BANDIDOS

Crepo tue… che vivo io! – Italian title
La pistole della vendetta – Italian title
Bandidos – Spanish title
Bandidos - elä kostaaksesi – Finnish title
El Bandidos – French title
Le pistole della vendetta – French title
Bandidos – German title
Banditos – Greek title
Mannen med dom genomskjutna kanderna – Swedish title
Guns of Death – U.K. title
You Die… I Live – U.S.A. title
Bandidos – English title

A 1967 Italian, Spanish co-production [Epic Film (Rome), Hesperia Film (Madrid)]
Producer: Solly V. Bianco
Director: Max Dillman (Massimo Dallamano)
Story: Luis Laso, Juan Cobos (Juan de Cobos)
Screenplay: Juan Cobos (Juan de Cobos), Romano Migliorini, Gianbattista Mussetto
Cinematography: Emilio Foriscot [Technicolor, Techniscope]
Music: Egisto Macchi
Song: “La ballata del treno” sung by Nico Fidenco
Running time: 95 minutes

Cast:
Richard Martin - Enrico Maria Salerno
Ricky Shot/Philip Raymond - Terry Jenkins/Thomas (Terry Jenkins)
Betty Starr/Stuart - María Martin (María Vargas)
Billy Kane - Venantino Venantini (Enrico Venantini)
Kane henchman - Fred Robsahm (Frederik Robsahm)
Vigonza - Cris Huerta (Crisanto Brieva)
Kramer - Marco Guglielmi (Augusto Guglielmi)
Munoz - Massimo Sarchielli
Ezekial - Renzo Pevarello
Sam - Giancarlo Bastianoni
train conductor - Victor Israel (José Vilanova)
Mexican bandit - Aysanoa Runachagua
saloon patron - Osiride Pevarello
with; Roberto Messina, Valentino Macchi, Antonio Pica (Antonio Serrano), Arthur Chase, Jesús Puente (Jesús Alzaga), Gino Barbacane, Giancarlo Sisti, Claudio Scarchilli, Luciano Pallocchia, Juan José Milian, Franco Morici


During a train hold-up Richard Martin, a circus sharp shooter, tries to resist the attempts of the bandits and they leave him with both hands mangled. He finds and teaches a young protégé, Ricky Shot, the tricks of the trade. Together they tour the west giving shooting exhibitions until they run into Billy Kane the leader of the outlaws who maimed Martin during the train robbery. When Martin is killed trying to take his revenge he is avenged by Shot. The director Dallimano was the cinematographer for Sergio Leone on “Fistful of Dollars” who learned his craft well as this is a fine looking film and filled with what we expect in the best Spaghetti Westerns.

YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IsB0ZnWcEM

Who Are Those Guys - Ugo Adinolfi

Another Italian character actor, seen many times during the Spaghetti Western era, was Ugo Adinolfi. The good looking young actor who sometimes resembled a dark haired Peter Lee Lawrence, was seen on screen from 1966 – 1975. He appeared mainly in action and adventure films in small roles seldom with a name for his character. After 1975 he seems to have left the industry as no more films are listed for his filmography.

Ugo Adinolfi’s Euro-westerns:
Killer Kid – 1967 (Ramirez henchman)
The Moment to Kill – 1967 (Forrester henchman)
Rick & John Conquer the West – 1967
The Wild and the Dirty - 1967
Gatling Gun – 1968
Full House for the Devil – 1968 (Meredith henchman)
Kill Them All and Come Back Alone - 1968
The Long Day of the Massacre – 1968 (Alan)
The Mercenary – 1968 (land owner)
Two Pistols for a Coward – 1968
The Law of Violence – 1969 (Sidney)
Zorro, Marquis of Navarra – 1969 (Lieutenant Bombardi)
A Man Called Apocalypse Joe – 1970 [as Hugo Adinolfi]
Bullet for a Stranger – 1971 (breeder)
Drummer of Vengeance – 1971
Guns for Dollars – 1971 (Pablito)

