Planet Spaghetti Western

Per qualche dollaro in più (1965 / Realizador: Sergio Leone)

Por um punhado de euros (E. Neto) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:07:00 +0000

Com o seu primeiro western, Sergio Leone deu início a uma nova fase do cinema italiano mas agora sentia na pele as desvantagens de ter assinado de forma precipitada um contrato pouco vantajoso com a Jolly Films. O contrato dizia que Leone era forçado a fazer outro filme e sucediam-se os conflitos com os produtores Arrigo Colombo e Giorgio Papi. O cineasta sentia-se injustiçado na divisão dos lucros e antes de cortar o mal pela raiz e rescindir unilateralmente disse aos produtores da Jolly Films: “Vou processá-los em tribunal! Eu nem sabia se queria fazer outro western mas agora vou mesmo fazer, só para vos chatear! E o título vai ser… Por Mais Alguns Dólares!” O advogado que se ocupou do processo foi um tal Alberto Grimaldi.

Grimaldi também tinha ambições no cinema, já tinha produzido três westerns de Joaquin Romero Marchent, mas aguardava por uma grande oportunidade. Viu em Sergio Leone o homem certo para apostar e fez-lhe uma proposta irrecusável: Para o novo filme, a produção garantia as despesas, os salários e 50% do lucro das bilheteiras ia diretamente para o bolso do realizador! Mas a guerra de bastidores continuava e, numa jogada cínica, Colombo e Papi contactaram Clint Eastwood e tentaram convencê-lo para protagonizar uma sequela produzida pela Jolly Films, desviando-o do caminho de Leone. Contudo, Eastwood não aceitou e pouco tempo depois Leone viajou de propósito aos Estados Unidos para resgatar o ator para uma segunda aventura juntos.

Mas “Por Mais Alguns Dólares” não podia ter apenas um protagonista. Henry Fonda, Charles Bronson, Lee Marvin e Robert Ryan recusaram categoricamente. Em Los Angeles, um dos assistentes de Leone facultou-lhe um documento com uma fotografia de um ator de segunda linha e que agora tinha desaparecido misteriosamente após um grave acidente de viação. Ao ver a foto, Leone decidiu instantaneamente: Lee Van Cleef era o homem certo e nada mais interessava! Com uma mala cheia de dinheiro, Leone apresentou o contrato ao ator e 10 000 dólares. Foi mais do que suficiente…

O filme gira em torno de dois caçadores de prémios que perseguem o psicopata / assassino / ladrão / drogado / violador El Índio. Enquanto um quer o dinheiro da recompensa o outro parece ter outras razões. Alguns momentos do filme ficam para sempre na memória dos cinéfilos, nomeadamente o duelo final dentro de uma área circular, a “arena da vida”, como Sergio Leone lhe chamava, “o momento da verdade na hora da morte”, tudo isto acompanhado pela genial partitura musical do mestre Ennio Morricone.

O filme estreou no outono de 1965 e foi um sucesso gigantesco, tornando-se no filme mais rentável em Itália durante vários anos. Lee Van Cleef ascendeu ao estatuto de estrela, Clint Eastwood confirmou as suas credenciais de super vedeta e Sergio Leone matou dois coelhos com uma cajadada só: conseguiu mais um extraordinário marco da História do Cinema e vergou definitivamente as intenções malévolas dos seus inimigos de estimação.

Galeria:

Trailer:

Who Are Those Guys? – Victor Bayo

Westerns All'Italiana (Tom Betts) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:53:00 +0000

Víctor Bayo is/was a Spanish supporting and character actor. Little information is available on him or his career. His first documented film appearance was “Stärker als die Nacht” (1954) and his last appearance was in “Um Amor na Alemanha” (1983). In between he made over 30 film and television appearances. He’s probably best remembered by Spaghetti Western fans as Jeremiah Pitt the bartender in “The Return of Ringo” (1965). Bayo appeared in small roles in six other Euro-westerns. Where Victor was born or if he’s still living is unknown.

BAYO, Víctor [Spanish] – TV actor.

Savage Guns – 1961 (Sanchez)

Charge of the 7th – 1964

Ride and Kill – 1964 (neighbor)

The Last Tomahawk – 1965

Outlaw of Red River – 1965 (bandido)

The Return of Ringo – 1965 (Jeremiah Pitt)

Who Killed Johnny Ringo – 1966

My Name is Shanghai Joe (1973)

Silveremulsion (Will) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:20:29 +0000

My Name is Shanghai Joe [Il mio nome è Shanghai Joe] (1973)
AKA The Fighting Fists of Shanghai Joe, The Dragon Strikes Back, Knochenbrecher im wilden Westen (literally translates to: Bone Crusher in the Wild West), Shanghai Joe, To Kill or to Die

Starring Chen Lee, Klaus Kinski, Gordon Mitchell, Claudio Undari, Katsutoshi Mikuriya, Carla Romanelli, Carla Mancini, Giacomo Rossi-Stuart, George Wang, Federico Boido, Piero Lulli

Directed by Mario Caiano

Expectations: High, this one looks great and I’ve heard good things.

On the general scale:

On the B-Movie scale:

Usually in films where two distinct genres are mashed together, the end result is less than it could have been. In My Name is Shanghai Joe, I am happy to say that everything comes together in the best, most satisfying way possible. It is a western first, then a kung fu film, but it truly delivers on both levels. It is also nearly non-stop action, with Shanghai Joe moving briskly through the baddies in one great scene after another. I always go into mixed genre films with apprehension, especially ones that mix two of my favorite genres, but My Name is Shanghai Joe does it so well that I had an absolute blast watching it and will definitely be watching this one again.

