Enzo G. Castellari is one of my favourite Italian genre directors. His movies are always a promise of n action-packed ride, not mean spirited and often funny movies. He began in 1960's with westerns, made war movies, poliziotteschi, one giallo, adventure movies. He inspired Tarantino to make Inglourious Basterds and even appeared in the movie.
Some Dollars for Django (1966)
Although credited to Leon Klimowsky, Enzo was not only the assistant director, but he actually directed the movie himself. It's a mediocre Anthony Steffen vehicle, but it's not his worst. Nobody is called Django in the movie, of course.
Any Gun Can Play (1967)
A typical Castellarian spaghetti western riot with a lot of doublecrossing, doublecrossing of the doublecrossers and doublecrossing of the doublecrossers who doublecrossed other doublecrossers. George Hilton, Gilbert Roland and Edd Byrnes are the stars, but Hilton is the only one who leaves any impression - especially in the opening scene, where he kills Django, the Man with no Name and Colonel Mortimer from For a Few Dollars More!
Payment in Blood (1967)
Edd Byrnes meets Guy Madison this time, in a western that looks pretty similar to the previous one. I haven't seen it.
Johnny Hamlet (1968)
Shakespeare in the west! Visually great movie, but the plot goes downhill in parts that have nothing to do with the original play. Horst Frank is a great villain, Gilbert Roland is not a good sidekick.
I Came, I Saw, I Shot (1968)
Antonio "I am the greatest" Sabato, Frank Wolff and John Saxon are fighting for gold again, but this time it's more comedy. A comedy I haven't seen.
Kill them all and come back alone (1968)
Action, action, action! Seven prisoners on the way to steal gold from a confederate camp. Or something like that. The copy that is available today is really yellow.
Eagles over London (1969)
I haven't seen this war movie, but it has Evelyn Stewart and also Eduardo Fajardo as a Nazi!
Cold Eyes of Fear (1971)
Enzo's only giallo and by many viewers not a good one.
Tedeum (1972)
Another spaghetti western comedy, with an awful theme tune. Jack Palance is in it.
High Crime (1973)
Enzo goes to the crime movies, for the first time with his regular star Franco Nero. Not their best collaboration, but it's a beginning for something better, with great soundtrack by De Angelis brothers.
Street Law (1974)
I really liked this one the first time, I think I need to rewatch it. Franco Nero kicks ass and his chase with the Ford Mustang, where he's running in front of the car is priceless. The music is really good too - containing Dune Buggy from the Bud Spencer-Terence Hill movie!
Cry Onion (1975)
Either you hate or like this spaghetti western comedy. It's popularity in the Czech Republic is probably given by the fact it was one of the few SW¨s screened in the communist Czechoslovakia, and it has a really good dubbing that eliminated the nonsense like Nero's fake high voice or a talking horse. But wasn't this only in the English version? So which one will we choose? An onion or a pistol?
Keoma (1976)
The best movie by Castellari, starring Nero again. The music is a little bit hurting, but in the movie it makes a great atmosphere. One of the best spaghetti westerns.
The Big Racket (1976)
Another eurocrime, this time a team work against the omnipresent criminals. Nero is replaced by Fabio Testi here. A great hard rock OST by the De Angelis brothers again, making this their sixth collaboration with Castellari in a row.
Heroin Busters (1977)
Testi again in a movie that is almost like an antidrug study in the first half and a non-stop action ride in the second. Music by Goblin this time.
Inglorious Bastards (1977)
Castellari goes to the war again, with Bo Svenson, Fred Williamson, Raimund Harmstorf and a few others. Lots of cheap action, but sometimes really funny.
The Shark Hunter (1979)
Castellari returned to Nero and De Angelis brothers in a Jaws ripoff.
The House by the Edge of the Lake (1979)
One of the very few horror movies by Castellari.
Day of the Cobra (1980)
Nero again as a cop, but in San Francisco. Co-starring Sybil Danning.
The Great White (1981)
Another Jaws ripoff! This time with James Franciscus (Cat O'Nine Tails) and Vic Morrow as Robert Shaw.
1990: Bronx Warriors (1982)
And Enzo goes more and more trashy. I haven't seen these movies. This is like an Escape from New York ripoff starring someone called Mark Gregory, Fred Williamson, Vic Morrow, Christopher Connelly (who was almost in all of these Italian 80's trashy movies) andGeorge Eastman (detto).
Escape from Bronx (1983)
And it has a second part! With Gregory there's Henry Silva or Antonio "I know I'm really great" Sabato.
Warriors of the Wasteland (1983)
Enzo has seen Mad Max 2 as well So he took Eastman and Williamson again and created some postnuke shit.
Tuareg (1984)
Another action movie taking place in Africa this time.
Lightblast (1986)
Erik Estrada as a cop in a crime-sci-fi movie! Ok...
