Spaghetti Westerns

LOGAN L Productions

LOGAN L Productions

I was just writing a paper about Clint Eastwood and had to write a thread here. I know this isn't :Indie", but it does affect a lot of Indie filmmaker's style and stuff.

I recently saw Fistful of Dollars for the first time. That movie ROCKS. Sergio Leone rocks. Clint Eastwood rocks. Those movies just make me all giddy inside. There are only a few movies that have ever done that for me.

I just have to express my love for spaghetti westerns and mainly Fistful of Dollars. When I am able to write and direct a studio backed movie...I WILL do a western...or atleast part of the movie will be a western. The legend...the grittiness...the power...the music...and the cinematic...ness of those movies is awesome.

...and the best part? There is so much of that time and place (American west frontier) that is still left untouched! Sure there were bandits, Indians, cowboys, gangsters...but there are so many untold stories that are true...

...I want to do a film about a black pioneer. Why? Because they have been left out of history! To me, this adds to their mythological status. There's so little information on them and so little hollywood coverage. What were their interactions like? Was the west as racist as other parts of the country? It was surely one of the most diverse...and still is....The only film I can think of off the top of my head with a black cowboy is Wild Wild West...and that movie should have never been made!

Just thought I'd write this. You all can give your thoughts and emotions about the old spaghetti westerns...I'm sure at least some of you were inspired to make films based on them.
 
Last edited:
I just saw the 'Trinity' collection with Terence Hill. I believe they were directed by Enzo Barboni. They're more comic compared to the Eastwood westerns, but I enjoyed them. Is Terence Hill still around? He reminded me of part Steve McQueen, part Paul Newman with a little of George Carlin thrown in.
 
Have you seen The Good The Bad and The Ugly? There are only a handful of films that I can without doubt say are one of my favorites of all time, and this is one of them. Also check out Once Upon a Time in the West (also Leone) if you haven't already. It tries one's patience at times, but is well worth it.

Also, as to your comment about doing a western someday... I don't think you can have a film that's only part Western. It's a specific genre of locales and rules (which can be broken). I would think it hard to make "half" a Western.
 
T Shipley said:
Have you seen The Good The Bad and The Ugly? There are only a handful of films that I can without doubt say are one of my favorites of all time, and this is one of them. Also check out Once Upon a Time in the West (also Leone) if you haven't already. It tries one's patience at times, but is well worth it.

Also, as to your comment about doing a western someday... I don't think you can have a film that's only part Western. It's a specific genre of locales and rules (which can be broken). I would think it hard to make "half" a Western.
Click to expand...
Of course I've seen that!!!!! Great movie. Great trilogy. I just never saw Fistful of Dollars until a few weeks ago, and I actually like fistful the best!

...and about the "Part western": I have ideas in my head about making a movie about present day Texas, but the movie can start off with a back story that takes place in the 1800s...then fast forward to 2005...

...Oh yeah...and I never saw Once Upon A Time in the West.
 
Last edited:
LOGAN L Productions said:
...and about the "Part western": I have ideas in my head about making a movie about present day Texas, but the movie can start off with a back story that takes place in the 1800s...then fast forward to 2005...
Click to expand...

Have you seen Lone Star... not exactly the same premise, but your idea reminds me of it.
 
I'm a massive Sergio Leone fan and am currently very partial to the Rob Steiger/James Coburn Fistful of Dynamite which is epic in its production values.

I've always counted the spag westerns as "indie," they were made by Italian filmakers in Spain with European money. Ironically the spag westerns were influenced more by the samurai films of Kurosawa than the Hollywood westerns. Fistful of Dollars is a fairly straight remake of Yojimo. However, that said, Kurosawa has always been hugley influenced by the work of John Ford.

Sergio Leone has always said that he felt his movies were more like Opera's with guns and I think it's true that his use of soundtrack was revolutionary.
 
You mean Yojimbo I believe....

...yeah, this all shows how great things can come from people of different backgrounds working together to create a masterpiece.
 
"I recently saw Fistful of Dollars for the first time." How old are you? the Three big Spagetti Westerns are some of my all time favorite (Actually there were a few more I believe with clint but not of the same character)

I also like Clint in his Harry Calahan character. Clint Eastwood took a bad turn in the early 80s with his movies with the chimps. I really hated those films.

anyways those Italian westerns were some of the greatest films. I cant remember the name of the movie I saw a few months back with James Coburn where they had to break into a prison to steal some gold during the Civil War. cant remember what it was called but Im thinking it was the same director (Sergio Leone ) anyone know the film Im talking about?
 
