16: Siciliano: Taste of Vengeance[url]http://www.spaghetti-western.net/index.php/Vigliacchi_non_pregano,_I[/url] (1968)
-I don’t like the first part of the film but it gets better and better towards the end. Garko is good in the lead even if he looks like making Kinski impressions at times. 
I liked the scene where the soldiers from the first scene are hanged. It’s not underlined that they’re the ones Garko is after and I think I missed the point when I saw this first time. And Garko and girl crossing the plains was beautiful shot. I liked the music, sounded a bit like Morricone to me. 6/10
[b]Spagvemberfest 2015 number 15
The Bounty Killer (Martin / 1966)[/b]
The only film in my top 20 directed by a Spaniard and one I haven’t watched for quite a while. A very quiet film for this genre I always think with Milian in restrained mode. Sometimes feels like a more classic American western, other times decidedly not and gets a nice balance as a result. Definitely a film that grows on you rather than dazzles though.
SPAGVEMBERFEST 2015 - THE BIG RUNDOWN: NUMBER 14
Today, I’m raiding mrs.caress’ make-up bag and settling down to 10,000 Dollars For a Massacre (Guerrieri, 1967), starring Claudio Camaso’s eyeliner as a pair of sexy Elizabeth Taylor-style eyes which want to seduce an enigmatic bounty hunter (Gianni Garko, almost as cool as he was in any of the Sartanas) even though they’ve unfortunately been attached to the face of a vicious Mexican bandit (Claudio Camaso). One of the strangest love triangles in cinematic history, certainly, but fortunately 10,000 Dollars For a Massacre also happens to be a ripping good spag too. I wish Claudio Camaso had been in more spags, he’s bloody brilliant here.
[quote=“last.caress, post:123, topic:3590”]SPAGVEMBERFEST 2015 - THE BIG RUNDOWN: NUMBER 14
Today, I’m raiding mrs.caress’ make-up bag and settling down to 10,000 Dollars For a Massacre (Guerrieri, 1967), starring Claudio Camaso’s eyeliner as a pair of sexy Elizabeth Taylor-style eyes which want to seduce an enigmatic bounty hunter (Gianni Garko, almost as cool as he was in any of the Sartanas) even though they’ve unfortunately been attached to the face of a vicious Mexican bandit (Claudio Camaso). One of the strangest love triangles in cinematic history, certainly, but fortunately 10,000 Dollars For a Massacre also happens to be a ripping good spag too. I wish Claudio Camaso had been in more spags, he’s bloody brilliant here.
[/quote]
Looking forward to that one too LC (whether or not I go with the guyliner remains to be seen) but it will be a bit later in the month for me as this is solid Top 10 stuff in my book.
17: Fizzattori: I’ll Sell My Skin Dearly[url]http://www.spaghetti-western.net/index.php/Vendo_cara_la_pelle[/url] (1968)
-Blah, kinda crappy film. I remembered this being interesting but apart from Mike Marshall’s glowing blue eyes I found the film forgettable. Plot is full of holes and stupidity starting from the beginning, how Shane knew who the killers were? Low budget film with some recycled Morricone music. 4/10
There’s the transfer of ownership of the mine, and Shane knows very well who were the people closest to Ralph.
[hr]
Kill the Poker Player
After Revenge of the Resurrected, another wordy one: two or three good scenes (opening , whistle, introduction of the character played by Frank Braña), some unusual ingredients and an ending not very different from the In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Colt one except for the surprising, “experimental” very last scene with freeze-frame who… puts everyone in a good mood
A Long Ride from Hell
I have found the first hour or so decidedly good, but suddenly a man thrown out the window by Reeves ends up upside-down in a barrel without physical damage and moments later we are in the middle of a thankfully short high-speed saloon brawl. The movie recovers, although the ending isn’t particularly effective. As a whole, slightly better than expected.
I’m still undecided about the one for tonight.
So there is a perfectly good word “mercenario” which happens to be the same in Spanish as in Italian, and instead they go and call it “Salario para matar” ???
[b]Spagvemberfest 2015 number 14
Johnny Hamlet (Castellari / 1968)[/b]
Far and away Castellari’s best film it begins as an artistic triumph but gets bogged down in unnecessary fist fights and over-long shoot outs as it goes along. This was always Castellari’s weak point of course (or strong point depending on your personal taste I guess) but I have to say the good stuff far outweighs the indifferent here. When it is good it is very very good and when it’s not it’s still just fine. Still a firm favourite for me and if he could have sustained the quality of the first third it would likely be in my top 5. As it is, still a firm contender to sneak back in the top 10. Maybe.
Maybe there was already another film released in Spain which used that title.
18: Taylor: Five Man Army[url]http://www.spaghetti-western.net/index.php/Esercito_di_cinque_uomini,_Un[/url] (1969)
-Heist film mixed with a revolution western with good cast and Morricone score. Film takes it’s time to get going but it gets better on the second half and the train robbing itself is intense and well done. 7/10
For a long while now it’s been the only movie on the SWDB’s Essential Big 50 which I have yet to see. I really must get on that.
SPAGVEMBERFEST 2015 - THE BIG RUNDOWN: NUMBER 13
“You believe in revenge, but I don’t. It never ends.”
