RIP Giulio Petroni

Director, screenwriter Giulio Petroni died in Rome on January 31, 2010. His death at the age of 92 was reported to the Italian press by his daughter. Petroni was born on September 21, 1917 in Rome and he started making political documentary films in 1951 and continued writing and directing until 1978 with the film “La profezia” (aka “Obscene Desire”). During this time he wrote and or directed five Euro-westerns. “Death Rides a Horse” (1967) with Lee Van Cleef and John Phillip Law, “Tepepa” (aka “Blood and Guns”) (1968) with Tomas Milian and Orson Welles, “A Sky Full of Stars for a Roof” (1968) with Giuliano Gemma and Mario Adorf, “Night of the Serpent” (1968) with Luke Askew, “They Call Me Providence” (1972) with Tomas Milian and Gregg Palmer. Another of the most well known directors of the genre has left us. RIP

Brussels Film Festival

The third Edition of the Offscreen Film Festival will take place from March 4th - 21st 2010 at four different locations in Brussels.

Press release :

After two successful editions, the Offscreen Film Festival, an annual rendez-vous for enthusiasts of extraordinary cinema, is preparing its third festival edition. For three extended weekends, Cinema Nova, Cinematek, Bozar and the RITS will be buzzing with activity with screenings of cult films and rare cinematic pearls of international off-beat features, special documentaries and independent filmmakers packed with talent.

This year's festival will feature:

The Spaghetti Western

A genre that was pushed to the forefront by Sergio Leone and others and was all the rage in the '60s. A total of fifteen Westerns in vintage 35mm, including the titles Django and The Big Silence by Sergio Corbucci, The Big Gundown (La Resa dei Conti) by Sergio Sollima and Django Kill! by Giulio Questi. Some of these films will be introduced by the notorious British connoisseur, Alex Cox. A perfect occasion for the Cinematek to present several films by this independent director: Repo Man, Straight to Hell and Walker.

Japanese 70’s exploitation

The festival program will also explore Japanese exploitation cinema of the '70s with films like Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion by Shunya Ito, Female Yakuza Tale by Teruo Ishii and Girl Boss Guerilla by Norifumi Suzuki. Fans of bare-breasted armed gangs, virgins drunk with vengeance, sword-obsessed female gangsters and cruel schoolchildren, this is for you.

Icon of Z movies, clay animation and electro music

And there's more ! None other than the Spanish master of sleaze Jess Franco will join us, accompanied by his favourite actress Lina Romay. During the first festival weekend, they will present some of their cult classics at Bozar and Cinema Nova such as Vampyros Lesbos, Succubus, Shining Sex and Midnight Party. We are also pleased to announce that Bruce Bickford will be present at the festival - a reclusive genius and creator of freaky animated films, known in particular for the clay animation he created for Frank Zappa in the '70s and '80s. And finally, a special evening will be curated by extravagant electro musician Felix Kubin.

RIP Martin Grace

James Bond stuntman Martin Grace passed away in Spain on January 27th. He was 67. Grace was born in Kilkenny, Ireland and joined a stunt agency in the 1960s. His first commercial work was in commercials as the mysterious Cadbury man of action. This led to work on “Dr. Who” (1965) and then in “You Only Live Twice” (1967). In 1975 he became Roger Moore's stunt double on “The Spy Who Loved Me” and continued to double Moore until 1985. He suffered terrible injuries during the train filming sequence of “Octopussy”. Over his career Grace appeared in more than 70 films. He suffered a motorcycle accident this past November and fractured his pelvis. Developing breathing problems in late January he was taken from his home to a hospital in spain where he died on an aneurism and died on Januart 27th. Martin Grace was the stunt coordinator on the Euro-western “North Star” (1996) starring James Cann and Christopher Lambert.

CHARLEY ONE-EYE

Charley le borgne – French title
Charley One-Eye – British title

A 1972 British production [David Paradine Productions, Saga (London)]
Producer: David Frost, James Swann
Director: Don Chaffey (Donald Chaffey)
Screenplay: Keith Leonard
Cinematography: Kenneth Talbot [Technicolor]
Music: John Cameron
Song: “Don’t You Know That it Might Rain” sung by ?
Running time: 109 minutes

Cast:
The Black Man - Richard Roundtree
The Indian - Roy Thinnes
bounty hunter - Nigel Davenport (Arthur Davenport)
officer’s wife - Jill Pearson
Mexican driver - Aldo Sambrell (Alfredo Brell)
Mexican youth - Luis Aller
Mexican leader - Rafael Albaicín (Ignacio-Rafael Escudreo)
Tony - Alex Davion (Alexander Davion)
Bob - Johnny Sekka
Penelope - Madeline Hinde (Madeleine Hinde)
Richard - Patrick Mower
Chris - Imogen Hassall
Holstrom - Edward Woodward
Honeydew - William Mervyn (William Pickwood)
colonel - David Lodge
bounty hunter - Nigel Davenport


A Union Army deserter heads to Mexicn after killing his commanding officer when he's caught with the officer's wife. He takes refuge in a small Mexican church where he encounters a crippled Indian who has been cast out from his tribe, and his pet chicken 'Charley One-Eye'. They are forced into helping each other when a bounty hunter arrives tracking down the soldier for a $500 reward. Several of the villagers are killed and the when the soldier runs out of amunition the villagers stone him to death.

Happy 80th Birthday Gene Hackman

Born Eugene Allen Hackman on January 30, 1930 in San Bernardino, California and is the brother of actor Richard Hackman. Gene was raised in Danville, Illinois but he left home at 16 and joined the U.S. Marine Corps. At 26 he decided to become and actor and joined the Pasadena Playhouse but along with classmate Dustin Hoffman was voted least likely to succeed by their classmates. He then took a bus to New York City where he met up with another struggling actor named Robert Duvall. Hackman began appearing off-Broadway plays. In 1964 he was offered a part in the play “Any Wednesday” with actress Sandy Dennis. This opened the doors for him for film work. His first film was “Lillith” with Warren Beatty. He would later become a star in another Beatty film “Bonnie and Clyde” (1967). In 1970 he was nominated for an Academy Award for “I Never Sang for My Father”. The next year he won an Academy Award for Best Actor as Popeye Doyle in “The French Connection” During this time he made his only Euro-westen 1971's “The Hunting Party” as Brandt Ruger opposite Oliver Reed and Candice Bergen. He was now a major star and found plenty of work in the 1980s and 1990s. He received his second Academy Award as Best Supporting Actor in Clint Eastwood's “Unforgiven” (1992). In the 2000s he turned to writing novels and by mid-decade had retired from films. Not bad for an actor voted least likely to succeed. Today we wish Gene Hackman a happy 80th birthday.

RIP Angio Zane

Director, screenwriter, film editor Angio Zane died in Salo, Italy on January 27, 2010 of natural causes. He was 84. Born Angleo Zane in Salo, on August 17, 1925 the son of Senator Francis Zane his house was flanked by former film studios Ondastudios, which for many years was called Little Cinecitta. He later turned his home into a museum filled with appliances and equpiment from the past film industry such as cameras and hundreds of photographs.

He dedicated his talents to making documentaries and short films making over 100 of them in his long career. He made his debut in 1956 with “La capinera del mulino". He made a series of short childrens films featuring a character named White Cloud. His one Spaghetti Western being “Okay Sheriff” in 1964. He later made business oriented audiovisual creations. He continued making documentary and short films until the late 1990s.

New DVD Release!

