Pianeta Cinema
By Andrea Girolami
4/20/2019
Almeria .... how beautiful you are. I'm having fun
like crazy. I practically have a big amusement park all to myself - the western
village. Today I return to my father ... only a few days left and I decided
that I want to stay on the set all the time, I love the set. The movement of
people that creates a certain "chaos". But it is an ordered
"chaos" ... from the outside it seems a total disorder but instead
everything is in order and prepared. Each department has its equipment in its
"place" ... the horses there and the ... the lights there and the ...
the chairs for the actors there and the ... the extras there and there. All
"them and"
I'm almost there ... now I know the way. Today to reach
the village there is a beautiful highway, but in those days there was only one
simple country road. At certain points without asphalt. Arriving at the last
corner, here I see the bridge !!! The "Cipolla Colt" bridge. We cross
the bridge ... I hear the "squeak" of the wood that supports the
production car. It causes some fear. But what a thrill. Today the bridge is
gone. Indeed ... it has remained a small piece.
I was told during my last visit to
"MiniHollywood" (today's name of the village of "Cipolla
Colt") that the bridge was so fragile that it was blown up in a scene from
a movie ... this little story made me open my little memory drawer ... surely
you have seen the western movies of the great and unique Sergio Leone. In two
films, Leone explodes a bridge. One of the two explosions, in the film:
"The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" - the bridge ... was blown up by
mistake.
Before shooting the scene and giving the "go" -
Sergio Leone had decided to deliver the detonator to the Spanish Captain of the
Genio Guastatori - out of respect and honor towards the soldiers who carried
out the construction work. Explaining that he must only listen to Sergio Leone
and wait for his "VIA". All the plug-in machines have been positioned
... at one point an operator screams "READY!" - repeated by many
other operators positioned in various strategic positions. The Captain hears
"READY" from here - "READY" from the ... he doesn't
understand anything anymore ... and pushes the button that makes the wooden bridge
explode without having respected the order to follow only Sergio Leone's voice.
Perhaps for those unfamiliar with Spanish: "pronto" means
"soon" in Spanish. You can imagine the nervousness and the emotion of
the Captain ... that at some point you hear from every part of the set
"PRESTO!" - "PRESTO!" - "SOON!" -
"SOON!". How do you say "come on - get a move on". The
bridge was rebuilt and what we see in the film is the second bridge - the new
one. Still today I wonder what happened to the Captain ...
Instead for the other film, "Giù la testa" (Duck
You Sucker) - the bridge was made of bricks and stone. A real bridge. An
impressive explosion. For safety they built mini-forts to cover the cameras.
Even today, visiting the place you can see and see what is left of the bridge.
Recently, in an archaeological visit, they found one of the military vehicles
used during the explosion. As it happens the bridge is located near the village
of "Cipolla Colt".
I must say that not only Leo's costume is beautiful. All
the costumes in the film are beautiful and special. The film's costume designer
was Lina Wertmuller's husband, Enrico Job. A great costume designer and set
designer - winner of three "Donatellos".
Guys!!! We don't forget the break time with the
"Felix" kitchen. What dishes. I'm always ready with my gun. In those
days you could eat "Las Chanquetas" - they are tiny little fish -
newborn eels. Fritti. Local specialty: "fried Andalusian little
fish". An exceptional goodness. Today I believe it is a forbidden dish
like the Bianchetti and the Rossetti of Genoa.
Let's get back to us ...
I'm sorry I didn't have the pleasure of meeting the two
children on the set. As far as I know, Fernando Castro has not come a long way
in the world of cinema. Indeed, nothing. Instead Duilio Cruciani was already a
"famous" child actor. He had appeared in other films. He worked with
Fulci, Lenzi, Martino, Tessari, Scavolini in "Cuore". Cruciani
already had the experience and knew the times of the cinema well. A little
curiosity: in Fulci's film: "Donald Duck is not tortured", Duilio
Cruciani uses the sling as in "Cipolla Colt". Too bad he had a bad
end. Many years later he was found dead from an overdose in a public toilet.
I'm sorry. How many kids took the drugs. Damn drug !!!! I want to dedicate this
episode to you, my dear Duilio - even though we've never met. Today, in my
small studio I have "your" gun.
Arrival on the set. I greet everyone. I love greeting
people. Even today when I go in and out of a club I greet everyone. In the
distance I see the special effects truck. I love that department. I love their
handmade tricks ... the magic of creating - out of nothing - amazing things! A
real show. But today’s show ... there is only one. Mine. I go, take and return
with "my" rifle. Yes. Today and for a few days I will be able to use
the rifle used by the two children in the film: Duilio Cruciani who plays
"Cal‘ Caligola ’Foster and Fernando Castro in the role of “Dutch Foster”.
The rifle is not real. It's fake. But it is beautiful. I don't leave it for a
second. I go around the whole village ... imagining myself to be "the
Good" - or Bud Spencer ... my other great idol. However - now the village
is under my control. No one moves without my order. What magic What a gift to
be on a western movie set. Then with Leo Anchoriz, who always watches me from
afar, and my mother, who doesn't miss me. I love Leo's costume. He's a
beautiful sheriff. How much I love him. Today again.
Yes, the one used in the film. After the shooting ended,
my father brought the gun home. As a gift. A great gift. For years I played
with that gun. It’s next to me now. Every now and then I take it and play ...
guard and thieves with my daughter - she always wants to be a policewoman ...
Hi Duilio. Rest in peace.
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