bill wood
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15 DELICIOUS
SPAGHETTI WESTERNS
The good, the bad and the bloody
BILL WOOD | FEBRUARY 16, 2023
An impossibly close shot of a gunfighter’s steely eye, squinting in the harsh midday sun. His adversary stands ready in the distance, framed by a decayed, deserted town. They stare each other down for what seems like an eternity, until a lone distorted guitar tone finally slices through the silence. There is a brief flash of action, and then it is over.
It was sixty-odd years ago that Italian film producers handed Sergio Leone a fistful of dollars and told him to make a cheap movie that would put butts in the seats. The result was a bold new type of cinema that defined a movie genre. These violent films were initially dismissed by critics as “spaghetti westerns,” but that term that was soon embraced by fans who enjoyed the bleak tones, along with the complete absence of morality.
What follows a shortlist of recommended spaghetti westerns. Even if you're familiar with the genre, hopefully you will find a gem or two on this list!
Movie synopses are from imdb.com, with my own updates and comments where applicable. Some poster art by yours truly - BW
Django (1966)
Director: Sergio Corbucci
Stars: Franco Nero
Synopsis: A coffin-dragging gunslinger and a prostitute become embroiled in a bitter feud between a clan of Southern racists and a band of Mexican Revolutionaries.
This is possibly the best-known Italian western outside of the Leone movies, and absolutely one of the very best. Stylish, violent and full of bloody action, Django is another great entry point for new fans. This movie inspired dozens of unofficial Django spinoffs (including a similarly-titled Tarantino film), but this is the original. It also features my all-time favorite spaghetti conclusion. Simply epic!
Klaus Kinski—the legendary spaghetti heel—makes an appearance in this film. His numerous roles in great Italian westerns are almost enough to make me forget he also remade Nosferatu. Almost.
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