Spaghetti Western poll

And if SW fans can’t enjoy a bit of a feud, then who else?

I think this is probably a poll too far and I tend to agree with Lindberg.

That is a dangerous road amigo. You are talking about objective ‘good/decent’ movies… I remember we had this discussion on a Danish movie forum I frequent and let me say there is no end to that debate so I won’t start one here. Needless to say I only recognize subjective good movies :slight_smile:

Totally agree… If all else fails we can always meet one damned day at dawn :slight_smile:

[quote=“Lindberg, post:20, topic:1952”]I think all these threads where people just make a list of films is boring and pointless (except the top 20 of course, that’s another thing)

Would be more interesting if you gave your views on why these films are overrated, underrated etc

And it doesn’t matter if some views are a bit controversial[/quote]
these threads breed controversy and that’s a good thing. And Lindberg is dead on - I’ll explain why I like, hate, etc certain movies.

Favorite: For A Few Dollars More - Brilliant score from Morricone, LVC and CE are top notch - what other movie has two heavy weights in the genre getting tons of screen time and kick ass from start to finish. Plus Volonte is one of the best villians on screen. What a whacko. Also the landscape shots are brilliant and the pace is dead on.
Least favorite: Four of the Apocalypse - Absolutely one of the worst movies - Fulci’s direction is terrible, the music is complete garbage, the characters are not the best, and there’s no action!
Underrated: Navajo Joe - I honestly am not a fan of the white man playing Indian roles but man Burt Reynolds kicks ass as Joe. I also love Ablo Sambrell as Duncan what a loon. The ending is great too and probably my favorite Corbucci movie after Django (or at least tied with it).
Overrated: Django Kill - just plain weird in a bad way. I am not a huge Milian fan so this had better be amazing to hold my attention. I think too many reviewers find this to be so insane (it’s not it’s just weird in a bad way) that everyone should love it… whatever.

[quote=“ENNIOO, post:18, topic:1952”]Favourite: The Great Silence.

Least fav: Tepepa.

Underrated: El Puro.

Overrated: Il Mercenario.[/quote]
Tepepa your least favourite, really. You either have to be lucky to have not seen any bad ones or you really dislike revolutionary westerns. Tepepa would probably my underrated movie, i like it alot. But your choice buddy.
But this whole over/underrated discussion is kind of strange anayway. In comparision to what. I see how someone can say django is overrated, as some see it as an essential spag with huge influence, but afterall is has its flaws, i still love it for its atmosphere and willingly ignore the awful part with the mexicans. For me it does not exist and the film is great, but the “imaginary” rating of a classic might not fit for everybody. But it always sparks disccusions, as well as calling something best, worst.

On the not of posting too little about spags. I have to rewatch keoma and continue my discussion about the parallels to Brecht´s work. I wonder anyway if he had much influence on the rather left influenced spag directors and Brecht was very left, and his plays have a lot of symbolity.

Good points. I also think this is a much stronger movie than its reputation suggests. The action scenes are brilliantly handled, and there’s an angry, anti-imperialist/capitalist subtext that chimes with the Sixties protest movement and connects it, thematically, with some of Corbucci’s other key Westerns. And I have no problems with Reynolds’ performance at all (and he was partly of Native American descent, albeit Cherokee rather than Navajo).

Hey, I’m getting into this thread after all!

[quote=“Starblack, post:25, topic:1952”]Good points. I also think this is a much stronger movie than its reputation suggests. The action scenes are brilliantly handled, and there’s an angry, anti-imperialist/capitalist subtext that chimes with the Sixties protest movement and connects it, thematically, with some of Corbucci’s other key Westerns. And I have no problems with Reynolds’ performance at all (and he was partly of Native American descent, albeit Cherokee rather than Navajo).

Hey, I’m getting into this thread after all![/quote]

He certainly looked great as an Indian. His attitude of an disconnected outsider who tried to help was great. The townspeople who were racist but powerless to defeat Duncan’s gang had no choice. Also for only appearing in one spaghetti western Burt did a great job.

