Spaghetti Westerns (also known as Italian westerns) is a new sub-genre of western film that emerged in the late 1960's.
SERGIO LEONE'S. . . film making style was an international box office success with the invaluable music scores of Ennio Morricone. This team brought these films to America with Clint Eastwood establishing himself as an amazing big-screen actor with a unique style. Photo below - "The Good, The Bad, The Ugly"
Clint Eastwood starred in three of Sergio Leone's westerns, "Fistful of Dollars" (1964), "For a Few Dollars More" (1965) and "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly." (1966.)
EUROPEAN WESTERNS. . .Most of these films were directed by Italians, thus, the term "spaghetti westerns" was used by Americans and internationally. These films were often international co-productions between Italy and Spain and sometimes France, Germany, Yugoslavia or the United States. As a result, many of the actors were of different nationalities speaking different languages. American actors were hired in post-production to overdub much of the dialogue. This adds to the authentic charm of the movie. Over six hundred European Westerns were made between 1960 and 1980.
Sergio in action!
A NEW STYLE EMERGES. . . as I viewed "The Good, The Bad, The Ugly" my first "spaghetti western" I immediately saw a dramatic difference in this western style from the old American westerns that I grew up with. The director's panoramic shots and elaborate set designs drew me in. The whole film looked like a work of art that should be framed. As the film progressed and I got to know the characters, I find out that this beautiful desert landscape is one where only the smart and tough survive. Each character is a "loner" and out for himself. The desolate, rugged and often cruel survival in the West is driven home by the story and the dialogue (as well as the quiet absence of dialogue.) I never knew til the end which "loner" was the best survivor.
"Desperado" (1995)
WESTERNS REINVENTED. . .
Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino brought "spaghetti westerns" back. Their styles are not just a throwback but a reinvention of these westerns. Robert Rodriguez has a trilogy of Mexican films: "El Mariachi," "Desperado," and "Once Upon a Time in Mexico." Quentin Tarantino directed "Django Unchained," "Kill Bill" and "Inglourious Basterds."
"Django Unchained" with Christoph Waltz and Jamie Fox (2012)
"Kill Bill" by Tarantino (2003)
SPAGHETTI WESTERNS. . . have left their mark on popular culture, strongly influencing numerous films as well as music. The band "Metallica" has used Ennio Morricone's composition, "The Ecstasy's of Gold" from "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" to open several of their concerts. The Australian band "The Tango Salon" combines elements of Tango music with influences from spaghetti westerns.
Quentin Tarantino Lists His 20 Favorite Spaghetti Westerns:
1. “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” (Sergio Leone, 1966)
2. “For a Few Dollars More” (Sergio Leone, 1965)
3. “Django” (Sergio Corbucci, 1966)
4. “The Mercenary” (Sergio Corbucci, 1966)
5. “Once Upon a Time in the West” (Sergio Leone, 1968)
6. “A Fistful of Dollars” (Sergio Leone, 1964)
7. “Day of Anger” (Tonino Valerii, 1967)
8. “Death Rides a Horse” (Giulio Petroni, 1967)
9. “Navajo Joe” (Sergio Corbucci,1966)
10. “The Return of Ringo” (Duccio Tessar, 1965)
11. “The Big Gundown” (Sergio Sollima, 1966)
12. “A Pistol for Ringo” (Duccio Tessari, 1965)
13. “The Dirty Outlaws” (Franco Rossetti, 1967)
14. “The Great Silence” (Sergio Corbucci, 1968)
15. “The Grand Duel” (Giancarlo Santi, 1972)
16. “Shoot the Living, Pray for the Dead” (Giuseppe Vari, 1971)
17. “Tepepa” (Giulio Petroni, 1968)
18. “The Ugly Ones” (Eugenio Martin, 1966)
19. “Viva Django!” (Ferdinando Baldi, 1967)
20. “Machine Gun Killers” (Paolo Bianchini, 1968)
I enjoyed sharing this information with you. You will not be disappointed if you dig a little deeper into this spaghetti western movement. . . its roots, and its influences.
