Five underrated Spaghetti Westerns

I’ve had this subject on my mind a few times lately so I thought Id start a post about it. If this hasn’t been done to death already (if it has, my apologies!), feel free to add five you like. They don’t even have to be a top five. Ok, here’s what comes to mind right now:

  1. Al di là della legge/Beyond The Law - Lee Van Cleef, Antonio Sabato, Bud Spencer, etc. Entertaining and worth checking out if you haven’t seen it.

  2. Quinto: Fighting Proud - Man, this movie has some atmosphere. The opening section with the gang rolling into town wearing hoods is very cool.

  3. Full House For The Devil/One More To Hell - I have to admit George Hilton is my favorite European actor so that might have something to do with it. This movie doesn’t seem to get mentioned a lot, but I think it’s a role that plays to George Hilton’s strengths- He can be humorous when needed, but he’s dead serious when it’s time to go after the bad guys.

  4. Gatling Gun - I’ve appreciated this movie more over the years. It has a great cast and they pack a lot into the story. The look of it is very cool too, it kind of reminds me of a cross between Return Of Ringo and Chuck Mool.

  5. Death Sentence - I don’t think this movie has gotten the respect it deserves. I think it’s close to a Spaghetti Western masterpiece. Excellent direction/editing, soundtrack, and the way the story is told in general. And all the off beat characters that pop up too make it a one of a kind.

I’m pretty sure this has been done to death but I don’t care I love making lists LOL.

So here’s mine:

  1. Sabata
  2. Have a good funeral Sartana
  3. Tequila Joe
  4. Cry for Revenge
  5. Killer Caliber 32

It’s always hard to tell, which one can be considered as underrated. Is it one neither in the top20 nor in the alternative top20? Arethe alternative top20s all underrated? Or the ones of my personal alternative top20. Underrated by us Spaghaniacs of the forum or by the average film viewer?

I think some of the flicks that have benn named by the first two posters are defintetly NOT underrated.

Sabata is one, that the common man loves. Everyone who is not much into SWs at least knows that one. And Death Sentence IMO is a fave of most of the members here.

Having written this, it’s hard for me to write a list of five myself. I’m such a fool…

Yeah you have a point Dillinger. What is underrated is pretty arbitrary. I chose Sabata because I believe that it is outside the top 20 but I think it deserves to be higher. Also I think the 6.8 given by imdb is too low, considering alot of crappy westerns I’ve seen have higher ratings.

I chose have a good funeral sartana because alot of people think its the worst of the sartanas.

Tequila Joe to me is a masterpiece but most people here would say its average or slightly above average.

I chose cry for revenge because Steffen and damon have underrated chemistry in that film. And imdb gave it a 4.8 last time I checked.

Killer caliber for me is arguably PLL’s best film, a forerunner to the sartanas but it doesn’t really get much credit.

All valid justifications for their inclusion Col.
I reckon I gotta see T.J. again, maybe I’ll get on with it better this time. It’s been a long while since seeing El Puro so I won’t be comparing drunks as much. Funny that ol’ spaghetti-land territory, how we disagree so much on these two. (For now anyhows amigo :wink: )

[quote=“Reverend Danite, post:5, topic:1908”]All valid justifications for their inclusion Col.
I reckon I gotta see T.J. again, maybe I’ll get on with it better this time. It’s been a long while since seeing El Puro so I won’t be comparing drunks as much. Funny that ol’ spaghetti-land territory, how we disagree so much on these two. (For now anyhows amigo :wink: )[/quote]

Isn’t it funny how we are all fans of the SW genre yet our tastes within the genre are so vastly different:) It really drives home the point on how diverse the genre really is. Most mainstreamers would think of all 500 SWs made as Dollars clones. Nothing is further from the truth.

You’re 100% right! Having watched a SW a friend of mine always says something like: “…yes, but Leone, blablabla…”

Obviously what is underrated for me might not be for anyone else. I really like some flicks that I came to know that are really underrated or even hated by many of our users. That´s one of the reasons why I decided to mainly post my comments in a personal blog, instead here on the board. Don´t get me wrong, different opinions are welcome and not a problem for me. They are what makes the world goes around. :stuck_out_tongue:

Well this seems like a reasonable starting point, although I would extend that to the Top 50 to be safe. So on that basis here is 5 which don’t appear on either of the above mentioned lists and which I think deserve a bit more love.

Johnny Yuma
The Ruthless Four
Fury of Johnny Kid
Minnesota Clay
My Name is Pecos

And on the same basis (unless I missed 'em), here are five more I’m surprised didn’t make the cut (OK, I’m not surprised where the first film is concerned, but I think it deserves much greater respect):

Gunfight at High Noon aka El sabor de la venganza
The Moment to Kill
The Price of Power
Blood at Sundown
Vengeance is Mine aka A Bullet for Sandoval

Checking that full list again of Top 20 votes I notice that My Name is Pecos doesn’t appear at all. Which inspired me to add another 5 here who also get no mention at all.

Fort Yuma Gold
Vengeance Trail
Challenge of McKenna
Killer Kid
Some Dollars for Django

All of these are decent films. Maybe understandable that they haven’t made anyone’s top 20 but when you look at some of the films that got at least a couple of points they are deserving of a bit more respect.

Here are my 5 movies not mentioned in Top 50 film:
Il momento di uccidere,
La notte dei serpenti,
Un treno per Durango,
Sono Sartana, il vostro becchino,
Buon funerale, amigos!.. paga Sartana.

Scalps
Vengeance - Some people despise this one surprisingly
Sartana Does Not Forgive
The Hills Run Red - Not as well liked on this website as it should be (imo)
A Genius Two Partners and a Dupe

IN my opinion many of the Steffen and Peter Lee Lawrence movies are underrated. Vast majority are not mentioned below the top 20 lists.

Two pistols for a coward
Stranger at paso bravo
Coffin for the sheriff
God in heaven arizona on earth
Days of violence

Can agree more! I would include in this count “Una pistola per cento bare” as well.

Yes I liked that one too!

Django (I know that shocks a lot of people but I think it deservs even more attention than it already has)

Shotgun

Django Story

Some Dollars for Django

A Gun For 100 Graves

I understand your point. Even though Django is ranked number 6 on our top 20 page, it still is largely ignored by the masses and mainstream public.

The Last Killer is an absolutely underrated Spag.

Boot Hill of course even more.

Which reminds me …

Still haven’t watched it. It’s supposed to be better than Death Rides a Horse, am I right?
Well, in that case I suppose it’s almost as good as Boot Hill