Death Rides a Horse / Da uomo a uomo (Giulio Petroni, 1967)

I rewatched this one with proper expectations. It is better but not great. But very good. Strange gothic feel. Two very cool anti heroes, and good olā€™ vengeance. Well made.

Yes, the story is quite conventional, but as you said it is well made. Apart from the Leones this is my favourite LvC SW.
I just like its look. Thereā€™s nothing cheap or creepy in this one.

I agree.

Years ago I saw this film on a terrible video copy. When I finally saw it wide-screen and clean I was blown over backward. Iā€™m not a serious videophile and donā€™t fret if Iā€™m watching a less-than pristine copy of anything, but the camera in this film is stunning and the version I saw on video robbed the film of so much of its beauty and power.
DRAH also has one of my favorite SW duels. John Philip Lawā€™s shooting of ā€˜Four Acesā€™ Cavanaugh is just spectacular.
ā€œEnnio Morricone, hit three notes!ā€

Decided to take it back to a classic and watched DRaH again. Its been quite a while and I had forgotten much of the film. I didnā€™t realize this is one of the spaghettis that ends on a big shootout, with no duel- and Iā€™m afraid that alone will have to lower it in my top rankings. John Philip Law is excellent, except for his damn voice. It sounds like heā€™s trying to attempt a John Wayne or somethingā€¦ really obnoxious. Of course, other than these factors, still an outstanding spaghetti with many great moments

[quote=ā€œStanton, post:120, topic:172ā€]Silly title for me. Never understood it myself. Mostly the english titles are very close to the italian ones.
I would like to skip this title and call it Man to Man.[/quote]

I like the titleā€¦ It always made sense to me, as a general spaghetti concept not necessarily related to the film itself. Death being Death personified (the Grim Reaper), riding a horse like a cowboy- ie Death is a cowboy gunman, riding around killing people

Ther German title is ā€œDie Rechnung wird mit Blei bezahltā€ (The bill is paid with lead).
I like that title, although German titles are often awfulā€¦ but this oneā€™s cool.

I agree Autephex I like the title for this movie as well. Man to Man just doesnā€™t cut it for me. Death Rides A Horse is LVC for sureā€¦ heā€™s the baddest of the bad.

[quote=ā€œStanton, post:26, topic:172ā€]This is a much overrated film.
I never understood why so much Italo fans like it. Petroni is a more mediocre director who lacks the real inspiration. Petronis films are as good as their screenplays,and Vincenzoniā€™s screenplay (the only one he wrote alone) is a lesser one compared to his contributions to the films of Leone and Corbucci.
There are some good szenes along the way, but not enough for an outstanding movie. And every moment which works reminds me of a similar, much better one in earlier films, especially For a Few Dollars More.[/quote]

i pretty much agree. its pretty good but even the music is not in the same class as a film like NAVAJO JOE
Very similar to FAFDM. too similar.

I absolutely love this movie. It seems like some of the more hardcore sw fans here are pretty critical of this movie. Not me. I agree JPLā€™s voice was very John- Wayneesque but bad dubs are pretty common in this genre (Django anyone). I was locked in from the first scene. While Bill was obsessed with revenge, he had a certain innocence about him, highlighted be the ever so subtle grin he gives Ryan as he rides off after realizing he had no intention in shooting him after the final shootout. Tied together by one of Ennio Morricones best & most atmospheric soundtrack. If we criticized swā€™s for being influenced or borrowing from one another, we would be left with very few movies left to enjoy. Top 5 for me.

I donā€™t criticise influences or borrowed (or even stolen) ideas or scenes, I only criticise the lack of style and interesting ideas (no matter if stolen, borrowed or self made up).
Atmosphere, actors, acting, action, story, nothing outstanding, everything as in dozens of other SWs. Some good momemts, some weak moments, the rest is good routine.

And the soundtrack is also a lesser one for me compared to Morriconeā€™s work for the Sergioā€™s.

Yeah butā€¦
in addtion to the plot simiarities to FEW it reuses music from both $$$ films.
The entire opening scene is tracked with the ā€œTorturedā€ music from FISTFUL & the saloon scene uses ā€œAces Highā€ from FAFDM.
SO , it is one the better Westerns but it isnā€™t one of the best

[quote=ā€œDillinger, post:146, topic:172ā€]Ther German title is ā€œDie Rechnung wird mit Blei bezahltā€ (The bill is paid with lead).
I like that title, although German titles are often awfulā€¦ but this oneā€™s cool.[/quote]

right . didnā€™t they title DUCK YOU SUCKER ā€œdeath songā€?

I guess youā€™re thinking about the German title of Once upon a Time in the West, which ā€˜Play me the Song of Deathā€™

Itā€™s probably a better title than the English one, but I donā€™t like those showy, made-up titles

The English title isnā€™t a correct rendition of the Italian title either, which reads as ā€˜There was once the Westā€™ or ā€˜Once upon a Time there was the Westā€™.

[[/quote]

[quote=ā€œscherpschutter, post:153, topic:172ā€]I guess youā€™re thinking about the German title of Once upon a Time in the West, which ā€˜Play me the Song of Deathā€™

Itā€™s probably a better title than the English one, but I donā€™t like those showy, made-up titles

The English title isnā€™t a correct rendition of the Italian title either, which reads as ā€˜There was once the Westā€™ or ā€˜Once upon a Time there was the Westā€™.[/quote]

Itā€™s not a literal translation but it is correct in that English writers use "once upon a time"
DUCK YOU SUCKER was titled ā€œTodesmelodieā€ in Germany which translates to ā€œdeath songā€

Indeed, which is why ā€œOnce Upon a Timeā€¦ the Revolutionā€ sounds a little awkward. The French translation ā€œIl etait une fois la revolutionā€ works much better and parallels the Italian.

Well Iā€™m also a duel man myself but this is a really great big shootout. In fact I would say it is this filmā€™s saving grace.

The title reminds me of those Ring-wraiths/Dark-riders from Lord of the Rings.

True, but I still like this title better than DUCK YOU SUCKER, which sounds ridiculous to Americans and even more awkward.

[quote=ā€œuncknown, post:154, topic:172ā€][

Itā€™s not a literal translation but it is correct in that English writers use "once upon a time"
DUCK YOU SUCKER was titled ā€œTodesmelodieā€ in Germany which translates to ā€œdeath songā€[/quote]

Death Melody is the correct translation.

At least one of the not too bad German titles.

So Duck You Sucker was Todesmelodie and Once upon ā€¦ Spiel mir das Lied vom Tod ?

Nice

ā€˜Duck you suckerā€™ does sound a bit odd, yes, while the Italian title ā€˜GiĆ¹ la Testaā€™ is not an unusual construction in spoken Italian. A correct translation wouldā€™ve been ā€˜Head Downā€™ or something, but I donā€™t like that at all. All in all I think Duck you Sucker is not that bad. But the film doesnā€™t mean much to me, maybe I would find the title awful if it did.

i love the title DUCK, YOU SUCKER
esp.w hen Juan yells it out after dynamiting the safe
"dock you sockers"!
:slight_smile: