Spaghetti Western Bible Vol. 3

Spaghetti Western Bible Vol. 3:

The Fast, The Saved And The Damned

VideoAsia's Spaghetti Western Bible Vol. 3 is another solid entry in the series presenting another ten spaghetti westerns.  Although the cover image is lifted from the finale of Sergio Leone's The Good, The Bad And The Ugly, don't expect to find it included within this set.  As of this writing, one more volume has been released entitled Spaghetti Western Bible Vol. 4: Trinity.  Volume 4 does not grace my collection nor is it worthy of a purchase.  It appears to be another one of those spaghetti western collections that is very light on spaghetti westerns.  Anyway, on to Volume 3...

Disc 1 - Side 1 - Film 1

One Dollar Too Many (1968)

Starring: Antonio Sabato, John Saxon, Frank Wolff

Directed by: Enzo G. Castellari

Music by: Carlo Rustichelli

Original Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Original Runtime: 95 minutes

DVD Runtime: 91 minutes

The set gets off to a rough start with an early comedy western. Antonio Sabato and Frank Wolff have stolen $300,000 from a bank while John Saxon tracks them down, claiming to the be rightful owner of the money.  The three double cross each other in attempts to get the money until they run into a band of Mexican outlaws. The three men then team up against the Mexicans.

Disc 1 - Side 1 - Film 2

Rough Justice (1970)

Starring: Klaus Kinski

Directed by: Mario Costa

Music by: Stelvio Cipriani

Original Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Original Runtime: Not Listed

DVD Runtime: 83 minutes
 

Although listed on the packaging as The Beast, the pan & scan print used goes by an alternate title of Rough Justice.  To quote the plot summary from Thomas Weisser's Spaghetti Westerns: the Good, the Bad and the Violent, "Klaus Kinski is a sex crazed outlaw who rapes and ravages his way across the west. And also wears one of the goofiest hats ever seen in a western."

Disc 1 - Side 2 - Film 1

Blindman (1974)

Starring: Tony Anthony, Ringo Starr

Directed by: Ferdinando Baldi

Music by: Stelvio Cipriani

Original Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Original Runtime: 105 minutes

DVD Runtime: 84 minutes

Tony Anthony plays the blindman as he tries to find fifty women who were kidnapped by a group of Mexican bandits lead by Ringo Starr.  As A Fistful of Dollars looked to Yojimbo for inspiration, so too does Blindman.  Unlike Leone finding inspiration in Kurosawa, Baldi finds it in the blind samurai films and delivers an entertaining experience.

Disc 1 - Side 2 - Film 2

Massacre Time (1966)

Starring: Franco Nero, George Hilton

Directed by: Lucio Fulci

Music by: Lallo Gori

Original Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Original Runtime: 93 minutes

DVD Runtime: 90 minutes

Here is the only movie (so far) in all four of the Spaghetti Western Bible Volumes to star the legendary Django himself, Franco Nero - and it's one of three spaghetti westerns directed by Lucio Fulci.  Franco Nero plays Tom who is out prospecting for gold when he gets a message to return home. Upon his arrival, he finds the town is run by the sadistic bullwhip-toting son of the local land baron and his brother, Jeff, has turned into a drunk.  Tom goes to see the land baron, but is whipped by the bullwhip-toting son and sent on his way. He later returns with a sober Jeff to unleash their brand of vengeance where he learns that he is the lost son of the land baron.

Disc 2 - Side 1 - Film 1

The Bounty Killer (1967)

Starring: Tomas Milian, Richard Wyler

Directed by: Eugenio Martin

Music by: Stelvio Cipriani

Original Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Original Runtime: 95 minutes

DVD Runtime: 90 minutes

A woman must choose between two men. One is Richard Wyler, the bounty killer.  The other is Tomas Milian, the outlaw.  Of course, she chooses the outlaw believing that there must be some good in him, but soon learns that he is nothing more than a cold-blooded killer.  She then joins forces with the bounty killer against the outlaw.

Disc 2 - Side 1 - Film 2

Minnesota Clay (1964)

Starring: Cameron Mitchell, Fernando Sancho

Directed by: Sergio Corbucci

Music by: Piero Piccioni

Original Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Original Runtime: 90 minutes

DVD Runtime: 88 minutes

Minnesota Clay is director Sergio Corbucci's first solo spaghetti western.  Cameron Mitchell stars as Minnesota Clay, the local sheriff who is going blind.  His mission is to clean up the town.

Disc 2 - Side 2 - Film 1

7 Dollars on the Red (1966)

Starring: Anthony Steffen, Fernando Sancho

Directed by: Alberto Cardone

Music by: Francesco De Masi

Original Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Original Runtime: 95 minutes

DVD Runtime: 95 minutes

Ladies and Gentlemen, I think we have a first.  I believe that 7 Dollars on the Red is the first film an all three volumes that is presented complete and uncut.  It's even a very nice print in the original widescreen aspect ratio.  Anthony Steffen is out for revenge.  After 15 years, he catches up with Fernando Sancho, the man who killed his wife; vengeance shall be his.

