I´d say yeah, he´s really that bad, but you gotta love his cheap-assed films! I don´t think that they are meant to be funny or ironic at all, but the forced toughness and grimness pared with amateurness in filmaking and not being able to tell a straight story, makes it all laughable in a very good way!
I onced heard one of his westerns described as almost entierly taking place in a basement…! I forgot the title and haven´t heard about it since, anyone know what film it may be? Sounds like a winner, haha!
You summed him up very nicely.
When the worst spaghetti western question comes up, so does usually the name Demofilo Fidani … I must say that I’ve seen quite a few spaghetti westerns by now and some really bad ones too of course but I don’t think any of the Fidani westerns are in my bottom 20 I’m afraid to say … I think it’s like Planet 9 From Outer Space being referred to as the worst movie ever which is of course is not but it’s reputation still stand.
Demofilo Fidani has made some let’s call them minimalistic spaghetti westerns. They are noticeable low-budget, but they are action-packed and usually more or less interesting to watch. No masterpieces of course but they get their job done and are more entertaining that a lot of the other trash that floats around.
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Seems like Fidani was in “hurry-up” mode. Hurry-up with a script, or wait, that’s not so important, find some actors, and let’s get this thing shot! Who cares about the finer points of film making such as a plot or storyline; let’s just get this thing done so we can make ‘a few dollars more.’
That sums it up I reckon.
Maybe Fidani is the Jess Franco of spaghetti westerns?
Most of his films are trash as it seems, but his best films do have a certain something perhaps? Just like Franco.
I don’t think I’ve yet seen a film by Fidani, are all of his movies released on VHS or DVD?
[quote=“Lindberg, post:26, topic:60”]Maybe Fidani is the Jess Franco of spaghetti westerns?
Most of his films are trash as it seems, but his best films do have a certain something perhaps? Just like Franco.
I don’t think I’ve yet seen a film by Fidani, are all of his movies released on VHS or DVD?[/quote]
Don’t know, but I have these:
- German vhs (Silwa Video) of Straniero… fatti il segno della croce! (box title: Bekreuzige dich, Fremder) Fullscreen and of course in German.
- Swedish vhs (Video Center) of Era Sam Wallach… lo chiamavano ‘così sia’ (box title: Sam Wallash). This widescreen version is the best out there, far superior to the fullscreen public domain version known as Savage Guns that can be found on a number of cheap American box sets. The Dutch vhs, a VPV release that goes by the name of ‘Zijn naam was Sam Wallach!’ has more image than the fs version, but is still very much cropped.
- German dvd (Best Entertainment) of Giù la testa… hombre (box title: Adios Companeros) Cheapo disc. Movie also available on dvd in Italy and commonly available on vhs, various oop releases with different box titles like: ‘Macho Callaghan gaat er op los’ en ‘De bende van Butch Cassidy’ (Dutch titles on various labels).
- German dvd (Koch Media) of Per una bara piena di dollari (box title: Für einen Sarg voller Dollars) Qualitywise the best Fidani dvd release with some extras. Haven’t checked it out yet though.
- Dutch vhs (Video Screen) of Suo nome era Pot, Il (box title: Zijn naam was Pot). Widescreen and in Italian. Also available on German vhs as Seine Waffe war Dynamit. All these tapes are of course oop.
- German dvd (UIG Entertainment) of Arrivano Django e Sartana… è la fine (box title: Django und Sartana kommen). Pretty good release, widescreen. Definitely recommended if you can understand German.
Well, these are my two cents. There’s also South-African and French releases, but those I don’t have yet, so I can’t comment on their quality.
[quote=“Bad Lieutenant, post:27, topic:60”]- German vhs (Silwa Video) of Straniero… fatti il segno della croce! (box title: Bekreuzige dich, Fremder) Fullscreen and of course in German.[/quote]Has this film been ever released in English? All other Fidani western are out on vhs and quite many on dvd format too with english language.
I really don’t know, but I reckon there’s at least an Italian language version.
[quote=“Bad Lieutenant, post:29, topic:60”]I really don’t know, but I reckon there’s at least an Italian language version.[/quote]Yep, here’s the main titles of the film, looks pretty cool. I just love the way grandma is getting thrown by knife. 
No!!! At least half of them are quite good, but to many of them have a weird music track!
Fidani he’s the worst in SWs and Gofrey ho in the kung fu movies
[quote=“Bill san Antonio, post:30, topic:60”]Yep, here’s the main titles of the film, looks pretty cool. (…)
The video is no longer available, here is the Italian trailer (widescreen)
Cross Yourself, Stranger! Cross Yourself, Stranger!
Cross Yourself, Stranger! Cross Yourself, Stranger! … ;D
[quote=“sartana1968, post:32, topic:60”]Fidani he’s the worst in SWs and Gofrey ho in the kung fu movies[/quote]I guess you haven’t seen any Gianni Crea films?
I haven’t sen all Fidanis, and they were all very cheap, but i must say, they were all very entertaining !!! ;D
I think Era Sam Wallach… and Straniero… fatti il segno della croce are his best films.
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Well thats the key to a film for me…entertaining.
gianni crea? no nothing…
what kind genre is this?
Crea made some of the worst sw’s. Finders Killers for example.
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Crea…the thought of watching one of his is to much .
i haven’t seen yet Finder killers yet