I guess some of the “hearts” for aldo’s comment were meant to indicate they like (?) California, but at least mine was I agree with aldo’s opinion 
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Actually, I would think people probably agree with aldo’s opinion - at least I’m right there with him. 
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I click the heart symbol for people’s effort in taking part, rather than if I like or agree with their opinion … but thank you, runner and LankyGringo for the support 
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This time I picked Four Gunmen of the Holy Trinity and it turned out to be a pretty odd one to say the least. While I can’t say I liked it much, at the very least it tries to be different and doesn’t peddle the same kind of frolicking around the sandpits we’ve seen thousands of times before and have come to expect from most of these cheaper, lesser known outings. Notwithstanding the relative complexity of its story, I can’t say I cared much for the intrigue, which admittedly does introduce quite a bit of chemistry, mystery and character development into the equation and doesn’t rely on any particular western formula.
My indifference to the content in question is probably due to the somewhat inanimate directing and scattered storytelling, which gives the film a somewhat jumbled look. It gets better towards the end and the finale proves surprisingly grim and good, however, that final ladder throw is a bit incredible to say the least. I can’t say I like it that much, I can see why some people will though. All in all, it’s one of those spags every aficionado should seek out and form their own opinion about even if it is burdened with many a flaw.
4/10
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It’s still on my to do list … but now that I see Evelyn (Ida Galli) Stewart is involved, I may get round to watching it sooner than later Is there a decent rip on Youtube ?
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- Harrison: Jesse & Lester
-Like many have said, this one’s a better than it’s reputation. Far from masterpiece but considering the level of quality of comedy westerns of era this one’s one of the better ones. Also fun to spot all the familiar spaghetti faces, Wang, Boyd, Rossi, Pevarello etc. 5/10
Koch’s Bluray sure looks good too.
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There is the tolerable 480p version which I watched. Not perfect, but good enough. Ida Galli gets a shadier role than usual, which is one of the reasons to watch it.
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There’s also an Italian version, maybe of slightly better quality but in the same awful 4:3 ratio: anything but beneficial.
As for Arianna, she’s in peak form in this one and probably the best thing in the movie
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SPAGVEMBERFEST DAY 17
So tonight I’m going for Mercenary 2: Electric Boogaloo, more commonly known as Companeros (Corbucci, 1970), in which Sergio Corbucci remakes The Mercenary but plays it slightly more for laughs, throws Tomas Milian into the mix and asks us all to pretend that, this time, Franco Nero is no longer the swarthiest, most Italian-looking Pole ever to have lived, but is now the swarthiest, most Italian-looking Swede ever to have lived. Mamma Mia! Here we go again!
(I’m being a tiny bit flippant, of course. Companeros is a terrific film. Not quite as good as The Mercenary, but few spags are, and it’s certainly in that league)
15 Likes
Now, I have Morricone’s Gregorian chant worm holed in my brain. 
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15th - Tepepa
Okay, this was long time due a rewatch. I remember I wasn’t that much enthusiastic about it (as I’m not about any Petroni’s western) ten years ago, but then, things change, as this year’s Bandidos rewatch would testify.
As much as I love zapatta westerns and Tomas Milian, I’m about twenty minutes into the movie and I’ m thinking what kind of bullshit this spagh tries to inflict upon me.
So, Tepepa is saved by the motorized Brit and they flee together, soon enough followed by mounted soldiers. In first skirmish soldiers don’t shoot, but okay, they split and it’s kinda obvious why. But Steiner and Milian stop and soon enough half of the mounted soldiers is already charging on them (the other half is still behind them). Okay, Steiner starts the car, Milian is shooting with mauser and they run through the soldiers. Soldiers don’t fire, just doing nothing, because if ten soldiers would fire off their rifles into the big approaching object, they would kill both guys in it and that would be the end of the movie.
Some time after that, the car breaks so Steiner pushes it with Milian behind the wheel, but the former didn’t tell the latter how to use brakes, so an accident follows.
I’m kinda curious how this turns out in the end. So far it’s like very fidanisque. 
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Outrageous review! LOL 
Have you no soul or spirit of adventure ???
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I’m in the middle, and fortunately it gets better. Probably just a bad start. 
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Today’s movie - El Puro (1969)
No new watch today, and I’m starting to feel tired of the lesser genre entries so for a few days I’m gonna stick with some favorites that need refreshing, and no better way to start than my favorite Woods western and a top 20 nominee of mine.
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Day 17 - Dos pistolas gemelas
https://www.spaghetti-western.net/index.php/Dos_pistolas_gemelas
Second Rafael Marchent movie in my 2021 marathon.
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Spagvember Fest Day 17
I Vigliacchi Non Pregano
First time watch. This one’s actually an enjoyable surprise. I understand its lesser known status as it lacks the gunfights and action we all love and enjoy, but the characters and story do make up for it. It’s hard to describe Garko’s character as a good man gone bad because there’s little to convey he was likable before what happened to him, but it is clear the Civil War took its toll on him, and the actions of the ex Union soldiers turned raiders brought him to the breaking point and he just never went back.
The Koch DVD transfer is surprisingly good, even though it’s clear the print they used wasn’t taken care of properly before they cleaned it up.
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Tepepa
It actually turned out being pretty good after all, almost on the level with Bullet for the General, but I can see what troubled my younger self ten years ago.
It’s action. Not that I would need to see more of that, my concerns lie at how the action is handled. Because, it is handled quite poorly.
For example I had to replay the stagecoach attack scene and why the wagon actually exploded, it is directed so sloppy, almost like some shots were missing - but it’s not the case, no animals were harmed in that scene, so animal policy agents didn’t have to butcher it.
Then the finale, rurales vs revolutionaries. Like the whole armies are going to battle, this will be epic. Unfortunately, what you get is most generic, undercooked and rather short skirmish with some exploding goats (yes, you have read that right) and utterly unimaginative engagement between warring factions. Other than that I really liked it. 7/10
I guess this shot is due to some future animal rights policy butchering.
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I want to watch this one again this year, it was one I really remembered liking, and of course the score by Nicolai is great. It has been years, but the last time I saw it I kept thinking it badly needed an upgraded transfer. C’mon, blu-ray!
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Early day 18:
Fasthand
Great one to put on if you have trouble sleeping 
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I’ve fallen a bit behind, but in the interim I watched Django (10/10) via the amazing Blu-ray transfer put out by Arrow a couple years ago. A DVD of Bullets Don’t Argue (7.5/10) contained an interview with the director, who seemed very amiable about making the movie forever placed behind A Fistful of Dollars. The movie was actually fairly good, boosted by a rousing Morricone score, and a slew of misplaced American names like Pat Garret mixed with a couple of Clantons–George and Billy. The cavalry charge at the end was pretty impressive for a small movie.
Gunfight at Red Sands (6/10) (AKA Duello Nel Texas) was a good example, to me, of an early attempt at the genre that really offers nothing special, and is saved only by the spurious Morricone tunes.
I continued watching the Colizzi trilogy out of order with Boot Hill (6/10). Everyone time I watch this one, I somehow hope it will be better. I know what I’m getting into, and I keep returning to it, as if I’ve somehow missed something before. It feels so unlike the other two parts of the trilogy. Then I concluded things with God Forgives . . . I Don’t! (8/10), a spaghetti that I really hope gets a U.S. Blu-ray release. It is Terence Hill’s best of the trilogy, Bud packs all the strength of Hercules, but I think Frank Wolff’s evil-monologue-prone villain is my favorite part.
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