Doc West

A 2008 Italian Television production [DAP, HDM Entertainment, R.T.I. (Rome)]
Producer: Anselmo Parrinelo
Director: Giulio Base, Terence Hill (Mario Girotti)
Story: Marco Tullio Barboni, Marcello Olivieri
Teleplay: Marco Tullio Barboni (Marcotullio Barboni), Luca Biglioni, Marcello Olivieri
English dialogue: Jess Hill
Photography: Massimiliano Trevis [color]
Music: Maurizio De Angelis
Running time: 100min

Cast:
Doc West - Terence Hill (Mario Girotti)
Sheriff Basehart - Paul Sorvino
Debra “Tricky” Doping - Ornella Muti
Maria - Kisha Sierra
Silver - Benjamin Petry
Burt Baker - Micah Alberti
Jack Baker - Linus Huffman
Victor Baker - Adam Taylor
Nathan Mitchell - Boots Sutherland
Denise Stark - Clare Carey
Hans - Dylan Kenin
Larry - Gianni Biasetti
Gloria - Mercedes Legget
Garvey - Alessio Di Clemente
Garvey henchman - Lance Jensen
Erwin Van Breukelen - Mark Silversten
Johnny “Boy “ O’Leary - Fabrizio Bucci
Scar - R. W. Hampton
Sam - Harry Zimmerman
Elizabeth - Eugeniya Chernyshova
Dana Mitchell - Gisella Marengo
Manuel - Rick Ortega
Grandma Melody - Lois Geary
Xiu - Christina July Kim
Xiu’s brother - Frankey Singvilay
Mr. Shintai - Jimmy Ning
Mrs. Shintai - Sheila Ivy Traister
Estrella - Darrian Chavez
beer delivery man - J. Michael ‘Yak’ Oliva
horseman - Thadd Turner
drunk - Luce Rains
blacksmith’s assistant - Paul J. Porter
injured cowboy - Randall Oliver
boy - T.J. Plunkett
dandy gambler - Christian Margetson
saloon patron - J. Ryan Montenery
Sheriff of Santa Fe - Neil Summers (Nicholas Summers)
Las Alamas townsman - Jack E. Miller
Doc's horse - Casey


"Doc West" could be renamed "Doc Shane." An affectionate homage to the classic American Western, "Doc Shane" is an appealing, good-natured blend of generic elements that should appeal as family fare.

Produced as a miniseries for Italian TV and structured to fit two feature films, "Doc Shane" is truly a pre-"Wild Bunch" yarn. In this "Shane" meets "High Noon" scenario, the gunplay and mayhem are confined to winging gunmen's trigger hands and shooting off rattlers on the attack. As such, it could play as a Hallmark-type feature on U.S. cable, as well.

In this outing, Terence Hill stars as Doc West (the Alan Ladd/Gary Cooper role), the laconic stranger who rides into town and ends up taking on the bad-guy rancher and his black hats. The prototypical reluctant hero, West has a murky past and inner demons to battle. He's a teetotaler with a fast gun and a winning hand. He also has the capacity to cure what ails the townfolk, including the crusty sheriff. Befitting an Italian production, Paul Sorvino plays the town's lawman.

Under the sure hands of directors Guilio Base and Terence Hill, the films canters along at an easy and winning pace. Terence Hill is appealing in his Shane-like performance, while other members of the cast nicely flesh out their generic roles.

Production values, including some daunting skyscapes and mountains (it was shot in New Mexico), reflect the filmmakers' respect for John Ford, particularly cinematographer Massimiliano Trevis for his Monument Valley-like compositions.

Other technical credits are tops, in particular, Maurizio De Angelis' south-of-the-border, trumpet-topped score. - By Duane Byrge


I received a letter from Neil Summers in regards to "Doc West"
"Doc West" came out real well and writers have been hired to script 4 more of them. No start dates yet (later this year). We are supposed to do them in Santa Fe again (not Spain, as was rumored). Suits me fine -- haven't any reason to go back to Spain.

The original two "Doc West" made for Italian TV films are now scheduled for Spetember/October broadcast on RAI-TV.

Hope all is well. Adios for now.
Neil Summers