Special Birthdays

Lino Toffolo (actor) is 85 today.

Russ Tamblyn (actor) is 85 today.

New Film Release ~ Fistful of Nerf

Fistful of Nerf – English title

A 2019 British production [Bebop Films (London)]

Producer: Azeem Mustafa, Benjamin Daniels

Director: Azeem Mustafa, Benjamin Daniels

Story: Azeem Mustafa

Screenplay: Azeem Mustafa

Cinematography: Ethan Harris-Woodfin [color]

Music: Paolo Fosso

Running time:

Cast:

Calamity John – Tony Manders

One Eyed Jack – Paul Terry

Brimstone McGee – Natalie Winter

Pope – Stephen Emery

Story: One Eyed Jack and his partner have traveled the American West on the hunt for the man who gave One Eyed Jack his name: Calamity John. At a seemingly serene spot in the California woods, they finally meet. It won't be serene for much longer.

Who Are Those Composers? ~ Bruno Nicolai

Bruno Nicolai was born in Rome on May 20, 1926. While studying piano and composition at the Santa Cecilia Conservatory in Rome, he befriended Ennio Morricone and formed a long working relationship co-scoring many films with the maestro. The relationship eventually broke up over an argument over credits and Nicolai broke away and established himself as a composer, conductor. Nicolai also scored a number of Europ-westerns and giallo exploitation films. He also wrote many scores for director Jess Franco. He also served as musical director for other composers' film scores, prevalently those of Carlo Rustichelli and Luis Enriquez Bacalov.

Nicolai developed the reputation of the ‘The Guy You Got When When You Couldn’t Get Morricone’. Nicolai's score for the second of the Sabata trilogy “Adios, Sabata” is the one of the main reasons people tended to think that way...and yeah, all the things we associate with a Morricone score are there: the vocal stylings, the flutes, and Alessandro Alessandroni’s iconic whistling. But you have to remember Bruno was in the studio when these elements were being thrown together in the first place. He can claim some ownership of them. He was the guy who added the whip cracks, mission bells and other percussion sounds to Morricone’s scores. You will notice when Nicolai and Morricone split that particular sound disappeared from Ennio’s compositions.

As mentioned before Nicolai collaborated with Jess Franco no less than four times. Each time he added his own personal flair of lush orchestration to Franco’s own personal brand of industrial euro sleaze.

As Morricone’s star began to rise and he became an icon, Bruno Nicolai was all but forgotten and when he passed away on August 16, 1991 it was several months later before his death became known. For whatever reason Gemelli records which Bruno founded, refused to release any of his scores for several years. Finally his family who ran the company relented to the demand of his many fans and we now have access to many of his compositions. Truly Bruno Nicolai rates as one of the greatest of the Euro-western composers.

NICOLAI, Bruno (aka Paul Clemente, Leo Flag) [5/26/1926, Rome, Lazio, Italy – 8/16/1991, Rome, Lazio, Italy] – composer, conductor, songwriter, musician (piano, organ harpsichord), married to Carla Coppi (1955-1991), father of Lea Nicolai, Giulia Nicolai, producer Flavia Nicolai, founded Gemelli Records.

For a Few Dollars More*- 1965 [musician (organ)]

$100,000 for Ringo*– 1965

Django Shoots First* – 1966

Cisco*– 1966

Stai zitto fascista… Elima questo prima di contattare il tuo datore di lavoro – 1966 [film was never made]

Gentleman Killer* – 1967

Days of Vengeance* - 1967

Run, Man, Run* – 1967

Turn… I’ll Kill You - 1967

The Mercenary* - 1968* (co)

Land Raiders* - 1969

Adiós, Sabata* – 1970

Arizona Returns* – 1970

Gunman in Town* - 1970

Have a Nice Funeral My Friend* – 1970

A Man Called Apocalypse Joe* - 1970

The Buzzards and Crows Will Dig Your Grave* – 1971

Blazing Guns - 1971

A Bullet for a Stranger* – 1971

Dead Men Ride - 1971

God in Heaven... Arizona on Earth – 1972

The Hellhounds of Alaska - 1972

His Name Was Holy Ghost – 1972

My Horse... My Gun... Your Widow – 1972 (co)

Hellhounds of Alaska – 1973

Another Try, Eh Providence?* - 1973 (co)

The Man Called Invincible* - 1973

Shanghai Joe* – 1973

* Available on CD

Special Birthdays

Alfred Vohrer (director) would have been 105 today, he died in 1986.

Camillo Bozzoni (cinematographer) is 85 today.

Spaghetti Western Locations for “Day of Anger”

We continue our search for filming locations for “Day of Anger”. The scene switches to the interior of the stable where we see an older man grooming a horse. Scott enters with Talby’s horse and calls the man Murph and tells him to take good care of the horse he just brought in. Murph asks Scott what he’ll do with the dollar he’ll earn and Scott tells him he’ll save it as he already has eight dollars and with another ten he can by a Colt and the emporium. The discussion turns to how important a good gun is and how to use it, like Doc Holliday. Murph’s ears perk up when he hears the name Talby and says he’s heard the name before but not in Clifton.

The scene was filmed in the stable at the Cinecittà Studio western set in Rome, Italy.

 

For a more detailed view of this site and other Spaghetti Western locations please visit my friend Yoshi Yasuda’s location site: http://y-yasuda.net/film-location.htm and Captain Douglas Film Locations http://www.western-locations-spain.com/

Special Birthdays

Michael Hinz (actor) would have been 80 today, he died in 2008.

George Blagden (actor) is 30 today.

Spaghetti Western Trivia ~ Pierre Brice a Mule?

Hella Brice told another secret about her husband Pierre Brice, who died four years ago. In 1981, she and her husband were targeted by Austrian drug investigators - without knowing. The reason: an unknown criminal had hid 2.5 kilos of heroin in the car tires of Pierre Brice’s car. They were able to prove their innocence and involvement in drug smuggling and convicted the real culprit. It was the former chauffeur of Pierre Brice.