[quote=“Stanton, post:7380, topic:141”]Yeah, luckily Hondo uses the 3-d effects only sporadically.
The DVD runs also about 85 min (81 in Pal). Uncut[/quote]
Ah, thanks Stanton; I wasn’t sure if I was watching an uncut version or not.
Watched “A Bullet For The General” for the first time last night. It was really good. Just wish Kinski’s character was in the movie more.
Get used to that feeling.
[url]http://img7.imageshack.us/i/sevenmenfromnowcolor21.jpg/[/url] [size=12pt]Seven Men from Now[/size] (1956, Bud Boetticher)
![http://img7.imageshack.us/i/sevenmenfromnowcolor21.jpg/[/url]](http://img7.imageshack.us/i/sevenmenfromnowcolor21.jpg/%5B/url%5D){kind=link}
The first collaboration of the trio Boetticher-Kennedy-Scott that would give the world a series of classic westerns in the years to come. Seven men from Now is a marvelous film, exciting, beautifully shot (no doubt Leone had seen and admired it), and starring a magnificent Lee Marvin in what could well be the best performance of his entire career, but it also has a few shortcomings. It has a more upbeat ending, offering Scott the opportunity to start over again with Gail Russell, with whom he had been flirting from the first moment they meet. Scott is, in other words, a more classic western hero – one who gets the girl in the end – than in the much darker movies he and director Boetticher were about to make, and in which he would be presented as an old, embittered man, who has no future, because he exclusively lives in the past. Scott, approaching his 60th birthday, would prove to be the ideal actor to impersonate an emotionally crippled, obsessed, yet caring older person, but he’s simply too old here to be credible as a romantic lead.
Excellent review of an excellent movie scherpschutter; however, I’d differ with your opinion of Seven Men from Now being Lee Marvin’s best performance. Personally I like him better in [b]The Big Heat /b, The Dirty Dozen (1967), [b]Bad Day at Black Rock /b and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962).
All very good performances, John (although I don’t remember his appearance in Bad Day at Black Rock - just checked if he was in that movie, he is!). Actually it’s hard for him to turn in a less than decent performance; I saw him not so long ago in Prime Cut, an average movie, but his performance was fine. My favourite movie starring Lee Marvin probably is (next to Liberty Valence of course) Monty Walsh.
I’d go for Emperor of the North.
How about the Iceman Cometh?
I watched “Sonny and Jed” and “What Am I Doing in the Middle of the Revolution” yesterday, I was thrilled to discover how good they were despite their respective reputations. “Sonny and Jed”, I kind of knew I would like, it just seemed to be exactly my thing (doesn’t hurt that I love Thomas Milian), but “What Am I Doing in the Middle of the Revolution”? I expected it to be just as awful as “The White, the Yellow, and the Black”. But while the humour in Corbucci’s last western was mostly slapstick, the humour in this one seemed to be based on the dialogue more than anything else. And honestly, those dialogues were often pretty sharp and funny. So in a way I guess it succeeds more as a comedy than as a western and even though, at first, I kinda wished that the two main characters were played by spaghetti actors (because they really cement the comedy over western feeling), I got to admit that they grew on me.
The movie also really benefits from it’s violent, bleak and overtly political setting, not only does it contrasts in a strangely effective way with the comedy, but it gives the film a unified feeling that “The White, the Yellow, and the Black” lacked. Plus it actually feels like a Corbucci. Finally, the films also has some really inspired moments, a good score, some well-staged action, a really powerful opening and the last 12 minutes or so are just freaking great. Basically this little Italian comedy with a zapata western flavour is pretty good and rather memorable, really this should have been Corbucci’s last western.
Good to hear some positive thoughts on these movies
I was pleasantly surprised by Sonny and Jed too, it’s much better than it is reputed to be. I’ll be reviewing the other movie very soon, and I’ll keep some of the things you say about it in mind.
Well-written post, by the way.
A Hole in the Forehead (Giuseppe Vari)
Slow and atmospheric treasure hunt spaghi that was pretty darn good.
