Happy 85th Birthday Rafael Romero Marchent

Rafael Romero Marchent Hernández was born on May 3, 1926 in Madrid, Spain. He is the son of producer, writer and film editor Joaquín Romero Gómez de Avellaneda Marchent. He is the younger brother of director, actor Joaquín Luis Romero Marchent [1921- ], film editor Ana Maria Romero Marchent and actor Carlos Romero Marchent [1944- ]. Rafael appeared in many school plays since childhood and later had small parts in films. He decided to take classes in dance and dramatic art while pursuing his career as a juvenile actor. His first adult stage role was in "El traje de luces "1947" by Edgar Neville. He continued appearing on stage and in plays for the next 10 years. In the early 1960s he decides to learn to be a director and becomes an assistant director and screenwriter. He would go on to direct and write over thirty films many of which (19) were Spaghetti westerns. Among his better known Euro-westerns are "Zorro, the Avenger" (1964), "Gunfight at High Noon" (1966), "Two Crosses at Danger Pass" (1967), "Ringo the Lone Rider" (1968), "The Dead are Countless" (1969), "Clumsy Hands" (1970), and "The Prey of Vultures" (1972). Often with his brother Joaquin, he would co-produce his films which also included comedies, thrillers, dramas and musicals. Later he would turn to directing in television and film dubbing. Rafael retired in the mid-1990s. Today we celebrate one of the Euro-western’s great directors on his 85^th birthday.

DJANGO UNCHAINED

The WME Agency has officially confirmed the rumors of the past few days: "Quentin Tarantino has just delivered the final draft of his new movie, the spaghetti western "Django Unchained" to the Weinstein Company."

The film will be produced by Stacey Sher (Pulp Fiction) and Pilar Savone, and will have among the cast Christoph Waltz, who had previously worked with Tarantino in "Inglourious Basterds".

Plot: "Django is a freed slave, who, under the tutelage of a German bounty hunter (to be played by Christoph Waltz) becomes a bad ass bounty hunter himself, and after assisting Waltz in taking down some outlaws for bounty, is helped by Waltz in tracking down his wife, who is still a slave and liberating her from an evil plantation owner."

The script was finished a few days ago, and although it speaks like a Tarantino film a Southern Western, it seems to have been written more like a Spaghetti western. The project should be moving very quickly, and filming could begin well before the end of the year: The Weinstein Company will distribute the film as is traditional in the United States, while Universal is the frontrunner for the international distribution thanks to the $ 190 million that it has managed to earn from Inglourious Basterds outside the United States but the script has also been shown to Warner Bros, Paramount and Sony.

I will keep you posted as things develop



New CD Release

The first CD of the series dedicated to the great Maestro Francesco de Masi and to his scores written for Western Cinema is dedicated to the complete release of the famous movie directed by Enzo G. Castellari VADO L'AMMAZZO E TORNO. Maestro de Masi, among the most important composers of the 19th century is one of the most prolific contributors of this Italian genre cinema that marked the evolution of Western movies from the American classic style to a o more violent and real one. A great title in Beat Records catalogue, now available with a lot of extra music, original artwork, liner notes written by the Maestro son, Filippo de Masi: the first meeting with the new series dedicated to the composer that will be closed with a DVD-documentary full of surprises! Jewel Box with 8 Pages Booklet. Limited edition to 500 copies!

Vado l’ammazzo e torno (Any Gun Can Play)

Label: BEAT
Country: Italy
Starring: George Hilton, Edd Byrnes, Gilbert Rolans
Composers: Francesco De Masi
#CDCR91
Tracks: 16
Total time: 41:59 minutes
Extras: 8 page booklet, liner notes by Filippo De Masi
Limited addition: 500 copies
Available: May 9, 2011

Track Listing
1. Vento e whisky 2'38''
2. Mexico western 2'42''
3. Monetero's plan 1'21''
4. Deadly waiting 2'27''5. Marisol 2'23''
6. La marcia del gamberetto 1'39''
7. Dead's looking out 2'45''
8. Clayton pursuit 2'00''
9. Riding and whistling 3'40''
10. Hidden half 1'13''
11. Mexico fiesta 2'38''
12. That‘s your turn, Monetero 2'42''
13. Three for gold 1'21''
14. La marcia del gamberetto 2'27''
15. Gold and whisky 2'23''
16. Stranger * 1'39''

