Once Upon a Time In Italy - Professor Sir Christopher Frayling

Once Upon a Time in Italy – The Westerns of Sergio Leone: Sir Christopher Frayling

Fri 18 Mar 2011 @ 7:30 p.m.

In this talk, based on his subsequent book Sergio Leone – Once Upon A Time in Italy (2005), and illustrated with many clips, Christopher Frayling will discuss Leone’s groundbreaking Westerns. Enthralled by the myths of the American West, Leone set out to make films that were ‘fairy tales for grown ups’, packed with quotes from moments of his favorite films.

A Fistful of Dollars (1964) kick-started the remarkable Spaghetti Western phenomenon, smashing all box office records in Italy and becoming a huge international success. Leone’s style and vision evolved through the ‘Dollars Trilogy’ – A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More (1965) and The Good, The Bad and the Ugly (1966) – culminating with the extraordinary Once Upon A Time in the West (1968), which now regularly appears in critics’ and film makers’ ‘best of’ lists. Leone’s last Western, A Fistful of Dynamite aka Duck, You Sucker (1971), was a ‘late reaction against idealistic Italian “political” Westerns set in the Mexican Revolution’.

Sergio Leone became one of the most popular and influential directors of the Post-War era. Quentin Tarantino has cited Leone as not only his favorite Italian film maker, but also ‘the greatest combination of film stylist – [and] storyteller’. His films were scored unforgettably by Ennio Morricone, and his casting of the character that became known as ‘the Man with No Name’ turned an initially reluctant Clint Eastwood into one of the biggest icons of cinema history.

Link for tickets and pricing http://www.cinemamuseum.org.uk/2010/westerns-sergio-leone-christopher-frayling/#more-1265

Remembering Franco Fabrizi

Franco Fabrizi was born on February 15, 1916 in Cortemaggiore, Picenza, Italy. He was the son of a barber and a cinema cashier. He started out appearing in photo novels when he was 20 years-old. His first major film appearance was in Michelangelo Antonini’s first film “Cronaca di un amore” (1950). He then appeared as Faustus in Federico Fellini’s “I vitelloni” (1953). Critics compared his screen presence to that of Cary Grant but he was never given lead roles. Instead he was only given co-starring or second lead roles whose characters were cowards or blowhards such as in “Gino ne La romano” (1954) directed by Luigi Zampa, “Camilla”, Fellini’s “Il bidone” and “Le amiche” by Antonini all in 1955. His career continued into the 1960s with such films as “Una vita difficile” (1961), “Lo la conoscevo bene” (1965) and “Signore & signon” (1966). His career seemed to stall in the 1970s as he appeared in several genres including two Euro-westerns, “Panhandle .38 (1972) and “Don’t Touch the White Woman” (1974). In the 1980s he found new fame in “Ginger and Fred” (1986). His last film appearance was in “Ricky e Barabba” in 1992. Fabrizi died of cancer on October 18, 1995. Today we celebrate what would have been Franco Fabrizi’s 95th birthday.

RIP David F. Friedman

B-movie producer David F. Friedman has died in Anniston, Alabama at the age of 87.

Friedman's niece, Bridgett Everett, said he died of heart failure Monday morning at a nursing home.

Friedman was an independent movie producer who was credited with helping create "gore" or splatter movies. He produced "Blood Feast" in 1963 for $24,500. His niece says the cult classic ended up netting $6.5 million for him and the other investors. Friedman spent much of his career in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. He moved to Anniston in 1988 to be near family.

David Friedman was involved in two Euro-westerns, "Nude Django" (1968) as a producer, screenwriter and actor. This film was a revision of his "Brand of Shame" with additional footage added and re-released as "Nude Django" and "The Erotic Adventures of Zorro" (1972) as producer, screenwriter and actor.

Valentine's Day 2011

FORT YUMA GOLD

Per qualche dollari ancora - Italian title
Trois cavaliers pour Fort Yuma - French title
El hombre del sur - Spanish title
Drie ruiters voor Fort Yuma - Belgium title
Kultaa Fort Yumaan - Finnish title
Muutama taala lisää - Finnish title
Tampeko - German title
Tampeko, der Dollar hat zwei Seiten - German title
Blutiger Dollar - German title
Ringo el temerario - Mexican title
Gringo Não Perdoa - Portuguese title
Tre Man Red Vasterut - Swedish title
The Rebel Lieutenant - U.K. title
Još za nekoliko dollara - Yugoslavian title
For a Few Extra Dollars - U.S.A. title
Die Now Pay Later - U.S.A. title
Fort Yuma Gold - U.S.A. title

