I was surprised to not find a thread on this one … so here goes. (I’ve done a search - sorry if I’m wrong on this.)
Another ‘goodie’ in the Reverend’s book from the El Puro director Mulargia/Muller. Much has been said, and speculated, about Mulargia’s ‘patchy’ and inconsistent direction of spaghettis (on the El Puro thread) - but although this does not have the downright grittiness and “genius” of El Puro (imo), it is a highly enjoyable romp (and quite nasty at times - a bloke gets shot at point blank range in the gonads :P).
This minor gem is set, betwixt the Rassimov’s (real brother and sister pairing - as Django and Mary’s) ranch, the bandito’s lair, and a moody little bordertown - all of which have been moodily deposited in a highly cliched spaghetti west.
With the release of a Franco Cleef version of the film, this is probably a lot more widely seen now - and I’d be interested in others viewpoints, observations and opinions.
Here are my own quick observations transferred (lazily) from the ‘last western you watched’ thread.
This is "100% set in Spaghettiland!
Revenge for a murdered father … great Spanish guitar twangs, wonky organ and trumpets … a great sidekick … Joe Pesce as a coffin maker … a Django who does gun-twirls and can shoot from behind his back … the best fake cactus growing out of a street in a moody little town … a wandering comedy drunkard who hangs his coat on non-existand coathooks, and plays cards against himself with the cards the wrong way around, and argues with himself … great lines - “You’re a liar and a vegetarian, and I want nothing to do with you!” … a baddy with a great shirt … and a howling wolf loop (about 13 mins. in).
What more could you want!
Oh? … a great story … oh well you can’t have everything!
4 outa 5."
Also one of my first ones. I rewatched it not long ago.
One of the things that hit me most was Django’s Ranch. It’s a good example of a way of saving money. Obviously the ranch lacks a roof, so the director did’t need expensive spots to light the set! Clever!
I didn’t like Sanchez’ role, it annoyed me pretty much. He also appears in another flick… I think it was May God forgive you, I won´t.
But this one contains a lot of nice action and gunlpay. And the main baddie dies quite spectacularly on his chair. A prototype of a SW exitus!
Western All’Italiana Book 2: “This western by Mulargia (even though the direction, for co-production reasons, was credited to Jose Antonio de la Loma)…”
[quote=“Silver Wolf, post:8, topic:1608”]Western All’Italiana Book 2: “This western by Mulargia (even though the direction, for co-production reasons, was credited to Jose Antonio de la Loma)…”
Case closed?[/quote]
If not Argento has claimed somewhere to be the real …
Have to dissent with most opinions about this one. Boy, is it dull.
From Musolino’s script, which is thin to the point of anoxeria, offering little for Mulargia to work with (and he needed as much help as he could get - in my opinion his best efforts involved significant writing contributions from his actors, as in El Puro and Shango), to Ivan Rassimov’s colourless hero, this is one of the most listless SWs I can remember.
Rassimov had the right look for these films, but we really didn’t see the best of him until he turned nasty in the Seventies. He spends too much time waiting and not enough shooting, and even when the action comes, it’s staged with a minimum of invention.
One minor point of note, as somebody mentioned above, is that Ignacio Spalla/Pedro Sanchez plays essentially the same character as in May God Forigve You, I Won’t, complete with the same nickname, Baricca.
I’ve watched it recently. Since it was my first Mulargia, I didn´t have any expectations. The movie it’s kind of confusing in some points. Anyway like the sets, light and camera work.
I had seen the film several years ago in German TV. I did however not many memories.
With the purchase of the German DVD, I saw him again.
And he’s good. A small B-Westerns with a typical spaghetti western atmosphere.
Good camera work, good background music, lots of gunplay, a cool anti-hero.
In Germany, he has very bad ratings. I do not agree!
Another good film by Mulargia. I’m a fan of his films.
Next, I look Brother Outlaw.
I’m curious. ???
I ordered the Simple movie DVD.