The Spaghetti Western thread

[Andrew Monroe Pallid Hands Find all posts View Profile Close Andrew Monroe]

I couldn't let it go unmentioned that Nicoletta Machiavelli passed away a few days ago. A stunning beauty that had acting talent as well when she had the chance to show it. Here's Tom B's obit from the SWDB forum (in addition to the westerns he mentions, she was also in TONY ARZENTA among others):


Italian actress Nicoletta Machiavelli died on November 15, 2015 in Seattle, Washington. She had been diagnosed with an unknown illness in March of this year. She was 71. Machiavelli was currently teaching Italian and holding cooking classes at Washington State University. Nicoletta starred in 8 Euro-westerns including The Hills Run Red, Navajo Joe, A Minute to Pray a Second to Die and Garter Colt. She appeared on the TV series Stracult last summer, and was scheduled to appear in the upcoming The Resurrection of El Puro with Robert Woods.

[Andrew Monroe Pallid Hands Find all posts View Profile Close Andrew Monroe]

Diabolik has the Wild East double feature A MAN CALLED GRINGO/THE LAST TOMAHAWK in stock now. I don't believe I've seen either one of those. Anyone care to chime in? Both seem to have mainly German casts (Joachim Fuchsberger and Karin Dor are in TOMAHAWK, which is directed by Harald Reinl - a Karl May influenced one here) Anthony Steffen is in it too though, as an Indian (!). Daniel Martin is in both films.

The double feature of GARRINGO/TWO CROSSES AT DANGER PASS will be released on December 15. This one I can heartily recommend - both of those are very good particularly GARRINGO.

[IanIcon Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close IanIcon]

Diabolik has the Wild East double feature A MAN CALLED GRINGO/THE LAST TOMAHAWK in stock now. I don't believe I've seen either one of those. Anyone care to chime in? Both seem to have mainly German casts (Joachim Fuchsberger and Karin Dor are in TOMAHAWK, which is directed by Harald Reinl - a Karl May influenced one here) Anthony Steffen is in it too though, as an Indian (!). Daniel Martin is in both films.

The double feature of GARRINGO/TWO CROSSES AT DANGER PASS will be released on December 15. This one I can heartily recommend - both of those are very good particularly GARRINGO.

Thanks for the heads-up on Garringo - I've heard this one is cool. I just picked up Gatling Gun and The Dirty Outlaws because I saw them on Tarrantino's Top 20 list. They came in the mail yesterday, and I'm going to settle in and watch this afternoon. Full confession - I haven't seen Navajo Joe yet because of the whole
"Burt Reynolds as a Native American" thing. I just can't bring myself to.

[Andrew Monroe Pallid Hands Find all posts View Profile Close Andrew Monroe]

Thanks for the heads-up on Garringo - I've heard this one is cool. I just picked up Gatling Gun and The Dirty Outlaws because I saw them on Tarrantino's Top 20 list. They came in the mail yesterday, and I'm going to settle in and watch this afternoon.

Both of those are above average in my opinion - GATLING GUN is a little unusual, with a mystery element and not jammed with action but still very engaging. THE DIRTY OUTLAWS aka EL DESPERADO is from the writer of DJANGO and has a similar muddy atmosphere. Great Gianni Ferrio soundtrack too.

As far as NAVAJO JOE, I like it a lot. I'd even prefer it to COMPANEROS at this point as I find that film drags in spots and is too long. You should give it a try at some point - despite what he's said about it in the past, Burt is actually pretty good in the title role. The movie is incredibly violent and has a good supporting cast as well. You also get the late, lovely Nicoletta Machiavelli (see obit above) in a small but crucial role. Weird but unforgettable Morricone soundtrack too.

[IanIcon Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close IanIcon]

Both of those are above average in my opinion - GATLING GUN is a little unusual, with a mystery element and not jammed with action but still very engaging. THE DIRTY OUTLAWS aka EL DESPERADO is from the writer of DJANGO and has a similar muddy atmosphere. Great Gianni Ferrio soundtrack too.

As far as NAVAJO JOE, I like it a lot. I'd even prefer it to COMPANEROS at this point as I find that film drags in spots and is too long. You should give it a try at some point - despite what he's said about it in the past, Burt is actually pretty good in the title role. The movie is incredibly violent and has a good supporting cast as well. You also get the late, lovely Nicoletta Machiavelli (see obit above) in a small but crucial role. Weird but unforgettable Morricone soundtrack too.

I REALLY dug The Dirty Outlaws. Dark as hell - muddy beatdowns, unlikable anti-hero and a good theme.
Just burned discs of El Puro and Black Jack - Youtube transfers are gonna have to do until I can get real DVDs or blu rays on these.

Perhaps a stupid question - does anyone know if the DVD of Black Killer (with Kinski) from Thailand is decent quality?

