Susan Duncan Smith, sister of failed British politician Iain Duncan Smith!
I would put , and put, easily this film in a top 10 without Sergios. This mĂșsica scares me when i was a child . . .
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Alright. After more than two years on the Spaghetti field i had somehow not yet seen this film until the other week, when i borrowed it from the library. I should admit one of the reasons i hadnât gotten around seeing it was the feeling that, despite the top-notch cinematography and good lead actors such as Nero and Berger, this really wasnât my kind of movie (and not only because of the title characterâs appearance). It wasnât, although it certainly doesnât lack its qualities.
I donât know if iâve been on a hiatus from SW:s too long, but somehow i felt the lack of a âveinâ - that is, the feeling that something exciting and important is unfolding - until about the last half hour, and even then it wasnât as powerful as it would have been with a better build-up, and the final showdown is more weird and outdrawn than effective. That lack of âveinâ is however not the same thing as boredom, as i found the film progressing in a steady pace that kept me entertained troughout.
As for the soundtrack, i must count myself as one of the detractors. The music itself isnât bad, in fact i cannot really see how a more traditional SW score would have been better, but itâs slightly repetitive and the vocalists, although not really that awful, almost give you the feeling that youâre watching a fantasy movie (a genre of which iâm not a big fan anyway) rather than a western, and furthermore it doesnât quite succeed in raising the mood due to my aforementioned perceived lack of tension.
Perhaps the best scene of the whole film is the scene where Keoma first reunites with his father and they discuss the civil war and Native American genocide, which is both beautifully shot and, in all its quietness, provokes a stronger emotional investment from my side than the more melodramatic scenes. Next to Charley Siringo in Face to Face, it might be William Bergers finest SW performance, which is naturally a big plus to the movie - once he was asked to play something more than a simple bandit or double-crosser, he did it exceptionally. The villains are really well played too, but written a bit to flat to become truly interesting. I get the Cain and Abel situation, but it seemed to cartoonish to me to work completely. The good part is that the aforementioned acting performances manage to raise them at least a slight bit above what is a trio of slightly simplistic characters. Caldwell, although mostly a rather straightforward villain, is better developed i think. Their shootout against he heroes in the town is another of the highlights.
Overall, i definitely appreciate the ambition of a new take on what was by then a nearly dead genre, and it definitely benefits from having its own style - which has its shining moments troughout) as opposed to just being a rehash of standard genre conventions. I feel there is something quite interesting themes about power and freedom (represented by George being a former slave who things didnât quite go right for in life, Caldwells use of the plague to seize power, as well as Keomaâs own background as a half-blood and his miraculous survival of the massacre) that never quite get explored well enough to live up to their potential, but are intriguing nevertheless. The âwitchâ (is she ever called that?) is an interesting concept too. She seems like some kind of spirit or manifestation of death (or, rather, maybe the thin line between life and death), but itâs not entirely impossible to interpret her as a human being with a striking ability to be at the wrong place at the right time. Well, probably not, as the film strongly implies something much more mystical (we never see her in the flashback from the massacre) but itâs an interesting part of the film which leaves you with something to think about.
In conclusion, I figure Iâll give it a grade of 6/10 for now (slightly too generous, but probably fair due to the fact that i didnât really watch it in an SW mood). I will probably give it another try sometime, and maybe it will grow a bit, or further sink in to me as an overrated genre entry. It could go either way (although hopefully the former).
(Yes, as usual when i write longer posts i didnât manage to finish it until after a few days. But at least i got it posted before the Spagvember)
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Thanks for correction.
Turkish newspaper advertisement
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Rewatched this masterpiece today. Itâs a great film that has some very dark themes and subject matter - social exclusion, childhood abuse, slavery, racism, and the countless Native Americans killed by American settlers. Thematically, itâs by far the darkest spaghetti western, but itâs also a story about fatherly love and the bond between outcasts who, despite being rejected by society, still act in service of it and try to make it better. It handles these themes very effectively without being preachy or attempting to make a moral statement.
At the same time, the film knows how to be playful and fun, striking an impressive balance. Itâs also incredibly atmospheric, featuring what are arguably the best performances of Franco Nero and Woody Strode.
Stylistically, itâs quite unique, with top-tier action set pieces full of slow motion, a strange but brilliant soundtrack and a visual direction unlike any other western. The film is fast-paced and packs a lot into its moderate runtime of 1 hour and 40 minutes. The filming locations are also very good and distinctive, and the dialogue is fantastic for the most part, though it can feel a bit rushed in some scenes.
This film stands apart from Castellariâs other westerns. Here, we see a more proficient and mature Castellari at work. Very underrated.
9/10
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I agree completely, and the editing, photography and slow motion rival Peckinpah at times. It also has the poetic melancholy of Peckinpah. The Abruzzo locations are brilliantly used by Castellari. Indeed, the American distributor thought it was filmed in Montana.
William Berger is also excellent in it. The villains played by Donald OâBrien and Wolfgango Soldati are good too, but their characters and the Shannon brothers unfortunately remain underdeveloped.
Overall, it is one of the best films of the genre outside of those directed by Leone and certainly the best of the twilight spaghettis.
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Just rewatched and man, if it werenât for the soundtrack this might be my favorite spaghetti of all time. Still easy top 10 because of how awesome literally everything else is, but that is easily THE worst soundtrack Iâve ever heard in my life and it doesnât improve on repeat viewings.
But onto the good stuff (everything else)âŠNero is fantastic as always, and in my opinion this is Bergerâs best performance ever (no small feat). Donald OâBrien was never better than he was in this one, and of course Woody Strode is always a pleasure to watch.
I know the slo mo isnât for everyone, but personally I think Castellari uses it better than anyone outside of Peckinpah in this. It perfectly complements the almost dreamlike feel of the movie, and makes otherwise standard shootouts really memorable.
SPOILER ALERT:
The scene where Keomaâs brothers shoot Caldwell has been permanently etched into my brain since the first time I saw it.
I really, really love this movie. Shame about the soundtrack, but itâs still outweighed by all the other great stuff here.
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The soundtrack is divisive. Personally, I love the Leonard Cohen-sequel ballad by the De Angelis brothers.
Watch out for a continuity error when the Shannon brothers kill OâBrien. From one angle, he has his hat on as he falls, but from another angle, the hat had fallen off his head.
I donât mind the singing itself actually, itâs just the lyrics. I know thatâs his father, I donât need to hear him singing it! 
But I can see why some would like it, itâs very unique.
Iâll have to keep an eye out for that next time! I just love the shot of Caldwell and his goons going down.
Iâm guessing you just mean the vocals, because the instrumental stuff is great.
Best singing part:
âI want LAAAAV. I want LAAAAAAVâ (gurgling intensifies)
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Lav is lav
Yup exactlyâŠthe instrumentals are great, but the singingâŠ
WANNNA DIEEEEEEE
Music is good, lyrics are lavable
âYah⊠Iâm here⊠In front of theseâŠmenâ
Deep.
⊠and in the UK, âLavâ is short for lavatory or toilet - this song works on so many levels.
1 Like
Speak lavable like laughable âŠ