Spagvemberfest 2023
Number 24
Six Bounty Killers for a Massacre (Lattanzi / 1973)
Why did I bother watching this one again? Well, of course I’d forgotten quite how bad it was. And it really is very bad. Like, amateur bad with a few professionals thrown in to add names to the marquee but who must have been horribly desperate to take this gig under any circumstances. I mean, it’s so bad I can’t bare to talk about it.
The Bounty Killer (Eugenio Martin, 1966)
I stumbled from a fun circus western (Sabata) to one of the genre’s more subtle, psychological entries. As you might know, this is Tomas Milians debut performance in the SW fold as well as his (possibly) most restrained one, in some ways more similar to his acting style in Italian drama films of the early sixties than what was to come - which he does great. It is, for better or worse (mostly for the better), a rather understated film overall. The deliberate pacing and sparse dialogue at times turns you off a slight bit, but it adds to the tightness and intimacy of the story. I know many people don’t like Richard Wyler as the eponymous character, but i do. He gives the impression of an everyman - not a villain, not a hero or even a clear anti-hero, just an ordinary guy good enough with a gun for the circumstances to have causes, which fits the low-key and character-based mood well. But there is hardly a weak performance by anyone involved, certainly not by Ella Karin in a strong female role that truly fills a big role in the story rather than falling into western women chichés.
What makes this film quite special for me, however, lies in the unusual depiction of bounty hunters. They’re not the cool anti-heroes of For a Few Dollars More nor the sadistic villains of The Great Silence - as i wrote about Chilson, he feels like a regular person who happens to get his cash from chasing criminals. He may not keep his hands entirely clean, but does not enjoy killing or beating and sees it strictly as a way to obtain his basic living supplies, at least (it’s implied) until he has another source of income available Real-life professional bounty hunters in the old west were rare, and mostly collected bounties as moonlighting between other jobs. Like the film depicts, they were usually regarded as the lowest type of scum by the general public, of whom many actively sympathized with the pursued criminals (who were often popular). As such, The Bounty Killer provides maybe the most realistic depiction of bounty hunting one can find in a spaghetti western, or maybe even one of them for westerns in general (insofar as the profession ever existed whatsoever). For me as a history buff that elevates the whole feature one step above the purely cinematic qualities (in a similar way, my personal affection for Death Rides a Horse which i’ve written about earlier gives it a rating of 9/10 although it’s objectively possibly might be slightly lower than that).
If you add that “historical accuracy” bonus (be it accidental or not) the grade becomes an impressive 8/10, a grade mostly restricted to top 20 material for me plus a small number of runners-up (it has been bubbling right under my list for a while, and it’s not entirely impossible it nudges its way into it someday, and in that case chiefly thanks to the said refreshing perspective on bounty hunting). Lastly, it would be interesting to read the book if i ever find it.
This is the film that was the nail in the coffin for me regarding being a completest of the SW genre … I actually sat through the entire thing, and vowed, never again, enough is enough.
0/10 … and that’s being generous!
Day 28
E Dio disse a Caino - The Spaghetti Western Database (spaghetti-western.net)
Back with the familiar tonight as I felt like I needed a re-watch of this one.
Ten years after being sent to prison, Klaus Kinski’s Gary Hamilton is released and sets out to get revenge upon those that wronged him at the same time a tornado is arriving.
A simple enough revenge tale to say the least but director Antonio Margheriti stirred some gothic horror into the mix and turned it into a classic. Not much more to be said.
Fury of Johnny Kid (1967)
The Campos and Mounter family have been fighting for years. Then Senor Campos (Rufino Ingles) and Bill Mounters (Luis Induni) come to an understanding. Both families will fight in the open and a judge will decide who wins. The losers must leave California.
Rodrigo Campos (Peter Martell) and the rest of the family spring a trap and kill nearly all of the Mounters except for Bill and his son Johnny (Peter Lee Lawrence), who is captured by the Campos family and kept in jail with Lefty (Andres Mejuto), a man with a hook for a hand.
The Campos want them to fight to the death but Johnny gets them away alive. Lefty then teaches him how to survive: “Shoot first, shoot to kill. Keep an eye on the allegedly dead. Beware of spare guns. Never turn your back to another colt. Keep your eye and your hand steady if you want to live long and healthy. Always get even.”
Johnny comes back for revenge and falls for Giulietta Campos (Cristina Galbo), which should let you know that he’s the Italian Western Romeo and she’s Juliet. There’s also a saloon girl named Rosalind (Maria Cuadra) who falls for him and like all fallen women who redeem themselves in these movies, she dies to help save him. There’s also Sheriff Cooper (Piero Lulli), who is in love with Giulietta and she in no way returns his ardor.
In real life, Lawrence and Galbo fell in love and were married. Sadly, he died of brain cancer at the age of thirty, but before that, he would be in Pistol for a Hundred Coffins and she would appear in The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue, The House That Screamed and What Have You Done to Solange?
