I think this is highly underrated. The movie has a nice story, nice images and a good soundtrack. What it suffers from is the terrible american print that is circulating and that has this mostly very bad dubbing. I bet if there will one day be available a widescreen, uncut print with the original soundtrack remastered and good subtitles, this movie will end up in people’s top 20 lists.
Sebastian - everything you said is true but that still won’t change the dubbing of Lee Van Cleef and Richard Boone’s voices which is a big hinderance in me liking the film. Also Palance’s acting is over the top and the film seems to be out of control in several scenes. Leif Garrett is also a problem with me but I know they used him because he was a teen idol at the time of filming. He’s better in KID VENGEANCE, which isn’t saying much, but overall the best part of the film is the last few scenes. Sorry I gave it a 1 and with all the changes you wished would happen would only raise it to a 2.
Just watched the VMP ex-rental, 93min. version !!! I think it’s not as bad as it’s reputation but still not very good ! The movie has its moments though and I’ve seen a lot worse !!!
I’m a fan of Parolini’s style and attitude, but his westerns never have good story structure. Sometimes this doesn’t matter because eccentric characters and action give them a cartoonish richness. SARTANA gives great attention to specialist weapons and other fascinating props, it’s not bona fide storytelling but has a great rebellious sense of what makes SW fans tick. GOD’S GUN is burdened by a script with Hollywood sentimentality (like the subplot about the little kid), production values too low for an excessive style and a feeling of carelessness in many departments. Still, there are moments, most of them involving Lee Van Cleef who is both cool and warm as his own gunfighter brother. The end sequence where Lee rides away and vanishes behind a puppet theatre booth is lyrical and fun, a MY NAME IS NOBODY style “adios” to the whole genre. Too late to save the movie but still a classy touch.
Watched all througth for the first time this morning. (I had previously tried to watch a crappy old fullscreen print and gave up)
Well, the nice clear widescreen version helped a bit but I’m afraid nothing was going to salvage this mess completely.
And I agree with Tom in regard to the dubbing. Unless I am mistaken those are not LVC’s or Boone’s own voices. I don’t understand this as it is clearly Palance’s own voice, so why not the others?
But aside from the dubbing, it’s just a bad film in my opinion. And I know I’ve said this before but it really annoys me that MGM release a film like this turkey and leave other, much better ones, languishing in the vaults. I presume they are under the impression that LVC’s name will ensure sales but it really is a bad advert for the genre.
Really? Well, we obviously have the same edition so maybe it isn’t his on mine either. But if it is not him it certainly sounds like him. Unlike LVC or, even worse, Boone.