- Loma: The Boldest Job in the West
-I watched this last time during 2016 spagvember and my thoughts are still pretty much same.
3 Likes
Day 15: And Then a Time for Killing
Despite a solid storyline this one didn’t quite do it for me - probably a bit too American.
5 Likes
Day 15 has me checking out a silly, but still fun action comedy Western
https://www.spaghetti-western.net/index.php/E_alla_fine_lo_chiamarono_Jerusalem_l'implacabile
Not Enzo G. Castellari lightheartedness by a long shot, but thankfully doesn’t seem to get too silly that it falls under the stuff that came in the wake of the Trinity films. And Keenan Wynn is always a delight to see.
3 Likes
Today is full lockdown after 13:00 in my residence zone. Having plenty of time but not the required mood, I stumbled into a recent YouTube upload of The Tramplers. The Hellbenders twin brother film is definitely less interesting but it’s watchable. I might re-watch them both as a double feature in a near future. Maybe.
6 Likes
Day 15 - Ramon the Mexican
Even past a hundred films in the genre you can find some truly great films, this is what I adore about this genre, this is one I have been meaning to check out for a long time but I just never felt like it and oh boy… this is a goodie!
I was wondering why the villain gets his name in the title instead of the hero and I think I get it, Robert Hundar is great whilst Jean Louis is quite forgettable, still it is a very nice exemple of the genre that is dramatic and action packed
5 Likes
Luigi Vanzi’s Un dollaro tra i denti, an Italian-American co-production made in 1966, could be described as an exercise in minimalism. It seems almost impossible to reduce further its generic Spaghetti-Western plot: A mysterious stranger arrives in an all but deserted town at the border between Mexico and the United States, where he gets involved with Mexican banditos, American soldiers and a local ingénue. The shared goal of all parties is money, preferably in large amounts.
Frank Wolff plays the bandits’ führer, Gia Sandri his sadistically inclined press secretary, Jolanda Modìo the señorita in distress, and Tony Anthony is the stranger – who will return in Un uomo, un cavallo, una pistola. For Alex Cox, Un dollaro tra i denti is “entirely routine and derivative,” “stupid, rather than cruel” and “brain-dead” (p. 146, 2019 edition).
6 Likes
Not sure if anyone has ever done a recap of what they’ve watched on the thread before, but I figured it’d be cool to give a brief final thought for the first 15
Day 1: Acquasanta Joe - A definite future re-watch, has its flaws, but it has a lot more to like about than to dislike, and Lincoln Tate is a little underrated in my opinion.
Day 2: Testa t’Ammazzo Croce…sei Morto…Mi Chiamano Alleluja - A lighthearted action comedy SW that deserves a once a year viewing. The comedy blends in with the action well, and doesn’t get too silly.
Day 3: Due Croci a Danger Pass - Had a cool enough story and premise, and the opening really sets up the action to come well, but its execution fell a little short in the long run. I didn’t hate this one, but I think I may need to give it a second chance later.
Day 4: Dio Perdoni la Ma Pistola - A good SW spoiled by a poor quality print. Would definitely watch it again once a company gives it the clean up and TLC it deserves.
Day 5: Sette Dollari sul Rosso - A Classic SW that has all the hallmarks of what makes the genre what it is. A well put together story with enough pathos and character that adds that extra punch of excellence.
Day 6: Una Colt in Pugno al Diavolo - A fun little gem that needs a wider audience. A must re-watch for anyone who loves the genre.
Day 7: Dio non Paga il Sabato - Another fun little gem that I believe has reached the status of Minor Classic. It almost feels like a play with the small cast, but each character is never boring, and the mystery aspect adds a good bit of flavor that keeps viewers guessing what’ll happen next.
Day 8: Joko Invoca Dio…e Muori - A fun and entertaining series of set pieces that culminates in a curious cat and mouse game finale. An SW every fan should see.
Day 9: Nato per Uccidere - A lesser, but no less entertaining, American style SW with some good shootouts and a good performance by Gordon Mitchell. Not perfect, but one to check out for something different.
Day 10: Execution - A case of a good plot and characters hampered by inconsistencies and an unnecessary final scene. Only certain sections are worth watching.
Day 11: Bandidos: A classic of the SW genre, one everybody should see, 'nuff said.
Day 12: Per un Dollaro di Gloria - Another good story line that somehow ended up turning into a turkey that even Broderick Crawford couldn’t save. Not recommend.
Day 13: Giarrettiera Colt - An underseen SW and that needs a lot more love and attention. One that every fan should seek out and see. Nicoletta Machiavelli is the greatest Anti-Heroine of the genre in the title role.
Day 14. Joe l’Implacabile - Pure fun and entertainment, a cool precursor to genre favorites Sartana and Sabata with the gadgets and suaveness. Perfect to watch at any time and to just sit back and enjoy the ride.
Day 15: E alla Fine lo Chiamarono Jerusalem l’Implacabile - a mixed bag that fans either like or don’t like. I found it interesting and entertaining enough.
4 Likes
What a strange movie. Has so much American feel in it yet still is imbued with equal amount of serious Spaghetti Western sensibilities. It found perfect balance between melodramatic nature of plot and a series of relentless gun blazing actions. Story seems to be in no hurry and unfolds everything slowly, but very very engaging one nonetheless. A grown-up man fear of becoming exactly like his poor father strangely remainded me of Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s The Wild Pear Tree.