[quote=“scherpschutter, post:7390, topic:141”]Good to hear some positive thoughts on these movies
I was pleasantly surprised by Sonny and Jed too, it’s much better than it is reputed to be. I’ll be reviewing the other movie very soon, and I’ll keep some of the things you say about it in mind.
Well-written post, by the way.[/quote]
Actually, your review (a very good one, I should add) for Sonny and Jed is one of the thing that convinced me that I was going to like it. I hope people in the future will be more inclined to revisit this film, it’s not a masterpiece, but it’s still incredibly underrated. As for Corbucci’s last zapata, well I’ll be looking forward for your review, hoping it’s as positive as my post! I think that viewing it in the right mindset (although mine changed while I was watching it) is really important, 'cause like I said this one feels more like a comedy with a spaghetti flavour than anything else. ;D
Yeah, that’s for sure
I think even the biggest Corbucci apologist would have a hard time convincing me that “The White, the Yellow, and the Black” isn’t complete trash!
By the way, I came across a really good French review of “What Am I Doing in the Middle of the Revolution”, the guy actually argues it’s one of Corbucci’s best and even though I disagree, he’s pretty convincing.
Dunno if there’s any French speakers that are interested, but here’s the review : Mais qu'est ce que je viens foutre au milieu de cette révolution ? | Western spaghetti | Comédie | Drame
[quote=“I love you M.E. Kay, post:7394, topic:141”]I think even the biggest Corbucci apologist would have a hard time convincing me that “The White, the Yellow, and the Black” isn’t complete trash!
By the way, I came across a really good French review of “What Am I Doing in the Middle of the Revolution”, the guy actually argues it’s one of Corbucci’s best and even though I disagree, he’s pretty convincing.
Dunno if there’s any French speakers that are interested, but here’s the review : Mais qu'est ce que je viens foutre au milieu de cette révolution ? | Western spaghetti | Comédie | Drame
Yes, an interesting review, with some interesting thoughts on Corbucci and his work
Great line “Quelle belle mort ! Mourir au milieu d’une aussi belle révolution, c’est le rêve d’une vie, à l’attaque !”… (what a beautiful death! To die in the middle of such a beautiful revolution, that really the dream of a lifetime, let’s attack …!"). It seems a reference to the final scene of Corbucci’s previous Zapata, with the Swede returning to El Vasco and his revolutionaries while the federal troops are approching, screaming: Vamos a matar, compañeros!
Just finished watching Compeneros. Damn this is an awesome movie. And Jack Palance is amazing in this movie. He’s smoking a joint in every scene! Genius.
Akward Hands (Rafael Romero Marchent)
Everything that needs to be said about the film has already been said. Uneven but good.
Decision at Sundown (Boetticher/57)
An excellent little Western that really goes quite in the opposite direction of the way you think it is going - with the bad guy perhaps not really being the villain the way Randolph Scott thinks he is. Nice photography by Burnett Guffey and unusually sharp and modern feeling cutting by Al Clark round off another wiinner by Budd Boetticher.
Underrated western for me.
The villain is interesting as he is indeed not really a villain. In the end he gets a girl who loves him while Scott gets only drunk.
Great SW type scene when Scott enters the church during the wedding to answer the normally rhetoric question if someone has an object against the wedding.
The most bleak of Boetticher’s Ranown cycle.
Scherp thinks it is a minor Boetticher, some others also do. For me it is on par with the other 5 of the cycle.
John do you think it is an atmospheric film, as you are praising the photography?
The typical clean 50s western town was the only thing which was a bit disappointing imo.
[quote=“Stanton, post:7399, topic:141”]The most bleak of Boetticher’s Ranown cycle.
Scherp thinks it is a minor Boetticher, some others also do. For me it is on par with the other 5 of the cycle.[/quote]
Thought so last time I saw it
It’s a rather dark movie, yes, but I found it a bit forced too, a bit artificial in its darkness. It didn’t feel completely right.
Still a good film though, and I’ll give it another chance (it’s next on the Boetticher program)