Comin' At Ya! News

Austin, TX—Thursday, July 14th, 2011— Fantastic Fest is proud to announce our first wave of programming for the seventh edition of Fantastic Fest, happening September 22-29, 2011 in Austin, Texas.

This batch of 19 films spans the globe from Japan, Belgium, Mexico, Russia, Hong Kong, Korea and of course the USA. We’re debuting digital restorations of Italian horror classics and a stunning 3D epic with more objects flying in your face than Michael Bay and James Cameron combined. With favorite Fantastic Fest veterans returning with new projects and a new slate of debut directors, 2011 is shaping up to be an epic edition.

"Fantastic Fest is the high-point of my year. Every year old friends return and strangers become friends. Fantastic Fest is my extended dysfunctional family; each of us completely obsessed by the wildest and weirdest films on earth," says festival creative director and co-founder Tim League.

Fantastic Fest is the film festival with the boring parts cut out. We scan the globe for the very best in action, horror, science fiction, fantasy to the truly bizarre in contemporary cinema for your viewing pleasure. Look for many more announcements in the weeks to come, including information on our gala events, parties and filmmakers in attendance.

For photos, trailers and full descriptions of the following films visit the Fantastic Fest press site. The Next Fantastic Fest content announcement is slated for mid-August. Stay tuned!

Comin’ At Ya! Noir 3-D (2011)- Real D Presents

World Premiere

Star Tony Anthony and Producer Tom Stern live in person

Director: Ferdinando Baldi, USA, 90 minutes

The film that kicked off the '80s 3D Boom returns in a state of the art digital re-invention and restoration. Equal parts western and rollercoaster, COMIN' AT YA! pulls out every stop to entertain you. If the modern wave of 3D were as fun as Comin’ At Ya! Noir 3D, the motion picture industry would have nothing to worry about. The only Spaghetti Western shot in 3D is now completely re-invented with the latest in 3D technology and stars Tony Anthony as H.H. Hart, an avenging hero out to retrieve his kidnapped bride, played by Victoria Abril. Gene Quintano plays the slave trader who is holding her hostage in this extremely memorable cult favorite.

Spaghetti Western Locations

Continuing with locations for "Once Upon a Time in the West". After Harmonica kills Frank in a duel behind the Sweetwater ranch house, he and Cheyenne leave Jill and before they get very far Cheyenne dies from a bullet wound he received from Morton during his escape. Harmonica drapes his friend over Cheyenne’s horse and rides into the sunset.

This location is in a wash not far from the parking lot of Rancho Leone.

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

HERE COMES CONDEMOR (THE SINNER OF THE PLAINS)

Aqui llega Condemor - Spanish title
Aqui llega Condemor (el pecador de el pradera) - Spanish title
Here Comes Condemor - English title
Here Comes Condemor (The Sinner of the Plains) - English title

A 1996 Spanish production [Produciones A.S.H. Films S.A. (Madrid)]
Producers: Julio Parra, Sonia Vives
Director: Alvaro Saenz de Heredia
Story: Alvaro Saenz de Heredia
Screenplay: Alvaro Saenz de Heredia
Cinematography: Julio Bragado [Eastmancolor, Panaramico]
Music: Ramon Farran
Running time: 90 minutes

Cast:
Condemor - ‘Chiquito de la Calzada’ (Gregorio Fernandez)
Belle Jolly - Sol Abad
Luke/Lucas - Bigote Arrocet (Edmondo Von Lohse)
Adela - Maria Jose Nieto
Valerio - Aldo Sanbrell (Alfredo Brell)
Tuerto - Julio Tejeda
Chico - Naim Thomas (Naim Mansilla)
miner - Cesar Varona
justice of the peace - Juan Molto
drunk - Pepe ruiz
Herrero - Jose Yepes (Jose Cardo)
Maton - Maria J. Alvarez (Maria Jose Alvarez)
Crazy Horse - Derrick Vopelca (Derrick Vopelka)
worker - Fabian Conde
sheriff - Ramon Ruisenor
mortician - Angel Gonzalvez
bandido - F. Barrliado (Francisco Barrilado)
with: J.M. Torres, Francisco M. Garcia

The adventures of French aristocrat, "Condemor", and Luke, his faithful Mexican servant. The pair become lost in the wilderness of the Far West, looking for a way to return to Paris. Following an inadvertent demonstration of courage, "Condemor" is appointed sheriff of El Paso. This arrangement is not to their liking and they are forced to chase the outlaw "One Eye" and solve the mystery of the whereabouts of a boy named Tommy’s father and also the location of the legendary El Dorado, a fabulous gold mine. The plot thickens when Condemor’s platonic love, "Belle Jolly" a saloon singer, is also kidnapped by ‘One Eye’.

YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqL4J-xYgBk

Remembering Bruno Mattei

Bruno Mattei was born on July 30, 1931 in Rome, Lazio, Italy. He began his film career as a film editor and doing other odd jobs in his father’s film editing studio. He then began editing films for such directors as Roberto Bianchi Montero and Nick Nostro. He began directing films with 1970's "Armida, il dramma di una sposa" credited as Jordon B. Matthews. During his career he was known for his many thrillers and horror films and was often called "The Italian Ed Wood". In order to make his films he became producer, director, screenwriter and film editor. He also used a number of aliases such as Vincent Dawn, Michael Cardoso, Dawn Norman, David Graham, David Hunt, Bob Hunter, Frank Klox, Werner Knox, Pierre Le Blanc, Jimmy Matheus, Jordan B. Matthews, J. Metheus, Martin Miller, Erik Montgomery, Stefan Oblowsky, Gilbert Roussel, George Smith and William Snyder. No matter what the pseudonym you know you were in store for low-budget fare. Mattei left the industry for a five year period in the late ‘90s before returning in 2001 and making over 50 films many direct to DVD. Mattei was involved in four Euro-westerns: "The Last Tomahawk" (1965) as film editor, "Kill Johnny Ringo" (1966) as film editor, "White Apache" as director and "Scalps" (both in 1987) as director and screenwriter. In May of 2007 he went to the hospital complaining of severe pain. He was found to have a brain tumor he fell into a coma after complications arose after its removal. Mattei died on May 21, 2007. He was 75. Today we remember Bruno Mattei on what would have been his 80^th birthday.



