Shootout vs Duel

Town Hall
#1

A lot of spaghettis tend to end one of two ways- with an all out gunfight involving everyone, or a quick-draw styled duel involving two or three gunslingers. The two are vastly different in style, with the shootout usually being constant movement and lots of action, while the duel is built on tension and suspense. On some occasions, we’re treated to a mixture of the two. I usually find that when the shootout ends in a duel, it is rushed and not very impressive.

What are your thoughts and which do you prefer?

#2

[quote=“autephex, post:1, topic:1535”]A lot of spaghettis tend to end one of two ways- with an all out gunfight involving everyone, or a quick-draw styled duel involving two or three gunslingers. The two are vastly different in style, with the shootout usually being constant movement and lots of action, while the duel is built on tension and suspense. On some occasions, we’re treated to a mixture of the two. I usually find that when the shootout ends in a duel, it is rushed and not very impressive.

What are your thoughts and which do you prefer?[/quote]

The Duels in the Leone SW are all great. IMO a shootout would destroy the great atmosphere. If the Duel is like a ritual with music score from Ennio Morricone or another great composer I prefer the duel.

#3

I too prefer the Duel to a crazy non-stop Shootout. Leone’s finales are classics.

other duels that are great

Scott Mary vs. Frank Talby in Day of Anger
Django vs. Major Jackson and his men in Django
Curly vs. Paco in The Mercenary

#4

Also great
El Vasco vs the camera ;D

#5

My favorite duel:

Jeff Cameron vs. Dino Strano in Shadow of Sartana… Shadow of Your Death :wink:

Tomas Milian looks like an untalented actor in The Ugly Ones compared to Strano dying in this one :smiley: !

No seriously, there’re a lot of excellent duels in SW. :slight_smile:

#6

I think in most of the western you can’t distinguish between Duel and Shootout. Usually a shootout ends in a duel.

Generally a would prefer the duel, shootouts are often a bit tiring if they last too long.

#7

My memory could be failing me, but it seems to me like when there’s a big shootout- there’s a lot of times not much of a duel. If the duel lasts only a couple seconds, and really only consists of one guy getting shot without any interesting camera work or buildup- I don’t really consider it a duel

When I don’t like a spag, this is one of the top reasons. So many times, the final showdown is quite disappointing. If the entire movie is crap, but has an excellent duel in the end, this can do wonders to save the film for me.

#8

OK, most of the standard post-shootout duela I talked about don’t have a leonesque extention, but nevertheless, after all those shootouts the goodie opposes the baddie, and in many cases it ends in the question:
Who’s daster at the draw?
And that’s a duel.

#9

You are right my friend. I should of clarified further :wink:

#10

Of course some of those duels ARE disappointing and dull and not epic at all… some? Many!

#11

Glad this thread was started because I am extremely opinionated here. For a finale, I want or need a shootout. A quick duel is not enough. Forgotten Pistolero’s finale is barely passable in my book but only because it is such a great scene, same with GBU. But I like the shootout. This is why I like Massacre Time, Shoot Gringo Shoot, Return of Ringo, Companeros, Specialist, on and on. If it is handled right, it sumsup the action perfectly as well as enteretaining. If a big movie ends in a little duel, I am sometimes dissapointed with the excepton of the Leone films.

#12

I have to add that my favorite two For A Few Dollars More and Day of Anger each have great shootouts leading up to the climatic duels. That is what makes these two classics - something for everyone.

#13

Shootout as the death count is usually higher.

#14

To put it simply, more exciting. It makes me feel more complete when watching the movie.

#15

Reminds me I have not viewed Duel with Dennis Weaver for a while.

#16

Very good if memory serves. Steven Spielberg’s first film too.

#17

I like Dennis Weaver jumping around like a lunatic after destroying the truck.

#18

Duel, if it’s long, slow, Leonesque, with great music. Shootout when it contains slow-mos, machine gun, lots of dead Mexicans and chaos.

A lot of good movies go wrong because the final duel isn’t well directed. For example High Noon. It’s such a great movie, and that shooting thing at the end… gahh. Not to mention I’d have killed off Kane. Wouldn’t it be just shocking? Yes, he could have shot the bad guys, but get deadly wounded, too.

#19

…when it’s like in The Wild Bunch :wink:

#20

Or Shoot Gringo Shoot or Keoma