Another thing about this over- and underratet thing:

Rated means, that someone rated the movies. So einther we have to talk about flicks, that appeared in some lists or films that were rated with some kinds of marks.

I think here we (inclunding me) don’t really talk about movies that actually have been rated, we rather talk about a kind of imaginary rating, a rating we made up in out own minds. To be more correct, it’s a rating of which we think it existed in other people’s minds.

Like: I think, people think, Sabata was a really good movie, but in fact it is a bad one.

or: I think, people think, California is a mediocre film, but in fact I think it is a masterpiece.

All of these thoughts are mere speculation.

Eventually Lindberg is right. Lists like that are more or less a poor substitute for a real discourse on movies.

[quote=“Dillinger, post:27, topic:1952”]All of these thoughts are mere speculation.

Eventually Lindberg is right. Lists like that are more or less a poor substitute for a real discourse on movies.[/quote]

I agree. If I want to discuss a movie I would discuss it not give you my top 100 films and walk away… where’s the logic in that?

The logic is, that it is a kind of statement and it somehow saves time.

[quote=“Dillinger, post:27, topic:1952”]Another thing about this over- and underratet thing:

Rated means, that someone rated the movies. So einther we have to talk about flicks, that appeared in some lists or films that were rated with some kinds of marks.[/quote]

I suppose over/under-rated here means how the movies generally are considered among fans

Not their exact rating… so no problems here I think

Agree about Navajo Joe, I have always liked this film and I don’t quite understand the harsh criticism some fans give it

It’s in my top ten now.

That’s great

It might have to do with Burt’s own criticism. Maybe if the protagonist himself doesn’t like it, people think it has to be crap.
It also has a completely different atmosphere as DJANGO and GS. So viewers who expected a film like these two might have been disappointed.

[quote=“Dillinger, post:34, topic:1952”]It might have to do with Burt’s own criticism. Maybe if the protagonist himself doesn’t like it, people think it has to be crap.
It also has a completely different atmosphere as DJANGO and GS. So viewers who expected a film like these two might have been disappointed.[/quote]

except the ending - very downbeat. I liked it a lot and Hellbenders as well - another one that is underrated IMO

I think these days the most important factorregarding the popularity of SWs, in this case the popularity of the Corbuccis is TV.

In Germany usually DJANGO and GS are being shown, so these two became the most popular ones. On top of that poeple might think (some more speculation):
If this NAVAJO JOE is such a great movie, why isn’t it shown on TV?

At least they show movies like Django and Great Silence.

Yes, it’s easy to fall into that trap. I’m sure I did when I first started watching SWs, before I appreciated the diversity on offer, not to mention the sheer volume of work that most of the directors undertook at their commercial peak. We tend to think of Corbucci as a Western specialist, for example, but, looking at his filmography, it’s plain that comedies were his real stock in trade; his serious Westerns were something of an aberration.

Hm… aberration. And things like Super Fuzz are his masterpieces?

Ok

Favorite: For a few dollars more (self explanatory)
Least fav: El Puro (The only SW that I can say I truly hate. I’m probably the only person on the forum who hates this movie. Theres just so much wrong with it in my eyes. It seems to represent everything I don’t like in a movie.
Underrated: Tequila Joe (Not one single vote for the top 20, despite the fact that it is a good film and many “inferior films” have had at least some votes.)
Overrated: Great silence and basically anything directed by Corbucci (Good film and well made, but I don’t think its worthy of being number 4 on the top 20. Maybe in the top dozen or so, but number 4? I Again, I’m in the vast minority here. Most people think Corbucci is on a pedestal that is just a small notch below Leone. I’m of the opinion that he isn’t close.)

I’m pretty sure my views will ruffle a few feathers. I just don’t see the “brilliance” of the great silence and I don’t see how El Puro is a better movie than Tequila Joe.