Re-watched my Koch media release of this after more years than I can remember. In fact, so many that I didn’t remember the film either until Keenan Wynn and his duck turned up and then I still didn’t remember anything else about it.
It’s a really nice release of a not very good film to be honest. It looks beautiful but the silliness in the comedy scenes leaves me flat I’m afraid. There’s a reason I hadn’t watched it again since the first time obviously.
Torrado: Black Angel of Mississippi
-My Spagvember seems to be forming around theme of “something new, something good” so I try to watch as many as those sw’s I hoarded years ago but never watched. You know all those worst and the most boring films of the genre in bad quality spanish/italian/german prints. To keep myself sane I need to refresh myself with something better every other day.
Anyway, here’s a film with promising beginning. In the first scene a black man is about to be lynched by angry mob. Then there’s the most insane title sequence which is a montage of shooting, bloodshed, mud and falling horses. It’s like the hellish mayhem in Lucio Fulci’s Four of the Apocalypse. Unfortunately this title sequence has nothing to do with the film (I wonder if these scenes are taken from another film) which is about black priest who arrives in town of hostile villagers. And nothing interesting really happens, there’s more singing than shooting and lots of talking. Seeing it in spanish didn’t made it easy to follow. There’s Fernando Sancho and Howard Vernon (in his only western role I guess, not counting his Zorro films) but they’re wasted in their roles as the film is a bore. 2/10
Never heard of this one. Database says it’s from 1964, so most probably a pre-spaghetti/paella western. More singing than shooting … huh …
I found this clip (with Hungarian audio) on You Tube. Only 19 minutes, but including this weird title sequence with inserted scenes of all kinds of mayhem
I couldn’t have got enough Bud Spencer yesterday because today’s movie is Buddy Goes West (Lupo, 1981). Sounds… um, fun. Hey, is that Joe Bugner’s name I spy on the poster? What, the Joe Bugner? The Hungarian/Aussie/Brit who went the distance with Muhammad Ali and “Smokin’” Joe Frazier? Okay, then! Ding ding! Seconds out, round six!
6:‘Face to Face’ (1967) Needed to clear the palate, so to speak, and re-watch an old favourite to remind myself why I love the genre! … and it’s still great - a near perfect SW 9/10 hard to beat a trio like Volonte, Milian and Berger in the lead roles … plus a wonderful Morricone score. Special mention to William Berger as ‘Charlie Siringo’, whose costume pre-dates Henry Fonda in OUTW … he just looks supercool as the quintessential SW anti-hero.
though he does wear his hat back to front in various scenes - (bow on hatband should be on the left side of the head) Carlo Simi really knew how to dress these characters perfectly.
7: Next up, ‘Sonora’ aka ‘Sartana Does Not Forgive’ (1968) Wanted to like this more, as the action sequences are very well handled, plus there’s a level of sadism from the ‘hero’ which gives the movie a gritty, feel bad atmosphere. Unfortunately the story is rather weak and claustrophobic settings, mostly interiors, make the film drag. A good musical score could have livened things up considerably, but apart from the theme song, the music is forgettable.
I watched the Italian TV Capture with English Fansubs , the print is acceptable but too dark and contrasty … a nicer print would make a big difference to my overall feelings on this one. Giving it a generous 6/10
Buddy Goes West… Hmm, I wasn’t keen on this one but, unlike a fair few of the others I’ve seen this week, that was more of a personal taste thing than a case of the movie being no good. As light-hearted spags go this one was quite well put together really. Just wasn’t for me. I’m glad I saw it, though.
And then, as soon as I’d finished with Bud Spencer…
SPAGVEMBERFEST 2019: DAY 7
Eh? Bit early for all these day 7 shenanigans, isn’t it? Well I may not be able to fit one in tomorrow and I had a window this afternoon, so I thought I’d get Thursday’s film in today. The film in question was His Name Was King (Romitelli, 1971) and, you know, this one really wasn’t that bad either. I mean production values were poor and the movie lost its way quite badly through the trunk of the brief runtime but it started well, ended well, it was quite gritty for a seventies spag and opposite numbers Richard Harrison and Klaus Kinski are always worth the time and trouble (even if Kinski only seemed to come to life sporadically). Plus of course, the Bacalov score is outstanding.