RIP Allen Klein

Former Beatles, Stones manager Allen Klein dies

Record label mogul and film producer Allen Klein, who handled the affairs of both the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Tony Anthony, died in New York on Saturday July 4th, after a battle with Alzheimer's disease, he was 77. During a career spanning more than 50 years, the former New Jersey accountant secured a fortune as one of the savviest and most infamous players in the music and film business. He played a key role during the bitter demise of the Beatles, coming on board in 1969 at the behest of John Lennon, Ringo Starr and George Harrison. Paul McCartney was fiercely opposed to Klein, preferring the legal expertise of his high-powered father-in-law Lee Eastman. The feud set the scene for the court battle that led to the group's dissolution. Klein later reunited with Harrison to organize the all-star Concert for Bangladesh show in 1971 concert. It took a decade for the funds to reach the refugees because of complex tax problems. He also continued to work with Lennon and Yoko Ono. Klein also managed the Rolling Stones during the 1960s and ended up owning the rights to their recordings and copyrights from that decade -- to the eternal regret of Mick Jagger. Klein produced a trilogy of spaghetti westerns starring and written by Tony Anthony copying Clint Eastwood's The Man With No Name. A Stranger In Town and The Stranger Returns were released in the USA by MGM. A dispute with MGM over the last one, The Silent Stranger, led to it not being released for seven years after production. Klein and Anthony also collaborated on the film Blindman featuring Ringo Starr as a Mexican bandito. Klein also appeared briefly on camera, in a similar role. In later years Klein refused to allow the films to be released on video and DVD much to Anthony's dismay. He first made his mark in the music industry by auditing record labels on behalf of clients such as Bobby Darin and Connie Francis. When he invariably found that they were owed royalties, he took a percentage of the difference as a fee. he also managed Sam Cooke, helping the R&B star set up his own label and publishing company. Klein's family-owned ABKCO Music & Records also handled the recordings of such artists as the Animals, Herman's Hermits, Bobby Womack, Marianne Faithfull, the Kinks, Chubby Checker, Bobby Rydell and many others.

He is survived by his wife and three adult children. His funeral will take place in New York on Tuesday.

INDEPENDENCE DAY 2009

BANDIDAS

Bandidas – International title

A 2004 French, Mexican, U.S.A. co-production [Europa Corp., Ultra Film, TF1 Film
Productions (Paris)]
Producer: Luc Besson
Director: Joachim Roenning, Espen Sandberg
Story: Luc Besson
Screenplay: Luc Besson, Robert Mark Kamen
Cinematography: Thierry Arbogast [color]
Music: Eric Serra
Running time: 95 minutes

Cast:
María Álvarez - Penélope Cruz (Penelope Sanchez)
Sara Sandoval - Salma Hayek (Salma Hayek-Jiminez)
Quentin Cooke - Steve Zahn
Don Diego - Ismael ‘East’ Carlo
Pedro Alvarez - Carlos Cervantes (Gary Cervantes)
Tyler Jackson - Dwight Yoakam
Ashe - Denis Arndt
Clarissa Ashe - Audra Blaser
Bill Buck - Sam Shepard (Samuel Rogers)
Governor - Humberto Elizondo
Brujo - Ernesto Gómez Cruz
Bernardo - Lenny Zundel
Padre Pablo - José Maria Negri
Expl bank director - Edgar Vivar
photographer - Filiberto Estrella (Filiberto Calderón)
Gordo - Yomo Tlazotlalli
Cable bank manager - Justo Martínez
Consuelo - Ana Olellia Murguía
sheriff - Luis Orozco
gate keepers - Terence Strikman (Terence Stickman), Florentino Silva Torres
old peseant - Pedro Gamez
deceased man - Altin Pitrel
little man 40s - Carlos Palacios
100 year old secretaries - Andrea González, Ofelia Herrera
Filly’s owners - Alejandro Campa, Guillermo Panuco, Jorge Ramirez
waiting businessman - Ricardo Ariona (Edgar Morales)
chief secretary - Elena Gonzalez
cleaning girl - Daya Fernandez
regulators - Karl Braun, Julian Sedgwick (Julian Sedgewick), Joseph D. Reitman, Rodolfo Sean, Edgar Tebar, Pascal Greub, Vincent Torres, Erik Prats, Sergio Gonzalez, Armando Alarcon, Eduardo Karam, Christian Arrieta, Ernesto Miyares, Eduardo Corral, Israel Gomez
cave musicians - Constantino Blanco, Manuel Ruiz, Rosalinfo Martinez, Eusebio Reyes
with; Juan Manuel Robledo Rios


The film tells the story of María Álvarez and Sara Sandoval. María is a poor farm-girl whose father is being forced off his land by a cruel US land baron, Tyler Jackson. Sara is the wealthy daughter of the owner of the nearby properties, and has recently returned from Europe where she attended school. In one fell swoop, both María's and Sara's fathers fall under attack by the baron, (Sara's father is killed, María's is shot but survives) giving him free rein in the nearby territories. As an act of revenge, María and Sara become bank robbers, stealing and giving back to the poor Mexicans who had lost their lands.

At first the two are catty and quick to fight over the smallest matters, but under the tutelage of famed bank robber Bill Buck they learn to trust each other. María turns out to be a crack shot and, while Sara can barely hold a gun, she shows that she is an expert with throwing knives.

Angered by the recent attacks by the newly infamous 'Bandidas' Jackson brings in a specialist, criminal investigator, Quentin Cooke. It doesn't take long for Sara and María to hear of this, and they quickly capture Cooke and convince him to help them. He has already figured out that Sara's father was murdered, so realizes that his employer is actually a criminal.