A 1966 Italian, French, Spanish co-production [Fida Cinematografica (Rome), Les Productions Jacques Roitfeld (Paris), Época Films S.A. (Madrid)]
Producer: Edmondo Amati
Director: Calvin Jackson Padget (Giorgio Ferroni)
Story: Massimiliano Capriccioli, Sandro Continenza (Alessandro Continenza), Remigo Del Grosso, Guilles Morris Dumoulin, Augusto Finocchi, Leonardo Martin (Leonardo Mendez)
Screenplay: Massimiliano Capriccioli, Sandro Continenza (Alessandro Continenza), Remigo Del Grosso, Guilles Morris Dumoulin, Augusto Finocchi, Ettore Giannini, Leonardo Martín (Leonardo Méndez)
Cinematography: Rafael Pachecho (Rafael de Usa) [Technicolor, Techniscope]
Music: Gianni Ferrio (Giovanni Ferrio), Ennio Morricone
Song: “Don’t Cry Cowboy” sung by ?
Running time: 105 minutes

Cast:
Lieutenant Gary Hammond/Diamond Tampeko - Montgomery Wood (Giuliana Gemma)
Nelson Riggs - Dan Vadis (Constantine Vafiadis)
Connie Brestful - Sophie Daumier (Elisabeth Hugon)
Gordon/Golden 44 - José Calvo (José Selgado)
Captain Lefevre - Ángel del Pozo (Ángel Merino)
Major Saunders - Jacques Sernas
Davis camp colonel - Andrea Bosic (Ignazio Bosic)
Davis camp corporal - Fulvio Mingozi
Sergeant Brian Pitt - Red Carter (Giovanni Pazzafini)
Calvin/Johnny Newman - Men Fury (Furio Meniconi)
Captain Taylor - Lorenzo Robledo
Juko - Benny Reeves (Benito Stefanelli)
Elijah Murdock - Jacques Stany
Corporal Wilson - Rick Piper (Riccardo Pizzuti)
Brian - Antonio Molino Rojo
Sam - José Martin (José Antonio Martin)
Riggs’ henchman - William Spoletini (Guglielmo Spoletini) John Mathews (Gianni Marturano) traitor - Jacques Herlin
Confederate soldier - Paolo Magaloti
saloon patron - Mimmo Poli (Domenico Poli)
Major at Fort Yuma - Alfonso Rojas (Alfonso Gonzalez)
with: Robert Alexander (Roberto Alessandri), Peter Cabot (Pierre Cressoy), Alberto Cevenini, Leonardo Martin (Leonardo Mendez), Juan Cazalilla, Claude Hill, Serge Marquand, Ángel Menendez, Agustin Bescos

Right after the end of the American Civil war. Gary Hammond, a young Confederate lieutenant and POW, is asked by the Colonel in charge of a Union POW camp to accompany two of his men, Captain Lefevre and Sergeant Pitt on a special mission. They must reach and warn the commander of Fort Yuma of an impending attack against it which is being prepared by an ex-Confederate group of the 5th regiment which is Diamond's ex-unit, commanded by major Sanders. The task is very complicated and tricky, because at the same time major Sanders has a different plan - to sneak into Fort Yuma through a mine tunnel from the Red Mines, together with the gang of Nelson Riggs, an infamous villain, and steal a great sum of money. Of course Sanders's men of 5th regiment are doomed. Fort Yuma is very well defended and their purpose is only to divert the attention of the Federal soldiers. Diamond, Lefevre and Pitt begin their dangerous mission and some new elements of the puzzle are added including a beautiful girl aptly named Connie Breastfull.

YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0-4cdbebS0

Remembering Tina Aumont

Maria Christina ‘Tina’ Aumont was born on February 14, 1946 in Beverly Hills, California. Aumont was an actress of French, and Dominican descent. She was the daughter of actors Jean-Pierre Aumont and Maria Montez. At the age of 17, she married actor and film director Christian Marquand in 1963. Tina was an active actress in the 1960s and 1970s who appeared mainly in international films. After making her big screen debut in the movie "Modesty Blaise" in 1966, she had notable performances in the films "Texas Across the River", (1966) with Dean Martin, "A Matter of Time", (1976) with Ingrid Bergman and "Holocaust II", (1980). Aumont appeared in two Euro-westerns “A Man, a Pride, a Vengeance” (1967) and “The Brothers Blue (1973). Tina died from a pulmonary embolism on October 28, 2006 in Port-Vendres, France. Today we remember Tina Aumont on what would have been her 65th birthday.

Spaghetti Western Locations

Continuing our locations for “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”. As Tuco and Blondie near Sad Hill Cemetery they come across a bombed out church. Inside lies a dying Confederate soldier that Blondie gives him a few puffs on his cigar before he passes. Covering him with his duster Blondie picks up the now familiar poncho and pursues Tuco who has runoff ahead. This location is on the same dirt road you have been following and is now the location of many beehives. You can still find remnants of the building scattered among the grass and pines located inside the cow pasture.

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/