I actually watched this movie yesterday (VCI), it was a while ago since I watched my old VHS-copie.
It’s an descent movie, not the greatest I’ve seen, but descent.
I enjoyed this movie. Always wondered what happened to the star of “Colt .45” ( Wayde Preston)
I liked this movie, but I prefer “lone gunmen” movies over “group of gunmen” movies.
I always liked this film, even though I usually - just like the Colonel - prefer ‘lone gunmen’ over ‘group of gunmen’.
But this one is very well done and looks beautiful. The master-servent theme along with the racial theme (the raped and murdered woman being indian) mark it as a socially conscious spaghetti western, and makes you wonder what a director like Sollima would’ve made of it.
I mean: it’s good as it is, but I had the feeling there was even more in it.
I saw the Dutch (DFW) release, which is widescreen but otherwise average: it is rather grainy and colours often are oversaturated.
I think I had a conversation (with Stanton?) on this one on another thread (or on another forum? You see: I’m getting old).
I still don’t know where the film was shot exactly and whether Nakadai’s character is supposed to be Mexican or Japanese.
BRETT HALSEY has always had a very imposing, electric screen presence in his SWs
He was married to the Italian SW Leading lady LUCIANA PALUZZI from around 1968 and they made an extremely talented/glamorous couple. Both made many Classic Films.
This SW Today We Kill , Tomorrow We Die 1968 is outstanding in all departments 
My Vote for TODAY WE KILL TOMORROW WE DIE 1968 is 15.5 out of 20
Always been one of my favourites this one. Not sure why actually. It just appeals to me.
And I’ve never figured out where it was shot either but I love the wintry forest setting. As for Nakadai’s character though. I always figured he was supposed to be Japanese by the asian cymbals in the music and the way he wields that Machete like a samurai sword.
[quote=“Phil H, post:26, topic:189”]Always been one of my favourites this one. Not sure why actually. It just appeals to me.
And I’ve never figured out where it was shot either but I love the wintry forest setting. As for Nakadai’s character though. I always figured he was supposed to be Japanese by the asian cymbals in the music and the way he wields that Machete like a samurai sword.[/quote]
Nakadai is called Elfego in the movie, at least Italian books and sites spell it like this. This doesn’t sound Japannese to me, and what’s more: on another forum A Japannese member asked me why Nakadai was called ‘el feo’, the ugly one; I answered him that the name probably is to be read as ‘El Fuego’, the fire, or the firy, referring to the character’s temperament. Anyway, the name sounds more Spanish (Mexican) than japannese, and a machete is not a samurai sword.
About the setting: Casadio writes in his book that the film was shot ‘negli studi della Elios film’ (negli = in the); Elios film studios had a western town and I suppose that they owned - like most italian studios - various grounds outside Rome, but I do not know where exactly. I do not recognize the setting. I remember I asked some Italian specialists about it on the Altervista database forum, and they promised to make some inquiries, but I’m still waiting for an answer.
Names of characters in SW’s are always ethnically ambiguous.
Django, Sartana, Sabata, Manco…
I liked this movie. Would say it’s a nice little SW. A japanese Villian (?), strange idea but it works. A little more of the Samurai Aspect of Elfego would have been interesting. The Problem with most of the movies with a leading group is that you always will find one member of the gang as underchallenged and would have liked to see him more involved in the story. Also in that movie, for me Franco Borelli as Bunny Fox had this role. The Final Scenes in the Wood I found pretty good and I appreciated the (very little!) Indian Aspects of the Story (Bill Kiowa had a indian wife and the henchmen of Elfego were Comancheros). It was the only SW directed by Tonio Cervi and IMO a good contribution.
[quote=“Yodlaf Peterson, post:15, topic:189”]Other movies i can think of that came out on Activ
COMPANEROS
KEOMA
BULLET FOR THE GENERAL
TEXAS ADDIO
DJANGO THE BASTARD
FACE TO FACE
i think Return of Django (The only official sequel with Franco Nero) came out also but im not 100%
Companeros was full screen though and the shorter version of the film.
Keoma is cut by the BBFC (Horse falls i think)[/quote]
Yes , The Return of Django was released on 4-Front/AKTIV in VHS format in 1996 , (as Django Strikes Again), i have a copy.
I have my eye on this one. How many squibs does it use? Squibs are afasciantion of mine.
I watched it a recently. The whole idea it’s ok, I actually like the woods scenes and the Django look in Bill Kiowa character. What I didn’t understand and deslike is why some of this comancheros had these Japanese faces. In a overview I think that those actors all delivered mediocre performances.
As average as a SW can possibly get.
When you think it’s going to throw a surprise out there it just continues on its excercise of mediocrity.
With such a great cast, this is a completely missed opportunity.
5/10
[quote=“YourPallbearer, post:34, topic:189”]As average as a SW can possibly get.
When you think it’s going to throw a surprise out there it just continues on its excercise of mediocrity.
With such a great cast, this is a completely missed opportunity.
5/10[/quote]
I thought it was a bit average as well but I like the first half, just the wandering through the trees at the end felt like it went on for ages.
I didn’t like this one very much at all. It seemed half the film was used to introduce characters. There were so many protagonists that the characters were underdeveloped and I didn’t care what would happen to them. Seeing Dario Argento attached to this one, I had high hopes and was let down. There were some decent shots and the main protag. had the whole “dark and quiet” thing going on, which I like. However, I can’t say that I would have any need to visit this one again.
I Like this film Very Much, a classic SW Revenge Story 4 out of 5.
It’s not a great film per se, but it has all the right ingredients (a revenge story, flashback structure, a colourful villain, some real nastiness). I often think of this movie (along with for instance Arizona Colt) as the typical Spaghetti western from the heydays of the genre. If you want to show to newcomers (or Martians) what a spaghetti western is, show one of these movies (there are a few other possibilities)
Everybody’s entitled to his own opinion, of course, but I fear that Waratah doesn’t like this movie, he won’t become a real genre addict
When I first saw it back in the 80s I was also disappointed, and thought then that it was only a mediocre film. But now I like it.
It has its flaws, and without them it could have become a very good SW. But it has many of the genre’s qualities. Good genre entertainment. 4/5
Good film, very dark and gloomy.
One of the first spaghetti western that I’ve seen.
But it has its weaknesses. Especially the location.
And I agree with Stanton. The movie will be better the more you see it.