Guess Who I Am

I started out as a child actor and appeared in only one Euro-western filmed in Spain in 1971. Guess who I am.

I’m the son of a famous American actor in whose films I sometimes appeared. Guess who I am.

I was a production executive at M-G-M and produced 7 films. Guess who I am.

Chris Casey correctly named David Ladd, son of Alan Ladd, as this week's photo.

Happy 70th Birthday Gabriella Giorgelli

Gabriella Giorgelli was born on July 29, 1941 in Carrara, Tuscany, Italy. She was working as a clerk, typist and secretary when she entered and was among the finalists on the 1961 Miss Italy contest. The strong willed and ambitious Gabriella was able to promote herself in magazines especially the Sadistik photo novels and was offered several film appearances and then as an actress appearing as Teresa in 1962's "Arturo’s Island" directed by Damiano Damiani. This was followed by the role of the raw and violent Esperia, partner of a thief and pimp in "The Grim Reaper" (1962) directed by Bernardo Bertolucci. In the later ‘60s her roles were limited to secondary films, mostly comedies, thrillers and westerns. Giorgelli did appear in some top rate films though such as "Voyou - The Rogue" (1970) directed by Claude Lelouch, "City of Women" (1980) by Fellini and "Romance" (1986) directed by F. Maselli. Gabriella continued her long career appearing in TV films and mini-series. Her last known appearance was in the 1999 TV mini-series "Anni ‘60". Her roles were mainly secondary and supporting roles. She appeared in eight Euro-westerns including: "A Stranger in Sacramento" (1965) with Mickey Hargitay, "The Long Days of Vengeance" (1967) with Giuliano Gemma, "The Beast" (1970) with Klaus Kinski, "They Call Me Providence" (1972) with Tomas Milian and "Those Dirty Dogs" with Gianni Garko and Stephen Boyd. Today we celebrate Gabriella Giorgelli’s 70^th birthday.

RIP Sheila Burrell

Stage actress Shelia Burrell, a longtime stalwart of the British stage and television, died on July 19, 2011 in England after a long illness. A cousin of actor Laurence Olivier [1907-1989] she studied at Douglas-Webber School of Singing and Dramatic Arts. Sheila made her stage debut in the "The Patsy" (1942), followed by "The Rest is Silence" (1944). She received her first notice in "Dark of the Moon" (1949) playing Barbara Allen a rape victim in a church. She was a longtime member of the Royal Shakespeare Company and became a character actress in films and TV series such as "The Avengers", "Holby City and "Crown Court". Her first film appearance was in 1949's "Men in Black" and a memorable appearance as Aunt Ada Doom in 1995's "Cold Comfort Farm". She was married to producer, director, actor Laurence Payne [1919-2009] and is the mother of actor Matthew Sim. In her final years she was still visible in commercials. Burrell suffered a stroke in 2009. Sheila appeared in only one Euro-western "The Desperados" (1969) with Jack Palance and Vince Edwards.

Schwäbisch Gmünd Swimming Pool named for Bud Spencer

City refuses to name tunnel after actor Bud Spencer despite internet support.

Officials in Schwäbisch Gmünd in Baden-Württemberg have declared they won’t name a tunnel after spaghetti western star Bud Spencer despite a massive internet campaign.

Instead, they have decided, they’ll name a swimming pool after him in homage to his brief swimming career, which included an appearance at the 1952 Olympic Games. A final decision on the tunnel name is due in September.

The decision came at a sometimes tumultuous city council meeting on Wednesday that was filled with Bud Spencer fans who booed and protested.

Thousands of Germans have swarmed the website of the southwestern city, voting to name a tunnel currently under construction after Spencer, an Italian actor who starred in dozens of action movies with his on-screen cohort Terence Hill.

In what started as an exercise in civic participation, Schwäbisch Gmünd city officials collected public suggestions for the tunnel's name. After sifting out blatantly offensive options, they then put them all on the internet and invited people to vote earlier this year.

But before long, a groundswell of support for the Bud Spencer Tunnel had formed, apparently driven by a campaign on the social networking website Facebook.

More than 20,000 people claim to have voted to name the tunnel after Spencer, prompting bemused city officials to claim the voting was hijacked by outsiders. Schwäbisch Gmünd, best known for producing gold and silver handicrafts, has just 62,000 people.

HELLHOUNDS OF ALASKA

Die Blutigen Geier von Alaska - German title
Die Geier vom Shilo-River - German title
Deadly Eagle - German title
Die Hollenhunde von Alaska - German title
Monomahia stin pagomeni koilada - Greek title
Krvavi jastrebovi Aljaske - Yugoslavian title
Blodig gull - Finnish title
Verijalkia Alaskassa - Finnish title
La lunga pista dei lupi - Italian title
Wcielone diably Alaski - Polish title
Los blancos colmillos de Alaska - Spanish title
Blodspar i Alaska - Swedish title
Alaskian - ? title
Fight for Gold - U.S.A. title
The Hellhounds of Alaska - U.S.A. title

A 1972 German, Yugoslavian co-production [Lisa Film (Munich), Padran Film (Zagreb)]
Producer: Gunter Sturm
Director: Harald Reinl
Story: Kurt Nachmann
Screenplay: Kurt Nachmann, Johannes Weiß
Cinematography: Heinz Hölscher [Eastmancolor, Supercinescope]
Music: Bruno Nicolai
Running time: 100 minutes

