Spagvemberfest 2019 - Day 19
Adios, Sabata (Parolini / 1970)
The grooviest outfit in the west without a doubt and tricks and gadgets galore always keep this entertaining for me but it’s been a while since I had it off the shelf so this Spagvemberfest seemed like a good opportunity to get re-acquainted. It’s still fun and utter nonsense so an enjoyable time was had. A pity this MGM release is super vanilla though as I would love some special features around this film.
Was able to get in a quickey Western via Film&Clips today with Lo Chiamavano King (His Name Was King) with Richard Harrison and Klaus Kinski.
Average, but still fairly entertaining Western that offers a mix of mystery and revenge. I did think the title song would’ve been better suited to a Blacksploitation film, but it still works in the film for its Ballad style.
One of those spaghs I appreciated more on a second viewing. Great duel scene in the end.
Also, who’s a statistics/numbers geek? At the conclusion of this years fest we could do an infographic with films watched, users participated, most popular flick etc…
18. The Big Gundown (1966) 9
19. Run Man Run (1968) 8
20. Face to Face (1967) 9
After some demonizing presentations of upper class society, it’s back to the treadmill.
23: ‘The Boldest Job in the West’ / El más fabuloso golpe del Far-West (1972)
Listed as 1972 and from another source 1969 … I think the latter more likely as '72 is the UK release date.
Anyway … a most enjoyable bank heist / whodunnit, with plenty of light humour, and a rare opportunity for Fernando Sancho to play the nice guy … or is he!? 
Could this have been an influence on ‘The Hateful Eight’! …. who cares.
Nice rip from Spanish TV, fandubbed by a SW fan at CG.
7/1024: ‘Per il gusto di uccidere’ (1966) The Taste for Killing
One of the best known Craig Hill SWs, filmed at Carlo Simi’s ‘El Paso’ film set in Almeria … this time the town is Omaha ! Didn’t any of these Italian directors ever look at a map ??? … no deserts in Omaha, as far as I know.
The film looks great, is well photographed by Stelvio Massi, has many familiar faces, including everyone’s favourite “Fresh young whore in the territory!”, Rada Rassimov The gal who was born to be slapped around in violent westerns.
I have seen this a couple of times before, and somehow remember it being better ! … it’s not bad, just not that wonderful. Maybe Spagfest wiriness is creeping in. A generous 6/10
25:‘Adios Gringo’ (1965)
A Giuliano Gemma which I had never completed, as it looked a bit too ‘apple pie’ for my tastes.
Pleased to say that once the story gets going it picks up nicely … still has a 1950s American vibe, but there are some nice touches especially the silly theme song, which sounds like ‘Ringo, Gringo!’ ?
Because of low expectations, I actually enjoyed this quite a bit … the storyline is fairly straightforward but it has a naïve charm … though that doesn’t mean it’s badly produced.
The image quality is good, but seems like a print that was designed for showing on a curved screen … all vertical lines are skewed and the edge of the image a little compressed and distorted. Named on IMDB as Doryscope
Euroscope … never heard of this process.
SPAGVEMBERFEST 2019: DAY 20
Arrrrrrr, mateys! Today, I be takin’ a look at Between God, the Devil and a Winchester (Girolami, 1968), and a fair retread o’ Treasure Island she be, ye scurvy dogs. Arrrrrrr!
Actually, I’ve only had it on ten minutes so far but the Mexicans are all incredibly Mexican. The English dub has laid the stereotypical accents on really thick, and it’s probably my cheapo box-set transfer but they’re so orange/brown-shaded they’ve gone way beyond standard “Donald Trump”. A couple of them are almost in blackface. The film’s moving at a decent pace, though.
I was just thinking about watching this for last day of second third of spagvember fest, but you are just one day ahead of me.
The Wild East release was also horrible, and I bet it costs a packet !? Non anamorphic widescreen with retina burning colour, - plus some huge green emulsion scratches. 
Tasty!
