Why does no one like Gianfranco Parolini?

Every book about spaghettis I’ve ever read is down on Parolini ( Frayling “circus westerns”, Alex Cox etc…) . To me his films are made in the true spaghetti style
zip pans , rack focus shots , crazy abuse of the zoom lens , even if Sartana was made in an Italian quarry his focus is on the characters and action .
Obviously compared to the heavyweight serious directors he is a light hearted, comedic filmmaker , whats wrong with that ? .
I have always loved the scene in Sabata where Van Cleef meets Berger , shooting his banjo ( “you were out of tune …) while the camera goes crazy…
He started off a few of the biggest series films ( Sabata / Sartana ) after the westerns his career seems to have gone into obscurity , he was too light hearted
to make Giallos or horrors, I also really enjoyed " 3 Fantastic Supermen” and “Five for Hell” have’nt seen “Yeti”…
So I will drink a beer tonight in honour of Gianfranco Parolini ( Frank Kramer ) Entertainer .

[quote=“alan, post:1, topic:2580”]Obviously compared to the heavyweight serious directors he is a light hearted, comedic filmmaker , whats wrong with that ? .

So I will drink a beer tonight in honour of Gianfranco Parolini ( Frank Kramer ) Entertainer .[/quote]

It’s always good to drink a beer in honour of somebody, alan, but I guess you gave the answer to your question yourself: he is a lightweight director, a bit of a circus artist compared to a Leone or a Sollima, and most people who write about spaghetti westerns either prefer the die hard, gritty outings, or the more intellectual ones. I’m not different in that aspect, but I do like If you meet Sartana etc. and Sabata.

Sabata and Sartana are two of the greatest SWs ever made in my opinion. But I don’t really care for Kramer’s other work.

I like Parolini’s stuff myself, his westerns have a feel good feel to them.

Spot of Parolini is welcome from time to time.

He made some weak SW like Diamante Lobo or Sabata’s Return :o
But I cannot say I don’t like him cause I even like his War (Parolini-Comedy) Movie 5 per l’inferno and his Indio Black Western. :slight_smile:

Not a big fan of Parolini myself. First Sartana is my least favorite from the series. And Sabata… strange movie which I wish I could like more, great cast, good music. I don’t even mind the acrobatics, I actually think Alley Cat is a cool character but somehow I never got into Parolini’s westerns.

5 for Hell is probably my favorite Parolini film.

I like Giuliano Carnimeo’s Sartana movies more than the first one done by Parolini. Sabata and Indio Black are great though. God’s Gun and Return of Sabata are quite bad.

After watching The Return of Sabata I have a lot more appreciation for Gianfranco Parolini, it looks like he didn’t just make two good movies that have spawned franchises.

As you can see, opinions differ quite a lot as to which films were his best lol

Yes, that’s definitively interesting!

I like him. The first Sartana film is probably my favourite, all things considered.

I like Parolini. Sabatas are great fun

The first Sabata is one of my favorites westerns. Return of Sabata is one of my least favorite westerns. Adios Sabata is somewhere in between.

I have a lot of affection for Parolini - he put a lot of effort and imagination into his films, even if the results were uneven, to say the least.

If You Meet Sartana… is in my top ten, and Sabata and Adios, Sabata would both feature in the top 30, I reckon (or top 40 at least). The opening of Return of Sabata is brilliant, although it goes downhill from there, and while God’s Gun is poor overall, there are some excellent visual touches that show Parolini was still trying (and it’s still demonstrably a Parolini movie - he had his own recognisable style, whether you care for it or not).

Sure, his films are lightweight, but the best ones are as entertaining as they come.

And he’s a hell of a nice guy, as well, even if he is borderline bonkers.

Parolini is in the SW HALL OF FAME. He must have some fans round here! :wink:

no one??? parolini for me was the best!!! all the others after ;D
my list of my favorite director’s from the begining to the end

  1. giafranco parolini
  2. sergio leone
  3. gulianno carmineo
  4. sergio corbucci
  5. enzo castellari

i’am happy because he is in the SW HALL OF FAME!!
also i loved his war movie: five for hell 1969, this movie i top it in the same level with his spaghetti westerns!

yes i agree with you totally

me! the most fanatic one of all!

especially god’s gun i can;t bellieve how made it? total disaster!