Cast:
Don/Ron Rutland - Doug McClure (Douglas McClure)
Mark Monty - Harald Leipnitz
Betty - Angelica Ott
Ham-A-Ham - Roberto Blanco (Roberto Zerquera)
Lapporte - Klaus Lowitsch
Rose Cotton - Kristina Nel
Captain Brandy - Heinz Reincke (Karl-Heinz Reincke)
Sanders - Kurt Bulau (Kurt Bulwatsch)
Buffins - Miha Baloh (Mihail Baloh)
Doc - Branko Spoljar
Frank Fox - Ilija Ivezic
Shat - Mirco Roman (Mirko Boman)
hotel owner - Vladimir Medar
Achua-hua - Voyo Govedarica (Vojislav Govedaric)
with: Ivan Stimac, Fabro Konjhodzic (Fahro Konjhodzic), Vladimir Krstulovic

During the peak of the Alaskan gold rush, an old prospector is mining gold in caves under an Inuit burial ground. He and his son Billy are injured when a tunnel collapses. A trapper named Don Rutland happens by and rescues Billy, who needs urgent medical attention. Don then tells the prospector he’ll take him on his dog sled to the nearest town. After Don departs with Billy, the injured prospector stays behind, unaware of the angry natives who are watching him from the woods. Everything is set up for a tale of cursed gold, vengeful spirits and vicious huskies.

Upon reaching town Don entrusts the unconscious Billy to Sheriff Cotton, who is escorting a wagon load of gold from Camp Kino to Paradise Creek. He then returns to the prospector, just as the old man dies from an attack by the Indians. With his dying breath, the prospector entrusts Billy’s care to Don.

Meanwhile the gold shipment is ambushed. Buffins - the scout responsible for the ambush - returns to town with a tale of his harrowing escape from the bandits on the trail. The townfolk hail him as a hero and instantly give him the late Sheriff's job. He immediately begins riling up the townsfolk, making them suspicious of the local tavern keeper - the only man who didn't send his gold along on the shipment.

Don teams up with Rose (the late Sheriff's daughter) and Ham (a wandering bare-knuckle boxer) to expose Buffins and rescue Billy from the vicious bandits who have adopted him and nursed him back to health in order to obtain the kid’s gold mine. Don and Billy return to the wilds of the Alaskan wilderness.

Happy 85th Birthday Remo De Angelis

Remo De Angelis was born on July 28, 1926 in Rome, Italy. He appeared in 44 films but he was more important behind the scenes in most of the films he participated in. De Angelis was one of the best stunt coordinators and stuntmen in Italian film history. He was an assistant director and master of arms on many of the Spaghetti westerns and action films made in Italy. He was also involved in special effects and was an instructor to many of the actors in the use of guns and swords. Some of his better known films were "Duel at the Rio Grande" (1963), "Django" (1965), "The Great Silence" and "The Mercenary" (both 1968), "The Belle Starr Story" (1968), "A Man Called Sledge" (1970) and "Blindman" (1971). After leaving the film industry in the early 1980s he became a well know artist and his paintings have been exhibited across Italy. Today we celebrate Remo De Angelis’ 85^th birthday.

Remembering Steven G. Tyler

Steven Gregory Tyler was born on July 27, 1956 in Savannah, Gerogia. His parents were both in the military so Steven got a free trip to many places in the world. Steven later became a pilot and skier. Steven began as a stage actor after graduating with a B.A. degree from the University of South Florida and a Master of Fine Arts degree from Cornell University. Tyler appeared in a half dozen films and TV series including two Euro-westerns: "Troublemakers" (1994) and also Terence Hill's "Lucky Luke" TV series (1990-1991). Steven was also an accomplished singer and made several appearances in clubs and on television in the Dade City, Florida area where he lived. Tyler died on July 6, 2007 after a long illness. He was only 50 years-old. Today we remember Steven G. Tyler on what would have been his 55^th birthday.

Remembering Keenan Wynn

Francis Xavier Aloysius James Jeremiah Keenan Wynn was born on July 27, 1916 in New York City. Son of vaudeville actor Ed Wynn [1886-1966], he took his name from his maternal grandfather Frank Keenan [1858-1929], the first Broadway star to make it big in Hollywood. Encouraged by his father to become an actor Keenan appeared in over 270 TV and film roles. Keenan and Ed appeared together in TV’s "Playhouse 90's" presentation of Rod Serlings "Requiem for a Heavyweight".Wynn never received leading role status but was always a highly respected actor who gave great performances in supporting roles in such films as "Dr. Strangelove" (1964), "The Great Race" (1965), and "Finians Rainbow" (1968). Later in his career he would drift into comedy roles and TV appearing in TV’s "Dallas" from 1979-1981. Wynn appeared in three Euro-westerns "The Longest Hunt", "Once Upon a Time in the West" (both 1968) and "Panhandle .38" (1972). Keenan was married to actress Evie Johnson [1914-2004] (1938-1947) and is the father of actor Ned Wynn [1941- ] and screenwriter Tracy Keenan Wynn [1945- ]. Wynn died from pancreatic cancer on October 14, 1986. Today we remember Keenan Wynn on what would have been his 95^th birthday.

THE HELLBENDERS

I crudeli - Italian title
Los despiadados - Spanish title
Rio Hondon kuolemanloukku - Finnish title
Les cruels - French title
Die Grausamen - German title
Helvetescommandos - Swedish title
Initkam yolu - Turkish title
The Cruel Ones - English title
The Hellbenders - U.S.A. title

A 1966 Italian, Spanish co-production [Alba Cinematografica (Rome), PEFSA, Tescia (Madrid)]
Producer: Albert Band, José Gutiérrez Maesso
Director: Sergio Corbucci
Story: Virgil C. Gerlach, Ugo Liberatore
Screenplay: Ugo Liberatore, Albert Band, José Gutiérrez Maesso
Cinemtography: Enzo Barboni [Eastmancolor, CinemaScope]
Music: Leo Nichols (Ennio Morricone]
Running time: 93 minutes