Remembering Sergio Mioni

Sergio Mioni was born in Italy on May 2, 1931. He began his successful career as an actor in the film "The 3 Magnificent Supermen" (1967) by Gianfranco Parolini: After his first stunt, he began to reveal his great qualities as a technical advisor first and then from 1975 in the film "Mark the cop shoots first "Stelvio Massi as stunt coordinator.From this moment he began working on many Italian and international productions, giving new credence to the art of stunts and the Stunt Coordinator, innovating and helping to bring young people to the top level as a stunt master of weapons and making them grow personally and professionally through his great experience. Sergio would specialize in action and adventure films, he participated in many highly successful films in Italy: among which are: "Quelli della Calibo 38" (1976) Massimo Dallamano, "Come perdere una moglie e trovare un amante" (1977) by Pasquale Festa Campanile, "Giallo napoletano" (1979) by Sergio Corbucci with Marcello Mastroianni and Renato Pozzetto, "Da grande" (1985) by Sergio Amurri with Renato Pozzetto, then move on to international productions such as TV's "El riturno de Santo" (1979-1979) and entered films in cinema history as Black Stallion (1979) by Carroll Ballard, "Raiders of the Lost Ark" (1981) by Steven Spielberg starring Harrison Ford (with whom he runs in a famous scene), "The Last Days of Pompeii "(TV movie - 1984) by Peter Hunt," The Jewel of the Nile "(1985) by Lewis Teague with Michael Douglas, Danny DeVito and Kathleen Turner," Ladyhawke "(1985) by Richard Donner with Rutger Hauer and Matthew Broderick, "The Name of the Rose" (1986) by Jean-Jacques Annaud, starring Sean Connery and Christian Slater. Sergio appeared in only one Euro-western "The Crazy Adventures of Len and Coby" (1975). Sergio Mion died July 17, 1987, leaving a huge void, but at the same time an indelible mark in the world of stunt bringing Italian art in the world of modern cinema. His sons Stefana Maria and Riccardo have followed in their fathers footsteps and continue to produce great stunt men and coordinate films with their copany StutnItalia. We remember one of the great stunt coordinators and stuntmen of the Italian cinema today on what would have been his 80th birthday.

Remembering Ernst Legal

Ernst Otto Eduard Legal was boen in Schlieben, Germany on May 2, 1881. He became a stage actor and worked Darmstadt from1924-1927 and as theater director 1927-1928. He then worked the State Theatre in Berlin from 1931-1932. He was the director of Berlin’s Schiller Theater from 1938 until 1944. He was also a familiar character actor in films since 1919. He continued to act on stage and direct plays after the war and into the 1950s in East Germany. Under Stalin the working conditions became very taxing and difficult and by 1952 he was worn out. He appeared in only a few more films such as Wolfgang Staudte’s film "Straw" (1951) and his only Euro-western "Johnny Saves Nebrador" (1953). After his 100^th film appearance in 1955's "Der Himmel is nie ausverkauft" he retired. Ernst is the father of actress Margaret Legal [1908-2001]. Legal died on June 29, 1955 in East Berlin, East Gemany. Today we remember Ernst Legal on what would have been his 130^th birthday.

May Day 2011

GOD WILL FORGIVE MY GUN

Dio perdoni la mia pistola - Italian title

Dieu pardonne à mon pistolet - French title
Django - Gott, vergib seinem Colt - German title
Got, vergib seinem Colt - German title
Ego Syghoro, to pistoli mou ohi - Greek title
God Will Forgive My Gun - English title

A 1966,1969 Italian production [Abrorea Film, Società Ambrosiana Cinematografica (Rome)]
Producers: Aldo Addobbatti, Paolo Moffa
Directors: Mario Gariazzo, Leopoldo Savona
Story: Mario Gariazzo, Leopoldo Savona
Screenplay: Mario Gariazzo, Leopoldo Savona
Cinematography: Stelvio Massi [Eastmancolor, Cromoscope]
Music: Vasco & Mancuso (Vasco Kojucahrov, Elsio Mancuso)
Running time: 94 minutes

Cast:
Johnny ‘Texas’ Brennan - Wayde Preston (William Strange)
Gladys Martin - Loredana Nusciak (Loredana Cappelletti)
Jerome - Joe De Santis (Giuseppe De Santis)
Sheriff Martin Brennan - Giuseppe Addobbatti
Deputy Jason Martin - Dan Vadis (Daniel Vafiadis)
Judge Collins - Arthur Ken (Arturo Dominici)
Ross - Gilberto Galimberti
Ramon Ramirez - Livio Lorenzon
Pedro Ramirez - Riccardo Pizzuti
Clayton/Charley Clanton - José Torres
Doctor Stevens - Fedele Gentile
clock merchant - Nino Marchetti
Burt - Arnaldo Fabrizio
Tommy - Bruno Arié
dwarf - Salvatore Furnari
stagecoach driver - Fortunato Arena
Martin henchman - Omero Capanna
Ross henchmen - Irio Fantoni, Angelo Susani, Franco Ukmar
with: Osiride Pevarello, Pasquale Basile, Antonietta Fiorito, Caroline Clark, Moa Tahi

A Texas Ranger, Johnny ‘Texas; Brennan, is asked to investigate an old rancher named Prescott, accused of robbing a post office. The arrival of "Texas" in the village of Oakland City puts Mr. Martin, owner of the ranch bordering that of Prescott into turmoil. Martin fears the presence of "Texas" and shows this openly. Because of his gunfighting ability, the ranger is able to escape the attacks of Martin’s henchmen. Gladys, Martin’s daughter, tells "Texas" that between her father and Prescott, there has been a long-standing rivalry over the use of the river that runs through the two properties. Continuing his investigation, "Texas" tracks down Jerome, who had participated in the post office robbery. He confesses that Martin had concocted the robbery and put the blame on Prescott. Now exposed. Martin seeks to flee, but "Texas" brings him to justice along with his accomplices.

[The film was started in 1966 under the direction of Mario Gariazzo for Abrorea Film but shelved for financial reasons. The film was completed in 1969 under the direction of Leopoldo Savona for Società Ambrosiana Cinematografica.]