This film was included in a cheap set I just got from DeepDiscount and for some reason was in black and white. I’m presuming that’s just due to a dodgy transfer (it was a very cheap set although most of the other 8 films included were ok quality).
The film itself seemed a strange mix of styles, more American than Italian in feel but with a definite Spaghetti score. In fact, is it just me, or is most of it ripped off from Morricone’s Dollar films? It all sounded very familiar. Except that is for the theme tune which was actually quite cool I thought.
[quote=“Phil H, post:1, topic:606”]This film was included in a cheap set I just got from DeepDiscount and for some reason was in black and white. I’m presuming that’s just due to a dodgy transfer (it was a very cheap set although most of the other 8 films included were ok quality).
The film itself seemed a strange mix of styles, more American than Italian in feel but with a definite Spaghetti score. In fact, is it just me, or is most of it ripped off from Morricone’s Dollar films? It all sounded very familiar. Except that is for the theme tune which was actually quite cool I thought.
Any one else seen this one lately?
Opinions?[/quote]
Must be interesting to watch in B&W Spaghetti. But have not seen it.
What is it about ?
Martin Benson (Guy Madison) works for the government infiltrating gun runners. He takes another mission close to his old home and sets off. Meanwhile his family are attacked by these villains and his father is killed and sister raped. His younger brother discovers them and takes hostage a wounded man he finds at the scene. He hides him in a local cave and nurses him back to health in order to find out the identity of the villain’s boss. Benson teams up with his brother to avenge the family. All leads up to big showdown at the end where the boss is revealed and dealt with.
As I said before it is quite American in feel, as I think most Guy Madison westerns are but it’s worth watching. Why my copy is in black and white is a mystery to me. I’m sure it would have been originally filmed in colour but it does add to it’s U.S TV western feel being in monochrome and in a strange nostalgic way I kind of like it like that. Maybe it just reminds me of being a kid watching Gunsmoke and The Virginian on the telly.
I have Brentwoods cheap dvd set Crime Lords which had same problem. One of the movies (Crime Boss) starts with colors but turns black and white in middle of the film.
This man can’t die, hmm -quite bad film but I liked the music.
I have a budget label Crime Boss and i think it may do that!, does the film start half way through the start credits?
At least it is widescreen 2.35:1 i suppose, any vhs i had of this film before was fullscreen.
[quote=“Yodlaf Peterson, post:7, topic:606”]I have a budget label Crime Boss and i think it may do that!, does the film start half way through the start credits?
At least it is widescreen 2.35:1 i suppose, any vhs i had of this film before was fullscreen.[/quote]Ah, no. I was confusing the titles. It’s Mr. Scarface (Jack Palance film) that changes to b/w but you’re right Crime Boss is missing some of the start credits in otherwise nice presentation of the film.
Not a great spag by any means but not really bad, either. It is a very strange experience watching a spaghetti western in black & white. For the first or so, I figured that I was watching a version that been prepared for American television and had, therefore, been cropped and transfered to 16mm black & white. Then I got to the scene where the bad guys wrestle with a bunch of prostitutes and the ladies lose a considerable amount of clothing and I thought, “Nope, this can’t be an American TV version of the film!” So, I have no idea why it’s in black & white.
I think I’ve figured out the whole black and white thing. I subsequently bought another cheap western box set (I really am a cheapskate) which also includes This Man Can’t Die in it and that version is in colour. It would appear the other version is just a crap transfer.
I agree ! I’ve just watched the movie on television and think it’s slightly above average.
nice cast with many familiar faces (Rik Battaglia without a beard this time)
good title song, the rest of the soundtrack is stolen from various Morricone scores
What really, really struck me was “the scene where the bad guys wrestle with a bunch of prostitutes and the ladies lose a considerable amount of clothing” as flynnparadox has mentioned. To me it looked liked the guys were trying to rip the girls’ clothes of in order to suck their titties ;D. Did anyone else get that impression ???
I only know this one and “Black Jack” from Baldanello, but that’s enough to know that he was a very unusual spaghetti western director. Black Jack includes rape, torture, humiliation and a lot of nasty going-ons; it’s certainly one of the most violent SWs I’ve ever seen. So yes, I guess those guys who ripped the girls’ clothes had bad plans! In the German section of this forum somebody asks a question about the availability of the ‘correct’ ending of Black Jack, so it’s quite possible that there are a few cut versions around. I own the French Ividis disc; it’s like this film fullscreen, but at least in colour. According to an Italian standard work on Spaghetti westerns (Casadio: se sei vivo spara, storie di ecc.) Baldanello made seven SWs; has anybody seen one of the others?
[quote=“scherpschutter, post:17, topic:606”]I only know this one and “Black Jack” from Baldanello, but that’s enough to know that he was a very unusual spaghetti western director. Black Jack includes rape, torture, humiliation and a lot of nasty going-ons; it’s certainly one of the most violent SWs I’ve ever seen. So yes, I guess those guys who ripped the girls’ clothes had bad plans! In the German section of this forum somebody asks a question about the availability of the ‘correct’ ending of Black Jack, so it’s quite possible that there are a few cut versions around. I own the French Ividis disc; it’s like this film fullscreen, but at least in colour. According to an Italian standard work on Spaghetti westerns (Casadio: se sei vivo spara, storie di ecc.) Baldanello made seven SWs; has anybody seen one of the others?[/quote]Yes, Black Jack is awesome film and one of the most bleakest sw I’ve seen. I have the Lumimous film dvd-r which has the unhappy ending. I’ve also seen 30 Winchesters for El Diablo from Baldanello but it was boring as hell. Colt in the Hand of the Devil[url]http://www.spaghetti-western.net/index.php/Colt_in_mano_del_diavolo%2C_Un[/url] might be interesting, at least it has good cast.
]Colt in the Hand of the Devil[/url] might be interesting, at least it has good cast.
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I did some research on it; it’s said to be quite good, especially for a SW made in the '70s. But it seems a bit difficult to find. Usually Dutch CINECITYPLANET owns at least a dvdr, but their search machine gave a blank on this one.
I have a COLOUR version of this GUY MADISON western shown on UK TV:
The leading stars GUY MADISON , LUCIENNE BRIDOU and ROSALBA NERI are excellent.
The story and direction move along at a good enjoyable pace with memorable characters
Lucienne Bridou as Guy Madison’s leading lady is extremely alluring, talented and adds
greatly to a finely constructed revenge story that concludes in an exciting manner.