Cast:
Colonel Jonas - Joseph Cotten
Claire/Mrs. Ambrose Allen - Norma Bengell (Norma Benguell)
Ben/Dan - Julián Mateos (Julián Perez)
Jeff - Gino Pernice (Luigi Pernice)
Nat - Angel Aranda
Pedro - Aldo Sanbrell (Alfredo Brell)
‘The Beggar’ - Al Mulock (Alfred Rogers)
Sergeant Tolt - Julio Pena (Julio Munoz)
Reverend Pierce - Claudio Gora (Emilio Giordana)
Lieutenant Sublette - Enio Girolami
sheriff - José Nieto
Kitty/Mrs. Ambrose Allen - María Martín (María Vargas)
Indian chief - Claudio Scarchilli
Slim - Benito Stefanelli
Union soldiers - Gene Collins, William Conroy
Bixby - Álvaro del Luna (Alvaro Blanco)
Denton Saloon gambler - Ivan Scratugli
Mexican bandits - Rafael Vaquero, Simón Arriaga, José Canalejas

The Civil War is over, but not for Colonel Jonas, a ruthless Confederate officer who wants to continue the fight by reorganizing Confederate troops in the Southwest with the support of a large sum of stolen money. He devises an elaborate ruse to allow his small party to travel with minimal scrutiny through territory now controlled and patrolled by Union forces The money is hidden in a coffin, said to contain the body of his dead son. Jonas' other sons travel with him along with a hired "widow", as they proceed to what they hope to be a new start to the War between the States. However, while en route, they face severe, ongoing strife among themselves and successive threats from Union soldiers, a posse of cowboys, and an Indian war party.

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

RIP G.D. Spradlin

G.D. Spradlin, veteran character actor, dies at 90

By Dennis McLellan, Los Angeles Times

July 25, 2011

Gervase Duan "G.D." Spradlin, a character actor best known for playing authority figures in television and films, including "The Godfather: Part II" and "Apocalypse Now," has died. He was 90. Spradlin died of natural causes at his cattle ranch in San Luis Obispo on Sunday, said his grandson, Justin Demko. A former oil company lawyer and millionaire independent oil producer who didn't begin acting until he was in his 40s, the tall and lean Oklahoma native played his share of doctors, ministers, judges, military officers and historical figures during his more than 30-year acting career. He portrayed President Lyndon Johnson in the 1985 TV mini-series "Robert Kennedy & His Times" and President Andrew Jackson in the 1986 TV movie "Houston: The Legend of Texas." His breakthrough movie role as a character actor was as corrupt Nevada Sen. Pat Geary in director Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather: Part II" in 1974. Five years later, Spradlin was the Army general who sent Martin Sheen's Capt. Willard up river to find and kill Marlon Brando's Col. Kurtz in Coppola's Vietnam war movie "Apocalypse Now." Spradlin retired from acting after playing Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee in the 1999 comedy "Dick."

The son of two school teachers, Spradlin was born Aug. 31, 1920, in Pauls Valley, Okla. He received a bachelor's degree in education from the University of Oklahoma before serving in the Army Air Forces in China during World War II. After earning a law degree from the University of Oklahoma in 1948, he became an attorney for Phillips Petroleum Co. and then became head of Phillips' legal department in Caracas, Venezuela. After returning to Oklahoma in 1951, Spradlin became an independent oil producer. He was so successful that he retired in 1960 and spent time cruising the Bahamas with his family on a yacht. Spradlin's first wife Nell, with whom he had two daughters, Tamara Kelly and Wendy Spradlin, died in 2000. In 2002, he married Frances Hendrickson, who survives him, as do his two daughters and five grandchildren.

G.D. Spradlin appeared in one Euro-western 1971's "The Hunting Party" as Sam Bayard.

Almeria Western Film Festival

The Almería Western Film Festival is the first European festival dedicated exclusively to the Western genre and it stands as a meeting place for the Western cinema worldwide.

Scheduled films to be screened:

"6 Guns" - U.S.A.
"Aballay" - Argentina
"Dead West" - U.S.A.
"Doc West" - Italy
"Goodnight for Justice" - U.S.A.
"Les aventures borgnes de Diaz le clairvoyant" - France
"Rango" U.S.A.
"Rapaces" - France
"Redemption" - U.S.A.
"Scape" - U.S.A.
"Snowblind" - Germany
"The Dead and the Damned" - U.S.A.
"The Gundown" - U.S.A.
"The Price" - U.S.A.
"The Scarlet Worm" - U.S.A.
"The Mountie" - Canada
"The Warriors Way" - New Zealand
"Yahsi Bati" - Turkey

Jurors: Fabio Testi, Eugenio Martin, Al Mathews, Carlos Aguilar

Guest Appearances: Frank Brana, Saturno Cerra, Antonio Pica, Antonio Ruiz, Nicoletta Machiavelli

September 8-11, 2011

For more information: http://www.almeriawesternfilmfestival.info/es/index.html

YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3WculyCBUA

MASACRE TIME Showing!

The Danish Film Institute in Copenhagen, Denmark will be showing Lucio Fulci’s "Django’s seksløber er lov" (Massacre Time/The Brute and the Beast) 1966 in English with Danish subtitles. The 35mm 95 minute print will be shown on August 13 and 17 at 4:45 p.m.

For more information: http://www.dfi.dk/Filmhuset/Cinemateket/Film.aspx?filmID=f25681

HEADS OR TAILS

Testa a croce - Italian titlE
Munt of kruis voor de la laatste kugel - Dutch title
Cara o cruz - Spanish title
Black Talisman - Filipino title
La dernière balle à pile ou face - French title
Blutrache einer Geschändeten - German title
Nacht der Rache - German title
Cara o cruz - Spanish title
Krona eller klave - Swedish title
Tail You Lose - English title
Heads or Tails - English title

A 1968 Italian production [Tirrenia Studios (Livorno), Golden Gate Film (Rome)]
Producer: Jolanda Benvenuti
Director: Peter E. Stanley (Piero Pierotti)
Story: Piero Pierotti
Screenplay: Piero Pierotti
Cinematography: Fausto Zuccoli [Tecnhnicolor, widescreen]
Music: Carlo Savina
Song: "Arizona’s Waiting" sung by Raoul (Ettore Lo Vecchio)
Running time: 95 minutes

