Movie Web
By Soniya Hinduja
6/8/2024
When Western movies became popular in America, directors
and screenwriters in Europe began to take notice and were immediately drawn by
their potential. Through the use of atmospheric locations and lower production
budgets, a new sub-genre was born – the spaghetti western. These movies had
their own unique European flair. They centered around outlaws and cowboys and
morally ambiguous takes set against the backdrop of sun-baked landscapes of
Spain and Italy.
There are certain definitive traits to spaghetti
Westerns. For one, they are almost always Italian productions, shown in native
languages, and made by directors like Sergio Leone. As for the style, these
filmmakers favor elongated shots, extreme closeups during confrontations, and
an iconic score composed by Ennio Morricone. Additionally, spaghetti westerns
also portray the Wild West in a grittier tone and use graphic violence.
Which is why it is no surprise that many spaghetti
westerns are R-rated. For their raw and adult-oriented content, these movies
stand tall among the most legendary entries in the genre and continue to
inspire and influence filmmakers across the world. Here is a list that counts
down the Best R-rated spaghetti westerns and celebrates the more nihilistic and
haunting vision of the frontier - when it comes to Europe.
The Dollars Trilogy (1964-1966)
Clint Eastwood first broke out as the “Man With No Name”
in the first film of the Dollars Trilogy, A Fistful of Dollars. The gritty and
morally ambiguous take on a drifter exploiting a violent rivalry between two
criminal gangs in a small town in Mexico reinvented the western genre.
Despite only being loosely connected, the next movie, For
a Few Dollars More, saw Eastwood chasing a criminal, El Indio, with the help of
a Colonel. The trilogy concluded in style with The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,
where three men compete to find a buried treasure during the height of the
American Civil War.
A Revolution in the Frontier
Each of these movies had a distinct element that made
them utterly unforgettable. From featuring a phenomenal turn from Eli Wallach
to twisting conventions of the genre, the Man With No Name trilogy elevated the
portrayal of the Wild West to high art and influenced filmmakers across the
world.
Under the sublime direction of Sergio Leone, the films
featured elongated shots, an almost-silent protagonist, a swelling score
composed by Ennio Morricone, and poetic themes of greed and violence. Overall,
the Dollars Trilogy defines the genre more than any other title. Stream on Max.
Face to Face (1967)
In director Sergio Sollima’s sequel to The Big Gundown,
we follow a mild-mannered university professor named Brad Fletcher who retires
from his job and travels to Texas. On a stagecoach journey, he has a chance
encounter with a criminal, Solomon “Beauregard” Bennet. As the two men escape
the violence that ensues, they end up forming an unlikely alliance, where
Fletcher rises in ranks and becomes the leader of an outlaw gang. As opposed to
his values of non-violence, Fletcher transforms into a ruthless man.
A Gripping Psychological Drama
Breaking from the traditional western storyline focused
on shootouts and bandits, Face to Face immerses viewers into a game of
psychological manipulation and clever deception. Gian Maria Volonté delivers an
unsettling performance as a conceited and unhinged Fletcher seeking only
control. But Face to Face was truly known for Sollima’s taut direction and
deconstruction of predetermined notions about humanity. Paired with supporting
roles from Tomás Milián, Jolanda Modio, and more, the movie is a must-watch.
Death Rides a Horse (1967)
As a young boy, Bill witnessed his family being brutally
abused and murdered at the hands of a gang. Fifteen years later, Bill has grown
into a skilled marksman with a gun of his own, and his only motive is to seek
revenge. He begins to coldly track down each member of the gang, hoping to
recognize them with his memory. Along the way, he stumbles into Ryan, a
gunslinger released from prison, who was also wronged by the same men who
murdered Bill's family.
Has a Tone of Revenge and Redemption
Death Rides a Horse is Giulio Petroni’s harrowing and
hallucinating masterpiece of the Old West. Lee Van Cleef infuses the vengeful
gunslinger with complexity, leaving the viewers wondering – is he an
unremorseful killer or is he just a man yearning to be understood?
John Phillip Law is equally outstanding as Bill. The
movie features a haunting score and bitter gunfights, elevating the genre to
intense and incredible heights. In a way, it is a near perfect genre film that
allows Van Cleef to showcase the full range of his talents. Stream on Prime
Video.
Find a Place to Die (1968)
A remake of Henry Hathaway’s 1954 western Garden of Evil,
this unsentimental and action-infused story centers around a beautiful woman
who hires a group of five men to help save her husband get out of a gold mine
which is controlled by the violent and formidable bandits led by Chato.
What she does not know is that the men are associated
with Chato in some way or the other, and their true intentions are to get
Chato’s gold as well as the woman for themselves. Over several breathless days,
we witness action and bullet wounds and clever maneuvers.
A Masterclass in Survival and Betrayal
Directed by Giuliano Carnimeo, Find a Place to Die is a
gripping story of betrayal and survival in a world where trust is a luxury only
few can afford. Despite having the good ol’ gold hunting trope, the solid
performances from Jeffrey Hunter, Piero Lulli and Pascale Petit make even the
most obscure details turn entertaining and adventurous.
The depiction of rugged mountainous terrain and crumbling
Spanish architecture reflects the moral decay and proves that Carnimeo has an
eye for birthing greed and turbulence from his setting. Stream on The Roku
Channel.
Compañeros (1970)
Compañeros is set in revolutionary Mexico, where a wanted
outlaw Yodlaf Peterson, a Swedish mercenary, and his reluctant companion, as
they arrive in the small town of San Bernardino and realize that it is being
controlled by the self-appointed General Mongo, who seeks to gain all the
town’s fortune for himself. Peterson, who was supposed to sell arms to Mongo,
then reveals a secret motive for his own. Along the way, the movie also
introduces a bunch of misadventures.