Mercenario der Gefürchtete (aka The Mercenary)
Label: KOCH
ASIN: B0000755WR
Region: 2
Format: PAL 16:9 - 2.35:1 anamorphic, widescreen, Dolby
Languages: English mono, German mono, Italian mono
Subtitles: German
Running time: 102 minutes
Extras: Chapter selections
Original Release date: January 29, 2010
Delayed until February 4, 2010

CHARGE OF THE 7th

El séptimo de caballería, – Spanish title
L’assault du fort Texan – French title
Vergeltung am Wichita-Paß – German title
Apache, ta tsakalia tis Dyseos – Greek title
Epelasis tis 7 is taxiarhias – Greek title
Gli eroi di Fort Worth – Italian title
Assault on Fort Texan – English title
Heroes of Fort Worth – English title
Charge of the 7th – English title

A 1964 Spanish, Italian co-production [Fénix Cooperativa Cinematográfica (Madrid), Cineroduzioni (Rome)]
Producer: Silver Bem (Emo Bistolfi), Eduardo Manzanos Brochero, Arturo Marcos
Director: Martin Herbert (Alberto De Martino)
Story: Eduardo M. Brochero (Eduardo Manzanos Brochero), Silver Bem (Emo Bistolfi)
Screenplay: Herbert Martin (Alberto De Martino), Eduardo Manzanos Brochero
Cinematography: Eloy Mella [Eastmancolor, Totalscope]
Music: Manuel Parada (Manuel de la Puente), Carlo Rustichelli
Running time: 100 minutes

Cast:
Major “Sugar” Patterson - Edmund Purdom
Colonel George Bonnet - Eduardo Fajardo
Amanda - Mónica Randall (Aurora Sarasa)
Nelly Patterson/Bonnet - Priscilla Steele (Ida Galli)
Lieutenant Webb - Isarco Ravaioli
Chief Wild Horse - Rafael Albaicín (Ignacio-Rafael Escudero)
Major Sam Allison/Sam Shane - Paul Piaget
Colonel Maxfield - Umberto Raho
saloon owner - Tulio Altamura
lawman - German Longo
with; Tomás Blanco (Tomás Garcia), Victor Bayo, Ricardo Lilló, Rogelio Madrid, Luis Barboo, Miguel del Castillo, Adolfo Arlés, José Marco (José Davo), Emilio Rodríguez, Francesco Sormano, Francisco Vilches, Gonzalo Esquiroz, Antonio Cuenca, Román Ariznavarreta, Antonio Orengo (Antonio Alonso), Edmundo Espinosa, Ángel Alonso, Leonidas Guerra



In 1863 during the end of the Civil War a band of Southern soldiers with the aid of an Indian tribe try to go to Mexico and elicit help from Emperor Maximilian. The soldiers must pass through a narrow pass near at the Texas border defended by Union soldiers stationed at Ft. Worth. The Southern soldiers and Chief Wild Horse devise a plan where the Indians will attack the neighboring town of Chesapeake and when the Union soldiers leave to aid the settlers the Southerners will attack Ft. Worth. Just in time to time to stop a massacre the Southerners are discovered by the Seventh Cavalry.

Spaghetti Western Locations

The main road through the ruins of Flagstone was used as the road to Bret McBains ranch at Sweetwater. Leone then filled in scenes of the journey from footage he filmed in Monument Valley. Today the countryside looks the same except for those blasted wind machines that litter the area.



For a more detailed view of this site and other Spaghetti Western locations please visit my friend Yoshi “Garring” Yasuda’s excellent website: http://garringo.cool.ne.jp/

CHAPAQUA'S GOLD

L’oro dei bravados – Italian title
Chapaqua – Italian title
Chapagua o solitário – Brazilian title
Chapaquan kulta – Finnish title
Chapagua – French title
L’or des bravados – French title
Gold of the Bravados – English title
Gold of the Heroes – English title
Chapaqua’s Gold – USA title

A 1970 Italian, French co-production [Copro Film (Rome), Capitol International (Paris)]
Producer: Luigi Nannerini
Director: Don Reynolds (Giancarlo Romitelli, Renato Savino)
Story: Renato Savino
Screenplay: Renato Savino
Cinematography: Riccardo Pallottini [Technicolor, Techniscope]
Music: Luis Enriquez Bacalov
Running time: 90 minutes

Cast:
Jack “Doc” Harrison - George Ardisson (Giorgio Ardisson)
Moira Shannon/Nelson - Linda Veras (Sieglinde Veras)
Chapaqua - Boby Lapointe (Robert Lapointe)
Murphy - Rik Battaglia (Riccardo Battaglia)
Beretto/Mexico - Marco Zuanelli
Major Garrett - Piero Lulli (Giusva Lulli)
Billy George Black - Rick Boyd (Federico Boido)
Jose Cordero - Osiride Pevarello
Sergeant Johnson - Paolo Magalotti
Chapaqua henchman - Freddy Unger (Goffredo Unger)
with; Jack Vitry (Jacques Vitry), Jean-Pierre Jumez, Lucio Zarini, Pat Basile (Pasquale Basile), Umberto DiGrazia, Claudio Ruffini, Lorenzo Fineschi


Two men, Doc and Chapagua, hide a large cache of gold before the end of the Civil War. Not trusting each other, but agreeing to share the treasure, they blindfold each other on the way to burying the gold. This way they will need each other to find the cache when the decide to retrieve it later. After the war is over the two decide to recover the buried treasure but both try and double-cross each other. A new twist develops when gold hungry Moira, a beautiful seductive woman, wants a share.

Remembering Chris Huerta

Born Crisanto Huerta Brieva on January 26, 1935 in Lisbon, Portugal. Known to all of us as Cris/Chris Huerta, he is one of the great character actors of the Spaghetti Western era. He first appeared in Sword and Sandal films and later specialized in Westerns often playing dirty, ugly fat gang leaders, bandits, and sidekicks. He appeared in both classic and 'B' western productions, from “Django” (1965), “Navajo Joe” (1966) and “Captain Apache” (1970) to lesser known films like “The Fat Brothers of Trinity” (1972) and “Valley of the Dancing Widows” (1974). Once you've seen his face you soon can pick him out in the over 40 Euro-westerns he has appeared in. Chris Huerta died in Madrid, Spain sometime in late November 2004. Today we remember Chris Huerta on what would have been his 75th birthday.

RIP Pernell Roberts

Pernell Roberts, the actor who starred in the TV series Bonanza and Trapper John MD, died at his Malibu home Sunday January 24th. He was 81. Pernell Roberts' wife Eleanor Criswell confirmed that the actor died of cancer. Pernell Roberts was best known for playing Adam Cartwright, the eldest son in the Cartwright clan. In 1979, he starred in Trapper John, MD, playing the title character, Dr. John McIntyre. The series, which was a spinoff of MASH,  lasted seven seasons. After Trapper John went off the air, he worked in television and film for years, and also did voice-over work.

Born Pernell Elvin Roberts, Jr. on May 15, 1928 in Waycross, Georgia, he appeared in one Euro-western "Four Rode Out" (1968) as Marshal Ross, with Sue Lyons and Leslie Nielson.

Who Are Those Guys - Maurizio Arena

Born Maurizio Di Lorenzo on December 26, 1933 in Rome, Italy, he was the brother of actress Rosanna Di Lorenzo [1938- ]. He appeared in 80 films from his first appearance in “Bellesse in moto-scooter” (1952) directed by Carlo Campogalliani until his final appearance in the 1978 film “Pugni, dollari e spinaci” directed by Emmino Salvi.He was very popular in the 1950s due to his appearance in a trilogy of 'Poveri' films directed by Dino Rossi. Maurizio also directed two films “Il principi fusto” (1960) in which he produced, wrote the screenplay, composed the music and starred. His mother and father also appeared in the film. He also directed “Gli altri, gli altri e no” (1967). During this time he appeared in two Euro-westerns, starring in “The Terror of Oklahoma” (1959) and “The Grandsons of Zorro” (1975) with Franco Franchi. Maurizio Arena died of a heart attack on November 11, 1979. A park and plaque in Rome are dedicated to his memory.


