Spaghetti
Western Director ~ Maurizio Lucidi
Maurizio Lucidi was an Italian film director,
screenwriter, and editor known for his prolific work in popular Italian genre
cinema during the 1960s and 1970s, spanning spaghetti westerns, poliziotteschi
action thrillers, gialli, and comedies.
Born in Florence, Tuscany on June 9, 1932, he began his
career in the early 1960s as a film editor on notable productions, including
Dino Risi's critically acclaimed “Il sorpasso” (The Easy Life, 1962) and
various peplum and adventure films of the period, before also serving as an
assistant director on select projects.
By the late 1960s,
he had transitioned to directing feature films, often blending action,
suspense, and humor in titles such as” It Can Be Done, Amigo” (1972), “The
Designated Victim” (1971), “Stateline Motel” (1973), and “Street People”
(1976). Occasionally credited under the pseudonym Mark Lender, Lucidi continued
directing into later decades with works in diverse genres, including the
horror-fantasy “Vampires in Venice” (1988) and the 1996 film “La casa dove
abitava Corinne”. His output reflects the vibrant ecosystem of Italian
commercial filmmaking during its peak exploitation and genre years,
contributing to the international visibility of those styles.
Lucidi died in Rome on July 16, 2005 at the age of 73.
Maurizio Lucidi directed four Spaghetti westerns: “La più
grande rapina del west” (The Greatest Robbery in the West) and “Il mio nome è
Pecos” (My Name is Pecos) both in 1966, the sequel “Pecos è qui: prega e muori”
(Pecos Cleans Up) in 1967 and “Si può fare... amigo” (It Can be Done Amigo) in
1972.
LUCIDI, Maurizio (aka Maurice Bright,
Maurice A. Bright, Mark Lander, Mario Lucidi, Maurice Lucidi, Mauricio Lucidi)
[6/9/1932, Florence, Tuscany, Italy – 7/16/2005, Rome, Lazio, Italy] –
director, assistant director, writer, film editor, actor.
The Greatest Robbery in the West - 1966
My Name is Pecos – 1966 [as Maurice A. Bright]
Pecos Cleans Up – 1967 [as Maurice A. Bright]
It Can Be Done Amigo – 1972 [as Maurice Bright]
Spaghetti Western Screenwriter ~ Anthony Esteban
Antonio Santillán' is a Spanish film director and
screenwriter known for his contributions to mid-20th-century Spanish cinema,
particularly through a series of crime and police films influenced by American
film noir.
Born Antonio Santillán Esteban in Madrid in 1909, he
entered the film industry in the 1930s via distribution and dubbing work,
including at Metro Goldwyn Mayer's Barcelona studios, before transitioning to
dubbing direction at various Barcelona facilities after 1945.
Santillán made his directorial debut with the crime film
“Enemigos” in 1942, marking the start of his focus on police and criminal
genres.2 His most productive period came in the 1950s under producer Ignacio F.
Iquino at I.F.I. España S.A., where he directed several notable titles
including “Almas en peligro” (1952), “El presidio” (1954), “El ojo de cristal”
(1955), and “Cuatro en la frontera” (1957), alongside diversions into rural
comedy with “Sucedió en mi aldea” (1956) and hospital drama with “Hospital de
urgencia” (1956).
He later directed “Cita
imposible” (1958), “Los Desamparados” (1960), “Trampa mortal” (1962), “Senda
torcida” (1963), and the international co-production “Una ráfaga de plomo”
(1965).
In 1962, Santillán co-founded the Cooperativa
Cinematográfica Constelación, where he served as initial president and produced
some of his final works. Often regarded as a modest yet talented and
undervalued figure in Spanish film history, his genre-focused output has been
called deserving of rediscovery and greater appreciation for its technical
competence and narrative energy within the constraints of the era.
He died in Barcelona on January 17, 1966 at the age of 57.
Anthony Esteban wrote one Spaghetti western screenplay, “La
venganza de Clark Harrison” (The Ruthless Colt of the Gringo) with Jesús
Carrión-Cervera and Mino Roli in 1965.
ESTEBAN,
Anthony (aka A.S. Esteban, Antonio S.
Esteban, Antonio S. Esteban) (Antonio
Santillán Esteban) [1909, Madrid,
Madrid, Spain – 1/17/1966 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain] – director, writer,
co-founded Cooperativa Cinematográfica Constelación [1962].
The Ruthless Colt of the Gringo – 1965 (co)
Spaghetti Western Cinematographer ~ Pablo Ripoli
Pablo Ripoli was a Spanish cinematographer and cameraman.
He worked on fourteen films as a camera operator from 1948 to 1978 and was a
cinematographer on sixty-nine films between 1944 and 1984. He was sometimes
credited as Paul Rippel.
For all his many films and dedication to Spanish film
production he’s not even mentioned in the Diccionario del Cine Español 1896
– 1968.
Pablo Ripoli was a cinematographer on six Spaghetti
westerns: “Fuerte perdido” (Massacre at Fort Grant) in 1964, “Dos mil dolares
por Coyote” (Ballad of a Bounty Hunter) with José Elorietta in 1965, “Pochi
dollari per Django” (A Few Dollars for Django) in 1966, “Il magnifico Texano”
(The Magnificent Texan) in 1967, “Anche nel West c’era una volta Dio” (Between
God the Devil and a Winchester) with Alberto Fusi and “Sangue chiama sangue”
(Blood Calls to Blood) with Tino Santoni in 1968 and “Zanna Bianca” (White
Fang) with Erico Menczer in 1973.
RIPOLI,
Pablo (aka Bert Fuchs, Paul Rippel,
Paul Ripoll) [Spanish] –
cinematographer, cameraman.
Massacre at Fort Grant - 1964
[Paul Rippel]
Ballad of a Bounty Hunter – 1965 (co) [as Paul Ripoli]
The Magnificent Texan – 1967 [as Pablo Ripoll]
Between God the Devil and a Winchester – 1968 (co)
Blood Calls to Blood – 1968 (co)
[as Pablo Ripoll]
Dirty Dollars – 1970 (co) [film was never made]
White Fang – 1973 (co)