This was directed by Gianni Puccini, who mainly worked as a writer. His assistant director was Paul Naschy, who also appears in a bar scene where his character loses an arm wrestling match and has his hand impaled.
I really enjoyed this movie. It takes the basics of Shakespeare and becomes its own movie. It ends — spoiler warning — with death itself killing everyone else except our young lovers, which is quite different than the classic.
It was shot by Mario Montuori, who was the cameraman on Bicycle Thieves. I also love the soundtrack, which is Gino Peguri. He also did the music for Bloody Pit of Horror and Supersonic Man.
Thanks for the suggestion! I have seen Bandidos and I remember really liking it, but since I don’t remember the particulars, I’m sure it is time for a rewatch.
Film 21 - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
10/10
This was my first spaghetti. I got it on DVD as a Christmas gift when I was younger because I had been playing a gothic vampire western video game called Darkwatch which used the GBU theme song. So I’m thankful my folks recognized the music and surprised me. I was only mildly interested in watching it, but I was immediately and forever hooked once I did.
Film 22 - Arriva Sabata (1970)
5/10
This low budget Anthony Steffan film was both quite bad, and the kind of silly fun western you’d find on a Mill Creek set back when finding classics was hard. I’m glad I saw it once, but I hope I don’t watch it again.
Film 23 - Django Shoots First (1966)
7/10
Well-made with a catchy score by Nicolai. This one was solid and entertaining and the kind of obscure western that makes Spagvember worthwhile. The comedy almost always worked; there were some great horse-riding action scenes, and the simple “corrupt banker” and “family revenge” plot (but crucially, a plot with momentum).
Technically, I would still rate a couple of comedies lower because of how stupid and offensive they are, but their humor or rather the delivery of it is not as arrantly hopeless. In terms of pure humor, the movie is so boneheadedly tone-deaf it is hard to wrap your head around why it got released in the theaters to begin with, it is unter-shlock.
You’re welcome 
Spagvemberfest 2023
Number 25
Three Supermen of the West (Martinenghi / 1973)
I’ve got stuck on 1973 somehow and it’s killing me. Another comedy, another bottom of the barrel scraper. To be fair, this one must have been made strictly for kids so maybe I’m expecting too much. But then again I’m pretty sure I would have thought this pretty awful even when I was nine. This Spagvemberfest is taking it’s toll but it’s all my own doing. In a desperate bid to catch up I’m watching anything that won’t take too much attention and that has its own results. Ah well, not long to go now.
I last watched Dieci bianchi uccisi da un piccolo indiano a long time ago. Maybe you’re right and I should rewatch it, but a quick search just now didn’t turn up a better version. And the one we know is really awful.
I also watched it a long time ago, but unlike Runner I’m in the camp of those who think it is a disappointing one.
But maybe I’ll give it one day another chance, the plot at least sounded promising.
Grinders no. 28:
Too much stress and not really motivation to watch a SW…so only a short one for in between:
EL PROSCRITO DEL RIO COLORADO
Proscrito del río Colorado, El - The Spaghetti Western Database (spaghetti-western.net)
Hm, what can I say…I rewatched this after 11 years now and i have remembered absolutely nothing …like for many other weaker SW.
This is a spanish production, an US actor in the lead and an US director. There`s zero SW feeling and also not the charm of the early spanish Westerns. Except for the spanish landscapes it looked like a cheap US B-Western. Nevertheless I liked it somehow, even though the story was not exciting and only low standard.
The version I have watched was 72:27 Min (PAL) and in Fullscreen. English language and credits. Looked like a good vhs or TV rip and the master seemed to be a worn 16mm or 35mm copy with splices and drop outs. But since I like grindhouse and also the nice colours of this print this was ok to watch.
Maybe again in 11 years 
Day 28:
“Vado… l’ammazzo e torno” (I’ll go… I’ll kill him and come back)
aka, ‘Any Gun Can Play’ (1967)
Another very enjoyable and well made film.
Not being a huge fan of Enzo G, I was pleasantly surprised by how much effort has clearly gone into each set up … and the director was paying close attention to the blue print set down by Sergio Leone and his team, in regards to stylistic framing of his photo compositions, almost to the point of parody - but then he’s already making fun of the genre in the pre-title sequence.
Also, NOT being a fan of Gilbert Roland, … I was reminded why, with this character, ‘Monetero’,
the ‘Great Latin lover’ of 62 years, bedding his 21 year old GF, 'Marisol’portrayed by ‘Kareen O’Hara’ (Stefania Careddu)
Perhaps Castellari should be congratulated for this realistic touch, or condemned for pampering the ego of this leathery old hasbeen.
Despite that unsavory aspect, the film works well as a lighthearted action adventure romp.
PS: Badly in need of a restoration … I watched one of the so called public domain releases, which was no worse than early Wild East DVD
6.5/10
With a wonderful soundtrack by Francesco De Masi, at the peak of his SW excellence…with a very catchy theme sung by the unmistakable Raoul.
‘Once Upon a Time in the West…There Was a Speedboat’…
C’era una volta un motoscafo
It has a ring to it.