There isn’t much of a plot to speak of. Shanghai Joe arrives off a presumably slow boat from China in San Francisco of 1882. He quickly buys a stagecoach ticket East to Texas. At every turn, Joe meets up with some of the most racist fuckers ever put onto celluloid, spouting shitty Chinaman jokes one after another. After working his way through tons of these bastards, Joe finally pisses off the wrong dude, who in turn hires four assassins to track down Joe and take him out. These assassins, with such names as Scalper Jack and Pedro the Cannibal, each go down in interesting and fun ways. My Name is Shanghai Joe is a revenge film, but not one to linger on the pain or the regret such killing might lead another hero to contemplate. Instead most of the scenes follow this general framework: Joe enters, the bad guys say some racist shit and attack, Joe fucking annihilates them. It’s truly gratifying to watch and literally never gets old.

As this is an early 70s Italian film, it takes a lot of cues from films that have come before it, but mostly in stylistic ways instead of direct copying. The film features a heavy Kung Fu TV show vibe, with hazy flashbacks to Joe’s Chinese masters teaching him ancient, secret knowledge and giving him a burned-on tattoo to remind him of his days at ole China U. It definitely feels Italian though, so it’s an interesting film just to see an Italian interpretation of the Chinese experience in their version of the American West. The film also takes some inspiration from Chang Cheh’s bloody work, with nearly every fight featuring some intense, over-the-top moment of blood and guts. One of my favorites was when Joe jumped towards his attacker and in mid-air ripped both of the fucker’s eyes out. These are moments that I just can’t argue with. They are built to entertain and that’s exactly what they do.

The music is very well done as well, with moments that perfectly fuse clichéd Chinese music with clichéd Spaghetti Western tones. The score sounds incredibly similar to something Ennio Morricone would have done, and I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if sections were lifted directly from some of his scores. I don’t want to make crazy claims of theft though, as I have nothing to base it on except the music feeling somewhat familiar and sounding incredibly like Morricone. In any case, the score by Bruno Nicolai works well and sets the stage beautifully.

This is the second film from Mario Caiano I’ve reviewed, the first being A Coffin for the Sheriff with Anthony Steffen. His shooting style has progressed immensely since that film, and My Name is Shanghai Joe comes off as a mature, incredibly well-shot Spaghetti Western. Where A Coffin for the Sheriff was workable and showed signs of potential, My Name is Shanghai Joe realizes that potential and gives you a pleasing visual film that excites at nearly every turn. It is expertly paced as well, with action scenes that fly by in a haze of high kicks & slo-mo jumps and not a lot of downtime filler in between.

Chen Lee plays Shanghai Joe with a quiet calm and a raging jump kick. The guy is truly charismatic and fun to watch, lighting up the screen with his movie kung fu and his distinct face. The supporting cast is also filled with lots of fun characters; I only wish some of the hired assassins got more screen-time. Everyone’s favorite crazy man Klaus Kinski is only in a couple of scenes towards the end of the movie, and Gordon Mitchell (who played Crazy Kelly in Django and Sartana Are Coming… It’s the End) is in the film even less. It’s a testament to their boisterous on-screen personas that even with such limited screen-time, they remain memorable and are definite highlights of the film.

My Name is Shanghai Joe is a total exploitation treat and should be more well known than it is. It’s a non-stop thrill ride of WTF joy, with assholes so over-the-top in their racism that each time Joe kicks their asses it’s intensely gratifying and fun to watch. You gonna shortchange Joe in a deal, then chase him on your horse while trying to whip him and then try to stab him after he knocks you off your horse? Then Joe’s gonna break your fuckin’ wrist and you’re gonna like it, you racist bastard!

Couldn’t find an English trailer, so here’s a small clip!

Posters | Il ritorno di Ringo (1965)

Por um punhado de euros (P. Pereira) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000

LAWMAN

Westerns All'Italiana (Tom Betts) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 14:23:00 +0000

Lawman – English title

Mato em Nome da Lei – Brazilian title

Jeg er loven – Dannish title

Lainvaloja – Finnish title

L’homme de la loi – French title

Lawman – German title

O anthropos tou nomou – Greek title

A törvény nevében – Hungarian title

Io sono la legge – Italian title

Yo so la ley – Mexican title

Szeryf – Polish title

O Homem da Lei Portuguese title

En nombre de la ley – Spanish title

Fargligste Gun-Fighter – Swedish title

Lagens män – Swedish title

Kanun Adami – Turkish title

Covek zakona – Yugoslavian title

Lawman – U.S.A. title

A 1971 U.S., British co-production [Scimitar Productions (London/New York)]

Producer: Michael Winner

Director: Michael Winner

Story: Gerald Wilson

Screenplay: Gerald Wilson

Cinematography: Robert Paynter [Color by Deluxe]

Music: Jerry Fielding (Joshua Fielding]

Running time: 99 minutes

Cast:

Marshal Jared Maddox – Burt Lancaster (Burton Lancaster)

Marshal Cotton Ryan – Robert Ryan

Vincent Bronson – Lee J. Cobb (Lee Jacoby)

Vernon Adams – Robert Duvall

Laura Shelby – Sheree North (Dawn Crang)

Lucas – Joseph Wiseman

Hurd Price – J.D. Cannon (John Donovan Cannon)

Harvey Stenbaugh – Albert Salmi (Alfred Salmi)

Crowe Wheelwright – Richard Jordan

Mayor Sam Bolden – John McGiver

Jack Dekker – Ralph Waite

Jason Bronson – John Beck

Choctaw Lee – William C. Watson

Luther Harris – Walter Brooke

Hersham – Robert Emhardt

Minister – Charles Tyner

Cobden – Lou Frizzel (Louis Firzzel, Jr.)