Cast:

Will Hunter/Bill Abilene/William Huston/Black Talisman – John Ericson (Joseph Meibes)

Shanda Lee - Sheyla Rosin

Sybille Burton - Daniela Surina

Sheriff – Franco Lantieri

Manuela - Edwige Fenech (Edwige Sfenech)

Serpent/Bear/Buck Loren – Pasquale Basile

Holt - Isarco Ravaioli (Isacco Ravaioli),

Rhett – Franco Daddi

Minoa - Silvana Bacci

Doc - Renato Navarrini

Rose Bud – Loris Gizzi

Roderick Burton – Ugo Paglia

Misery - Pinuccio Ardia (Rodolfo Ardia)

Lilly - Dada Gallotti (Alba Gallotti)

Saloon girl - Antoinetta Fiorito, Maria Teresa Piaggio

Shanda, who is the star attraction of the Plata City saloon, is accused of killing the banker Burton. To keep her from being lynched by the Quaker women in the area, the sheriff sends Shanda, with two of his deputies to Phoenix for trial, during the journey, they encounter a shady character named Bear, the three rape the saloon girl and leave her in the desert. The young woman is found by an outlaw named Black Talisman, who takes her to an abandoned town where he has taken refuge along with two Indians. Here Shanda recovers her health, while the bandit falls in love with her. Talisman returns to Plata City to try and exonerate Shanda. He pretends to be a gambler and kills the two deputies, then goes in search of Bear. Sybille, the widow of the banker confesses that she was the one behind the killing of her husband by Bear. Talisman goes to the hut of Bear, where he forces him to sign a statement admitting his guilt, but at that moment Sybille arrives and threatens to kill Talisman and Bear. They manage to disarm and leave her stunned in the hut which catches fire from a fallen lamp. The sheriff is given the confession of Bear. Talisman tells the sheriff that according to his desire, if he is ever killed or captured the reward on his head is to be paid to Shanda. Concluding the pact, Talisman returns to the abandoned town and Shanda.

Happy 75th Birthday Ruth Buzzi

Ruth Ann Buzzi was born on July 24 1936 in Westerly, Rhode Island. Her father was a nationally recognized stone sculptor and Ruth attended Stonington High School where she was a head cheerleader. At 17 she enrolled at the Pasadena Playhouse and graduated with honors. She then toured with singer Rudy Vallee in his live musical comedy act. Then she moved to New York and immediately signed for a lead in on Off-Broadway musical revue. She then teamed with Dom DeLuise in a comical magic act as his assistant names Shankuntala and the two appeared on several evening TV shows including "The Carol Burnett Show" and "Your Show of Shows" and the "Garry Moore Show". Ruth then returned to Broadway appearing in "Sweet Charity" (1966). Buzzi then appeared on several TV series such as "That Girl" and "The Steve Allen Show" then she was then signed to appear on the new series "Rowan and Martin’s Laugh In" and appeared in every episode. After Laugh In Ruth appeared on several of the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts and did some voice work for cartoons and commercials. Buzzi has appeared in over 20 films including two Euro-westerns "Lucky Luke" (1990) and "Troublemakers" (1994) as well as the "Lucky Luke" TV series (1990-1991) as Ma Dalton. Today we celebrate Ruth Buzzi’s 75^th birthday.

National Day of the Cowboy

Spaghetti Western Locations

Continuing with our locations for "Once Upon a Time in the West". After Frank returns to meet Harmonica and face him man to man in a final showdown. The two protagonists move to the rear of the McBain ranch house. That area is still there much the same as it was. The tree stumps have been removed long ago and this area today is the location of the restrooms. The McBain ranch is located at Rancho Leone and is today a tourist site.

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

I was one of the main Italian villains in over 35 Euro-westerns. Guess who I am.

An anonymous poster correctly named this week's photo as Federico Boido aka Rick Boyd.

RIP Tom Aldredge

Actor Tom Aldredge dies

Thomas Ernest ‘Tom’ Aldredge died of lymphoma at a hospice in Tampa, Florida today July 22, 2011. He was 83. Aldredge was a stage, screen and TV actor appearing in the Euro-western "Cold Mountain" (2003) as the blind man and more recently in 2007 in "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" as Major George Hite. Tom also appeared on the hit TV series "The Sopranos" and "Boardwalk Empire" and co-starred with Glenn Close on two seasons of legal drama "Damages". Aldredge earned a Daytime Emmy Award in 1978 for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Children's Programming for his role on "Henry Winkler Meets Shakespeare"; an episode aired as part of The CBS Festival of Lively Arts for Young People.

A celebrated Broadway star, Aldredge also starred in more than 28 stage productions including "The Crucible", "Twelve Angry Men" and "Tom Sawyer". Tom landed a total of five Tony Award nominations throughout his stage career for performances in shows such as "Sticks and Bones" (1972), Stephen Sondheim’s musical "Passion" (1994), and "Twentieth Century" (2004). He was married to costume and set designer Theoni V. Athanasiou-Aldredge [1922-2011] from 1953 until her death earlier this year on January 21st.

RIP Serena Michelotti

According to ‘Il Mondo dei doppiatori’ the Italian voice actor website, actress Serena Michelotti died on July 19, 2011 in Rome. I can find no other details or obits at this time but will update this post if and when more becomes available. Serena was born in Merano, Italy on October 2, 1944 and appeared in 13 films and TV series. She was the Italian voice of several actresses in a half-dozen films. She appeared in only one Euro-western as the widow Warren in "It Can Be Done Amigo" (1972) with Bud Spencer and Jack Palance.