ARENA, Maurizio (Maurizio Di Lorenzo) [12/26/1933, Rome, Lazio, Italy – 11/21/1979, Rome, Lazio, Italy (heart attack)] – producer, director, screenwriter, composer, TV actor, brother of actress Rossana Di Lorenzo [1938- ].
The Terror of Oklahoma – 1959 (Clay Norton “Terror of Oklahoma”)
The Grandsons of Zorro – 1975 (Friar Miguel)

CHALLENGE TO WHITE FANG

Il ritorno di zanna bianca – Italian title
Le retour de Croc Blanc – French title
Le retour de Buck le loup – French title
Die Teufelsschlucht der wilden Wölfe – German title
Wofsblut 2 – Dutch title
Wolfsblut kehrt zurück – Dutch title
Valkohampaan kosto – Finnish title
Powrót Bialego Kla – Polish title
La carrera del oro – Spanish title
Varghundens utmaning – Swedish title
White Fang to the Rescue – English title
The Return of White Fang – U.K. title
Challenge to White Fang – USA title

A 1974 Italian, French, West German co-production [Oceania Produzioni Internazionali Cinematografiche (Rome), Les Productions Fox Europa (Paris), I.C.I. (Munich)]
Producer: Ermanno Donati
Director: Lucio Fulci
Story: Roberto Gianviti, Alberto Silvestri
Screenplay: Lucio Fulci, Roberto Gianviti, Alberto Silvestri
Cinematography: Silvano Ippoliti [Eastmancolor, Panavision]
Music: Carlo Rustichelli
Running time: 102 minutes

Cast:
Jason Scott - Franco Nero (Francesco Sparanero)
Sister Evangelina - Virna Lisi (Vivian Pieralisi)
Kurt Jansen - Raimund Harmstorf
John Tarwater - Harry Carey, Jr. (Henry Carey)
Bill Tarwater - Renato Cestiè (Massimo Conti)
Beauty Smith/Charles Forth - John Steiner
Jim HalL - Rik Battaglia (Riccardo Battaglia)
Lieutenant Charles Leclerc - Renato De Carmine
Carol - Yanti Sommer (Kirsti Somersalo)
Jane Leclerc - Hannelore Elsner (Hannelore Elstner)
Harvey - Werner Pochath (Werner Pocath)
Mitsah - Missaele
coloneL - John Bartha (János Barta)
bandit - Donal O’Brien (Donal O’Brien)
card player - Ezio Mariano
Beauty Smith’s henchman - Sergio Smacchi
brawlers in saloon - Goffredo Unger, Pietro Torrisi
with; Riccardo Petrazzi, Stanislaus Gunawan, Rolf Hartmann, Paolo Magalotti, Vittorio Fanfoni, Carla Mancini


A dying old miner wills his newly discovered gold mine to his grandson Bill Tarwater. When Beauty Smith, an evil businessman, finds out about the mine he tries to claim it for himself. When Sister Evangelina comes up with evidence to prove Smith has committed a list of crimes, he has her mission burned down killing her in the process. Journalist Jason Scott now takes up the cause and with the help of White Fang races to the mine to stop Smith.

This is a sequel to Lucio Fulci's earlier film “White Fang” (1973) starring many of the same cast.

New DVD Release!

Der Schatz im Silbersee (The Treasure of Silver Lake)

Label: Universum
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Time: 106 minutes
Languages: German, English
Subtitles: German, English
Format: Region B Blu Ray
Extras: Newsreel interview with Horst Wendlandt, interview dovumentary Götz George, Pierre Brice, Martin Böttcher, newsreel “Der Schatz vom Wannsee”, goof quiz, photo gallery, trailers (German, English), re-release trailer
Available: January 15, 2010

Cent dollars mort ou vif

Cent dollars mort ou vif – French title
$100.000 Dead or Alive – English translation

A 1911 French production [Gaumont (Paris)]
Producer: ?
Director: Jean Durand
Story: ?
Screenplay: ?
Cinematography: ?[black & white]
Running time: 13 minutes

Cast:
Joe - Joë Hamman (Jean Hamman)
Daisy Davison -  Berthe Dagmar (Albertine Dagmar)
Bredow, Gaston Modot

Joe loses everything he owns in a game of dice. Becoming mad he causes a fight and becomes a hunted man by the owner of the ranch where he worked. Wanting revenge, Joe returns to the ranch and releases the cattle belonging to his former boss. Prosecuted for the offense, Joe kills several men and a reward of one hundred dollars is then offered to bring him back dead or alive.

New Upcoming Book Release

Any Gun Can Play: The Essential Guide to Euro-westerns by Kevin Grant

The success of Sergio Leone's 'Dollars' trilogy in the '60s sparked a gold rush, as a legion of European film-makers - many of them sharing the get-rich-quick mentality of Leone's mercenary anti-heroes - followed the master's lead to create some of the wildest Westerns ever made.

Cynical and stylish, bloody and baroque, Euro-Westerns replaced straight-shooting sheriffs and courageous cowboys with amoral adventurers, whose murderous methods would shock the heroes of Hollywood Westerns. These films became box-office sensations around the world, and their influence can still be felt today.

Any Gun Can Play puts the phenomenon into perspective, exploring the films' wider reaches, their recurrent themes, characters, quirks and motifs. It examines Euro-Westerns in relation to their American ancestors and the mechanics of the Italian popular film industry, and spotlights the unsung actors, directors and other artists who subverted the 'code' of the Western and dragged it into the modern age.

Based on years of research backed up by interviews with many of the genre's leading lights, including actors Franco Nero, Giuliano Gemma and Gianni Garko, writer Sergio Donati, and directors Sergio Sollima and Giuliano Carnimeo, Any Gun Can Play will satisfy both connoisseurs and the curious.

Complete with a foreword by Euro-Western legend Franco Nero, this stunningly illustrated reference guide takes aim at the lingering notion that the genre has little to offer beyond the 'Dollars' films and a fistful of others, exposing the full, vibrant history of the Euro-Western.

Publication Date: May 2010

Spaghetti Western Locations

The small house where Marisol was kept was shown from the outside in an earlier post. It is now the Hotel Cotijo El Sotillo and is located in San Jose, Spain. The interior used in “Fistful of Dollars” is now the lobby for the hotel. The fireplace is surprisingly almost exactly the same as seen in the film. One can almost picture Marianna Koch coming out of the door and greeting you.




For a more detailed view of this site and other Spaghetti Western locations please visit my friend Yoshi “Garring” Yasuda’s excellent website: http://garringo.cool.ne.jp/

Robert Charlebois, Dolores Claman to be among inductees to Canadian songwriters hall of fame

The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame is getting amplified this year with the induction of influential Montreal musician Robert Charlebois. Charlebois songs getting into the Hall of Fame are "Fu Man Chu," "Les Ailes d'un ange," Ordinaire," "Demain l'hiver" and "Lindenberg." Charlebois starred with Terence Hill in “The Genius”. Montreal musician Vincent Vallieres played Charlebois tunes at the press conference, calling himself "a big fan." "He's a great singer-songwriter and he's also a great performer who changed the course of the rock 'n' roll music in French." Charlebois is also an officer of the Order of Canada as well as an officer of the National Order of Quebec.

Six other songs by other artists are also being inducted, including Vancouver composer Dolores Claman's iconic "The Hockey Theme." Released in 1968, the tune is often referred to as Canada's second national anthem and was played on CBC's "Hockey Night in Canada" until CTV purchased the rights in 2008. Claman composed the score for “Captain Apache” starring Lee Van Cleef.