Infused with Buddy Comedy Tropes
What made Compañeros reverberate is the movie’s ability
to intricately balance the impulses of lived-in experiences with the subtle
humor of the buddy comedy genre. Charismatic stars Franco Nero, Tomás Milián,
and Jack Palance personify the tale with their hilarious turns as the main
characters.
Pair Sergio Corbucci’s genuinely entertaining direction
with superb location work, a witty script full of verbal ambushes, and a moving
score by Ennio Morricone, and what you get is a one-of-a-kind spaghetti
western. Stream on Tubi TV.
A Man Called Sledge (1970)
Co-written and directed by Vic Morrow along with Giorgio
Gentili, this spaghetti western transports you to the lawless Mexican
borderlands. The main character, Luther Sledge, is played by James Garner. He
is a lone gunslinger who makes his living tracking outlaws with cold
detachment. When a quiet night leads to two murders and a chance encounter,
Sledge finds himself developing a plan to steal gold from a vault by posing as
a prisoner.
James Garner’s Darkest Work of His Career
Garner, who did not regret having done the film, made
sure to once mention that A Man Called Sledge was among the heaviest roles he’d
ever played, calling the movie “not suitable for consumption” as a whole.
His intensely physical performance of a solitary and
emotionally guarded gunman enhanced the script. From the bleak and atmospheric
duel between two men to the breathtaking final showdown, certain scenes in the
movie are impactful even today. Stream on Plex.
The Grand Duel (1972)
Before his feature directorial debut, Giancarlo Santi had
worked as an assistant to Sergio Leone, working closely on projects like The
Good, the Bad and the Ugly and Once Upon a Time in the West. Drawing from the
same experience, with The Grand Duel, he tells the story of a sheriff named
Clayton who arrives in Saxton city to keep a fragile peace. But Philip Wermeer,
a man accused of the murder of the Patriarch, gets in his way and the town
becomes ripe with violence and betrayal.
Pitch Perfect Use of Tension and Guns
As one would expect, Santi creates one of the greatest of
all spaghetti westerns by using slow-burn chills, little dialogue, and amazing
gun play. In the hands of Lee Van Cleef, who is at his conflicted best as
Sheriff Clayton, the movie portrays a world where murder and corruption are
used as currency.
Opting for entertainment over precision or volume of
shots, each scene delivers enough heart and humor to keep viewers invested. And
when the climactic showdown happens, it is simply beautiful. Stream on The Roku
Channel.
Keoma (1976)
After the tense days of the American Civil War, the
half-white, half-Indian gunfighter Keoma Shannon returns to his hometown on the
frontier only to find out that it is controlled by a gang of outlaws. His three
half-brothers have formed an alliance with their leader, the evil Caldwell,
imprisons people and brutally tyrannizes the town’s residents. Vowing to exact
revenge, Keoma launches a war against the gang with the help of his father and
a former friend.
Poignant and Fascinating
Released at the tail end of the era of Spaghetti
Westerns, Keoma is one of the most authentic movies in the genre.
Writer-director Enzo G. Castellari crafts a movie so
poignant and culturally significant that you almost end up looking past the
mesmerizing shots of wide vistas and peek right into the main character’s
personal odyssey. Franco Nero’s charming and conflicted hero explores
existential themes of belonging and was often visited by a strange apparition,
which acts as a unique and remarkable parable of human struggles. Stream on
Tubi TV.
China 9, Liberty 37 (1978)
Starring Fabio Testi, Warren Oates, and Jenny Agutter,
China 9, Liberty 37 is an interesting spaghetti western featuring a love
triangle. An efficient gunslinger, Clayton Drumm, is about to be hanged, but he
receives an unlikely assignment in exchange for his life – to kill Matthew
Sebanek, a rancher who refuses to sell his land to the railroad. When Clayton
defaults, has an affair with Sebanek’s wife, Catherine, and is on the run with
her, Sebanek teams up with the railroad and both parties chase the couple.
An Underrated Western Landmark
A delight for fans of Monte Hellman’s western, China 9,
Liberty 37 breaks the mold by giving its key characters different motives. The
movie also helped launch the international careers of Agutter, who then came to
be known as an independent heroine with unmatched skills.
Hellman also brought the panoramic vistas of Spain and
Italy by choosing to film on location and guiding cinematographer Giuseppe
Rotunno. The action sequences and the ultimate resolution of the story are
particularly worth praising. Stream on Pluto TV.
800 Bullets (2002)
In 800 Bullets, we follow Julián Torralba, a former
stuntman who made a living by appearing in American Westerns shot in Spain. Now
an old man, he resorts to small performances. After his son, who was also a
stuntman, passes away, Julián is estranged from his grandson, Carlos. The more
Carlos learns about his father, the more fascinated he is by Julián. Soon,
Carlos joins Julián. When his mother tries to take him back, a hardened Carlos
and the other cowboys fight back.
Pays Homage to Spaghetti Roots
A loving homage to the era of grisly and shocking
spaghetti westerns, Álex de la Iglesia's 800 Bullets had all the hallmarks –
stylized and well-choreographed shootouts with over-the-top special effects, a
Tarantino-esque script laden with dark humor and family drama, and genuinely
masterful performances from leads Sancho Gracia and Carmen Maura.
While offering a glimpse into the past, he also pushed
the boundaries of on-screen violence. With a decent-enough script and a tragic
ending, the movie celebrates the subgenre’s unforgettable legacy.