The Headless Rider

Vsadnik bez golovy - Russian title
Reiter ohne Kopf - German title
Jezdziec bez glowy - Polish title
Peata ratsanik - kummaline lugu Texasest - Estonian title
The Headless Rider - English title

A 1969 U.S.S.R, Cuban co-production [Lenfilm (Moscow)]
Producer: Gracha Mekinyan, Yakov Rivosh
Director: Vladimir Vajnstok
Story: ‘The Headless Rider’ by Thomas Mayne Reed
Screenplay: Vladimir Vladimirov (Vladimir Vajnshtok), Pavel Finn (Pavel-Khalfin)
Cinematography: Konstantin Ryzhov [black & white, color]
Music: Nikita Bogoslovsky
Running time: 104 minutes

Cast:
Morris/Maurice Gerald - Oleg Vidov
Louise Poindexter - Ludmila Savelyeva (Lyudmila Savelyeva)
Isidora Cavarubina - Eslinda Núñez (Eslinda Pérez)
Miguel Diaz - Enriques Santiesteban
Woodley Poindexter - Alejandro Lugo
Cassius Calhoun - Aarne Yukskiulla (Aarne Ukskula)
Zeb Stump - Ivan Petrov (Hans Krause)
major - Rolando Dias Reyes
Henry Poindexter - Aleksandr Milokostyi
judge - Platon Leslie (Platon Lesli)
Pluton - Alfonso Gonzales
singer - Fara Maria
with: Oleg Popov, V. Belovotsky (Viktor Belovotsky), V. Iontov, Ye. Kharkevich (Yevgeni Kharkevich), A. Kosmachevsky, N. Lezgishvili, V. Molodkin, D. Zechkaryov, Vladimir Vajnshtok, V. Vesyolkin (Vladimir Vesyolkin), A. Vladimirov, A. Yefimov (Aleksei Yefimov)

Texas in the 19th century. The War with Mexico is still a recent memory, marauding Comanches are a daily threat for new settlers of the Lone Star State. Louise Poindexter, a beautiful newcomer, is courted by two men - the arrogant and vindictive Cassius Calhoun and the dashing but poor cowboy Morris/Maurice Gerald. Calhoun plots to eliminate his rival when tragedy strikes: Louise's brother, the young Henry Poindexter is murdered. All clues point to Morris/Maurice Gerald as the assassin. At the same time an eerie rider is spotted in the environs of the Poindexter plantation - a horseman without a head! Is it the ghost of Henry Poindexter crying out for revenge? Is it the Devil himself laying claim to the blood-tainted land? Many puzzling and frightful events will take place before the mystery of the Headless Horseman is solved and the murderer of Henry Poindexter is brought before Justice.

YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df1D5liRVy4&feature=related

Who are Those Guys? - Walter Barnes

Walter Lee Barnes was born January 26, 1918 in Parkersburg, West Virginia. As a young boy during the depression he stole a pig to put meat on the family table. The police knew Walter was guilty of the deed but when they came to investigate they could find nothing. Walter said, "We ate the evidence." From that day forward all his friends called him ‘Piggy’. Big for his age Walter was a football player on the Parkersburg High School’s undefeated team of 1938. Following military service Walter enrolled at Louisiana State University and not only played football but became a collegiate weightlifting champion. Following graduation he was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles and became an All-Pro guard. After three years he retired and became a football coach for Columbia University and Arizona State. While playing for the Eagles Walter appeared on a local TV series called "Action in the Afternoon" on WCAU. Walter Silver a producer for Warner Brothers offered him a Hollywood contract and Barnes appeared on several TV series including "Cheyenne", "Have Gun - Will Travel", "Bronco", "Gunsmoke" and "Bonanza". He also appeared with John Wayne in "Rio Bravo" as Charlie the bartender. Kirk Douglas recommended him for a TV series he was making in Europe called "Tales of the Vikings" so in the early 1960s Walter moved to Germany. While there he appeared in several Winnetou films and married Britta Wendel. They had two children Daniela Rachele (now the actress Lara Wendel) and Michel. After Britta and Walter divorced he moved to Italy and appeared in a number of Spaghetti westerns including his most memorable role as Brokston in "The Big Gundown" (1966). Barnes moved back to the U.S. in 1969 and appeared in several films including "Cahill U.S. Marshal" (1973) once again with John Wayne and several Clint Eastwood films including "High Plains Drifter" (1973), "Every Which Way but Loose", and "Bronco Billy" (1980). Walter retired from acting in 1987 and took up landscape painting. Walter ‘Piggy’ Barnes died in 1998 from diabetes at the Motion Picture Home in Woodland Hills, California.

BARNES, Walter (Walter Lee Barnes) [1/26/1918, Parkersburg, West Virginia, U.S.A. - 1/6/1998, Woodland Hills, California, U.S.A. (diabetes)] - professional football player Philadelphia Eagles [1948-1951], TV, voice actor, married to actress Britta Wendel Barnes [19??- ] (1961-1968), father of actress Lara Wendel [1965- ], actor Michel Barnes [196?- ]
Apache Gold - 1963 (Bill Jones)
Duel at the Rio Grande - 1963 (Mario)
Frontier Hellcat - 1964 (Martin Baumann)
Duel at Sundown - 1965 (Pa McGow)
Rampage at Apache Wells - 1965 (Bill Campbell)
7 Guns for Timothy - 1965 [English voice of Tito Garcia]
The Big Gundown - 1966 (Brokston)
The Half-Breed - 1966 (Mac Haller)
Halleluja for Django - 1966 (Key Jarrett/Clay Thomas)
Clint the Stranger - 1967 (Walter Shannon)
Garter Colt - 1967 (General Droga)
The Moment to Kill - 1968 (Bull)
Another Man, Another Chance - 1977 (Foster)

RIP Jacques Jouanneau

The actor Jacques Jouanneau has died.