Thanks to Mike Ferguson for providing WAI! with the information.

CEMETERY WITHOUT CROSSES

Une corde… un colt – French title
Cimitero senza croci – Italian title
Cemitério sem cruzes – Brazilian title
Haudat vailla nimeä – Finnish title
Friedhof ohne kreuze – German title
Kato apo ton ourano tou Texas – Greek title
Una cuerda, un colt – Spanish title
The Rope and the Colt – English title
Death Valley Gunfighters – English title
Cemetery Without Crosses – USA title

A 1968 French, Italian co-production [Loisirs du Monde, Les Films Copernic (Paris), Fono Roma (Rome)]
Producers: Jean Charles Raffini, Jean-Pierre Labatut, Vincenzo Buffolo, Giulio Sbarigia
Director: Robert Hossein (Robert Hosseinoff)
Story: Dario Argento, Claude DeSailly, Robert Hossein (Robert Hosseinoff)
Screenplay: Dario Argento, Claude DeSailly, Robert Hossein (Robert Hosseinoff)
Cinematography: Henri Persin [Eastmancolor, Panavision]
Music: André Hossein (André Hosseinoff)
Song: “A Rope and a Colt” sung by Scott Walker
Running time: 90 minutes

Cast:
Manuel - Robert Hossein (Robert Hosseinoff)
Maria Caine - Michèle Mercier (Joselyne Mercier)
Johanna/Diana Rogers - Anne-Marie Balin
Thomas Caine - Lee Burton (Guido Lollobrigida)
Larry Rogers - Serge Marquand
Sheriff Ben - Pierre Colett (Emile Colett)
hotel clerk - Chris Huerta (Crisanto Brieva)
Eli Caine - Michel Lemoine
Will Rogers - Daniel Vargas (Daniel Pitani)
Bud Rogers - Philippe Baronnet
Frank Rogers - Pierre Hatet
Ben Caine - Benito Stefanelli
Stone Valee - Charly Bravo (Ramon Bravo)
Valee brother - Ivano Staccioli
Sam Valee - Antonio Molino Rojo
Valee brother - Jose Canalejas
Rogers’ henchman - Lorenzo Robledo
barman - Ángel Álvarez (Ángel Fernandez)
saloon girls - Béatrice Altariba, Maria Gustafson
with; Simón Arriaga, Alvaro de Luna (Alvaro Blanco)


French actor director Robert Hossein directed and stars in this 1968 gothic French western. Unique in it's own right this western has plenty of tension, drama and surprises. Manuel who lives in an abandoned ghost town is approached by a woman, Maria, he once loved and lost who asks his help in seeking vengeance against Will Rogers, a land baron who lynched her dead husband. At first Manuel turns her down but she convinces him to help her. Manuel finally concedes and infiltrates the band of men Rogers has hired for ranch work and gun fighting. He kidnaps the Rogers daughter and turns her over to Maria's brother-in-laws for safekeeping. They decide to have their way with the daughter and Manuel makes them pay for their foul deed. He meets Rogers and a few of his men in a final shootout and then when he wishes to end the killing and leave he turns to see the daughter with a gun in her hand who wants to make Manuel pay for his part in her kidnapping. Dario Argento was co-writer and his influence shows throughout the film. Besides the exceptional cinematography, the uniqueness of the story and direction it has one of the best main themes “A Rope and a Colt” sung by Scott Walker. an scores in Euro-western history.

You Tube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T99MUhDv0g

Happy 70th Birthday Pietro Torrisi

Pietro Torrisi was born on January 20, 1940 in Catania, Italy. He used the aliases Peter Barclay, Peter McCoy, Peter Thorris, Peter Thorys and Peter Torres during his 40+ year career. The former Italian bodybuilder where he became Mr. Italy in 1963. started out as a stuntman in Sword and Sandal films his first role was in the 1963 film “Revolt of the Gladiators” directed by Gianfranco Parolini and starring Dan Vadis. Torrisi became a regular in many Italian westerns as soldiers, henchmen and saloon brawlers. Some of his larger roles include “Today We Kill, Tomorrow We Die” (1967), “The 5-Man Army” (1969), “The Twilight Avengers” (1970), “Return of Sabata” (1971) “The Genius” (1975). Pietro's last film appearance was in the 2004 film “Germanikus”. Today we celebrate Pietro Torrisi's 70th birthday.

Who Are Those Guys - Fortunato Arena

Fortunato Arena is the father of actor Ettore Arena and was one of the most seen Italian character actors and stuntmen of the Spaghetti Western era. The grizzled, and usually bearded, actor often appeared as a gang member, henchman, bandit, saloon patron, and brawler to Mexicans, soldiers, officers, sheriffs, and stagecoach drivers. Born circa 1925 he appeared in over 150 films and TV appearances starting in 1960 until his last credited TV appearance in 1989. I have him listed in over 80 Euro-westerns.

ARENA, Fortunato (aka Lucky Aras, Lucky Arena, Arena Fortunato, Ares Lucic) [1922, Italy - ] – TV actor, stuntman, father of actor, assistant director Ettore Arena.
Dynamite Jack – 1960
Blood for a Silver Dollar – 1965
The Man from Nowhere – 1965 (saloon patron)
Django Shoots First – 1966 (gunman)
El Rojo – 1966 (saloon patron)
A Fistful of Songs – 1966 (gangster)
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly – 1966 (Mexican)
The Hills Run Red – 1966 (peon)
Django Shoots First – 1966 (Kluster/Cluster henchman)
Navajo Joe – 1966 (townsman)
Ringo and His Golden Pistol – 1966 (henchman)
Seven Dollars to Kill – 1966 (prisoner)
The Sheriff With the Gold – 1966 (Vargas) [credited as Ares Lucky]
A Stranger in Town – 1966 (Mexican captain)
Sugar Colt – 1966 (man in saloon)
Two Sons of Ringo – 1966 (Pedro)
Up the MacGregors – 1966 (bandit)
Death Sentence – 1967
The Great Silence – 1967 (outlaw)
The Handsome, the Ugly and the Stupid – 1967 (Mexican)
If You Want to Live… Shoot! – 1967 (Alvarez/Alvera lookout)
A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die – 1967
Shotgun – 1967
The Stranger Returns – 1967 (henchman)
This Man Can’t Die – 1967 (Jack)
Two Faces of the Dollar – 1967 (Mexican)
Viva Django – 1967 (Paco)
Wanted Johnny Texas – 1967 (O’Connor henchman)
Drop Them or I’ll Shoot – 1968 (townsman)
Execution – 1968 (soldier)
Go for Broke – 1968 (Mexican)
God May Forgive You, Not Me - 1968
Lynching – 1968
To Hell and Back – 1968
The Man Who Cried for Revenge – 1968 (Crazy Joe)
One After the Other – 1968 (Trent)
A Rope for a Bastard – 1968
Sartana – 1968 (Tampico henchman)
A Stranger in Paso Bravo – 1968 (townsman)
Tequila Joe – 1968
And God Said to Cain - 1969 (prisoner)
Boot Hill – 1969 (miner)
The 5-Man Army! – 1969 (Commandant of the execution squad)
God Will Forgive My Pistol – 1969 (stagecoach driver)
Hate is My God – 1969
In the Name of the Father – 1969
Qunitana – 1969 (prisoner)
Sabata – 1969 (bandit)
Sartana the Gravedigger – 1969
The Stranger’s Gundown – 1969 (Murdock henchman)
The Unholy Four -1969 (prison warden)
Zorro, Marquis of Navarra – 1969 (El Moko)
Adios, Sabata – 1970 (duel observer)
Arizona Returns – 1970 (townsman)
Brother Outlaw – 1970 (Jackson)
Django Defies Sartana – 1970 (bandit)
Durango is Coming Pay or Die – 1970 (poker player)
Fistful of Lead – 1970 (old man)
Have a Nice Funeral – 1970 (gambler)
Shoot the Living and Pray for the Dead – 1970 (Sam/Carl) [credited as Ares Lucky]
They Call Me Trinity – 1970 (store clerk)
Blazing Guns – 1971 (Matadodos/May)
Blindman – 1971 (Mexican officer)
Bullet for a Stranger – 1971
Django…Adios! – 1971 (gambler)
Guns for Dollars – 1971 (Yucca Sheriff)
The Last Traitor – 1971 (Judge Stump)
A Man Called Django! -1971 (townsman)
The Return of Sabata – 1971 (saloon owner)
Tara Poki – 1971 (Alphonso)
Trinity is Still My Name – 1971 (Parker henchman)
Two Sons of Trinity – 1972 (Jack Gordon)
Gunmen and the Holy Ghost – 1972 (killer)
Jesse and Lester, Two Brothers in a Place Called Trinity – 1972 (outlaw)
Man of the East – 1972 (Danny Dillman)
The Return of Halleluia – 1972 (sheriff with fishes)
They Called Him Amen – 1972 (stagecoach driver)
Trinity & Sartana Those Son’s of Bitches – 1972 (sheriff)
Bad Kids of the West – 1973 (sheriff)
Court Martial – 1973 (farmer)
The Man Called Invincible – 1973 (Ilamo Orango/Mr. Orangutan)
The Crazy Bunch – 1974
The Return of Shanghai Joe – 1974 (Sheriff Wilson)