Striker (1987)
Even Castellari made his own Rambo?
Hammerhead (1987)
And he worked with Daniel Greene of Hands of Steel too. A crime movie apparently.
Sinbad of the Seven Seas (1989)
Cannon produced fantasy TV series directed by Castellari was stopped during filming. One year later Luigi Cozzi took the filmed scenes and edited them into a really, really crappy movie, but signed only by Castellari.
Jonathan of the Bears (1993)
Enzo returned to the spaghetti western in 1990's, again with Nero and John Saxon too. But this time he shot it in Russia... I'm not sure I really want to see this...
Caribbean Basterds (2010)
You ripped off the title of my movie, Quentin? I'll rip off yours! This looks like a real shit...
Keoma Rises (201?)
The long time prepared western, with Nero to star. Originally they intended to have also Tomas Milian, Gianni Garko, George Hilton, Fabio Testi and Bud Spencer in. Spencer and Milian died meanwhile. Would the movie be ever made? Do we want to see an attempt of another Keoma with 77 years old Nero by 80 years old Castellari? Would there really be the opening scene with Tarantino, Rodriguez and Roth? If it will be made, I'll be in the first row to see it. If not, I won't be sorry.
Friday, December 7, 2018
Friday, November 30, 2018
Saturday, November 17, 2018
Tuesday, November 13, 2018
The French De Niro - Lino Ventura
There are two kinds of people in this world. Those who love Lino Ventura and those who don't know him.
Lino Ventura unfortunately isn't a household name in English speaking countries. In most of the world, stars of French movies are just as popular as their Hollywood colleagues. But the indolence of English speaking audience (sorry, guys) to watch foreign movies, either subtitled or dubbed (you would get easily used to it) means that one of the biggest movie stars in the world, Alain Delon, is almost absolutely unknown in the USA. The same goes for stars like Jean Gabin, Jean-Paul Belmondo or Lino Ventura.
Ventura was an Italian but he lived in France for most of his life. He began to star in French movies in 1950's although being a non-actor. He played a part of Italian gangster in Paris in the Jean Gabin vehicle called "Touchez pas au grisbi" in 1954. He began to play bad guys, but with 1960's he changed sides to the heroes. His heroes were silent, strong types, usually in some trouble they didn't cause. He made spy movies, police movies, dramas.
I've chosen a few interesting movies that I like.
GREED IN THE SUN (1964)
This movie is originally called "100.000 dollars au soleil" and it stars Ventura and Jean-Paul Belmondo. They are truck drivers in North Africa, friends, but one day Belmondo steals a truck with an expensive load. Ventura goes to pursue him. A modern truck western directed by a prolific French director Henri Verneuil.
THE DICTATORS GUNS (1965)
Ventura against gun stealers on the sea. The movie was shot in a huge water tank. You can't say that when watching the movie.
THE LAST ADVENTURE (1967)
Ventura teams up with Delon and they are friends for life in this sad adventure movie about fullfilling dreams. Rather episodic, but strong, with great performances by both stars and Joanna Shimkus, later Mrs. Sidney Poitier.
THE SICILIAN CLAN (1969)
Ventura again with Delon, again with Verneuil and for the last time with Gabin. A great movie based on a book by Auguste Le Breton. Perfect music by Ennio Morricone. Gabin is the mafia boss in France, Delon is a very wanted criminal and Ventura is the cop on his track.
ARMY OF SHADOWS (1969)
A very depressive movie about the French resistance during WWII. Nazis are powerful, resistance is falling apart. In my book the best movie by Jean-Pierre Melville.
THE VALACHI PAPERS (1972)
This is a Bronson movie, where Ventura played the part of the legendary boss Vito Genovese. I have to rewatch it as I don't remember it much except for liking it. In my book the best Terence Young movie.
THE FRENCH DETECTIVE (1975)
Lino is a cop again, struggling with powerful politicians and taking care of his young hot-headed colleague Patrick Dewaere. A good movie.
THE MEDUSA TOUCH (1978)
The only horror starring Ventura. He didn't like it, so he refused other English spoken parts like in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. He is dubbed by someone else actually. Ventura is a cop again investigating the attempted murder of a well known writer John Morlar (Richard Burton), who seems more and more to be a very strange guy. Ventura hated it, critics hated it, but it's actually very good.
GARDE A VUE (1981)
A little room, three man. A comissioner, a policeman and a suspect. The comissioner is Ventura, the suspect is Michel Serrault. Really a good movie about guilt and confession.
ESPION LEVE TOI (1982)
Another spy movie starring Ventura, together with Michel Piccoli and Bruno Cremer. Who is the hunter and why does he hunt? Again great score by Morricone.
Movies I haven't seen but that should be interesting:
The Wise Guys (1966)
Ventura teamed with Bourvil in a movie by Robert Enrico.
