FILLING THE VOIDS: IN SEARCH OF THE MISSED GEM(S)
MOVIE #3: Death Sentence (1968, Mario Lanfranchi)
Odd structure, interesting use of singular camera angles and odd cuts and off-screen happenings, and very unusual score of nocturnal blues/jazz make this SW special one indeed. Maybe the story underneath it all is too simplistic and lacks some twists - it four acts unfurl basically the same way - and I’m still not converted to Church of Milian, but, yes, it’s a nice little gem,
To me the Milian episode is the weakest, the first one is the strongest
Death Sentence is, to me, the very definition of a hidden gem. One of the very best movies the genre has to offer.
I think I liked the 2nd the best, with Salerno and the girl.
Also great yes, but maybe a bit too static. The third one is a good mini-movie, would’ve worked better (maybe) as a full-length movie, there was more into it. The Milian part just didn’t work for me. He can be effective as an actor, but he can be an enormous pain in the a… as well.
https://www.spaghetti-western.net/index.php/Death_Sentence_Review
I thought Milian was great in Death Sentence. Yes he was over-the-top as per and O’Hara was a bit different compared to his other roles but I still think he was one of the highlights of the movie.[quote=“scherpschutter, post:108, topic:3997”]
He can be effective as an actor, but he can be an enormous pain in the a… as well
[/quote]
Isn’t that part of his charm? I think his great acting and annoying traits go hand in hand, which make characters like Cuchillo, O’Hara and Chaco a cut above most other characters in the genre. They’re so much more exciting and charismatic.
Agreed, I don’t think it’s perfect because it lacks a level of depth but it’s one of the most solid and enjoyable films I’ve seen in the genre.
Like I said in my review of the movie: “there are people who have spoken more positively about this act and his (= Milian’s) performance.”
We cannot all love the same actors and performances. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate Milian, but he’s not a favorite, like for instance Van Cleef, Eastwood or Gemma. I like Milian best in Companeros, where is style of acting suits the character and the movie.
Companeros is one of my favourites of his, but for me personally BG and RMR are his best work. Like Hughes said he “was born to play Cuchillo.”.
Saw Union Pacific for the first time (I think). Quite a movie, ahead of its time
Half Breed To Kill.
Family is killed and the wife taken hostage by a group of outlaws after some horses.
Very low budget Mexican western from the 60’s starring a very young Slim Pickens, who just sort of plays himself like he does in so many of his roles. Not very suitable music to this one, just does not fit the film, aswell as being a pure lack of music at times. But then again this reflects the budget of the film. Nothing much new in the film, more of a curiosity film re the stars in the film for me.
Seen this a couple of days ago. Impressive western from epic director “Cecil B DeMille” about the Union Pacific Rairoad…good cast, good action, ( Joel McCrea and Barbara Stanwyck ) were really good in their roles, but for me ( Robert Preston ) stole the show.
Yesterday: Savage Pampas (Fregonese, 1966)
Captain Martin (Robert Taylor), leader of a remote Argentinian military outpost keeps losing his men to renegade ex-soldier Padron (Ron Randell). Padron’s not killing them; he’s enlisting them by offering them what Captain Martin can’t: Women. Our man decides to counter this by bringing nine prostitutes to his garrison to entertain his troops as only prostitutes can. But getting those ladies across the hostile grasslands of Argentina isn’t easy…
I bought the fairly recent German blu-ray having never seen the film, but it’s pretty good without being by any means a world-beater. It’s all quite grand in scope, and it has a boisterous, lively (and maybe somewhat over-demonstrative) score which had me thinking of the big Hollywood period epics of the sixties. As for the blu-ray: It’s nice and vivid, lots of colour. Artifacts are still plentiful, but I don’t mind a movie looking its age. The English dub is fine when it’s happening, although it cuts into German quite often (no doubt due to a lot of scene restoration).
Anyway, I’m glad I got it, I’m already looking forward to giving it a second look.
The Five Man Army.
Welcome to the SWDB, John!
Thanks Asa.
John, a big welcome to ‘SWDB’.
Thanks. Glad to be here Toscano.
The Magnificent 7 Ride
Some think it’s not really a Mag 7 sequel and it’s most certainly not a spaghetti western, but the genre had done its work and Lee’s Chris is closer to a spaghetti western hero as any oher Chris the Mag 7 has to offer:
Btw Scherp, it is the 4th film, but only the 3rd sequel. 