Massacre Time / Le colt cantarono la morte e fu … tempo di massacro (Lucio Fulci, 1966)

I received Massacre Time/The Brute And The Beast from USA today just a few days after ordering. My first impression now is that it is a 6 or possibly 7/10 but I disliked that the Nero character got so very beaten up at the Scott ranch, that’s loser manner for the hero showing such weakness. Nero is a bit stiff, and I think he was not much better in Django. The weird evil son of Mr Scott was less believable and characterised than for example the odd Mark Damon character in Requiescant (7/10) and maybe even the wicked murderous son of the “patriarch” in The Grand Duel (7/10).
The mood and atmosphere was OK.
The music seemed rather good but the first listening did not indicate comparable to the best, even excluding all Morricone soundtracks.

I will have to watch this one again, as with Death Sentence, to get a better feeling for it.

SW is so far from the reality characters are not even supposed to be believeable. Junior is just a madman and psychopath not caring about anybody but himself, which is well established in the very first scene. I honestly have no idea how better could you characterise madman than through his mad deeds.? I don’t think some fashbacks would do the story any good. If Im not mistaken Eastwood got beaten up even worse in FOD. in GBU he was dragged through the desert and almost died, did not do a thing simply because he could not do a thing, the same as the Nero’s character in this movie. SW hero gets caught and tortured really badly in every second sw and it is good that they are not invulnerable superheroes. Nothing too black and white is enjoyable. Imo Fulci’s movies get better when you watch them second time.

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I still think the madman could have been better caracterized in this case, but I agree that they don’t necessarily need to be fully believable. Not much I think is believable in a SW :slight_smile: It is a question of balance, which I also could refer to regarding the long (also literally spoken) dragging scene in GBU, which may be the main reason I give it just a 9/10, (as well as FOD). It is clearly only a matter of personal taste. Vulnerability is also something that can vary. I don’t crave a superhero as a SW antihero. I guess I will appreciate this SW more the second time, as probably often is the case with the better films.

Yup, loved Four of the Apocalypse on a second viewing. Silver Saddle I’ve yet to revisit…

Four of the Apocalypse is also a great movie! It got indeed better the second time. Some time ago I revisited Silver Saddle and it was still too corny and sentimental for my taste. I did not like it more or less. Forgettable. That stream of sugar removed all memories from my mind. :smiley:

Having watched Massacre Time/The Beast And The Brute for the second time in just around 2.5 weeks my impression is still rather positive but not very satisfied.
The music is varied with several good themes, but not always the best type for SW IMO.
The mood is not bad, but I prefer a bit slower tempo with less extended shooting and fighting and more time for “tension” building, story development etc.
The scenery is Italian which I think not is as beautiful as Almeria.

The Wild East DVD has two interviews and the director Lucio Fulcio was really outspoken with repeated critisism of Franco Nero (no variation of expression and even more personal critisism).
George Hilton (Jorge Hill Acosta y Lara) on the other hand said Fulcio was difficult to work with.

Maybe I should rate this SW a strong 6/10 rather than a weak 7/10. Overall I feel it is not the type I will long for watching several times.

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I must find a Wild East copy of this film! Just for the extras. It is a wince inducing watch to say the least. Franco Nero plays a vulnerable, frankly clueless hero, which is a different role for him. The gunfights are not as well filmed as the physical violence but it I agree with the 7/10 score.

End-August 1966

CCMFTM2

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screenshots from the new german blu ray

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New review, with some comments on the BluRay

https://www.spaghetti-western.net/index.php/Massacre_Time_BluRay_review

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Another fine Explosive Media release. Variant A is apparently already out of stock on Amazon.de.

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I haven’t watched it yet but I did pop it in to see how it looks and it certainly looks good :slightly_smiling_face: Planning on giving it a rewatch sometime over the next few weeks.

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I ordered mine on 1st December and it didn’t arrive. Now I’ve just received an email saying that my order has been cancelled. Very disappointed!

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Variant B should still be available on Amazon.de.

Strange that ones sold less so far…I prefer that cover by a mile.

Yes, I like cover B much better too.

Most of all it fits so nice to the movie.

Complicated subject, as always. According to censorship sources the following scenes were included in the first two releases (1966 and '70) and cut only in 1977 for the third, all ages admitted version: hands of Scott Sr. crushed in the piano and a bottle forced in Jeff’s mouth during the saloon fight.
Two night scenes were cut in the second release (1970): a shooting with victims near the saloon and a strangling involving two killers.

Bad luck man!! I have had a few orders from Germany cancelled on me.

for example where? let us know if u keep having problems, u can always have one of us Krauts buy it for you and send it to ya

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