The ending caught me off guard, wasn’t expecting that, but makes sense as melancholic atmosphere has been looming over the movie from the start and in the world of A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die it seems like loves doesn’t exist, it is devoid of compassion and hopefulness. It is grim and left you helpless.
8 Likes
A few of our SpagvemberFest regulars tend to recap their viewing experiences at the end of the month but there’s no hard and fast rule on recapping and you’re more than welcome to give us your “half-time analysis” as it were. 
I also want statistics at the end of this one, for the newsletter 
SPAGVEMBERFEST 2020
Day 15
Hands of a Gunfighter (R.R. Marchent / 1965)
For the rest of Spagvemberfest I’m going to concentrate on see all (or at least most) of Craig Hill’s westerns and first up was this one which I’m pretty sure I have only ever watched the once. Very much a traditional / Spanish style western but with some nice touches and a good down beat ending which definitely adds to its charms.
Scherps’ full review pretty much reflects my thoughts on it so you can read that here.
4 Likes
- Salvi: 3 Bullets for Ringo
-I had Koch’s dvd still wrapped in plastic on my shelf even though I bought this some 10 years ago or something like that. That’s a good indicator that the film ain’t good and yes, this is some awkward stuff. Film with loads of ideas thrown together in badly directed mix. Then again it has some surreal appeal in it. Remembering the film now is like remebering a dream from last night where all kinds of weird things happened and somehow they form a story even if you’re not sure what it was all about. 4/10
7 Likes
It’s a weird one for sure, and Wanted Johnny Texas is just as weird and surreal - even though the action in that one is very entertaining
SPAGVEMBERFEST 2020
Day 16
My Horse… My Gun… Your Widow (Bosch / 1972)
Saw this one for thye first time almost exactly 10 years ago so had forgotten everything about it. Turns out it is a quite reasonable “chasing the treasure” action adventure with its tongue firmly in cheek but without any unnecessary slapstick. For 1972 that’s quite an achievement really so fair play to it.
I’d also forgotten that it re-uses that terrible song from Arizona Colt Returns. You know the one. “Bing Beng Bong Bang…” And lastly, I’d also forgotten that strangely that awful song somehow fits this film better and doesn’t sound nearly as jarring as in the original.
4 Likes
Day 16 I decided to go with an SW a lot of people highly recommend
https://www.spaghetti-western.net/index.php/Chiedi_perdono_a_Dio…_non_a_me
I like Giorgio Ardrisson a lot, and he’s a very expressive actor too, without getting too hammy. This is my first time seeing Dragomir Bojanic (aka Anthony Ghidra) in an SW, so I’m hoping he’s as good as I’ve read. Revenge themed Westerns are always interesting and fun, and that it combines a family feud is also cool.
5 Likes
SPAGVEMBERFEST 2020: DAY 16
Kicking off the second half of SpagvemberFest with a real pioneer of the genre: A Fistful of Dollars (Leone, 1964), starring Clint Eastwood as a ronin samurai playing two factions in a town off against each other with such aplomb that he inadvertently causes the Italian movie industry to go bloody berserk and steal all his adventures.
So, the plan was that I was going to take a break from AFoD whilst staying true to my Spagvember remit by watching Yojimbo (Kurosawa, 1961) for a few days on the trot. Recharge the batteries a bit, you know. But, now it’s come to it, I can’t help but feel I’ve failed if I switch to another movie. Feels too much like a cheat. I’d rather just miss another day or two here and there. So, tonight, I’m back with Joe, his mule, his prototype bulletproof vest, Marisol, Piripero, Silvanito, Ramon, John and the rest of them. Baxters over there, Rojos there, and me right smack in the middle.
I still might watch Yojimbo as well though, anyway. I quite fancy it now.
5 Likes
Day 16 - 7 dollars on the red
Another great surprise for the month, Anthony Steffens stars in this excellent spaghetti western in a performance that conveys much more emotion than his usual roles. Everybody was great and the score by De Masi is as great as usual.the only thing that I found jarring was that the film looked very flat, the exteriors to me looked more like a place where they could shoot a western and not where wanted to shoot a western, the costume design was nothing particular. Loredana Nusciak also has a small role and the finale is violent and dramatic, just how I like it!
7 Likes
Sergio Garrone’s latest spag was my pick for today’s. I did expected an extreme lowbudget late genre flick, but it is not that bad. Lot of familiar faces, including Jean Louis, making a third appearance on my spagvember list. Here with a stronger character. Overall all of this regular cast, despite theirs smal roles, have a good presence in this flick. Which is remarkable for some of them.
I do hate the poster art used on this one. That won’t convince me to go to the cinema.
And it seems they try to sell it as a Sabata. Weird!
6 Likes
Day 17: The Hills Run Red
The opening scenes appealed to my grindhouse sensibilities but I wish the speeding wagon chase and the prison scenes could have been longer. If we’d seen a more brutal life while Brewster was incarcerated then maybe a better revenge tale could unfold. Alas, this isn’t that film. Too much sentimentality and Americanisms spoiled this for me… and I don’t even want to think about the ending.
6 Likes