Day Of Anger (1967)

Strong character development, the relationship between the two main leads and cool sets drive this violent spaghetti western. Giuliano Gemma plays what is basicaly the village idiot. He keeps the town clean by sweeping the streets and emptying the shit buckets and best of all he rides a mule named Sartana. With the exeption of a few, no one in town respects him and they are constantly bullying him. Lee Van Cleef plays an aging gunslinger who rides into town one day and befreinds the young kid. When he meets Cleefs hard nosed gunslinger he sees the chance to become what hes always dreamed of being. A badass. This is a well told western were the only complaint i have is the guy who dubbed Giuliano Gemma. Its an obnoxious voice. But that is no fault of the films.Its a damn good movie with lots of violent shootouts. Although Cleefs character is the most sympathetic to Gemmes, he is still a dangerous man. Riz Ortalani's cool surfy western score kicks ass. The best peice of music being a different take on the main theme as the end credits roll. Essential veiwing for spaghetti western fans!

Cemetery Without Crosses

Ive really become a big Spaghetti Western fan lately. Ive always liked the genre, but i never really searched out titles until recently. Until the last several years or so its pretty much been the Leone films. But the more i dig into Italian genre films the more i find myself falling in love with the Spaghetti west.

Cemetery Without Crosses always seems to pop up on most peoples top 20 lists of favorite Spaghetti Westerns, so naturally ive been on the lookout for it. And after seeing it i can see why so many people hail it as an essential.

Cemetery Without Crosses is a French-Italian co-production. Released in 1969 and directed by Robert Hossein. Hossein also stars in the film as the expert gunman Manuel. Manuel is hired by a former lover to avenge the death of her husband, who was also his best friend.

I forgot i started this post! I put it aside to edit it and now its been a month or so..and i forgot. Oh well. Next up is my list of the best of 09.

Death Rides A Horse!! This is revenge... And there's nothing sweet about it!

"Somebody once wrote that revenge is a dish that has to be eaten cold. Hot as you are, you're liable to end up with indigestion."

Death Rides a Horse (Da uomo a uomo) is a spaghetti western made in 1967, directed by Giulio Petroni and stars Lee Van Cleef and John Philip Law. Law plays Bill Meceita who as a boy witnessed the brutal murder of his family, his mother and sister were also raped. 15 years go by and now the grown Meceita has revenge on his mind. When Van Cleef strolls into town with violent results, with his own agenda of revenge, Bill finds he has a lead as to the were abouts of the sadistic gang that murdered his family.

This is a great film and one of the very best in the genre. It feels like it had a decent budget behind it. Petroni is a very skillful director here with lots of great camera shoots and a very well paced film. Ive never heard of Petroni until i watched this and now I am curious about the rest of his filmography. Van Cleef and Law share great chemistry on screen. You can tell Van Cleef was having a blast. The dialogue is great and memorable. Van Cleef spouts lots of wisdom to the inexperienced Law. Van Cleef's gunfighter, Ryan, is mysteriously sympathetic and protective of Laws hot headed vengence seeker. Theres several great scenes were Ryan leaves Bill in the middle of nowere so that he is able to the gang first.

The film doesnt shy away from the violence either. Theres alot of great shoot outs. The end climax is a balls out shoot em up that lasts a good ten minutes or so. Petroni films the action well. Lots of great revealing camera shots and some seriously haunting locations.
All of that and Ennio Morricone contribute another classic spaghetti western score here.

Man Pride And Vengence!

Incredibly well made Spaghetti western from the director of highly stylish Giallo The 5th Cord, Luigi Bazzoni . Man, Pride & Vengence is not your typical Spaghetti western. For one thing it doesnt even take place in the states. It takes place in Spain. This is a tragic love story first and a western second. Tina Aumont plays a Gypsy whos charm even casts a spell on the viewer.

Franco Nero is a soldier who like the viewer falls for the seductive Aumont. Well photographed, great cast and a seriously cool score from Carlo Rustichelli. Also staring the ever reliable Klaus Kinski. This is a seriously damn fine film.