Remembering Steno

Born Stefano Vanzini on January 19, 1915 in Rome, Italy. He was the son of journailst Albert Vanzina. He graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts and entered the Experimental Center of Cinematography and began to graw caricatures, cartoons and write humorous articles under the pseudonym Steno. He then started writing scripts for radio and the theater. He was hired by director Mario Mattioli as a screenwriter and assistant director for several of his films. He directed his first film in 1949. For the next 30 years he would specialize and direct and write scripts for comic films. He directed Bud Spencer in four “Flatfoot” films. During his work in the '60s he was involved with two Euro-westerns directing and co-writing the screenplay for “Heroes of the West” (1963) and directing “Twins from Texas” (1964). He was married and had two sons who entered the film industry Henry a writer and Charles a producer and director. Steno died on March 12, 1988 in Rome. Today we remember him on what would have been his 95th birthday.

Martin Luther King Day 2010

CAVALRY CHARGE

La carga de la policía montada – Spanish title
Watabanga! – Italian title
7 Mounty carica – Italian title
La charge des tuniques rouges – French title
I teleftaia efodos ton kolasmenon – Greek title
Cavalry Charge – USA title

A 1964 Spanish production [Trébol Films Cooperativa Cinematografica (Madrid)]
Producer: Arturo Gonzalez
Director: Ramón Torrado (Ramón Estrada)
Story: Bautista Lacasa Nebot
Screenplay: Bautista Lacasa Nebot, Manuel Tamayo (Manuel Castro), Raymond Torrad
(Ramón Estrada)
Cinematography: Ricardo Torres (Ricardo Núñez) [Eastmancolor, Totalscope]
Music: Daniel White
Running time: 105 minutes

Cast:
Commandant Niger/Paul White - Frank Latimore (Franklin Kline)
Inspector/Corporal Bedford - Alan Scott
Indian girl - Diana Lorys (Anna Vega)
Sara - Mary Silvers (María Rodriguez)
with; Luis Barboo, Bernabe Barta Barri, Xan das Bolas (Tomas Pena), Frank Braña (Francisco Pérez ), Juan Cortés, Alfonso Rojas (Alfonso Gonzalez), Aldo Sambrell (Alfredo Brell), Fernando Bilbao, Tito García (Pablo Gonzalez), Rufino Inglés, José Truchado (José Reyes), Rafael Hernández (Esteban Herrero), Guillermo Méndez, Ricardo Lilló, Alfonso de la Vega


In a Canadian fort Commandant Niger and Inspector/CorporalBedford fight for the affections of Sara. When Sara chooses Bedford Niger's pride is hurt and he urges the Indians to rebel against the Canadian Mounted Police. Bedford manages to save the life of an Indian girl and when the fort is attacked by Indians Bedford, through his heroic actions and the help of the Indian girl saves the fort from falling into the hands of the Indians and prevents a massacre. For his actions Bedford is decorated with the medal of valor and given a promotion to sergeant.

Happy 60th Birthday Cristina Galbó

Born Cristina Galbó Sanchez on January 17, 1950 in Madrid, Spain. She and her sister Beatriz Galbó became child actresses and Cristina would go on to appear in over 30 films mainly during the 1960s and '70s. She made her mark in horror/terror films during this period in such picutres as “The House that Screamed” (1969), “Solange” (1972) and “Let Sleeping Corpses Lie” (1974). Before this she appeared in three Euro-westerns “The Four Who Came to Kill Sartna” (1965), “The Fury of Johnny Kid” (1966) and “Twice a Judas” (1968). It was on “The Fury of Johnny Kid” that she met her future husband Peter Lee Lawrence. They were married in 1969 and the union lasted until Lawrence's untimely death in 1974. Cristina left the films in the late 1980's and came to the United States where she taught flamenco dancing in the California State University system.. Today we celebrate Cristina Galbó's 60th birthday.

CATLOW

El oro de nadie – Spanish title
Catlow – Italian title
Catlow – French title
Catlow – Leben ums Verrecken – German title
Ketlov – Yugoslavian title
Catlow – British title
Catlow – USA title

A 1971 British, U.S.A. Spanish co-production [Frontier Productions (London), M.G.M. Hollywood)]
Producer: Euan Lloyd
Director: Sam Wannamaker
Story: “Catlow” by Louis L’Amour (Louis LaMoore)
Screenplay: Scott Finch, J. J. Griffith (James J. Griffith)
Cinematography: Ted Scaife (Edward Scaife) [Metrocolor, Panavision]
Music: Roy Budd
Running time: 104 minutes

Cast:
Bijah Catlow - Yul Brynner (Yuliy Bryner)
Deputy Marshal Ben Cowan - Richard Crenna
Orville Miller - Leonard Nimoy
Rosita Calderon - Daliah Lavi (Daliah Lewinbook)
Christina - Jo Ann Pflug
Merridew - Jeff Corey (Jeffrey Corey)
Rio Bray - Michael Delano
Captain Diego Martinez de Recalde - Julián Mateos (Julián Perez)
Oley - Bob Logan (Robert Logan)
Johnny Caxton - David Ladd
Mrs. Frost - Bessie Love (Juanita Horton)
Bob Keleher - John Clark
Dutch - Dan van Husen (Daniel van Husen)
Sanchez - Cass Martin
General Juan Batista Armijo - José Nieto
Captain Francisco Vargas - Ángel del Pozo (Ángel Marino)
Pesquiera - Victor Israel (José Vilanova)
Sara - Erika Lopez
Pedro - Tito Garcia (Pablo Gonzalez)
José - Antonio Padilla
Alberto - Rafael Albaicin (Ignacio-Rafael Escudero)
Fernandez - Alejandro de Encisco (José Lopez)
Marshal Logan S. Roots - Ralph Brown
Parkman - Walter Coy
Otis - Allen Russell
herd owner - Per Barclay (Erik Atberg)
drovers - David Thomson, José Laurens
Tarahumara - Florencio Amarilla
Tonkawa Indian - Raul Castro