Now there are three robbers, each playing their part in bigger, more ambitious heists. As time goes on, each of the girls competes for Quentin's affections, but he rebukes them since he's engaged. In a move to make the money they've stolen useless, Jackson moves the gold that backs the money on a train up towards U.S. territories. Midway, he decides to steal the gold, betraying the Mexican government. The Bandidas manage to hunt him down, but when they get their chance to kill him, they can't, feeling it would make them no better than him. Jackson manages to draw his gun and almost gets a shot off at María but Sara shoots first, finishing the villain off. In the end Quentin ends up with his fiancée and María and Sara ride off into the sunset, their eyes set on Europe where the banks are, according to Sara, "bigger".

Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgLC_JeRa5E

Happy 50th Birthdrilay Victoria Ab

Born Victoria Merida Rojas on July 4, 1959, in Madrid, Spain, she took the name Victoria Abril and became famous for her role in Pedro Almodóvar’s “Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!” (1989). Victoria has been nominated eight time for Goya Awards (The Spanish Academy Awards) as Best Actress winning once. She is also a singer and is married to director Gérard de Battista. Before gaining her fame she appeared in Tony Anthony’s 3-D Euro-western “Comin’ At Ya!” (1981). Today we wish Victoria Abril a happy 50th birthday.

Sir Christopher Frayling Interview

Sir Christoper Frayling poses in front of Francis Bacon's Study from the Human Body, Man Turning on the Light


Passed/Failed: An education in the life of broadcaster, film buff, and rector of the Royal College of Art, Christopher Frayling

'I won the award for best bugler'

Interviewed by Jonathan Sale
Thursday, 2 July 2009

Professor Sir Christopher Frayling, 62, steps down this month as rector of the Royal College of Art, about which he has written two histories. His other books include Spaghetti Westerns and Mad, Bad And Dangerous? He has been chairman of the Arts Council and the Design Council. On 8 July he opens New Designers 2009 at the Business Design Centre, in Islington, north London.


I really can remember the sense of achievement at The Rowans, a private pre-primary school in Wimbledon, when the class made recorders out of bamboo and played "Frère Jacques" in unison. One of my friends was called Ben. I forgot all about him until a dinner at the Tate when [the late] Ben Pimlott said: "I went to a school called The Rowans." I yelled out, "You're Ben!" "You're Chris!" He was director of Goldsmiths College and I am doing the same job at the RCA. The school's art class must have been doing something right.

Then I went at six, a very young age, to Belmont, a small prep school near Hassocks in Sussex. Some of the teachers were fairly sadistic and Evelyn Waugh's Decline And Fall conjures it up pretty accurately. It was near Ditchling, one of the centres of the Arts and Crafts movement, and on a school walk I remember seeing this elderly lady at a loom: it was Ethel Mairet, who taught Gandhi to weave.

I then went to Repton in Derbyshire, which is everybody's idea of what a public school looks like, as it was used for the 1939 Hollywood movie Goodbye, Mr Chips. Michael Charlesworth had a huge influence on me; he believed the performing of plays and the reading aloud of poems made literature come alive. I directed The School for Scandal with James Fenton, later the Oxford Professor of Poetry, in drag as Lady Sneerwell. I wasn't a play-up-and-play-the-game type but I won the "silver bugle" in the school corps for the best bugler of the year.

I got eight O-levels, with 98 per cent in scripture; I don't know what happened to the other 2 per cent. For A-levels I did history, English and French. When I was interviewed for Cambridge, I said I was interested in post-1485 history. The interviewer said, "Oh, a modernist." I got an exhibition to Churchill, which was very recently built: modern architecture and modern sculpture, and centrally heated with wall-to-wall carpets. The college chaplain was a wonderful man who had been the padre at Changi, the worst prison camp in Burma during the Second World War. When he was coaching us for rowing, he used to yell to us (I was in the third Eight) in pidgin Chinese.

I did law for three days, switched to history and got a first in Prelims. I finished up with a 2:1 – too much writing for Varsity. I was film and theatre editor. I wrote so many reviews that I used a pseudonym. If it was an art film I was "Christopher Frayling" but if it was a downmarket movie I was "Ray Fling". I got firsts on five papers but I completely blew the last exam, staying up all night and frantically revising, and got a third on that. Immediately after the exam I saw A Fistful Of Dollars, which started my enthusiasm for spaghetti westerns and gave me the subject for three books – so far.

I did my PhD on the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau and during the 1968 riots I went to Paris to study art and the French Revolution. There is a legend that as I was working in the Sorbonne, I said: "Stop turning cars over – I'm trying to study the French Revolution here!" But it's only a legend.

I told a despairing careers adviser: "I want to work in the arts." He said: "Potato Marketing Board!" I didn't take him up on it.