LOGAN L Productions said:
What's that supposed to mean? I'm 21.
Click to expand...



I had the impression you were older. Its just that those movies (even in this day and age) play on TV at least a few times a year.

Dont be so touchy. :no:
 
Watch Spaghetti Western Weekends on IFC tv, uncut (Independent Film Channel) 3 Saturdays in September! 10pm E/T, 7pm P/T. Classic Spaghetti Westerns a plenty! "For a Few Dollars More", "The Big Silence", "The Big Gundown to name a few! Log onto IFC.com to see the full schedule.
 
Last edited:
Clive,

Kurosawa also did a film about seven Samuri, which eventually became "The Magnificent Seven" in westerns. Kurosawa was a giant in his time in Japan, and a dierector to be admired. Clint's three "spagetti" westerns were something he learned a great deal about directing from, and he has a lot of respect for Sergio Leone.

Westerns are a lotl of fun to write and direct, but you need to do a great deal of research. There is a specific group of people who watch westerns, and if you screw around with their favorite genre, you'll fail miserably. See "Ghost Rock" with Gary Busey to watch possibly the worst western made. Lots of costumes and Single action Colts, but sprinkled with martial arts (even without David Carridne) and the worst dialog and story spine ever done. Poor 'ol George Kennedy stumbles his way through it, andit must be the worst event of his acting life.

Glad you liked "Fistfull of Dollars" as it's a true classic.

Now go watch "the Unforgiven" to see the best dark western ever made. As for the best western ever made, that's a great topic for discussion.

WC
 
My top two most favorite:
Shane
The Searchers

Great, but my least favorite,
because everybody but Coop
is so cowardly:
High Noon

Oddball favorite:
Apache Drums

I can't tell you my vote for very
worst, because it was made
by some friends of mine, and
I have to work here.

Personal favorite:
Surreal West, by Sam Longoria
(I'll let you know when it's out)
 
Last edited:
Indycine,

Did I send you my western "Respect"? It was my first short, shot on super 16 near Frazier Park in 2002.

I agree on your top three choices. Just a little of Shane the other night on cable. Had to stop what I was doing and watch the last gunfight scene. Still think that scene made Jack Palance's career really begin to grow.
 
King Goldfish said:
"I recently saw Fistful of Dollars for the first time." How old are you? the Three big Spagetti Westerns are some of my all time favorite (Actually there were a few more I believe with clint but not of the same character)

I also like Clint in his Harry Calahan character. Clint Eastwood took a bad turn in the early 80s with his movies with the chimps. I really hated those films.

anyways those Italian westerns were some of the greatest films. I cant remember the name of the movie I saw a few months back with James Coburn where they had to break into a prison to steal some gold during the Civil War. cant remember what it was called but Im thinking it was the same director (Sergio Leone ) anyone know the film Im talking about?
Click to expand...


King,

That was "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" which was the third of Sergio Leone's trilogy of the man with no name. "The Ugly" called him "Blondie". It was the largest budget of the three and had one of the best Civil War war scenes to date. Sergio's ECU's were super at the last shoot-out.

The trilogy was:
"Fistfull of Dollars"
"A Few Dollars More"
"The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly"

WC
 
Last edited:
WC,
Love to see your "Respect." Is it up somewhere?

I spent months watching the Western Channel, and
renting and buying westerns.

Saw some 300 of 'em, to research my "Surreal West."
Wanted to know what it is a western has to say, and how
you make it look that way. Silent, musical, comedy, tv,
hi/low budget, widescreen, techniscope, you name it.

My favorite-looking westerns:

Duel In The Sun,
The Searchers
Shane
Sergio Leone's movies.

Yeah, I'd include "Unforgiven," it's got a great dark look.
I found I really like Jimmy Stewart and Audie Murphy as
cowpokes too. Research can be good, you learn things.
 
Last edited:
...I want to do a film about a black pioneer. Why? Because they have been left out of history! To me, this adds to their mythological status. There's so little information on them and so little hollywood coverage. What were their interactions like? Was the west as racist as other parts of the country? It was surely one of the most diverse...and still is....The only film I can think of off the top of my head with a black cowboy is Wild Wild West...and that movie should have never been made!
Click to expand...

...there is a film called 'The Skin Game', Lou Gossett and James Garner. Funny western done in the 70's(?). Not so much about pioneers, but a different look at the west. In this film, the escape planned is to Mexico not Canada...

--spinner :cool:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top