All in all, I’m not too disappointed with today’s films. I thought they were going to be a lot worse than they were. I’m not exactly watching classics here but with my expectations turned down to zero, the only way is up.
May I suggest the Al!ve AG/Wild Coyote DVD, if you don’t already have a copy that is😉 There’s age to the print, but it gives it that grindhouse feel that helps works well. The light to dark contrast is fine and clear, and is the best the film looks.
A Colt In The Hand Of The Devil - There are two spaghs with this english title, although italian titles slightly differ. This one from Baldanello. (The other one is Bergonzelli’s). Both have George Wang in. Weird. Anyway, Robert Woods is the protagonist here, trying to solve a crime, which put his now dead friend into gallows. Quite sophisticated storyline with some surprises, but I have a suspicion the new revealed truths about crime make some of the previous storyline a bit non-sensical, but I might be wrong, didn’t put much thought into it to be honest. Not much gunplay throughout, but it all ends with a bigger town gunfight. 5/10
Son Of Django - My initial question was Will it live up to Osvaldo Civirani’s masterpiece spagh Dead For A Dollar with Hilton? Just kidding, but I have a soft spot for that flick. Simple answer is No, it doesn’t - however it’s not bad. Django is shot dead. His son wants to get even with the murderers. Nothing less epic. Again, not much action until the end, which delivers one of the longest saloon shootouts in the genre, unfortunately it’s not that good as similar indoor gunfight featured in Dead For A Dollar. Or was it Dollar For the Dead? Ah well… Anyway, I love indoor showdowns, but the saloon gunfight in I Figlio di Django simply lacks more creative kills or ideas. It could be so much more interesting. Come on, Osvaldo. What happened? 6/10
I’ve never been a fan of Osvaldo Civirani’s westerns, Dead for a Dollar is the only good one imo. But I have “Ric e Gian alla conquista del West” on my list for spagvember.
Some tricky stuff here, but it didn’t do the trick for me. Although striking some interesting notes, ends up quite predictable. Starting to look forward to the Fidani films.
Day 6 of Spagvember and Day 3 of Sartana Week had me watching C’e Sartana…Vendi la Pistola e Comprati la Bara! (I Am Sartana…Trade Your Pistol for a Coffin/Sartana’s Here…Trade Your Pistol for a Coffin).
I know it’s the Black Sheep of the franchise, but I still find it very entertaining and fun, and I like it as much as the four Garko ones.
Me too … it’s more light hearted, but very entertaining. George Hilton’s look to camera after shooting the water canteen to extinguish the dynamite fuse, is priceless !
Same here. I watched it not a long time ago and enjoyed it immensely. Easily one of the most entertaining spags out there and my favorite Sartana film by far. I am not even a fan of the series, but this one is dope. Its comedic elements seem a lot more rounded in comparison with other Sartana flicks and the rest of the film isn’t too bad at all, it feels adequately humorous without proving excessively zany in the end. Suffice to say, I was genuinely surprised in a positive way.
I think I saw it here in an article related to the film, or somewhere on YouTube that some fans thought it was too silly, and that Garko wasn’t playing the part didn’t make it an entry in the franchise. I know quite a few of us here on the forum really get a kick out of it Sono Sartana, Il Vostro Becchino is the one out of the five I enjoyed the most as it had a well constructed and finely intricate mystery.
Pretty average Craig Hill vehicle here, some interesting scenes here and there but not as good as I Want Him Dead or Taste of Killing. For the hardcore fans only
Arizona Colt 8/10
Classic Gemma stuff from Michele Lupo here. To me this movie blends the styles of Leone and Corbucci in a nice and original way, Gemma’s asshole character makes an pretty interesting anti-hero. Reminds me of Andrea Giordana in The Dirty Outlaws. I like this one just as much as the Ringo films.
A Long Ride from Hell 7/10
Fast moving, action-packed and violent revenge story with a not-so convincing lead by Steve Reeves. It might be somewhat of a routine spaghetti but I still like it for what it is, everything I want in a spag is there for me. In the same league as Kill Them All and Come Back Alone - Not a masterpiece but still very entertaining.
Next up is Shoot, Gringo, Shoot! And Cut Throats Nine…
Sono Sartana, Il Vostro Becchino is the one out of the five I enjoyed the most as it had a well constructed and finely intricate mystery.
