[quote=“Phil H, post:5, topic:851”]I have those figures from Fridland also and they do make interesting reading. As both Col.M and RF point out, there are some surprising anomalies betwen the box office success and lasting popularity of a lot of these films.
The Milian example is a good one. There are actually seven of his films which made the top 47 list but three of these were his comedies and would probably be rated by members of this forum as their least favourite of his works. Il Bianco, Il Giallo, Il Nero for example outperformed Faccia a Faccia by around 70%.[/quote]
Wouldn’t it be interesting to publish these 47 films as part of the data base?
Maybe like the Forum’s Top 20 with a link on the main page?
I think it would be a better idea to publish the top 10 or 20 top grossing SW"s for each year. I’ve discovered that there is quite alot of inflation between 1965-78. A 1 million Lire gross is a blockbuster in 1966 but is not that impressive in 1977 anymore. Its best to compare films to the other films of that particular year.
[quote=“Col. Douglas Mortimer, post:34, topic:851”]I think it would be a better idea to publish the top 10 or 20 top grossing SW"s for each year. I’ve discovered that there is quite alot of inflation between 1965-78. A 1 million Lire gross is a blockbuster in 1966 but is not that impressive in 1977 anymore. Its best to compare films to the other films of that particular year.
How about it? I wouldn’t mind doing the work.[/quote]
You’re on. Sounds like a great idea and if you don’t mind the work it would be much appreciated.
Ok here are the numbers from 1965 to 1968. I’ll add other years when I have time. The numbers in brackets are the approximate amounts of Italian westerns produced that year. You will see some very noticable trends in the data. For example, the numbers started going down a bit starting 1968 I believe because of the oversaturation. Also you will see that Giuliano Gemma could do no wrong in Italy. He was huge. Excuse the italian titles. If someone can add english titles to the list be my guest. Once again the numbers are in millions of Lire.
Top 15-25 top grossing Italian Westerns each year. Italian Box Office data.
1965 (40)
1 Per Qualche Dollaro In Piu 3492
2 Dollaro Bucato 1591
3 Adios Gringo 1577
4 Pistola Per Ringo 1352
5 Ritorno Di Ringo 1318
6 Centomila Dollari Per Ringo 1236
7 Per Un Pugno Nell’Occhio 826
8 Due sergenti del generale custe 817
9 La dove scende il sole 633
10 Quattro Inesorabili 596
11 Uomini Dal Passo Pesante 545
12 Perche Uccidi Ancora 517
13 All’ombra di una colt 509
14 Uomo Dalla Pistola D’Oro 503
15 Straniero A Sacramento 487
1966 (48)
1 Buono Il Brutto Il Cattivo 3211
2 Per Pochi Dollari Ancora 1310
3 Arizona Colt 1249
4 Django 1026
5 Sette Pistole Per I McGregor 976
6 Texas Addio 903
7 Tempo Di Massacro 849
8 Sette Dollari Sul Rosso 840
9 Due Fligli Di Ringo 798
10 Quiene Sabe? 687
11 The Bounty Killer 649
12 Pochi Dollari Per Django 642
13 Mille Dollari Sul Nero 608
14 Ringo Il Volto Della Vendetta 601
15 django spara per primo 589
16 Sugar Colt 571
17 per mille dollari al giorno 549
18 Viva Maria 543
19 Yankee 528
20 Johnny Yuma 526
1967 (60)
1 Dio Perdona…Io No! 2067
2 Giorni Dell’Ira 1997
3 Resa Dei Conti 1441
4 Da Uomo a Uomo 1262
5 Wanted 1133
6 Faccia A Faccia 1117
7 Lunghi Giorni Della Vendetta 1072
8 Vado, L’Ammazzo E Torno 952
9 Bello Il Brutto Il Cretino 831
10 Odio Per Odio 711
11 Piu’ Grande Rapina Nel West 664
12 Sette Donne Per I Macgregor 646
13 Hombre Que Mato A Billy El Nino565
14 Killer Calibro 32 563
15 Professionisti Per Un Massacro524
16 Due Rrringos Nel Texas 509
17 Diecimila Dollari Per Un Massacro470
18 Requiescant 470
19 Cjamango 467
20 El Desperado 466
21 Tempo Degli Avvoltoi 451
22 Clint Il Solitario 447
23 Gentleman Jo…Uccidi 422
24 Ballata Per Un Pistolero 412
25 Killer Kid 396
1968 (66)
1 C’era Una Volta il West 2504
2 Quattro Dell’ave Maria 2226
3 E Per Tetto Un Cielo Di Stelle 1146
4 Mercenario 1101
5 Corri Uomo Corri 1000
6 Oggi A Me…Domani A Te 941
7 Ala Di La’ Della Legge 897
8 Cannoni Di San Sebastian 845
9 Se Incontri Sartana Prega Per Morte 823
10 Nipoti Di Zorro 762
11 Preparati La Bara 683
12 Ammazali Tutti El Torna Solo 644
13 Dos Veces Judas 512
14 Killer Adios 476
15 Ognuno Per Se’ 476
16 Quella Sporca Storia Del West 469
17 Tre Che Sconvolsero Il West 451
18 Suo Nome Gridava Vendetta 432
19 Anche Nel West C’era Una Volta Dio 405
20 Chiedi Perdono A Dio E Non A Me 386
21 Tutto Per Tutto 385
22 Quel Caldo Maledetto Giorno Fuogo 380
23 Sonora 378
24 Joko Invoca Dio E Muori 377
25 Morti Non Si Contano 369
I didn’t know that Dio Perdona…Io No! was so succesful. But then again it makes sense why there was two sequels and why Hill & Spencer finally hit the jackpot with Trinity films.
