FIND A PLACE TO DIE

Joe! Cercati un posto per morire - Italian title
Ringo cherche une place pour mourir - Belgium title
Face a face com o diabo - Brazilian title
Kourallinen kultan - Finnish title
Ringo cherche une place pour mourir - French title
Ringo such Dir einen Platz zum Sterben - German title
Vres enan topo na pethaneis - Greek title
Oeste sin fronteras - Spanish title
Un lugar para morir - Spanish title
Nadji si mesto da umres - Yugoslavian title
Find a Place to Die - English title

A 1968 Italian production [Aico Films, Atlantis Films (Rome)]
Producer: Hugo Fregonese
Director: Anthony Ascott (Giuliano Carnimeo)
Story: Ralph Grave (Leonardo Benvenuti), Hugo Fregonese
Screenplay: Ralph Grave (Leonardo Benvenuti), Hugo Fregonese, Giuliano Carnimeo
Dialogue: Al Hine [English dialogue]
Cinematography: Riccardo Pallottini [Eastmancolor, widescreen]
Music: Gianni Ferrio (Giovanni Ferrio)
Songs: “Find a Place to Die”, “Era un cow-boy” sung by Jula de Palma (Iolanda De Palma)
Running time: 89 minutes

Cast:
Joe Collins - Jeffrey Hunter (Henry McKinnies, Jr.)
Lisa/Liza Martin - Pascale Petit (Anna-Marie Petit
Paul Martin - Peter Lull (Giusva Lulli)
Paco - Reza Fazeli (Reza Pars)
Juanita - Daniela Giordana
Reverend Riley - Peter Lastrett (Adolfo Lastretti)
Gomez - Gordon York (Giovanni Pallavicino)
Fernando - Ted Carter (Giovanni Pazzafini)
Chato - Mario Darnell (Mario Dardanelli)
Miguel - Seraphino Profumo
Bobo - Anthony Blond (Anthony Blod)
bandit - Umberto Di Grazia
with: Pietro Ceccarelli

In remake of 1954's “Garden of Evil”. Miners, Lisa and her husband/brother Paul Martin, are attacked at their gold mine, by Chato and his gang. Although they manage to fend them off, Paul has been trapped by some fallen boulders which have crashed following an explosion. Lisa rides to Nido de Aguila in search of help. She obtains help from a group of men including Joe Collins, a drunken former cavalry officer, Gomez and his shady partner who are gun-runners, and are motivated solely by a desire to get their hands on Martin’s gold., Paco a gunslinger, Fernando an athletic individual, and Riley a sinister and slimy person who claims to be a priest. Upon reaching the mine, Joe and the others discover that Martin has been killed and the gold stolen by Chato, who has been working with Gomez. Back at Nido de Aguila, Collins organizes a defense against Chato, who is killed by Gomez, who then openly takes command of the outlaws gang. Fernando and Riley die, Joe, with Lisa, who has helped reformed his drunken ways, faces Gomez in a duel and kills him. The gold is recovered and Joe and Lisa head to California to start a new life together.


YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvuJ20ocB_0

Happy 80th Birthday Benedetto Ghiglia

Italian composer Benedetto Ghiglia was born on December 27, 1930. Little is known about the maestro. He has composed scores for over 30 films starting in 1951 with the documentary film “Delta Padano”. His last score was in 1997 for Galeazzo Ciano una tragedia fascista”. Along the way he composed the scores for five Euro-westerns: “Adios Gringo” (1965), “$4.00 for Vengeance” and “Johnny Colt” (aka “Starblack”) both in 1966 and “El Rojo” and “A Stranger in Town” both in 1967. Today we celebrate Benedetto Ghiglia’s 80th birthday.

Happy 85th Birthday Michel Piccoli

Jacques Daniel Michel Piccoli was born on December 27, 1925 in Paris, France. Both his parents were musicians and his father also appeared in a few films. Known by his stage name Michel Piccoli he trained to be a comedian and has appeared on stage, films and TV. Piccoli has appeared in over 220 films and TV appearances and won a Best Actor Award at the 1980 Cannes Film Festival for his appearance in “A Leap in the Dark”. Michel has appeared in two Euro-westerns: “The Terror of Oklahoma” (1951) and “Don’t Touch the White Woman!” (1974). He was married to actress Eléonore Hirt [1919- ] (1954-19??) with whom he has a daughter Cordelia Anne Piccoli, actress, singer Juliette Greco [1927- ] (1966-1977) and screenwriter Ludivine Clerc since 1980. The couple adopted two children, a girl and a boy, from Poland in the 1980s. Today we celebrate Michel Piccoli’s 85th birthday.