King of the supporting role in French films and grand theatre actor, Jacques Jouanneau died yesterday July 19, 2011 at his son's home in Nimes, France. He was 84. Jouanneau was a familiar face in the films of Jean Renoir and René Clair. He was the essential partner of Jacqueline Maillan in the French theatre. Jacques lived for 15 years in Charente, in his moulin de Chollet, Villejésus. Jacques Jouanneau's career had stretched over half a century, from his first appearance in the theater in "Ubu Roi" in 1947. Jacqueline Maillan, whom he repeatedly told, replied, "He had a certain appetite for Theater for ("Folle Amanda" or "Peau de vache"). But also for the texts of Francis Blanche ("Les escargots meurent debout") and Sacha Guitry ("N'écoutez pas mesdames!")." Jacques Jouanneau received the rank of French Commander of Arts and Letters in 2005. Jouanneau appeared in one Euro-western "The Legend of Frenchie King" (1971) as Letellier and was the French voice of Jack Dalton in "Lucky Luke: Daisy Town" (1972). His last film appearance was in 1996 in "Fallait pas!..." directed and starring Gérard Jugnot.

HE WAS CALLED THE HOLY GHOST

...E lo chiamarono Spirito Santo - Italian title
Son nom est Sacramento - French title
O keravnos tis paranomias - Greek title
They Called Him Spirito Santo - English title
And His Name was Holy Ghost - English title
He was Called the Holy Ghost - English title

A 1971 Italian, French co-production [CEPA Cinematografica (Rome), Les Films Jacques Leitienne (Paris)]
Producers: Frano Vitolo, Jacques Leitienne
Director: Robert Johnson (Roberto Mauri)
Story: Roberto Mauri
Screenplay: Roberto Mauri
Cinematography: Mario Mancini [Telecolor, CineScope]
Music: Carlo Savina
Running time: 92 minutes

Cast:
Spirito Santo/Holy Ghost/Sacramento/Jack Fulton - Vassili Karis (Vassili Karamesinis)
Indian Sheriff - Dick Palmer (Domenico Palmara)
Consuela - Margaret Rose (Margaret Keil)
Foster/Forster - Hunt Powers (Jack Betts)
Steve - José Torres (José Medina)
Spirito Santo/Holy Ghost/Sacramento/Jack Fulton’s mother - Lina Franchi
horse merchant - Aristid Caporali
squaw - Jolanda Modio
soldier - Vittorio Fanfoni
slave - Salvatore Baccaro
with: Omero Capanna, Carlo Giordana, Lorenzo Piani, Bruno Salvi, Bruno Arié, Alfonso Sarlo

The owner of a ranch bails the Holy Ghost out of jail and hires him to rob a train robbery of a shipment of gold. The Holy Ghost hires some men, and robs the train which leads to the death of Consuela (daughter of the owner of the ranch and loved by the Holy Ghost): The ranch owner accuses the Holy Ghost who is forced to kill him. An Indian Sheriff who turns out to be Consuela’s brother and is convinced the Holy Ghost is guilty, arrests the Holy Ghost and takes him to testify at a trial. The Holy Ghost could easily kill the sheriff, but he resists the temptation and prefers instead to tell him that his sister's death is due to two white assailants seconds before he could rescue her.

Happy 60th Birthday Fritz Sperberg

Frederick David ‘Fritz’ Sperberg was born on July 20, 1951 in Borger, Texas. Fritz is a graduate of Trinity University and first appeared on stage in "Getting Out" (1979), followed by several more plays including a 1981 version of "Macbeth" playing the role of Banquo. This would later appear on TV in 1982. Fritz would appear in a number of TV series and films in the 1980's including "Out of the Darkness" (1985) and Michel Landon’s "Highway to Heaven" (1988). In the 1990s he appeared in both Terence Hill’s TV series "Lucky Luke" 1990-1991 and the film as Averill Dalton and later in 1994 he would play the role of "Deputy Joe" in Hill’s "Troublemakers" western with Bud Spencer. Fritz also appeared on Broadway in "A Few Good Men" (1990) starring Tom Hulce. Fritz has continued to appear in films, TV and plays. Today we celebrate Fritz Sperberg’s 60^th birthday.

The Spaghetti Western Orchestra

How the west was won

Carolyn Webb
A quirky local band finds global success with spaghetti western-inspired music.

EVEN if you haven't seen the 1960s spaghetti western movies, you have almost certainly heard Ennio Morricone's soundtracks. The theme song to the ABC radio footy show The Coodabeen Champions is from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and Morricone standards pepper the Quentin Tarantino films Inglourious Basterds and Kill Bill and countless TV commercials.

A five-piece Melbourne band, the Spaghetti Western Orchestra, has found international success playing Morricone in concert. On August 12, they will play the BBC Proms at London's Royal Albert Hall, which is broadcast to millions.

The act is not simply a playing-through of the evocative pieces from the series of movies directed by Sergio Leone such as A Fistful of Dollars and Once Upon a Time in the West. Orchestra founder Graeme Leak says scenes from the movies are not screened: they want the audience's focus to be on the music, and also their own stage act, a curious pastiche of a music concert, wacky cabaret show, and - through use of white-face make-up, sideburns and saloon clothes - silent film.

Co-founder Patrick Cronin says five musicians trying to re-create the sound of Morricone's 80-piece orchestra ''is where a lot of the theatre and humor comes into it''.

Even the more conventional instruments the orchestra plays are offbeat - mandolin, bassoon, double bass, tin whistle and vibraphone. Leak's favorite is the theremin - the eerie sound device, patented in 1928, played with hands moving in an electronic field.

Cronin loves an improvised segment called ''Gun Fight Foley'' in which they use dialogue and music to ''create a lot of tension musically and with different sound effects, from nail clippers, to asthma inhalers and cornflakes - even we're not sure what's going to happen next and we play off one another''.

Just as the wackiness peaks, Cronin will let loose with a grand Mexican trumpet solo that sends chills down your spine.

He says the mayhem is faithful to Morricone, now 82 and still composing, who loves to combine beautiful melodies with the unexpected. ''You would hear a twanging guitar with Bulgarian singers, orchestral strings and an ocarina.''

Leak says spaghetti westerns were often satirical: ''They were sort of taking the mickey out of the American westerns, which at the time were much more clean-cut. John Wayne never had blood when he got shot.