While on the trail of cattle rustler Jedidiah Catlow, Marshal Ben Cowan is ambushed by Indians and shot in the leg with an arrow just as Catlow and his gang come to his rescue. Catlow chuckles when Ben announces that he is under arrest, then passes out from his injury. Catlow, an old Civil War buddy of Ben's, tends to his friend's wounds, and when Ben revives the next morning and again tries to arrest Catlow, Catlow wryly observes that he was not rustling, but merely rounding up "maverick" cattle that belong to anyone who can catch and brand them. Their conversation is interrupted by Orville Miller, a sadistic gunman hired by rancher Parkman to eliminate Catlow. Holding Catlow at gunpoint, Miller announces that he plans to hang him. As Catlow pulls on his boots to "meet his maker," he shoots at Miller with a derringer hidden in one of his boots. In the ensuing gunfire, Catlow and his gang drive away Miller and his men, after which Catlow heads for Abilene, Kansas to sell his herd. Ben follows Catlow to Abilene, but decides not to arrest him because he knows that Parkman will prevent him from receiving a fair trial. To Ben's surprise, Catlow insists upon being arrested and taken to Fort Smith for trial. After Catlow and Ben board the stage to Fort Smith, however, Catlow's gang hijacks it and Mrs. Frost, the sweet old lady who is their fellow passenger, pulls out a gun and orders Ben to release Catlow. Catlow and his men flee to Nogales, a town on the Mexican border, where Catlow reunites with his fiery girl friend Rosita while awaiting the arrival of Sanchez, The officer, Diego Recalde, tells Ben that he has been attacked by Apache Indians, and as Ben takes the reins of Diego's horse, the Apache attack again, killing both Diego's and Ben's horses. Ben fends off the attack with his rifle, and as Diego joins in with his pistol, the Mexican army comes to their rescue. Meanwhile, Catlow and his gang have hunkered down in Hermosillo in a house owned by Rosita's father, waiting for the mule train to arrive. In gratitude for saving his life, Diego takes Ben to Hermosillo, where his wealthy uncle, General Calderon, owns a grand hacienda. There Ben is smitten by the general's cultured daughter Christina. When the general tells Ben that he is expecting the arrival of a mule train bearing gold found in a cave near the Texas border, Ben deduces that the gold was part of a shipment stolen from the Confederate army during the Civil War. Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Hermosillo, Rafael Vargas, a Mexican army officer in charge of the mule train, is met by one of Catlow's men, who is disguised as a Mexican soldier bearing a fake message from Christina, asking him to hurry to the ball that night. Vargas, who fancies himself Christina's suitor, impetuously delegates his command and takes off for Hermosillo. That night, as the mule train enters the town's portal, Catlow's men, hidden in the overhead beams, lasso the mule train guards one by one, then knock them out. When Vargas arrives at the ball babbling about Christina's message, Ben realizes he has been set up and rushes to the town square, where he spots Catlow's men and fires a warning shot to alert the officers attending the ball. After capturing Ben, Catlow leaves town with the mule train, instructing Rosita to stay behind and guard the marshal. To avoid the oncoming army, Catlow decides to cross the treacherous desert called "Hell with the fire out" because of its unremitting heat. Rosita, furious at Catlow for deserting her, imprisons Ben at her father's house, but he soon escapes and follows Catlow into the desert. As they make their way through the desert, Rio, an insolent member of the gang, challenges Catlow's authority and demands they turn around and head for Texas. Catlow, notified by his Indian guide Chaco that hostile Tonkawa Indians are in the area, insists that they stick together and threatens to kill anyone who tries to leave, prompting Rio to back down. Ben reaches the gang just in time to witness the Indians attack, after which they take refuge in the ruins of a deserted pueblo. Spotting Rosita and a gang of Mexican thugs she has hired to ambush Catlow hiding in the ruins, Ben fires a shot to alert his friend to the danger, then joins in the fray to overpower Rosita and her gang. That night, as they exhaust their last supplies of water, Ben informs Catlow that he intends to return the gold to its rightful owner, the U.S. government. As the others sleep, Rio slips Rosita a knife so that she can cut her bonds, then confiscates all the guns in camp. The next morning, when Rio and two others ride away with the gold, Chaco fells Rio with an arrow As Miller watches from the hills, the Indians rally to attack the defenseless men huddled in the ruins. Suddenly, the Indians spot the approaching Mexican army and flee. After Ben arrests Catlow, they return to Hermosillo to await the arrival of the stage to take Catlow to trial. When the stage door opens, Christina is seated inside, ready to accompany Ben. Just then, Miller appears, holding a Mexican soldier hostage, orders everyone to drop their guns. After revealing that his vocal chords have slashed by the broken water jug, Miller fires, wounding Ben. Grabbing Ben's gun, Catlow kills Miller, then removes Ben's badge and pins it on himself. As Christina holds the wounded Ben, Catlow grins and appoints himself deputy, promising to bring the robbers to justice. - Turner Classic Movies


You Tube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aps2UHPy2ck

Happy 60th Birthday Caroline Munro

Caroline Munro was born on January 16, 1950 in Windsor, England. She began her career as a model for Vogue and other fashion magazines along with doing TV ads. She was used as decoration in “Casion Royale” (1967), “Where's Jack? (1969) and her only Euro-western “A Talent for Loving” (1968) as a young Evalina Patten. She became a contract actress for Hammer during the 1970s. She then made two of her most memorable screen appearances in 1974's “The Golden Voyage of Sinbad” and as Naomi in the James Bond film “The Spy Who Loved Me” (1977) opposite Roger Moore. She continued to appear in Horror and SciFi films during the rest of the 1970s and 1980s. She signed a recording contract in 1984 and released a hit single “Pump Me Up” and starred in the TV series “3-2-1” (1984-1987). Since the 1990s she has devoted most of her time to her family and makes only occassional appearances on TV and in film. She was married to actor Judd Hamilton and today is married to director George Dugdale and has two daughters. Today we celebrate Carolin Munro's 60th birthday.

Remembering Italo Zingarelli

Italo Zingarelli was born in the town of Lugo, Italy on January 15, 1930. His mother, Italia Foschi, taught language and literature, whereas his father, Mauro, was a school headmaster, who passed away when Italo was only ten years old. In 1947, having completed high school, Italo enrolled in the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics of the University of Rome. He also started to take an interest in boxing, training at several gyms in Rome and eventually reaching the finals of the Italian Junior Middleweight/Heavyweight Championships.

He initiated his career in films in 1949, appearing as an extra in "Quo Vadis?" and being given a number of roles as a stuntman. The following year he became a production assistant and was involved in the making of a multitude of short films, but it would be another four years before he was to become fully involved in movie production. From 1954 onwards he worked as a production director on a great number of films, including ‘Slaves of Carthage’ (‘Le Schiave di Cartagine’). That same year he married Maria Laura Spano, who was to remain his friend, companion and trusted advisor for the rest of his life. Maria gave birth to three children: Fabio, born in 1956, Sandra following in 1957 and Sergio in 1958.

By 1958, Italo had clocked up sufficient experience to move into production, and in collaboration with his partners, he made his first feature film, ‘Rebellion of the Gladiators’ (‘La rivolta dei gladiatori’). In 1964, he founded his own production company, which has made over fifty features. 1966 saw the inception of Italo Zingarelli’s DELTA film distribution company, which introduced a state-of-the-art system for copying reels of celluloid, a system that allows for the so-called ‘carpet bombing’ of movie theaters.