Dusaine – Richard Bull

Totts – John Hillerman

Bartender – Roy Engel

L.G. Moss – Hugh McDermott

Marc Corman – Bill Brimley (Anthony Brimley)

Lon – Lance Hool

Razor – Conrad Hool

Marc Corman – Wilford Brimley

Saloon girls – Jacqueline Evans, Laila Novak (Laila Nyborg)

With: Jan Burrell, Joyce Perry, Tina Carter, Madeleine Taylor Holmes

When a lawman, Jared Maddox from Bannock, arrives in Sabbath to arrest all the cattlemen whose wild celebration the year before resulted in the accidental death of an old man all hell breaks loose. The local Marshal is unwilling to help him go up against the largest cattleman in the region. The cattleman Vincent Bronson is not accustomed to being ordered around refuses to send the wanted men back to Bannock because of the hardships placed upon him and his men over the death of an old man. Maddox lives by the word of the law and tracks down each wanted man until he faces Bronson and his remaining men in face-off on the main street of Sabbath. In the end Maddox leaves with no one while Sabbath is left with a dozen new graves in it’s cemetery.
[An alternate version ends with Laura Shelby shooting Maddox in the back with a shotgun as he rides out of town.]

YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKJ0R2H7VO4

Screen Seven, Leeds presents the Coen Bros’ True Grit

Westerns All'Italiana (Tom Betts) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:39:00 +0000

Monday 06/02/2012 8pm Tickets: £5/£3.50 conc

True Grit beats a path back to the original Charles Portis novel to spin the tale of 14-year-old Mattie Ross, a pig-tailed angel of vengeance, who is hell-bent on finding the man who robbed and killed her father.

Dir: Ethan & Joel Coen, USA, 2010, 110 mins, 15

Cast. Barry Pepper, Hailee Steinfeld, Jeff Bridges, Josh Brolin, Matt Damon

After the screening, Lee Broughton will present a paper entitled ‘True grit? Charting the representation of female characters in classical Hollywood Westerns’. The paper will highlight the numerous prescriptive codes and tropes that filmmakers have routinely employed in order to restrict the onscreen activities of female characters in Hollywood Westerns. Particular reference will be made to the character of Mattie Ross who appears in both the 1969 and 2010 film adaptations of Charles Portis’ ‘True Grit’.

http://www.sevenleeds.co.uk/clients/sevenarts/MODULES/DIARY/DIARYMOD_item.asp?type=All&itemid=392

New Book Release

Westerns All'Italiana (Tom Betts) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 15:08:00 +0000

Official Press Release:

Film Researcher Brings Back a Rowdy Bunch of Big Screen Heroes

Author James Prickette crafts a unique and indispensable reference book delving deeper into the lives of men who once graced the Spaghetti Westerns era in cinema

East Coast, Fla. – Once upon a time in the West, a young man named Sergio Leone rode into town. Later on, he came to revolutionize the film industry worldwide and started out a new brand of genre, dubbed both by critics and fans as spaghetti Western movies. This genre phenomenon began in Europe, primarily in Italy during 1964, and lasted approximately some ten years into the 1970s. Author James Prickette brings back the cynical morality tales of the said genre in Actors of the Spaghetti Westerns.

Spaghetti Westerns is a term tagged to the Italian film genre by fans across the world. This phenomenon era came into existence between mid-1960s to the 1970s. This new film era seemed to welcome all comers of actors. Many from in and around Europe, but also Americans came from across the big pond to join the action. Their participation would lend a more authentic feel to the films, relating to the American Old West.

This revitalized genre, now coupled with colorful wide-screen action was sometimes sprinkled with maniacal violence that brought realism into a fantasy setting never seen by aficionados before.

Within the pages of Actors of the Spaghetti Westerns, Prickette wishes to enlighten the general public as to the origins, the accomplishments, and finally a clearer overlook on the subject of the Italian Western phenomenon and the men who made them.

He further wrote, “Herein are some of the well-known and lesser-known actors who were in some way directly responsible, along with the Italian filmmakers, for the success of these new action Westerns. These were men and women from all walks of life brought together for one objective: to make movies, lots of movies. Not just any movies, but a different type of Western movie for the era.”

As a dedicated film researcher and collector, the Author craftily compiles twenty-two of the popular actors of the Spaghetti Westerns era and charts the careers of the likes of Clint Eastwood, Klaus Kinski and Lee Van Cleef. It also scrutinizes the most popular offerings of the genre, like the Dollar trilogy to the more obscure ones such as Sabata. Actors of the Spaghetti Westerns is certainly a unique and indispensable reference book delving deeper into the rowdy bunch of cult classics that invaded cinema and the world.

For more information on this book, interested parties may log on to www.Xlibris.com.