Second Breath (1966)
Ventura in a Melville crime movie.
Three Tough Guys (1974)
Italian blaxploitation starring Ventura, Isaac Hayes and Fred Williamson!
Illustrious Corpses (1976)
Political crime drama from the good old Italy. Co-starring Max Von Sydow.
Butterfly on the Shoulder (1978)
Another spy movie directed by Jacques Deray this time.
Jigsaw (1979)
Ventura in Canada with Angie Dickinson and Donald Pleasence!
Les Miserables (1982)
An adaptation of the Victor Hugo classic novel.
The Ruffian (1983)
Ventura + Claudia Cardinale + Morricone, in Canadian nature again.
Lino Ventura unfortunately isn't a household name in English speaking countries. In most of the world, stars of French movies are just as popular as their Hollywood colleagues. But the indolence of English speaking audience (sorry, guys) to watch foreign movies, either subtitled or dubbed (you would get easily used to it) means that one of the biggest movie stars in the world, Alain Delon, is almost absolutely unknown in the USA. The same goes for stars like Jean Gabin, Jean-Paul Belmondo or Lino Ventura.
Ventura was an Italian but he lived in France for most of his life. He began to star in French movies in 1950's although being a non-actor. He played a part of Italian gangster in Paris in the Jean Gabin vehicle called "Touchez pas au grisbi" in 1954. He began to play bad guys, but with 1960's he changed sides to the heroes. His heroes were silent, strong types, usually in some trouble they didn't cause. He made spy movies, police movies, dramas.
I've chosen a few interesting movies that I like.
GREED IN THE SUN (1964)
This movie is originally called "100.000 dollars au soleil" and it stars Ventura and Jean-Paul Belmondo. They are truck drivers in North Africa, friends, but one day Belmondo steals a truck with an expensive load. Ventura goes to pursue him. A modern truck western directed by a prolific French director Henri Verneuil.
THE DICTATORS GUNS (1965)
Ventura against gun stealers on the sea. The movie was shot in a huge water tank. You can't say that when watching the movie.
THE LAST ADVENTURE (1967)
Ventura teams up with Delon and they are friends for life in this sad adventure movie about fullfilling dreams. Rather episodic, but strong, with great performances by both stars and Joanna Shimkus, later Mrs. Sidney Poitier.
THE SICILIAN CLAN (1969)
Ventura again with Delon, again with Verneuil and for the last time with Gabin. A great movie based on a book by Auguste Le Breton. Perfect music by Ennio Morricone. Gabin is the mafia boss in France, Delon is a very wanted criminal and Ventura is the cop on his track.
ARMY OF SHADOWS (1969)
A very depressive movie about the French resistance during WWII. Nazis are powerful, resistance is falling apart. In my book the best movie by Jean-Pierre Melville.
THE VALACHI PAPERS (1972)
This is a Bronson movie, where Ventura played the part of the legendary boss Vito Genovese. I have to rewatch it as I don't remember it much except for liking it. In my book the best Terence Young movie.
THE FRENCH DETECTIVE (1975)
Lino is a cop again, struggling with powerful politicians and taking care of his young hot-headed colleague Patrick Dewaere. A good movie.
THE MEDUSA TOUCH (1978)
The only horror starring Ventura. He didn't like it, so he refused other English spoken parts like in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. He is dubbed by someone else actually. Ventura is a cop again investigating the attempted murder of a well known writer John Morlar (Richard Burton), who seems more and more to be a very strange guy. Ventura hated it, critics hated it, but it's actually very good.
GARDE A VUE (1981)
A little room, three man. A comissioner, a policeman and a suspect. The comissioner is Ventura, the suspect is Michel Serrault. Really a good movie about guilt and confession.
ESPION LEVE TOI (1982)
Another spy movie starring Ventura, together with Michel Piccoli and Bruno Cremer. Who is the hunter and why does he hunt? Again great score by Morricone.
Movies I haven't seen but that should be interesting:
The Wise Guys (1966)
Ventura teamed with Bourvil in a movie by Robert Enrico.
Second Breath (1966)
Ventura in a Melville crime movie.
Three Tough Guys (1974)
Italian blaxploitation starring Ventura, Isaac Hayes and Fred Williamson!
Illustrious Corpses (1976)
Political crime drama from the good old Italy. Co-starring Max Von Sydow.
Butterfly on the Shoulder (1978)
Another spy movie directed by Jacques Deray this time.
Jigsaw (1979)
Ventura in Canada with Angie Dickinson and Donald Pleasence!
Les Miserables (1982)
An adaptation of the Victor Hugo classic novel.
The Ruffian (1983)
Ventura + Claudia Cardinale + Morricone, in Canadian nature again.
Tuesday, November 6, 2018
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