It was around 1969 that Italo launched his partnership with Terence Hill and Bud Spencer (pseudonyms of Italian actors Mario Girotti and Carlo Pedersoli) in comedy Westerns such as ‘They Call Me ‘Trinity’’ (‘Lo chiamavano Trinità), ‘They Still Call Me ‘Trinity’’ (‘Continuavano a chiamarlo Trinità’) and ‘Go For It, Boys’ (‘Più forte ragazzi’).

In 1973, he purchased a 14th-Century village called ‘Macìe’, and the nearby Saint Alphonso’s Farm and winery, in the area of Castellina in Chianti. Italo Zingarelli passed away on April 29, 2000 in Rome, Italy. Today we celebrate what would have been his 80th birthday.

CARRY ON COWBOY

På'en igen, cowboy – Danish title
Rumpo Kid bittet zum Duell – German title
Ist ja irre-Der driest Cowboy – German title
Oi dyo keravnoi tou Grand Canyon – Greek title
Folytassa cowboy – Hungarian title
El Oeste es una peste – Italian title
El Oeste es una peste – Mexican title
Kowhoju do dziela! – Polish title
Samonaored kauboju – Yugoslavian title
The Rumpo Kid – English title
Carry on Cowboy – British title

A 1965 British production [Anglo Amalgamated Film Distributors, Adder Productions (London)]
Producer: Peter Rogers
Director: Gerald Thomas
Screenplay: Talbot Rothwell
Cinematography: Alan Hume [Eastmancolor]
Music: Eric Rogers
Song: “Carry on Cowboy” sung by ?
Song: “This is the Night for Love” sung by Angela Douglas
Running time: 95 minutes

Cast:
The Rumpo Kid/Johnny Finger - Sidney James (Sidney Cohen)
Judge Burke - Kenneth Williams
Belle Armitage - Joan Sims (Irene Sims)
Marshall P. Knutt - Jim Dale (James Smith)
Charlie - Percy Herbert
Annie Oakley - Angela Douglas (Angela MacDonagh)
Little Heap - Bernard Bresslaw
Chief Big Heap - Charles Hawtrey (George Hartree)
Doc - Peter Butterworth
Dolores - Edina Ronay
Moses Josh - Davey Kaye (Davy Kay)
blacksmith - Tom Clegg
Miss Jones - Margaret Nolan
Sheriff Albert Earp - Jon Pertwee (John Pertwee)
Sam Houston - Sydney Bromley
clerk - Lionel Murton (William Murton)
Commissioner Fiddler - Alan Gifford (John Lennox)
Burt - Brian Rawlinson
bank manager - Michael Nightingale
CurlY - Peter Gilmore
Kitikata - Sally Douglas
Mex - Cal McCord
Slim - Gary Colleano
Short - Simon Cain
old cowhand - Arthur Lovegrove
Perkins - Larry Cross (Russell Titus)
trapper - Brian Coburn
young cowhand - Hall Galili
drunk - Norman Stanley
Mexican girl - Carmen Dene
Minnie - Andrea Allen (Andrea Allan)
Jenny - Donna White
Polly - Vicki Smith
Sally - Lisa Thomas
Jane - Audrey Wilson
Bridget - Gloria Best
Russ - Eric Rogers
stagecoach driver - George Moosman
man - Patrick Durkin
Indian rider - Richard O’Brien (Richard Smith)
horsemen - Bill Brandon, Billy Cornelius, Mike Stevens
riders - Kid Berg (Judah Berg), Charles Price, Brian Edwards, Philip Joste, Douglas Bates, Gerald Barnes, Mick Dillon (Michael Dillon), Dennis Dillon, Tommy Atkins, Pat Baker, Bernard Barnsley, David Birks, Tim Condren (Timothy Condren), Bill Cummings, Jack Curran, Billy Dean, Barry De Boulay, Reg Dent, John Dick, Steve Emerson, Ray Ford, Reg Harding, Tony Jossa, Philip Joste, Anthony Leon, Jimmy Lodge, Eddie Long, Norman Mann, John McArdle, Vince Mooney, Bill Morgan, Richard Morgan, David Munt, Peter Munt, Dave Newman, Raymond Novak, Derek Pitton, Peter Pocock, Charles Price, Michael Reeves, Trevor Roberts, Tony Robinson, Johnny Scripps, Richard Smith, Roy Street, Chris Taylor, Jeremy Taylor Les White, Dave Wilding
Saloon dancers - The Ballet Montparnasse


The film, a parody of Western films, is set in the fictitious town of Stodge City (a parody of the real-life Dodge City). An outlaw known as The Rumpo Kid arrives in town and quickly turns the quiet town into a base for his network of cattle rustlers and thieves, whilst fooling the inept Judge Burke.

In Washington D.C.,, Englishman Marshal P. Knutt, a "sanitation engineer first class", arrives in Amaerica in the hope of revolutionising the American sewage system. He accidentally walks into the office of the Commissioner, thinking it to be the Public Works Department, and is accidentally mistaken for the new US Peace Marshal for Stodge City.

The Rumpo Kid hears of the new Marshal, and tries all he can to kill the Marshal without being caught, including sending out a pack of Indians, led by their Chief Big Heap and hanging the Marshal after framing him for cattle rustling. Knutt is saved only by a highly-fictionalised depiction of Annie Oakley.

Eventually, Knutt runs the Kid out of town, but once Rumpo discovers that Knutt is only a sanitary engineer and not the Peace Marshal he once thought, the Kid swears revenge, returning to Stodge City for a showdown. By hiding beneath the manholes in the main street, Knutt kills off Rumpo's gang, but fails to capture Rumpo, who escapes into the dusk.


You Tube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEhV5TOApb4

Happy 70th Birthday Vonetta McGee

She was born Lawrence Vonetta McGee Jr. on January 14, 1940 in San Francisco, California. Her first film appearance was in the 1968 Italian film ''Faustina'' directed by Luigi Magni. Her next appearance was in her only Eurowestern ''The Great Silence'' (1968) as Pauline. She would become known to most American audiences for her appearances in ''Blacula'' ('72), ''Shaft in Africa'' ('75) and ''The Eiger Sanction'' ('75). She's been married to actor Carl Lumbly since 1987 and has one child. Her last screen appearance was in 1998's ''Johnny B Good''. Today we celebrate Vonetta McGee's 70th Birthday.

Spaghetti Western Locations

Continuing on our visit to what is left of the site of Flagstone (Estacion La Calahorra-Ferreira) you will find a number of brick buildings which are shells of their former self with a main road runnig through the center of the town. This road is what was the dirt road Sam took Jill out to Sweetwater. Scraps of wood, bricks, plaster and partical board are scattered amongst the tall grass and weeds. A wall has been built to encircle part of the town which as stated before is part of a large goat ranch.



For a more detailed view of this site and other Spaghetti Western locations please visit my friend Yoshi “Garring” Yasuda’s excellent website: http://garringo.cool.ne.jp/

Carlos (TV film)

Carlos – International title

A 1971 West German TV production [Iduna Film Produktiongesellschaft, Bayerischer Rundfunk, Westdeutscher Rundfunk (Munich)]
Producer: Helmut Haffner, Ernst Liesenhoff, Gunther Witte
Director: Hans W. Geissendörfer
Story: “Don Carlos” by Friedrich Schiller
Teleplay: Hans W. Geissendörfer
Photography: Robby Müller [color]
Music: Ernst Brandner
Running time: 107 minutes

Cast:
Carlos - Gottfried John
Clara - Anna Karina (Hanne Bayer)
Lisa - Geraldine Chaplin
Phillip - Bernhard Wicki
Ligo - Horst Frank
Pedro - Thomas Hunter
Enrico - Sabi Dor (Sabi Dorr)
Roswitha - Lorenza Colville
Domingo - Shey K. Ophir
Tassos - Ruven Steffer
Mönch - Shmuel Wolff
Mario - Yossi Shiloah (Yossef Shiloach)
Col - Leon Charney
saloon girls - Mona Silberstein, Channa Neeman
with; Ebba Kaiser, Amos Mokadi, Beatrice Shimsoni, Micha Scharfstein (Michael Scharfstein), Towje Kleiner, Avrahnam Heffner, Peter Collins, Rafi Nelson, Ramy Jacob


Filmed in Israel and only shown on German TV a few times, the story is about the outcast son of a bandit and killer who turns against his father because of his brutal treatment of the poor peasants he controls to work in his mine. Carlos tries to help the enslaved workers and attempts a showdown with his father but he fails. The setting is 1915 southern Europe but is often mistakenly credited as Mexico. The best part of the film is it's unique score by composer Ernst Brandner. The track used over the opening credits is haunting.