About the Author

James Prickette was born in Georgia. He was raised and continues to live in Florida. He worked construction during his early years, advancing into trades and then to consulting work in later years. He grew up as an avid fan of 1950’s TV westerns which in turn welcomed the ‘60’s era Spaghetti westerns with open arms, and has been a true fan ever since. Married twice, Prickette continues to live with second wife near his two children, they now have eight grandchildren.

Actors of the Spaghetti Westerns* by James Prickette

Publication Date: January 20, 2012

Trade Paperback; $23.99; 543 pages; 978-1-4691-4427-6

Trade Hardback; $34.99; 543 pages; 978-1-4691-4428-3

eBook; $3.99; 978-1-4691-4429-0

Spaghetti Western Locations

Westerns All'Italiana (Tom Betts) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 15:06:00 +0000

Continuing with locations for “Duck You Sucker”. After Juan and his family finish robbing the so called Bank of Mesa Verde, they discover it is empty and filled with political prisoners who now declare Juan a national hero for releasing them. They carry him on their shoulders in the plaza (Plaza de Mayor in Medinaceli). You can now see the opposite side of the plaza from where the café was constructed, which is visible in the left hand side of bottom frame.

For a more detailed view of this site and other Spaghetti Western locations please visit my friend Yoshi ‘Garringo’ Yasuda’s excellent website: http://y-yasuda.net

Guess Who I Am

Westerns All'Italiana (Tom Betts) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 04:15:00 +0000

I just celebrated my 71^st birthday on January 21^st.

I appeared in 9 Euro-westerns.

My most famous role was as the brother of an Aldo Sambrell character.

Guess who I am.

Adrian correctly named Lucio Rosato as this week’s photo.

2012 Los Angeles-Italia Film Festival to honor Sergio Corbucci

Westerns All'Italiana (Tom Betts) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:55:00 +0000

LOS ANGELES, ITALIA 2012 TO BE DEDICATED TO THE GREAT ITALIAN DIRECTOR SERGIO CORBUCCI

ROME — The 7th Los Angeles-Italia Film Fashion and Art Festival will celebrate Italo production design and set decoration duo Dante Ferretti and Francesca Lo Schiavo, Oscar-nommed for art direction on Martin Scorsese’s “Hugo.”

The husband-and-wife team will receive an Excellence Award during the Italo showcase, which runs Feb. 19-25 at Mann’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood.

Fest will also pay tribute to late Spaghetti Western maestro Sergio Corbucci, the Italian director best known for his violent interpretations of the Spaghetti Western genre and whose 1966 cult classic “Django,” inspired Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained,” which is due for release Dec. 25, 2012

Event, chaired this year by helmer Pupi Avati, will also feature first-and-second works from young Italian filmmakers.

Headed by Pascal Vicedomini, a journo with pubcaster RAI, Los Angeles-Italia is a sister event to two Italian fests, Capri-Hollywood and Ischia Global, both dedicated to establishing a creative and business bridgehead between Hollywood and Italy’s film and showbiz communities.

The Lawless Mountain

Westerns All'Italiana (Tom Betts) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:55:00 +0000

La Montaña sin ley – Spanish title

Zorro se demasque – French title

The Lawless Mountain – English title

A 1953 Spanish production [IFI Producción S.A. (Madrid)]

Producer: Ignacio F. Iquino (Ignacio Ferrés Iquino)

Director: Miguel Lluch (Miguel Sune)

Story: José Germán Huici

Screenplay: José Germán Huici

Cinematography: Pablo Ripoll [black & white]

Music: Augusto Algueró

Running time: 95 minutes

Cast:

Ricardo/Zorro – José Suárez (José Sanchez)

Maria – Teresa Abad (Teresita Abad)

Don Rafael – Barta Barry (Bernabe Barri),

Asuncion – Isabel de Castro (Isabel Oliviera)

Pistolero – Paco Martínez Soria (Francisco Soria)

With: Pablo Ripoll, Juanito Balañá (Juan Balañá), Luis Induni (Luigi Radici), Jesús Colomer, Carlos Otero (Carlos Pereira), Pedro Mascaró, José María Pinillo (José Manuel Pinillos), Jorge Morales, María Zaldívar, Ramón Quadreny

A Mexican nobleman undertakes to repair the damage of brigands. In love with a beautiful woman, he is captured while in pursuit of her, released with the help of a gipsy girl, wins her, and exposes the real villain.

13. The "Second Wave" of Comedy Actors part eleven

Spaghetti Cinema (Bill Connolly) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:44:00 +0000

From : COMEDY ITALIAN STYLE

by Ernesto G. Laura

Similar is the case with Mariangela Melato and Giancarlo Giannini, who became popular in the movies thanks to the light comedies of Lina Wertmuller (in which they formed a pair) that are, however, impossible to confine exclusively to the comedy genre. Melato, born in Milan in 1945, has an intensely active background as a dramatic stage actress; Giannini, born in 1942, in La Spezia, in Liguria, but raised in Naples, was an outstanding Romeo in Franco Zeffirelli’s 1964 production of ROMEO AND JULIET in Verona. Both first appeared in the movies in important roles, but not enough so for their artistic personalities to be immediately discerned.