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

Kind of SW related....

Sad Hill cemetery, scene of the showdown in Sergio Leone's most famous spaghetti western, restored by Spanish volunteers.

[Andrew Monroe Pallid Hands Find all posts View Profile Close Andrew Monroe]

I REALLY dug The Dirty Outlaws. Dark as hell - muddy beatdowns, unlikable anti-hero and a good theme.
Just burned discs of El Puro and Black Jack - Youtube transfers are gonna have to do until I can get real DVDs or blu rays on these.

Perhaps a stupid question - does anyone know if the DVD of Black Killer (with Kinski) from Thailand is decent quality?

The SWdb makes it sound like it's not anamorphic. I have the Franco Cleef disc and also on that budget pack Dead Or Alive Western Collection mentioned at the SWdb page. This film's not so good in my opinion, I would get the cheapest one you can find.

[IanIcon Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close IanIcon]

I just watched "The Fury of Johnny the Kidd" on the Koch Media DVD with the title "Glut der Sonne." What a corker of a movie - awesome ending. Naschy cameo! I need to see some of these other PLL westerns now.

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I just watched "The Fury of Johnny the Kidd" on the Koch Media DVD with the title "Glut der Sonne." What a corker of a movie - awesome ending. Naschy cameo! I need to see some of these other PLL westerns now.

Yes, I love FURY OF JOHNNY KID...great music at the end as he and the girl ride off. I have become a big fan of PLL over the years - Wild East has released 2 PLL double features that are worth getting: KILLER CALIBER 32/KILLER ADIOS and RAISE YOUR HANDS DEAD MAN! YOU'RE UNDER ARREST/REVENGE OF THE RESURRECTED. The former in particular is a really strong combo with an interesting mystery element to the films. The latter one is good too though. Koch released DAYS OF VIOLENCE years ago, that one is a particular favorite of mine with a killer score (and Beba Loncar!). THE MAN WHO KILLED BILLY THE KID*, CLUMSY HANDS, GOD IN HEAVEN...ARIZONA ON EARTH and MORE GUNS FOR THE MCGREGORS are some good ones that have yet to get legit releases. By the way, despite the title, the latter film has nothing to do with the two MACGREGOR films directed by Franco Giraldi.


* - BILLY THE KID is one that I believe is getting or recently had a release but I haven't investigated it much yet.

[Dark Horse 77 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Dark Horse 77]

Having enjoyed Corbucci's classics Djano, Great Silence, The Mercenary and Companeros I'm thinking of checking out Navajo Joe and Ringo and His Golden Pistol. Can anyone recommend which is better or if either aren't up to his classics?

[Andrew Monroe Pallid Hands Find all posts View Profile Close Andrew Monroe]

Having enjoyed Corbucci's classics Djano, Great Silence, The Mercenary and Companeros I'm thinking of checking out Navajo Joe and Ringo and His Golden Pistol. Can anyone recommend which is better or if either aren't up to his classics?

I much prefer NAVAJO JOE to RINGO AND HIS GOLDEN PISTOL. Aside from a couple films, I'm not a fan of Mark Damon in spaghetti westerns. He's kind of annoying and smug in the title role in RINGO....also lacks charisma that someone like Giuliano Gemma would have brought to it. If you're a Corbucci fan you'll want to see it at some point but I'd say go for NAVAJO JOE first, it's quite violent, has a great cast, and a killer offbeat score.

[Dark Horse 77 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Dark Horse 77]

Thank you. I've just finished Navajo Joe and loved it. It was a step under Corbucci's classics imo, but very close. The Morricone score was classic and Tarantino used it to great effect in Kill Bill.

[Bogart Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Bogart]

Having enjoyed Corbucci's classics Djano, Great Silence, The Mercenary and Companeros I'm thinking of checking out Navajo Joe and Ringo and His Golden Pistol. Can anyone recommend which is better or if either aren't up to his classics?

I would prefer MINNESOTA CLAY over either of those. It is a precursor to DJANGO and i see it as kind of a prototype spaghetti and it is a great movie.

[Jason C Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jason C]

I need to give NAVAJO JOE another look. It gets recommended a lot and I can't recall reading one negative word about it. Unfortunately I hated my first viewing last year. I should have wrote down my impressions. All I remember is that the characters constantly did stupid things and Burt was underutilized.

I can't stand Mark Damon but there were some enjoyable moments in RINGO AND HIS GOLDEN PISTOL. But it's definitely a lesser spaghetti that can be skipped.

[Dark Horse 77 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Dark Horse 77]

I have to give Burt Reynolds credit in Navajo Joe. I'm not a big fan but he has done some strong work here and there throughout his career, this being one example. Minnesota Clay will have to go on the list.