Remembering Robert Hundar

Claudio Undari was born on January 12, 1935 in Castelvetrano, Italy. He studied to become a lawyer but became interested in acting and moved to Rome. He appeared in small roles during the Sword and Sandal craze and then hit his stride when the Spaghetti Westerns came into vogue. His name was changed to Robert Hundar and his impressive size allowed him to play both heroes and villains in such films as “The Shadow of Zorro” ('62), “Ride and Kill” ('63), “Gunfight at High Noon” ('63). He then became a regular in several Joaquin Luis Romero Marchent's westerns during the 1960's and '70s. Some of his best roles were as Ramon Morales in “Ramon the Mexican” ('66), Gringo in “A Man, a Colt” ('67) with Fernando Sancho, as Oswald in “Sabata” ('69) and as Eric Plummer in “California” ('77). His most sympathetic and best known role was probably as Sergeant Brown in the 1970 film “Cut-Throats Nine”. He also appeared in a few crime films and then left the business and made documentary films before finally retiring in 2000. Claudio Undari died in Rome of natural causes on May 13, 2008. Today we remember Robert Hundar on what would have been his 75th birthday.

Remembering Francesco De Masi

Francesco De Masi was born on January 11, 1930 in Rome, Italy. He studied composition at the San Pietro a Maiella in Naples. He studied under his uncle Achille Longo and when Achille was asked to score a film he asked Francesco to assist him. De Masi became very interested in film scoring after this experience and composed over 200 film scores during his carrer among them over 45 Eurowesterns. Francesco actually preceeded Ennio Morricone as a western film composer and he developed his own style. He was one of the greatest composers of adventure and western films. A accomplished condutor he conducted most of his compositions. Among his outstanding western scores were “The Magnificent Brutes of the West” ('64), “The Man from Nowhere” ('65), “Ringo the Face of Revenge” ('66), “Any Gun Can Play” ('67), “Kill Them All and Come Back Alone” ('68), and the American adventure film “Lone Wolf McQuade” ('83). Francesco De Masi dies on November 6, 2005 in Rome, yet little coverage was given to his death. Thankfully many of his scores have been released on CD. His son promised two years ago that a release of all of his western scores was in the works but unfortunately that has not happened. Today we remember one of the greatest composers of the Spaghetti Western genre Francesco De Masi on what would have been his 80th birthday.

CARAMBOLA

Carambola – Italian title
Carambola – Brazilian title
Mon nom est Trinita – Belgium title
Caramba-veljekset – Finnish title
Si ce n’est toi…c’est donc ton frere – French title
Vier Fäuste schlagen wieder zu – German title
Nos llaman Carambola – Spanish title
Carambola! – Slår alltid först – Swedish title
Karambol – Turkish title
Strange Adventures of Coby and Ben – English title
Carambola – English title

A 1973 Italian Production [B.R.C., Aetos (Rome)]
Producer: Manolo Bolognini
Director: Ferdinando Baldi
Story: Nico Ducci, Mino Roli
Screenplay: Ferdinando Baldi, Nico Ducci, Mino Roli
Cinematography: Aiace Parolin [Eastmancolor, CinemaScope]
Music: Franco Bixio, Fabio Frizzi, Vince Tempera (Vincenzo Tempera)
Songs: “You Can Fly”, “Milk Serenade” sung by Dream Bags
Running time: 100 minutes

Cast:
Coby/Toby/Trinity - Michael Coby (Antonio Cantafora)
Clem/Ben/Lynn/Butch/Len Rothman - Paul Smith (Anan Edel)
Kelly - William Bogart (Guglielmo Spoletini)
Captain Howard - Luciano Catenacci
Lieutenant Stevens - Remo De Angelis
Clydeson - Horst Frank
sheriff - Pino Ferrara
Professor Max Lager - Franco Fantasia (Francisco Fantasia)
Mexican revolutionary - Pedro Sanchez (Ignacio Spalla)
Roger - Pietro Ceccarelli
Clydeson henchmen - Nello Pazzafini (Giovanni Pazzafini), Elio Bonadonna, Artemio Antonini, Enrico Chiappafreddo, Roberto Dell Acqua, Wladimiro Daddi
Howard's assistant - Pietro Torrisi, Gianlorenzo Bernini, Fred Robsahm
bartender - Benjamin Lev
tug-of-war brawler - Moises Rocha
Pamela - Melissa Chimenti (Anna Napolitano)
Coby's/Toby's/Trinity's billiard opponents - Gaetano Russo
billiard bookmaker - Mike Morris (Amedeo Trilli)
billiard spectator - Angelo Boscariol
travellers on the road - Claudio Ruffini, Angelo Susani
with; Luigi Antonio Guerra, Glauco Onorato


Director Ferdinando decided to cash in on the success of the Trinity films and cast his own set of Terence Hill & Bud Spencer look-alikes with Michael Coby (Antonio Cantafora) and Paul Smith.

In Carambola, Coby is an ex-soldier and billiard champion. He and his friend Len Rothman accept the sum of $50,000 dollars to investigate the trafficking of arms across the Mexican border. However, the film takes a twist when the pair come across a new, revolutionary revolver. This film was followed by a sequel “The Crazy Adventures of Len and Coby”. After Bud Spencer turned down the role of Bluto in Robin Williams 1980 movie “Popeye” Paul Smith was offered and accepted the rôle.

Remembering Lee Van Cleef

Born Clarence Leroy Van Cleef Jr. on January 9, 1925 in Somerville, New Jersey. He was raised in a farming community and enlisted in the Navy during World War II right out of high school. After the war he became a systems analysist and then became a stage actor appearing with Henry Fonda in “Mr. Roberts”. He was signed to a part in the film “High Noon” (1952) by producer Stanley Kramer. During the 1950s he was seen in films such as “Tribute to a Bad Man” (1956) with James Cagney, “The Tin Star” (1957) with Henry Fonda, “Gunfight at the O.K. Corral” (1957) with Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster and many TV series usually playing a villain. By the early '60s his career had slowed to a point he could not pay his phone bill and he was working as a painter. Sergio Leone signed him to play Colonel Dougas Mortimer opposite Clint Eastwood in “For a Few Dollars More” (1965) and he became an international star. Following up with 16 more Eurowesterns including “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” (1966), “The Big Gundown” (1966), “Day of Anger”, “Death Rides a Horse” both 1967. Lee was smart enough to stay in Europe where he was a huge box-office star. He continued to make Italian films until the end of his career. He lived part time in the U.S. but was only a cult hero here in such American films as “The Octagon” (1980) with Chuck Norris and “Escape from New York” (1981) with Kurt Russell. He was the one American actor that is associated with the Spaghetti westerns more than any other. Sadly Lee died of a heart attack on December 16, 1989 at the age of 64. Today we remember Lee Van Cleef, a true icon of the Eurowestern, on what would have been his 85th birthday.