Sabata

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LiamCasey
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Sabata

Post by LiamCasey »

Just in case anyone thought that I only watched horror movies...

Sabata (aka Ehi amico ... c'è Sabata. Hai chiuso!) (1969) - Tubi

w/ Lee Van Cleef and William Berger. Plus, Ignazio Spalla (Pedro Sanchez), Aldo Canti (Nick Jordan), Franco Ressel, Antonio Gradoli (Anthony Gradwell), Linda Veras, Robert Hundar and Gianni Rizzo. Screenplay by Renato Izzo and Gianfranco Parolini. And directed by Gianfranco Parolini (Frank Kramer).

An over-the-top (which I am not using as a negative here) Western with Lee Van Cleef in top form as Sabata (basically Colonel Mortimer when not on a quest for personal revenge) who foils an attempt by three leaders of a small Texas town (Franco Ressel, Antonio Gradoli and Gianni Rizzo) to steal $100,000 from their own bank in order to finance the purchase of land of interest to the railroad. And then Sabata, armed with the knowledge of their criminal venture, sets out to monetarily blackmail that trio. Who, as a result, make multiple endeavors to have Sabata killed. Which Sabata, along with the occasional aid of an alcoholic Civil War veteran (Ignazio Spalla) and an acrobat Indian (Aldo Canti), counters in a variety of imaginative manners. And all under the watchful eyes of a banjo playing ex-compatriot of Sabata's (William Berger) who may or may not be an ally. All in all, I enjoyed watching it.

The first in a series of three official Sabata movies (and at least four unofficial ones). And the two official ones are definitely on my watch list.
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EP Millstone
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Re: Sabata

Post by EP Millstone »

LiamCasey wrote: March 2nd, 2023, 11:11 am . . . Sabata (aka Ehi amico ... c'è Sabata. Hai chiuso!) (1969) - Tubi . . .
I used to have the MGM DVD boxed set The Sabata Trilogy but recycled it because the movies didn't grab me. Too light-hearted and too much comedy for my tastes. Also, the gimmicky arsenal of weapons and gadgets used by Sabata and other characters just emphasized the cartoonish tone of the movies.

I love "Spaghetti Westerns," but I don't dig entries such as Sabata and the Terence Hill-Bud Spencer spoofs when the genre declined into self-parody.

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"Start every day off with a smile and get it over with." -- W.C. Fields
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LiamCasey
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Re: Sabata

Post by LiamCasey »

EP Millstone wrote: March 2nd, 2023, 6:46 pm Too light-hearted and too much comedy for my tastes. Also, the gimmicky arsenal of weapons and gadgets used by Sabata and other characters just emphasized the cartoonish tone of the movies.
I'm on the opposite side of the coin from you on this one, EP. Those were the elements that contributed to my enjoyment of this movie.
EP Millstone wrote: March 2nd, 2023, 6:46 pm I love "Spaghetti Westerns," but I don't dig entries such as Sabata and the Terence Hill-Bud Spencer spoofs when the genre declined into self-parody.
Which I interpret as an inadvertent recommendation to now add the Trinity duology to my watch list.
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EP Millstone
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Re: Sabata

Post by EP Millstone »

LiamCasey,

A light-hearted Terence Hill "Spaghetti Western" that I do like is My Name is Nobody, which co-stars Henry Fonda. For me, it is greatly enhanced by the musical score composed by maestro Ennio Morricone, who provided a magnifico variation on his "Man with a Harmonica" track from Once Upon a Time in the West: "My Fault?"

"Start every day off with a smile and get it over with." -- W.C. Fields
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LiamCasey
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Re: Sabata

Post by LiamCasey »

Adiós, Sabata (aka Indio Black, sai che ti dico: Sei un gran figlio di...) (1970) - Tubi

w/ Yul Brynner, Dean Reed, Ignazio Spalla (Pedro Sanchez), Gerard Herter, Sal Borgese and Franco Fantasia. Plus Gianni Rizzo. Screenplay by Renato Izzo and Gianfranco Parolini. And directed by Gianfranco Parolini (Frank Kramer).

This time we are in 1867 Mexico during the waning days of the reign of Emperor Maximillian. Where Sabata is hired by one of the guerrilla leaders to help steal a wagon full of gold from the emperor's Austrian forces (An historical inaccuracy as, in reality, it was the French who put Maximillian in power and even they had withdrawn their forces from Mexico by this time.) which the guerrillas plan to use to purchase guns for their struggle. But Sabata and his compatriots (which, again, includes Ignazio Spalla and, again, includes others with acrobatic abilities) have to contend with an Austrian colonel (Gerard Herter) with a bit of a James Bond villain vibe. And, again, all under the watchful eyes of another old acquaintance of Sabata's (Dean Reed) who may or may not be an ally. All of whom sooner or later have a desire for that gold which is way more personal than king (or, in this case, emperor) and country.

The second in the series of three official Sabata movies. And a bit more tongue in cheek than its predecessor (The flamenco of death? :smiley_chinrub: A model sailing ship with real firing cannons? :smiley_chinrub: A rifle loader/humidor combo? :smiley_chinrub:).

Although it appears that this may have not been originally conceived of as a sequel to Sabata (1969). Even though written and directed by the same people and with a number of the same actors (but in different roles), the Italian title of this movie roughly translates as "Indio Black, you know what: You are a great son of a...". Which may explain why it has Yul Brynner rather than Lee Van Cleef in the lead role. His character was supposed to be an Indio Black (who pretty much comes off as a Chris Adams (albeit one who is preparing for the disco era with an open shirt and fringes)) rather than a Sabata.

Not that I'm complaining, mind you. Yul Brynner is one of those actors whose presence alone will make me considered watching (and rewatching) a movie (hence last week's viewing of Testament of Orpheus (1960)). And his presence alone is probably why I enjoyed this one a bit more than its predecessor.
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LiamCasey
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Re: Sabata

Post by LiamCasey »

Return of Sabata (aka È tornato Sabata... hai chiuso un'altra volta!) (1971) - Pluto

w/ Lee Van Cleef, Reiner Schöne, Giampiero Albertini, Ignazio Spalla (Pedro Sanchez), Annabella Incontrera, Jacqueline Alexandre, Aldo Canti (Nick Jordan), Vassili Karis (Karis Vassili) and Steffen Zacharias. Plus Gianni Rizzo. Screenplay by Renato Izzo and Gianfranco Parolini. And directed by Gianfranco Parolini (Frank Kramer).

The third in the series of three official Sabata movies with Lee Van Cleef back in the title role. Who is back in another small Texas town. And who is back in a attempt to get the gold from another leader of a town (Which makes you wonder what Sabata did with his gold from the previous two movies.). And who is back with the assistance of Ignazio Spalla (Who plays a different but yet the same character in each movie.). And who is back with the assistance of acrobats (Obviously an increase in budget allowed for more than one this time.). And who is back under the watchful eyes of yet another old acquaintance (Reiner Schöne) who may or may not be an ally.

Not necessarily a bad movie. But so repetitious of what came before that it would probably have been better if one year had passed between my viewing of each movie rather than only one week.

And who the heck came up with the title song?!? "Bom, bom, bom, bom, bom"! :smiley_sick:
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LostHorizons
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Re: Sabata

Post by LostHorizons »

All these Sabata films blend into one another. Decent spoaghetti westerns but nothing that rivals Terrence Hill.
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