''These [spaghetti western] characters were filthy, grungy, violent, dishonest and backstabbing, but there was humor and irony all through it, and it's kind of inherent in the music.''

The orchestra takes up 10 to 20 weeks of their year and a lot of sweat has fueled the on-stage high-jinks.

It began with Cronin, Leak and other friends discovering that Morricone's music was great background for their card nights. They started jamming the music, leading to a first gig in a St Kilda Cafe in 2001, as The Ennio Morricone Experience.

After wowing crowds at small local venues and then the Port Fairy, Melbourne and Adelaide arts festivals, in 2005 the band members pooled their savings to fly to Edinburgh for the fringe festival.

They were a hit and started working with Glynis Henderson, the original co-producer of percussion dance show Stomp, and Canadian director and designer Denis Blais.

''We kind of re-branded the show, changed the name of it to the Spaghetti Western Orchestra, and worked on presenting it more as a music theatre show, in a theatrical context, rather than just a band,'' Cronin says.

''What we do now is present the music, but we have really strong lighting, stage design and costuming that is evocative of the films. We use lots of silhouettes and shadows.''

Gigs in Paris, Milan, Montreal and London's Southbank Centre culminated in 2009 with an appearance on the hit British TV music show Later … with Jools Holland.

Though helped by the ''beauty'' of Morricone's work, they feel they have earned their success. ''For the past five years, we've been getting back to Europe every year and trying to expand our audience there. And it's slowly but surely working,'' Leak says.

Costner joins "DJANGO UNCHAINED" cast

Kevin Costner to train slaves in "Django Unchained"

Borys Kit
7/18/2011

Kevin Costner is joining the all-star cast of Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained, the filmmaker's spaghetti Western about a slave in the Old South who teams with a German bounty hunter to search for his wife.

Costner joins a cast that already such bold-faced names as Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx, Samuel L. Jackson, and Christoph Waltz.

Costner’s role is a departure from his good-guy roles and a cannonballing into the part of a vile and sadistic trainer of slaves who are forced to fight in death matches for a plantation owner (DiCaprio, also departing from his usual).

Foxx is Django, a man in search of his wife while Waltz is the German who helps him on his quest. Jackson is a head slave who works for DiCaprio and relishes his status over other slaves.
Django ist the second high-profile gig snagged by Costner, once of the biggest studio stars. He recently nabbed the part of Superman’s Earth-bound father, Pa Kent, in Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel movie.

HAVE A NICE FUNERAL

Buon funerale amigos... paga Sartana - Italian title
Buen funeral amigos... paga Sartana - Spanish title
Sartana ordner begravelsen - Danish title
Viimeinen naula arkkuun! - Finnish title
Bonnes funerailles amis, Sartana paiera - French title
Sartana - noch warm und schon Sand Drauf - German ttile
Kathe trapouloharto kai mia sfaira - Greek title
Matalo... entierralo... i paga Sartana! - Mexican title
Przyjacielu, niech ci ziemia lekka bedzie - Polish title
Born funeral, amigo... paga Sartana - Portuguese title
Sartana - hamnaren - Swedish title
Have a Good Funeral, My Friend - English title
A Present for You, Amigo... a Coffin from Sartana - English title
Stranger’s Gold - U.S.A. title
Gunslinger - U.S.A. title
Have a Good Funeral... Sartana will Pay - U.S.A. title
Have a Nice Funeral My Friend - English title

A 1970 Italian, Spanish co-production [Flora Film, N.C. (Rome), Hispamer Film (Madrid)]
Producer: Sergio Borelli
Director: Anthony Ascott (Giuliano Carnimeo)
Story: Jeff Simon (Giovanni Simonelli)
Screenplay: Roberto Gianviti, Giovanni Simonelli
Cinematography: Stelvio Massi [Eastmancolor, Cinescope]
Music: Bruno Nicolai
Running time: 95 minutes

Cast:
Sartana - Gianni Garko (Giovanni Garcovich)
Ronald Hoffman - Antonio Vilar (Antonio Justinanodos dos Santos)
Jasmine/Abigail Benson - Daniela Giordana
Julie - Elga Line (Lisa Stern)
Peng/Lee Tse Tung - George Wang (Wang Yie)
sheriff - Luis Hinduni (Luigi Radici)
Blackie - Antonio Staccioli (Ivano Staccioli)
Samuel Piggot - Franco Ressel (Domenico Orobano)
Colorado Joe - Aldo Berti
undertaker - Franco Pesce
Jim Piggot - Rick Boyd (Federico Boido)
Ralph Piggot - Rocco Lerro
Joe Benson - Attilio Dottesio
Lee Tse Tung bouncers - Claudio Ruffini, Pietro Torrisi (Pietro Torisi)
Piggot brothers - Roberto Dell’Acqua, Jean Pierre Clarain
gamblers - Fortuanto Arena, Sergio Testori

Sartana witnesses the killing of Benson, a gold miner, and goes to Indian Creek to find out the masterminds of the crime. Sometime later, Sartana arrives in the city of the dead man's niece, Jasmine, who inherited from her uncle a piece of land. Sartana presents the deed to the girl, winning her trust and convincing her to reject any offer for the estate. Wanting to become the owner at any cost, because he is convinced that gold will be found there in large quantities, the banker Hoffman, who is really responsible for the murder of Benson, first tries, in vain, to eliminate Sartana. Failing he then kidnaps Jasmine to get her to give him the deed to the land. Sartana manages to free the girl and in a battle of wits with Hoffman he succumbs miserably. For a long time Sartana has been in contact with Chinese Tse Tung, a saloon owner who is interested in the purchase of Jasmine’s land. Sartana tells him to pay $100,000, to gain possession. Once the deal is completed Tung finds no trace of gold on the land. Jasmine knew this from the very beginning, because she had always worked with her uncle, a retired con-man, who used to sell non-existent gold mines. She tries to escape with the money from this last trick, but Sartana prevents her, leaving her with only $10,000.

YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_61NCf5aUo