A film by Ettore Scola represented the turning-point for Giancarlo Giannini, namely DRAMMA DELLA GELOSIA: TUTTI I PARTICOLARI IN CRONACA (DRAMA OF JEALOUSY: ALL DETAILS IN THE NEWS, 1970) based on the original idea of transferring a super-bourgeois love triangle to characters who are dirty and ragged outcasts, placing the emphasis on human sentiments. The disputed woman was Monica Vitti, Giannini’s rival, Marcello Mastroianni. None of the three was a romantic “hero”, the two men in particular seemed a little stupid, but it was precisely the disparity between the modest, indeed wretched reality and the lofty words of love uttered that gave rise to the humorousness of the film.

It was however the director Lina Wertmuller who turned Giannini into a reliable mainstay of Italian-style film comedy. MIMI METALLURGICO FERITO (METALLURGICAL MIMI, OFFENDED IN HIS HONOR: 1972) tells about another love triangle, but in a working-class environment, confirming the mimetic talents of Giannini who, starting off as a romantic matinee idol, comes up with flawless impersonations of proletarian figures, adapting himself to manners and dialects that are not his own, in this case Milanese. Mariangela Melato, in her interpretation of a certain kind of sentimental adn sharp-tongued Lombardy woman, strong-tempered, aggressive and caustic, seems to draw upon the heritage of one of the greatest actresses in the Milanese dialect theater, who in the ’30s became a famous film comedy star: Dina Galli. Moving from Milan to Rome, Giannini and Melato were directed by Wertmuller in 1973 and in TRAVOLTI DA UN INSOLITO DESTINO NELL’ AZZURO MARE D’AGOSTO (SWEPT AWAY BY AN UNCOMMON FATE IN THE BLUE SEA OF AUGUST) in 1974.

Giancarlo Giannini creates an extraordinary character in another Wertmuller film, PASQUALINO SETTEBELLEZZE (SEVEN BEAUTIES: 1975), where, shifting skillfully from the initial farce to tragedy, the story is told of a nondescript “guappo” (second-rate gangster in the local underworld) from Naples who ends up in a Nazi concentration camp. To introduce humor into such a serious subject was a risk which only a few people could pull off, as the director does through the use of a grotesque expressionistic style.

As to Melato, aside from completely dramatic films (DIMENTICARE VENEZIA, FORGET VENICE, by Brusati, GESU, JESUS, by Zeffirelli), mention may be made of her witty appearance as a hair-dresser in LA CLASSE OPERAIA VA IN PARADISO (THE WORKING CLASS GOES TO HEAVEN: 1971) by Elio Petri and in LA POLIZIOTTA (THE POLICEWOMAN), directed by Steno in 1974 on a script by Vincenzoni and Sergio Donati, where she was a woman policeman in a small town who dares to create trouble for the local powers that be, in agreement with a judge (Orazio Orlando).

At the beginning of the decade, 1980-1990, certain model which Italian-style comedy has lived on till now have run their course, like the so-called rosy neo-realism of the ’50s. Several directors have passed away, others have changed their narrative style, sensitive to new tastes. The Comencini who in 1980 produced VOLTATI, EUGENIO (TURN AROUND, EUGENIO), a bitterish comedy about the break-down of relations between parents and childre, in which realistic accents are intermingled with symbolic imagery, time present and time past, even some surrealistic touches, is undoubtedly a far cry from the Comencini of 1952, who directed PANE, AMORE E FANTASIA (BREAD, LOVE AND FANTASY).

New directors, new script-writers, new actors have come to the fore; no limitations exist any more on the subjects to be handled. So comedy is in the process of revising and transforming its traditional image. In the new decade before us everything can be different, everything must be original.

Ground Hog Day 2012 :(

Westerns All'Italiana (Tom Betts) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:55:00 +0000

The Ground Hog saw his shadow so 6 more weeks of winter to follow.

New Short Film Release – Y la muerte lo seguía

Westerns All'Italiana (Tom Betts) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:52:00 +0000

Y la muerte lo seguía – Spanish title

A 2012 Spanish production

Producer: Gonzalo Gala

Director: Ángel Gómez Hernández

Story: Ángel Gómez Rivero, Ángel Gómez Hernández

Screenplay: Ángel Gómez Hernández

Cinematography: Germán Sánchez [color]

Music: José Ojeda

Running time: 19 minutes

Cast:

Fred Carlson – José María Galeano

Mary – Macarena Gómez

with: Pedro Casablanc, Alberto Ferreiro, Juanma Lara, Lidia San José, Elisa Mouliaá, Diego Arjona, Ariana Martínez, Ángel Gómez Rivero y Peter Van Randen

Story: A young man named Johnny listens to an unusual story told by an old Indian in the light of a campfire. The story tells of the misadventures of Fred Carlson on the trail of the murderer of his wife. A trail which lasted two years and ended in the mysterious town of Arkham, where Fred would find his revenge.

YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KA4QnfpxxrY

JOE NAVIDAD

Jesús — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:48:00 +0000

JOE NAVIDAD (The Christmas Kid)
1967
España/Usa
Director: Sidney W. Pink
Reparto: Jeffrey Hunter, Louis Hayward, Gustavo Rojo, Perla Cristal, Luis Prendes, Reginald Gilliam, Fernando Hilbeck, Jack Taylo, Eric Chapman, Russ Stoddard , Carl Rapp, Guillermo Méndez, Álvaro de Luna, Alejandra Nilo.
Guión: Rodrigo Rivero, Jim Henaghan
Fotografía: Manuel Hernández Sanjuán

Música: Fernando García Morcillo

Coproducción hispano-estadounidense de 1967 ejemplo de los westerns de bajo presupuesto rodados en España durante los años sesenta y setenta con capital norteamericano en los que se buscaba abaratar los costes, y que en esta ocasión contó como director, a la vez que productor, con el recientemente fallecido Sidney W. Pink, un hombre de cine (fue director, guionista y, sobre todo, productor) conocido básicamente por haber participado en la producción de la primera película en color en 3D (“Bwana devil” de 1952 protagonizada por el “intocable” Robert Stack) que tras dirigir y producir dos filmes de ciencia ficción de serie Z en Dinamarca (“Repticulus” de 1961 y “Journey to the Seventh Planet” de 1962) en los que contó con la colaboración como guionista de su amigo Ib Melchior, recaló en España en donde dirigió y produjo varias películas hasta finales de los sesenta, entre ellas varios westerns de escasa calidad como “El dedo en el gatillo” (1965) con el habitual en producciones de serie b Rory Calhoun, “Los siete de Pancho Villa” (1967) y “Bang, Bang Kid” (1967). En las dos últimas, ya comentadas en este blog, sólo se limitó a labores de producción, encargando la dirección de la primera a José María Elorrieta, realizador con el que trabajaría habitualmente a finales de la década de los sesenta. Además le dio uno de los primeros papeles importantes a Dustin Hoffman en la coproducción italo-hispano-estadounidense rodada en Italia “El millón de Madigan” (1968).

SINOPSIS: Joe Novack, apodado Joe “Navidad” por haber nacido el día de Navidad de 1855, crece en la ciudad de Jaspers bajo la indiferencia de su alcohólico padre, que le responsabiliza de la muerte de su madre durante el parto, y la educación de tres de los prohombres del pueblo. Convertido en un problemático y pendenciero joven, el descubrimiento de importantes yacimientos de cobre en la región y la llegada de individuos indeseables y ambiciosos al pueblo, sobre todo Mike Cullingan, pondrán a prueba sus convicciones morales.

Nos encontramos ante un curioso guión, en el que se establece un cierto paralelismo entre la vida del protagonista y la de Jesucristo, estructurado en dos partes diferenciadas. Así en la primera vemos nacer y crecer al protagonista, así como su evolución pasando de ser un crío apocado que rehúye las peleas y suele “poner la otra mejilla” a convertirse en un pistolero bravucón, líder de los jóvenes del pueblo, al que su tío Louis ha enseñado a pelear y a disparar. Mientras que en la segunda, convertido en un adulto, se redimirá abandonando la vida que había llevado hasta ahora y, como sheriff de la ciudad, se enfrentará a Mike Cullingan, una especie de mafioso hombre de negocios causante de los mayores desmanes en Jaspers.

En ambas partes las referencias a la figura de Jesús son evidentes: su madre se llama Marika (nombre magiar para María); en la primera escena vemos a sus padres buscando un lugar para dar a luz Marika, encontrando tan sólo una especie de posta abandonada en donde nacerá el protagonista el día de Navidad; hasta allí llegan, guiados por la luz que desprende el fuego, tres individuos con profesiones “nobles” (el médico, el juez y el alcalde de Jaspers); su padre es un trabajador manual, en este caso pasa de ser carpintero a herrero; de mayor redimirá a una cabaretera-prostituta que para más señas se llama Marie en una clara alusión a María Magdalena; en un momento dado el sheriff de la ciudad dice de él que “Los jóvenes lo idolatran”; será tentado por un mefistofélico Cullingan tanto con riquezas como con mujeres; será traicionado, a cambio de una jugosa cantidad de dinero, por uno de sus mejores amigos, llamado Jud, que se arrepentirá de su traición en el último momento; estará a punto de ser ajusticiado, aquí se cambia la cruz por la horca, junto a otros dos delincuentes; y por último, tras su “resurrección”, se convertirá en el líder de Jaspers en una escena final en la que todos los habitantes del pueblo le siguen.

Pero estas premisas interesantes del guión son echadas a perder por un desafortunado Sidney Pink que parece carecer del talento suficiente para dar una mayor hondura a la historia y al drama vivido por el protagonista, criado por los tres prohombres ante el desprecio que siente hacia él su alcohólico padre. El resultado es una película mediocre y aburrida en la que el director muestra su incompetencia para narrar una historia, ya que en bastantes ocasiones no quedan suficientemente explicadas las reacciones de los personajes y la historia, sobre todo a partir de la aparición del corruptor Cullingan, se hace cada vez más precipitada y confusa con saltos bruscos entre las distintas escenas. Así por ejemplo vemos al juez presidir un juicio y en la siguiente escena estar en una reunión en la que se elige sheriff a Joe; o en otra vemos en el saloon a Joe que convence a Marie delante de Cullingam para que abandone “esa vida de perdición”, en la siguiente Cullingam y Marie discuten en una habitación en la que entra Joe, para a continuación en otra habitación ver a Cullingam planear con dos pistoleros el asesinato de Marie. En definitiva, un caos narrativo.

Y a todo esto hay que añadir las escasísimas escenas de acción y el hecho de que, debido al presupuesto irrisorio con el que se contó, la mayor parte del filme se desarrolla entre las cuatro casas que conforman el pueblo.