At #13, it’s the extraordinary Cemetery Without Crosses (Hossein, 1969), in which a widow (Michéle Mercier) seeking revenge for the death of her husband gets that revenge courtesy of Manuel (Robert Hossein, also the writer/director), her husband’s friend and her former lover, but that revenge begets more revenge, and ultimately nobody wins, and everybody deserves to die. It’s a downbeat piece with a pervasive sense of doom from the off, in spite of that rather jaunty theme sung by the usually excellent Scott Walker which, in my humble opinion, isn’t particularly good, feels completely out of place and remains the only criticism I have of this picture. Cemetery Without Crosses is served ably by a decent cast, fleshed-out characters - Manuel the taciturn antihero is also vulnerable, remorseful; Maria the beautiful damsel in need is also driven, vengeful - and a wonderfully mournful acoustic score unlike more-or-less anything else in the genre. A true “must-see” for any western fan.
1 Like
19: Marchent: Awkward Hands[url]http://www.spaghetti-western.net/index.php/Manos_torpes[/url] (1969)
-Interesting sw with weird twists including chinese gun master and a town of plague victims. Peter Lee Lawrence is a good choice in the lead role, young pacifist and romantic young man who has to face lot of shit before he’s ready for revenge. 7/10
[b]Spagvemberfest 2015 number 13
Run Man Run (Sollima / 1968)[/b]
Here’s one that I expected to enjoy less than before but I think probably enjoyed more. The character of Cuchillo still makes me laugh, as does Chelo Alonzo’s Dolores and the whole think skips along at a good pace. Sure it’s maybe 20 minutes too long and, like its predecessor Big Gundown, suffers a bit from its episodic structure but it’s still a thoroughly enjoyable ride; well made, well written and with a great cast.
Jimi Hendrix. Joe Satriani. Steve Vai. Kirk Hammett. Yngwie Malmsteen. Eddie Van Halen. Jimmy Page. All fantastic axemen.
And here’s another.
SPAGVEMBERFEST 2015 - THE BIG RUNDOWN: NUMBER 12
From that late so-called"Twilight" period of the spag era, my #12 is Mannaja (Martino, 1977). One of my very favourite-looking spags, this, despite much of it being draped in white mist (or maybe because of it). Good, solid turn from Maurizio Merli as Blade, the hatchet-lobbing hero of the piece, but a show-stealing performance from Englishman John Steiner as Voller, ambitious henchman to local big cheese McGowan (Philippe Leroy). Great atmosphere throughout Mannaja, very un-spaglike but also the sort of atmosphere in a western that could only have come from spags. I’ll have earplugs at the ready though, for every time that f*ckawful theme tune kicks in. What is with those De Angelis brothers? They must have swallowed a hundredweight of ketamin. Or eaten a bad clam.
Let’s see - where are we…?
Umm… Monday, had a day off. Well I was one in hand anyway, and decided to try to save my relationship with the c-m, and watched a giallo instead which greatly pleased her. So, back to spags…
Tuesday, a double-header of whip-mayem in the form of A Hole in the Forehead, followed apprropriately by One After Another. I would imagine both of these will remain in toptwentyland. I went a bit out-of-order cos I wanted to see if the former film at previous No.16 position compared with the latter from No.6 to see if there was still the same sort of gap showing. That and I wanted to compare Mexi-baddies (Hundar and Martin) and stuff. The ranking will remain, but the gap might close between them… we’ll see.
Wednesday, was off on a train to Leeds, a coupla jars in The Scarborough Taps, 
then off to The Town Hall for a big(gish) screen showing of Requiescant which was showing as part of Leeds Film Festival.
Although I’ve watched it not long since, the second viewing was good fun, particularly as this time it was subbed/ Italian dub. That, and the big-screen and audience, slightly altered the experience of a re-sit.
But I’ve made the decision that it will not be fighting it out with DMDMS and BJ with a 16 score, as I’m downgrading it to a 15.5. Killer Kid (seen jus’before spagfest and previously ungraded) will now challenge a place at 16.25.
A Hole in the Forehead scores a respectable 16.75; and One After Another 17.25.
Tonight’s viewing is Vengeance For Vengeance.
20: Carnimeo: Light the Fuse… Sartana’s Cominghttp://www.spaghetti-western.net/index.php/Nuvola_di_polvere…_un_grido_di_morte…_arriva_Sartana,_Una (1970)
-Craziest entry in Sartana series. Maybe a bit too over the top at times but it’s good enteraining fun, I laughed at the “fastest gun in the west” guy and the scene where Monk thinks his men are beating Sartana was hilarious. Film would have benefited from another star actor like Kinski, Berger or Wolff in the previous films although the cast along always great Garko was ok, I’m especially fond of Susan Scott. I’d give it 6/10 but Sartana’s organ is worth 1 point itself so it’ll be 7/10.
New forum, right on!
But what happened to my numberings? All numbers have changed to 1! Now, where was I again?
Well anyways my next one was:
21: Demichelli: Sabata the Killer (1970) http://www.spaghetti-western.net/index.php/Arriva_Sabata!
-Film which starts as a comedic buddy film with eternal car riding scene with music playing on but later takes a turn to more action oriented and grim style. With Anthony Steffen, Peter Lee Lawrence and Eduardo Fajardo in the lead roles it ends up being rather pleasant film after all. 5/10
Shtting crikey! Where the fudding mcfckbum did my beautiful thread go?? Well it’s here now, safe and sound following its weekend lost out in the ether somewhere. Poor Spagvemberfest thread! Did they touch you inappropriately? Can I?
Right then. Where were we?
SPAGVEMBERFEST 2015 - THE BIG RUNDOWN: NUMBER 11
Better whip through these: On Friday, we had an eclipse. And a duel. There was an eclipse, with also some duallage. My #11 was Duel in the Eclipse (Merino, 1968). Mmm, leopardprint curtain fabric!
