Yes, I read that this morning, and “maleable” is pretty different from not directing at all. Question was if he said more about that privately.
There was also once an interview with both when the film was screened by QT at the Venice Film Festival, and as far as I remember they did not question Mulargia’s directing credit. QT seems to be another fan.
I also remember that there was a similar discussion about Mulargia or Fidani being the real director of Pray to God and Dig Your Grave, another film with Woods in the lead.
And Mulargia is named as the director of Why Go on Killing?, which is credited on screen to a Spanish director.
Sounds realistic. But it’s an interesting question in my opinion. Surely, someone must have asked an director of the era about his involvement in assembling the final product?
I know, apples and oranges, but we know from archival footage that Leone even supervised the foley recording sessions as early as GBU, so there may be a chance even less ambitious directors were more involved in post production than we think? One should ask one of the remaining directors (Castellari, Martino?) before it’s too late.
As you say, ‘Apples & Oranges’, some directors have more control, some films will have producers who are more concerned about getting it done than worry about content.
Robert did mention the festival, though he didn’t say anything to me about Mulgaria … he did say however that he was very happy to be reunited with the film’s composer, Alessandroni … very emotional for both men, apparently.
I was there in Venice when that happened. Woods and Fiorini were sitting directly in front of me. Fiorini on the floor actually He requested Alessandroni play El Puro twice. Which he did. It was a pretty amazing occasion for me too. In a small marquee with folding chairs set out and completely free to attend. I noticed it was on purely by accident as I was getting ready to go back to my hotel. Genuinely one of the best days of my life.
Thank you for sharing that, Phil … one small moment in cinematic history, one giant moment in Spaghetti western lore !
One other thing that seemed particularly significant and moving, was Robert Woods being able to share the moment with his son, who had only ever seen ‘Dad’ in the brief scenes he does with Henry Fonda in ‘Battle of the Bulge’ on TV screenings - I’m sure he was very proud of the ‘Old Man’
He still posts on twitter (or x, whatever) and still watches spags (apparently participated in the Spagvemberfest too), might be just taking a break from the forum. What with him bitching about twitter, he might be back any day now.
… but I doubt that his prognosis that El puro will enter the top 20 after an official release will happen. El puro may be able to enter the top 30, and is very close to that, but is from the top 20 too far away, and too much of an outsider to ever get there.
Actually that such an formerly pretty unknown film is in the top 50 is already a small surprise.
I watched the longer of the two versions of this one yesterday morning and I will have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it…not top 20 enjoyed it, but enjoyed it nonetheless. I had only ever seen a very bad copy of the shorter version prior so part of the enjoyment came from marveling at the Arrow release. On the whole, it is well done.
The slower more deliberate pacing of El Puro worked well for my mood after having seen Hate Is My God the day prior. It brought me down nicely from that trippy, mind-blowing, and very violent experience.
Afterward, I watched the new interview with Woods which I found very interesting. I may have read this somewhere before, but Woods says he has a completed script for a sequel that he was never able to get made. I would really like to read it so as to see what he had in store - especially considering the end of El Puro which, of course, I do not want to give away.
Perhaps, sir. BUT, if you reset the Top 20 (which would make it more interactive and more reflective of both the present active membership AND the last decade’s worth of high quality releases), El Puro would dance into the Top 20.
As a committed El Puro-phile yourself, you could always “massage” the numbers until it finds its way into the top 20 anyway. Just a thought!
Thank-you kindly, amigo! Long story short (with apologies for the off-topic) I began suffering a series of anxiety attacks. To this day, don’t know why. Wasn’t feeling stressed, worried, depressed (well, any more than the rest of humanity these days, anyway) but, all of a sudden and entirely at random, I just felt like I couldn’t get enough air into my lungs. Kept hyperventilating. Honestly thought I was headed for the loony bin. Some things had to go for a while, and the SWDB was one of those things. By the time I felt that I could return, I felt too ashamed to do so since I’d just sort-of bailed without so much as an “Adiós!” to @Admin , who deserves far better treatment. So, that was that. But Seb messaged me on the now F*ckawful “X” the other day and once I’d gotten over feeling like a donkey, I thought I’d quite like to pop back in. I might still take it easy for a minute while I get used to the controls and take a minute to read the boards and acclimatize to the flow of conversation everywhere, but I’m keen to once again laugh heartily at Leyton Orient, and there’s nowhere on the whole of the internet better to do that than right here.
Anyway, on-topic: El Puro! I can finally stop messaging Arrow with request after request for this classic, and really concentrate all my efforts into nagging them to release Death Sentence. Giddy up!
He requested Alessandroni play El Puro twice. Which he did. 
It was a pretty amazing occasion for me too. In a small marquee with folding chairs set out and completely free to attend. I noticed it was on purely by accident as I was getting ready to go back to my hotel. Genuinely one of the best days of my life.
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