Por lo que respecta al elenco actoral creo que es de los pocos elementos salvables de la película. Para dar vida a Joe Navidad se escogió Jeffrey Hunter, un actor lanzado como una de las grandes promesas de la 20th Century Fox en los años cincuenta que llegó a trabajar con John Ford en tres largometrajes (entre ellos la mítica “Centauros del desierto”) y que en la siguiente década, en plena decadencia, se convirtió en un habitual de las coproducciones europeas, participando en varios euro westerns como “Joaquín Murrieta” (1965), “Oeste sin fronteras” (1967), ambas ya comentadas, o la película que nos ocupa. Junto a él, un estupendo Louis Hayward, que ese mismo año había interpretado al traidor mayor Benson en el western de Gordon Douglas “Chuka”, encarna al mismísimo Diablo personificado en el personaje de Cullingham, un ambicioso y taimado hombre de negocios acostumbrado a corromper a las personas. El principal, y prácticamente único, personaje femenino recayó en la actriz argentina Perla Cristal, por aquellos años habitual en este subgénero (por ejemplo se la pudo ver en las ya reseñadas en este blog “Siete pistolas para los McGregor”, “Las siete magníficas”, “Comanche blanco” o “Reverendo Colt”), que interpreta aceptablemente a la “pecadora” y finalmente redimida Marie. En papeles secundarios nos encontramos a actores de la solvencia de Gustavo Rojo (visto, entre otras, en las también comentadas “Mestizo” y “Los desesperados”, además de las mencionadas “Los siete de Pancho Villa” y “Las siete magníficas”) como uno de “los reyes magos”, el alcalde Louis que enseñará a pelear y a disparar a Joe; Luis Prendes, que había coincidido con el anterior en “Mestizo” y “Las siete magníficas” y con Perla Cristal en esta última y en “Comanche blanco”, en el papel del juez George Perkins, otro de “los reyes magos”, que se mostrará muy critico con la evolución experimentada por Joe; el actor norteamericano afincado en España Jack Taylor, que en poco tiempo se convertiría en un recurrente del fantaterror español, sobresale en las escenas en las que aparece como el torturado y alcoholizado padre de Joe, al que responsabiliza de la muerte de Marika (en un momento dado se refiere a él como a un Caín); mientras que Fernando Hilbeck, un gran secundario con varias apariciones en este género, se encarga del traidor Jud Walters, para mí gusto un interesante personaje muy poco desarrollado.

En resumen, un eurowestern del montón que desperdicia sus atractivas premisas y que me resultó terriblemente tedioso por carecer de fuerza el drama narrado y por sus escasas escenas de acción.

PUNTUACIÓN:

HISTORIA: 4.
AMBIENTACIÓN: 3.
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MEDIA: 3,8.

13. The "Second Wave" of Comedy Actors part ten

Spaghetti Cinema (Bill Connolly) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:46:00 +0000

From: COMEDY ITALIAN STYLE
by Ernesto G. Laura
Other actors, some of them international stars, have not been taken into detailed consideration here because their comedy appearances fall into a larger and more complex framework of motion picture activities. Such is the case with Marcello Mastroianni and Monica Vitti. Both have important dramatic interpretations to their credit: suffice it to remember Michelangelo Antonioni’s LA NOTTE (NIGHT), in which they appeared together. As to Mastroianni, mention must be made of the Fellini films, from LA DOLCE VITA (THE SWEET LIFE) to LA CITTA DELLA DONNE (CITY OF WOMEN), as to Vitti those of Antonioni, from L’AVVENTURA (THE ADVENTURE) to IL MISTERIO DI OBERWALD (THE MYSTERY OF OBERWALD). Even so, the former’s natural inclination to irony, the latter’s to caricature, often made it possible to introduce moments of genuine humor into dramatic films.
In the 1950s, Marcello Mastroianni was often one of the young leads in the humorous-sentimental comedies that were in fashion. He then reappears in Ferreri’s LA GRANDE ABBUFFATA (THE BIG FEED) and in many more recent comedies (among other things, he starred in the musical comedy, VALENTINO, where in the role of the famous silent film star he danced and sang).
Monica Vitti, instead, appeared more regularly in the film comedy genre. Indeed, several films were made especially to show off her particular whimsical personality. For example, the movie versions of several successful stage works: TI HO SPOSATO PER ALLEGRIA (I MARRIED YOU OUT OF MIRTH: 1967) by Luciano Salce, on the play by Natalia Ginzburg, with Giorgio Albertazzi and Maria Grazia Buccella, L’ANATRA ALL’ARANCIA (DUCK A L’ORANGE: 1975), it too by Salce, from the play by Home and Sauvajon, adapted to the screen by Bernardino Zapponi, with Ugo Tognazzi, John Richardson and Barbara Bouchet, AMORI MIEI (MY DARLINGS: 1978) by Steno, from the play by Jaja Fiastri, with Dorelli and Enrico Maria Salerno, NON TI CONOSCO PIU AMORE (DON’T KNOW YOU ANYMORE, DARLING: 1980) by Corbucci, from an old play by Aldo De Benedetti which had already been made into a film in 1936 at the time of the “white telephone” comedies. The film which revealed most completely the gifts of Monica Vitti, a modern actress who even so identifies herself with the character emotionally, from within, was LA RAGAZZA CON LA PISTOLA (THE GIRL WITH THE PISTOL), directed in 1968 by Mario Monicelli from a story by Sonego adapted to the screen by Sonego and Magni. She is a farm girl from a small Southern town with a very closed mentality, who is “dishonored” by a local boy and goes looking for him in America to kill him and “wash away the disgrace,” imagining at every stage of the journey the different ways the execution will take place. Vitti is extraordinary in depicting the various stages in the evolution of the girl, who, as the journey proceeds and she gains new experience, gradually begins to feel less and less disposed to carry out the ritual murder, more a woman, more modern, more mature.

