late for me to consider this a true great, but late or not the tone of the movie definitely shifts, and with it, Gemma shifts from “Cocky pretty boy” to “Decent and Fallible” and the entire movie benefits noticeably as a result. Maybe it’s just me but I feel that Gemma is at his best when it feels as though he has something to lose, and might just lose it. By the time we move into the climactic final twenty minutes, Arizona Colt has become a bloody good movie.

Definitely one that rewards those who stick with it. Given that I know that it gets better and better, maybe I’ll enjoy the first half of the movie all the more on a second pass.

Agree about the poker scenes, worst game (to watch) ever, but somehow they became part of the genre, so I tend to expect at least one in every movie.

Also agreed about the pic: too long, flawed, but enjoyable

I like this movie so much I had to rip my username from it. I should probably use the image in this thread as my avatar.

Ha ha, great name, indeed.

In the Sergio Leone forum are also some great user names like Tucumcari Bound or Honest Farmer (aka Tuco in case someone does not get it).

Stork Vultureis a great name ;D and this foul abomination of ornothological mistaken identity appeared again in a double viewing with Killer Kid a coupla nights ago.
I’ve been a bit schitzoid (a bit like stork vulture) regarding this film, initially giving it only 2 stars and quoting back in 2008…

“Altho’ there was lots of violence and spaghetti-stuff, it didn’t mesh for me - the main problem being that I couldn’t understand anybody’s motivation for doing what they did. Nobody - Arizona Colt, Gordo, Whisky, Jane and the townsfolk - made any sense regarding their behaviour, and the whole thing lacked credibility. I am capable of suspending belief but maybe not this much.”

Then later in 2009, a further watching showed a turnaround of opinion…

“I loved the cynical an mercenary aspects of Gemma’s character who’d do dirty deeds if there was a chance of climbing in a filly’s panties at the end; I enjoyed Fernando doing what he does best as the cliche’d Gordo; I laughed at the drunked but honourable antics of Whisky, and I quite fancied Jane myself and understood her changing character from sexual martyr to willing partner in light of the townspeoples cowardice.”

But this time I’m back in Brother Stanton’s camp with thinking this ain’t so good after all.
Maybe it was fine viewed with cidergoggles tuned to the exact right frequency as in 2009, but it wasn’t anywhere near as good when viewed next to Killer Kid -
wherein Sir Fernando was at his absolute best (I’ve never seen him better) and the love interest was much both more smouldery-er and more tragic than in this.

I’ll compromise on 3 stars - still entertaining, but It might suit to change the spelling of the titular character slightly - Arizona C*^t :o might be a more appropriate name for this slimeball character!

What’s up with the sound on the Wild East double feature? I think the sound was better on their previous release. I don’t remember it having all those buzzing noises. Why didn’t they just merge the audio from the previous release with the remastered stock?

Arizona Colt (1966)

Arizona starts off in jail. He is eventually freed and refuses to join a gang. I’m not going to give a synopsis but he’s after money and a women , and must square of against a bandit leader. What I liked about this film is Arizona is dark and rough, ( this is no ben and charlie or A sky full of stars for a roof film) This a part gangster, almost neo nor type of western (arizona finds himself in a tough, bleak situation), Director Michele Lupo is a visionary and I think this is his masterpiece.
Lupe would team up with Gemma again in Califonia (1977).

A visionary? Why? Are you referring to Lupo’s work in the Western genre? If I’m not mistaken, he made only two “serious” Westerns, Arizona Colt and the late-comer California. Both are solid, quite well done, entertaining movies, but I would hardly call them visionary.

Michele Lupo also directed Ben and Charlie (1972) and Buddy Goes west (1981) While only making four westerns, the westerns he did make included some excellent talent. This talent includes Bud Spencer, Guilano Gemma, George Eastman, William Berger, Fernando Sancho, Joe Bugner, Giovanni Cianfriglia, just to name a few. Sadly he died at the young age of 56. Pay close attention to these three key ideas: The one liners, endings, and rising action. All I think are done extremely well, and very groundbreaking I think for its day. Lupe’s wessterns are exciitng, funny, and full of adventure. Sadly, he only made 5. Each is very very enjoyable. Lupe made a total of 23 films in his career and had he not died, and made three or four more westerns, we’d be talking about him instead of Sergio Solima.

Actually, he made five Westerns, among them three comedies: the two you mentioned plus Per un pugno nell’occhio, a Franco Franchi and Ciccio Ingrassia vehicle, favorably reviewed by Howard Hughes on the SWDb web site.

Thanks, i didnt know of that one. I updated my previous post. Ill have to watch it.

Just… be careful, it is something entirely different and in the vast majority of Franchi & Ingrassia movies the direction is neglected.

Even so, Howard Hughes’ Review is of considerable interest.

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The role that really cements the star to A class Spaghetti star. You know whats going to happen in this if you have seen to far many Spaghetti westerns, but who cares, this is one enjoyable Gemma western ! . The theme song is just superb to this.

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