It’s not so surprising
Like most people, Italians like(d) to see their own stars
One of the reasons for Gemma’s popularity was the fact that he was the first real Italian star within the genre, he was their ‘own’ spaghetti western hero, their ‘own Clint’, if you wish (one of his many knicknames is La pistola nazionale)
Hill & Spencer, Franco Nero and those two unfunny comedians were national heroes, Milian was very popular among students and (later) housewives. When I was in Rome a few years ago, to improve my fluency in Italian, and I told my teacher (a lovely 28 year old brunette) about Tomas Milian, she cried, in Italian of course:
Me neither, but one must remember that shittiness and big box officeing CAN go hand in hand. The one doesn’t necessarily exclude the other Franco and Ciccio were obviously big stars in Italy at the time else they wouldn’t have made that many movies. If they were fiascos I’m sure they would have been cut short sooner.
But in fact I asked the same question in the Worst SW-thread, and Silver Wolf answered more or less that they aren’t totally bad so they are probably worth looking up:
[quote=“AvatarDK, post:44, topic:851”]But in fact I asked the same question in the Worst SW-thread, and Silver Wolf answered more or less that they aren’t totally bad so they are probably worth looking up:
MIG Filmgroup should, God willing, release a Franco & Ciccio box this year. Will most likely contain Italian dub and German subtitles which is edible for some. If it will contain any of their spaghetti westerns I don’t know though but hope springs eternal
1 Collina Deglia Stivali 1742
2 Prezzo Del Potere 1274
3 Vivi O Preferibilmente Morti 1202
4 Ehi Amico…C’e’ Sabata Hai Chiuso1117
5 Tepepa 859
6 Cangaceiro 775
7 Esercito Di Cinque Uomini 705
8 Sono Sartana Il Vostro Becchino 684
9 Pistolero Dell’Ave Maria 599
10 Cimitero Senza Croci 499
11 Lunga Fila Di Croci 493
12 Quei Disperati Che Puzzano 463
13 Garringo 459
14 Django Il Bastardo 431
15 Dio Perdoni La Mia Pistola 354
1970 (28)
1 Lo Chiamavano Trinita 3104
2 Vamos A matar Companeros 1452
3 Indio Black, Sai Che Ti Dico Sei Un Gran 930
4 C’e’ Sartana Vendi La Pistola E Comprati Bara 642
5 Ciakmull 512
6 Buon Funerale Amigos Paga Sartana 483
7 Vendicatori Dell’Ave Maria 469
8 Nuvola Di Polvere Grido Morte Arriva Sartana 459
9 E Dio Disse Caino 444
10 Collera Del Vento 436
11 Lo Irritarono E Sartana Fece Piazza Pulita 415
12 Arizona Si Scateno E Li Fece Fuori 406
You can see here that the SW continues its decline. In 1970, there are only a handful of hit movies, the rest fare mediocre at the box office. Thre is also what appears to be a spike in inflation starting around 1971. A gross of 400 Million Lire is no longer as impressive as it was back in 1965
Interesting Box Office Figures On The SWs Side indeed Col. DM.
I have to comment that Italian audiences were NOT discerning or sophisticated in taste.
Masses of younger light headed , ready for a cheap laugh hordes clearly bought tickets
for the unfunny nonsense spitted out by Terence Hill&Bud Spencer. Also Tomas Milian
SWs where he hams it up, overacts / slapsticks it are lamentable. Milian’s Serious= Good
The Giuliano Gemma Films I have more appreciation for because Gemma made some
good, serious, entertaining SWs in the true traditional manner. PETER LEE LAWRENCE and ANTHONY STEFFEN SWS are featured but not as high up
as they deserve to be. Indio Black/Sabata was a beautiful SW, with top notch cast.
Franco and Ciccio were obviously big stars in Italy at the time else they wouldn’t have made that many movies. If they were fiascos I’m sure they would have been cut short sooner.