13. The "Second Wave" of Comedy Actors part ten

Spaghetti Cinema (Bill Connolly) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:46:00 +0000

THE LAW OF VIOLENCE

Westerns All'Italiana (Tom Betts) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:01:00 +0000

Legge della violenza – tutti o nessuno – Italian title

Todos o ninguno – Spanish title

A leid a violencia – Brazilian title

Vakivalitaisten – Finnish title

La loi de la guerre (tous ou personne) – French title

Tous ou personne – French title

Valdets lag – Swedish title

The Law of Violence – English title

A 1969 Italian, Spanish co-production [Meronale Cinematografica (Rome), Producione Cinematografica Balcazar (Barcelona)]

Producer: Paolo Borruto

Director: Gianni Crea

Story: Alfonso Balcazar (Alfonso Granda, Gianni Crea, Dean Craig (Piero Regnoli)

Screenplay: Alfonso Balcazar (Alfonso Granda, Gianni Crea, Dean Craig (Piero Regnoli)

Cinematography: Jaime Deu Casas, Oberdan Troiani [Telecolor, Eastmancolor]

Music: Stelvio Cipriani

Running time: 85 minutes

Cast:

Jack Sparrow/Barrow – George Greenwood (Giorgio Cerioni)

Clem/Clementine – Igli Villani

Sheriff Chris – Angel Aranda

Bill Hackett – Miguel de la Riva

Sidney – Ugo Adinolfi

Buck Landon – Gaspar Gonzales

Middleton – Manuel Gas

Joe – Pajarito (Murriz Brandariz)

Bartender – Manuel Broncaud (Manuel Bronchud)

With: Gracita Guerra Fernandez, Conrad Steeve, Osvaldo Genazzani, Francisco Marquez, Ramon Cortes

After spending several years in prison for a crime he did not commit, gunslinger Jack Sparrow returns to Red Rock, seeking justice. Killing the sheriff who had him unjustly condemned, Jack convinces Chris, a gentle and quiet man to take its place. In a short time, Jack starts taking advantage of the lack of energy put out by the new law enforcement officer and realizes substantial gains. He subjects the population of Red Rock to blackmail and harassment of all kinds. Chris finally finds the strength to face the gunman, but is killed in the uneven gunfight. To the rescue comes a young woman determined to fulfill a personal vendetta. Jack falls under a hail of lead from the girl’s gun and calm returns to Red Rock.

YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnYozQRHo_M

13. The "Second Wave" of Comedy Actors part nine

Spaghetti Cinema (Bill Connolly) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:26:00 +0000

From: COMEDY ITALIAN STYLE

by Ernesto G. Laura

Several well-known figures, already popular on television or in the theater, sought in this period to break into movies. Such was the case with Roberto Benigni, a Tuscan cabaret comedian, who in BERLINGUER, TI VOGLIO BENE (BERLINGUER, I LOVE YOU), directed in 1977 by Giuseppe Bertolucci, he is a provincial yokel full of complexes with regard to women. Benigni revealed a sure talent in CHIEDO ASILO (“asilo” means both refuge and kindergarten, so SEEKING REFUGE or SEEKING KINDERGARTEN), directed in 1979 by Marco Ferreri, where he is an eccentric, absent-minded, unconventional and utterly engaging kindergarten teacher who, ignoring all known pedagogical methods, succeeds in capturing the attention and then the affection of his pupils. The symbolic ending provides the allegorical key to a comedy in a category by itself, where satire and irony, a sensitivity to lofty values and a deep hope for the future blend together in a memorable achievement.

Nanni Moretti (ECCE BOMBO, a distortion of the Biblical phrase, “ecco homo”: Behold the man!, so BEHOLD BOMBO), Maurizio Nichetti (RATATAPLAN and HO FATTO SPLASH!, I MADE A BIG SPLASH!), Carlo Verdone (UN SACCO BELLO, A BIG DEAL) are rather more comedians in the classic tradition than light comedy actors. Situated between the comedians and the light comedy actors are Lando Buzzanca and Pippo Franco, the latter firmly anchored to the cabaret spirit.

RIP Leo Lastumäki

Westerns All'Italiana (Tom Betts) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:08:00 +0000

Actor Leo Lastumäki has died

The beloved Finnish actor Leo Lastumäki died Saturday night January 29, 2012 at his home in Kemi, said Hill-Wood biographer, Sven Pahajoki. Lastumäki was 84 years old.

Lastumäki starred in a number of theaters in parts of Finland, including Pori, Imatra, Tampere, Mikkeli, Vaasa and Helsinki. On TV, Lastumäki appeared in series like Pirate Radio, ÄWPK – Älywapaa fire and Ällitälli. Lastumäki’s movies were mostly comedies, such as Spede Pasanen, Uuno Turhapuro movies including his only Euro-western “Speedy Gonzales – the Son of About Seven Brothers”. His last film role was in “Dog Nail Clipper” in 2004. Leo also appeared in the Finnish northern film “Villi Pohjola” a semi-western.