RIP Aldo Berti

Italian actor Aldo Berti died shortly after midnight in Florence, Italy from brain cancer on December 26,2010 . He was 74. Aldo was born on February 29, 1936 in Florence. Aldo appeared in over 40 films from 1956's “Time of Vacation” with Vittorio De Sica until 1972's “Return of the Holy Ghost”. Half of his films were Euro-westerns. Among them were supporting roles in “A Stranger in Sacaramento” and “Why Go On Killing?” both 1965, “The Dirty Outlaws” and “A Stranger in Town” both 1967, “Once Upon a Time in the West” (1968), “El Puro” (1969), “The Ballad of Death Valley” (1970), “Have a Nice Funeral” and “Mallory Must Not Die” both in 1971 and two Spirito Santo films in 1972. Aldo lived a nomadic life traveling all over the world after giving up his film career. Aldo was living life with no cares and a mind like a sponge soaking up everything he could see and hear. He was friends with William Berger, had a romantic relationship with actress Barbara Steele after which he almost committed suicide. Berti was friends with Sarah Churchill, became a poet and wrote a book of poems entitled ‘Canto Finale’. On February 14, 1984 while traveling up the Nile with a load of patients for Juba and the first Doctors Without Borders they were attacked by armed men with machine guns, grenades and burned. Hundreds died and Aldo’s spirit died with them. From that point on he lived a personal life of shame for not dying with them. For many years he lived a simple life in Morocco. He was diagnosed with brain cancer in October of this year and returned to Florence to face death. One of the most recognized Italian character actors has left us. We should best remember Aldo by one of his famous sayings, "To be born is the privilege of all, having lived a privileged few."  Rest in peace amigo.

15 SCAFFOLDS FOR A KILLER

Quindici forche per un assassino - Italian title
Quince horcas para un assesino - Spanish title
15 potences pour un salopard - French title
Die schnutzigen Dreizehn - German title
Dirty Busters - German title
Dekapente aghones gia ena dolofono - Greek title
Dirty Fifteen - English title
15 Scaffolds for a Murderer - English title
15 Scaffolds for a Killer - English title

A 1968 Italian, Spanish co-production [Eos Film (Rome), Centauro Film (Madrid)]
Producer: Luis Vasquez
Director: Nunzio Malasomma
Story: Mario di Nardo
Screenplay: Mario de Nardo, J. Luis Bayonas (José Luis de las Bayonas)
Cinematography: Stelvio Massi [Eastmancolor, Chromoscope]
Music: Francesco De Masi
Song: “Will You be Mine” sung by Raoul (Ettore Lovechio)
Running time: 95 minutes

Cast:
Billy Mack - Craig Hill (Craig Fowler)
Barbara Ferguson - Susy Andersen (Maria Golgi)
Sandy Woods - George Martin (Francisco Celeiro)
Woods henchman - Álvaro de Luna (Álvaro Blanco)
widow Cook - Margherita Lozano (Margarita Jimenez)
Liz Cook - Eleanor Brown (Eleonora Brown)
Pastor Andrew Ferguson - Antonio Casas (Antonio Barros)
Benny - J. Manuel Martin (José Pérez)
Manuel - Tomás Blanco (Tomás Garcia)
Juan - Ricardo Palacios (Ricardo Diez)
Adam - Frank Braña (Francisco Pérez)
Bud Lee - Aldo Sambrell (Alfred Brell)
hangman - José Terrón (José Peñaranda)
with: Andrea Bosic (Ignazio Bo ic), Ivan G. Scratuglia (Ivan Giovanni Scratuglia), Umy Raho (Umberto Raho), L. Durán (Luis Durán), María Montez, Laura Redi (Laura Reder), Howard Ross (Renato Rossini), Aldo Berti, Fernando Sancho (Fernando Les)

Unjustly accused of murdering three women, members of two rival gangs, led by Billy Mack and Cassel, put aside the hatred that divides them and come together to escape a merciless manhunt triggered by Steve Mack, boyfriend of one of the victims, who, with the help of his friend Sandy Woods has raised against them all the men of the town. Without clearing themselves of the strong accusations brought against them and determined not to end up on the gallows for a crime they did not commit, men of both bands are able to save themselves by taking refuge in an abandoned fort, that is surrounded by henchmen of Sandy and Steve . Meanwhile, Steve's girlfriend goes to the farm hoping to find clues that would clear the hunted men. In fact evidence is found that the murderess of the three women is Sandy. When Sandy enters the fort where only Bill and Cassel are the only survivors. They face off in a duel but a cry of alarm by Cassel alerts Bill who shoots and kills Sandy.

YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6vFp_60XP8

CHRISTMAS 2010

Spaghetti Western Locations

Continuing with locations for “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”. After Tuco’s escape from Corporal Wallace he finds his way to Aberdeen City which has been evacuated after a shelling by Northern troops. Also appearing on the scene is Blondie forced into being a guide by Angel Eyes and his gang who are in pursuit of the buried treasure. The location of this scene is now a cow pasture next to a Spanish military helicopter base about 1.5 miles north of Colmenar Viejo. The area is fenced but has a pass through gate. You can find a few crumbling walls covered with berry bushes and rubble.

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