Just finished watching the entire film … the out of focus/ blurred region of the frame seems to lessen as the movie progresses … I’d say from 20% to about 10% but it’s still there.
The only other time I remember seeing this on a digital release was the special edition DVD of Spartacus (1960) which had a great swathe of blur- a - vision throughout. Rather amazing that such a painstaking restoration was messed up on the DVD transfer - I have since acquired the BD, and it’s perfect 
Day 3: Cemetery without Crosses (1969). I’ve never seen this much-hailed spagh western, and look forward to the movie being as colorful as the title when I watch it.
Y’know, you’re right - more Manilow than Atkinson.
There’s a Keoma 2!! My mind has been blown. I thought there was only the 1976 film.
Day 2 - 4 Dollars of Revenge 1966
I’m going with the quirky title that Mill Creek preferred to use for this film, because I kind of like the absurdity of it. This is another one I’ve only seen once before. While it clearly appropriates some of its events from one of my all-time favorites, The Return of Ringo, with the disguised return to a town after exile, the looming suspense of the hero’s girl finding new love, etc., this still has its own thing going on. The sword fighting is a fun twist, and there’s something satisfying about watching the hero take his leisurely, methodical revenge while clearing his besmirched name. I even liked the soundtrack, but I can’t understand what the chorus is singing at all. . . 7/10
Day 3 - Damned Hot Day of Fire aka Machine Gun Killers 1968
Well, second time watching this one as well, and it ended up feeling sluggish to me. It has a lot of the double-cross, secret agent stuff, and starts off with enough odd American Civil War appropriation to hold attention. There’s a cameo from a Pinkerton, mentions of President Lincoln, Richard “Gatlin” himself, and a family of Grants (no relation to Ulysses). Maybe it needed a little less tracking shots of stealthy sneaking, and a little more use of the eponymous machine gun! 6/10
https://www.spaghetti-western.net/index.php/Quel_caldo_maledetto_giorno_di_fuoco
I believe this is the movie Jonathan of the Bears that was marketed in places as Keoma 2 to piggy back off the success of the original - much the way they did with Django.
Lanky Gringo is correct there, Ginger. The film is called Jonathan of the Bears (Jonathan degli Orsi), and was marketed in Germany as a sequel to Keoma due to the former’s popularity. And Franco Nero does sport a similar look in both films, though Keoma is half Caucasian/half Native American and Jonathan is a Polish orphan raised by Native Americans.
Reading the posts in this thread gives me the feeling of being in the waiting room at the dentist - hearing the drill, and knowing that your in next. But as a loyal compadre I will not back out! We’re all gonna make it through together! Starting my fest today!
One of my all-time favs, directed by the ultra-talented Massimo Dallamano, cinematographer on the first two Sergio Leone ‘Dollars’ Westerns…
The ‘Arrow’ BD release is excellent…
Day 4: My Name is Pecos (1966)
Second disc from the Vengeance Trails boxset. Again, my estimation of this film has gone up due to the lush transfer. 7/10
If you want to contribute to a joint revivew, feel free to send me a few lines of text about this movie and disc.
This goes for everyone watching the Vengeance Trails box of course. It’ll be quicker to have a full review of the box if a few folks just have to write a few lines instead of one person writing several pages :))
Spagvemberfest 2021
Day 4
Deaf Smith and Johnny Ears (Cavara / 1973)
No Bluray of this one but I do have two separate posters. A 27" X 41" USA one and the smaller Australian 13" X 30" Daybill.
For a 1973 Spaghetti this one really isn’t too bad. Very minor comedy elements and a different kind of story line based in an earlier than usual Texas setting. The thing that genuinely puzzles me is why a film with such big name stars and which clearly had a wide MGM distribution in the English speaking world has still never had any kind of DVD release, let alone Bluray. As far as I know the only DVD is the Spanish one which has 4:3 ratio and no English options. I watched it on a DVDr that I’ve had for years and it is watchable but also has the 4:3 ratio which really doesn’t do it justice at all.
Day 4
Today’s movie - Vamos a Matar Sartana (1971)
Only watched one today since I watched three yesterday. This one is one of the absolute rarest of the genre, but sadly I don’t think we would have missed much if it hadn’t resurfaced. The movie was hard to understand for me because of the language but it was even harder to try to care about it. I usually like George Martin but in this he does nothing for me. Even worse than the Fidani movies but I still think this is better than the director’s other western “Wanted Ringo”, which doesn’t mean a whole lot as that one is awful too.
Day 4
Continuing with George Martin, I watched Tomb of the Pistolero (1964). This one, I have read, was supposed to be a co-production between Spain and Italy but weather prohibited the latter from participating which left this one being an entirely Spanish production. Technically, not a spag. but the original intent for it to be makes it close enough I think.
This one is enjoyable enough considering it was made in the early days of the genre and the film also has many of the elements of a good mystery as well.
Tumba del pistolero, La - The Spaghetti Western Database (spaghetti-western.net)
The first one is one of my favorites, so I’ll certainly check the second one out.
I’ve wondered the same thing myself. I saw this movie once several years ago and actually thought it was enjoyable. I would like to see it get a proper release.
wow! Just dawned on me ,I have never seen this one before. Very exited! Thanks man for posting this one .Gonna have to buy this one now and add to my collection. For day 4 is gonna be The Man Who Came To Kill. has many titles . Another one would be Doc ,Hands Of Steel.
Yes, Thanks man for posting . So this one is good? Must be.Has George martin in it. Really enjoyed Nebraska Jim .Anything like that then i know ill like it
Not particularly gritty, just like many early on, but it was interesting as the mystery element added something a bit different to it. I enjoyed it.