For probably the 4th time since I bought My Name Is Pecos (Maurizio Lucidi) around 2 months ago I watched it today, and as anticipated in my former comment after the 3rd time in another thread I feel it is time to increase its rating from 6 to 7/10, which also means it reaches my Top 20 and there as number 20. I emphasize my overall entertainment and components such as the mood, the music, the plot, the acting, landscapes and cinematography.
My Name Is Pecos is a rather simple revenge movie but well staged and OK acting without any real comedy. Robert Woods is really good here as the mexican (anti-)hero, who shoots first (and tells his name afterwards). The unholy priest who is on the bad guys’ side is a typical but interesting SW character played by Umberto Raho.
The title song reminds of House of The Rising Sun but, as is common knowledge, was not composed by the Animals and there exist much older versions, but in the movie it sometime(s) transforms into a very nice flute + guitar theme, and there are also slower instrumental versions. There are a few more nice music themes for example during riding scenes.
I assume the whole movie was shot in Italy, except for the rather strange ending shot at the same plains in Tabernas Desert, Almeria, Spain that constituted the classic opening scene in For A Few Dollars More.
My nearest ranked SW (also all 7/10 rated) after this one now are 21 Requiescant/Kill And Pray, 22 Death Sentence, 23 The Unholy Four/Chuck Moll, 24 No Room To Die/Hanging For Django/A Noose For Django , 25 Viva Django / Django, Prepare a Coffin, 26 Garringo, but my ranking is constantly under a possible revision 
Been busy watching movies I have avoided or omitted for various reasons throughout the years (mostly the early period, Americanized shit) and now I have finally gotten around to viewing Dead Men Don’t Make Shadows (1970). Well, what can I say, I guess I have taken to gravel pits and fake succulents. ^^ Fairly well paced, shot and scripted, this one undoubtedly constitutes one of Fidani’s most enjoyable and compellingly executed efforts. While it admittedly is a little bit on the slow side, it’s still such a comfy viewing that it’s hard not to succumb to its charmingly cheesy and cheapish attractions.
Just finished watching Cjamango on Film&Clips
15 Scaffolds for a Killer 6/10
Definatly one of Craig Hills better movies. George Martin is great as always… I liked it
I like it too … might re-watch this one tonight Fab theme song also, sung by the one and only ‘Raoul’ … Epic!
i watched the Wild East disc that not that good in picture, too dark and there’s some damage to the print they transfered from it seems.
Spagvemberfest 2019 - Day 20
Gunfight at Red Sands (Blasco / 1963)
One of the most enjoyable from the very early Spags for me and the picture quality on the Ripley release I have from the above box set is so much better than the one found on various cheapo box sets. I like Harrison and his role in this one suits him well I think.
I’d left this one far too long for a re-viewing so thank you Spagvemberfest for putting that to rights.
I watched the other one, LE PISOLE NON DISCUTONO. The one that was, allegedly, made back to back with Leone’s landmark movie A Fistful of Dollars. Pistole have become bullets in the English language title (some chemistry at work there), but either pistols or bullets, they don’t argue. Caiano’s movie can’t hold a candle to anything Leone has ever done, but otherwise it’s a pleasant movie, with a great performance by Horst Frank, and a very well handled trek through the desert sequence (but unfortunately a weak finale)
I noticed that I haven’t written a review of the movie yet, so I’ll be working on it. Should have finished it by now, but I was working hard on another review. Coming up later today.
SPAGVEMBERFEST 2019: DAY 21
Into the final third already and, whilst it’s still flying by too fast as it always does, I can’t say that I’m exactly saddened this year to be in the home straight. Today, it’s Charge! aka Those Dirty Dogs (Rosati, 1973), and I’ve got a feeling I’ve seen this one already. I’m not changing it now though. I mean: seen it, not seen it… once you’ve seen one half-cocked parody spag you’ve seen them all anyway, right? In any event, Gianni Garko is always decent value for money so I’m sure it won’t be an abject disaster.