Disc 2 - Side 2 - Film 2

A Man Called Joe Clifford (1970)

Starring: Anthony Steffen, Eduardo Fajardo

Directed by: Leopolda Savona

Music by: Bruno Nicolai

Original Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Original Runtime: 96 minutes

DVD Runtime: 91 minutes

A Man Called Joe Clifford is listed by the alternate title of Apocalypse Joe on the packaging.  I have to admit, Apocalypse Joe does sound better than Joe Clifford.  Who can argue with that?  Anthony Steffen is back as a traveling Shakespearean actor who finds out that he has inherited a gold mine.  When he gets to town, he finds that another man who is posing as his uncle has taken over the mine and his gang is terrorizing the town.  That doesn't sit well with Anthony Steffen so he kicks ass as he does so very well.

Disc 3 - Film 1

They Call Him Cemetery (1971)

Starring: Gianni Garko, William Berger

Directed by: Giuliano Carnimeo

Music by: Bruno Nicolai

Original Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Original Runtime: 94 minutes

DVD Runtime: 88 minutes

The good folks over at VideoAsia seem to have had a spot of trouble with the titles of the movies on disc three.  They Call Him Cemetery is listed as They Call Him Graveyard, a title that I cannot find associated with this movie.  The final film in the collection, The Price of Power, has been listed as The Price of Honor; again a title not associated with the film.  Anyway, Gianni Garko is a bounty killer who sure finds himself in a lot of trouble. He teams up with a pair of pacifist farmers against a gang of outlaws.

Disc 3 - Film 2

The Price of Power (1969)

Starring: Giuliano Gemma, Fernando Rey, Antonio Casas

Directed by: Tonino Valerii

Music by: Luis Bacalov

Original Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Original Runtime: 108 minutes

DVD Runtime: 107 minutes

The Price of Power is basically a re-imagining of the Kennedy assassination.  It is 1890, the Civil War has just ended and President Garfield is assassinated while on his way to give a speech in Texas.  The local sheriff frames an innocent black man for the crime - he is shortly killed himself while being transported between prisons.  Giuliano Gemma uncovers the conspiracy plot and also gets revenge for his father's murder.

Historical Note: The U.S. Civil War ended in 1865 and President Lincoln was assassinated that same year at Ford's Theatre in Washington D.C.  There was a President Garfield who was also assassinated in Washington D.C., but that was in 1881 (9 years before this movie takes place) - but who notices these kinds of things anyway?

The Spaghetti Western Bible Vol. 3 is well worth the purchase price.  Each successive release from VideoAsia just keeps getting better and better. It's such a shame that Volume four is such a disappointment.  Here's hoping that a fifth volume is released and sees a return of the good quality spaghetti westerns. 

That wraps it up for the look at the Spaghetti Western Bible (until number five is released anyway or someone donates a copy of volume four).  What should we take a look at next time?  I have a number of their action films, both of the 20 film exploitation sets and the first volume of their poliziotteschi/eurocrime films.  Leave your choice in the comments area or I'll randomly pick something.

Ator the Fighting Eagle

Volume I:  Ator the Fighting Eagle (1982)

Starring Miles O'Keefe, Sabrina Siani, Dakkar,

Edward Purdom and Laura Gemser

Directed by Joe D'Amato

Music by Carlo Maria Cordio

The dictionary defines prologue as "1.  a preliminary discourse; a preface or introductory part of a discourse, poem, or novel.  2.  An introductory speech, often in verse, calling attention to the theme of a play."  Prologues have been used in many science fiction and fantasy films and tv series, including Conan the Barbarian.  Every good sword & sorcery picture should start with a prologue, and Ator does not disappoint.  Reproduced here, in its entirety, is the prologue from Ator the Fighting Eagle.

"And low the Kingdom of the Spider shall last 1,000 years.  And the people shall suffer 1,000 years, for it is written.  And this time shall be known as the Age of Darkness for the shadow of the spider shall be the law.  Indeed, the people shall pay tribute to the word of the master and live in bondage in the valley of the shadows; even to the very mists of the volcano that sleeps above.  Take heed, when the thousand years is done, a man will come to promise a different way and he shall me named Tauren.  Many will believe and many will be persecuted.  The sign of Tauren will bear witness to the legend, but Tauren will fail.  For the wrath of the Spider King is mighty indeed.  And the people of the valley shall weep, for there is no hope.  For it is also written that the Spider King will reign until the day the mountain speaks forth in anger.  Then out of the darkness, the prophecy re-lives for Tauren cast his seed upon the wind and even in death, to him is born a son."

And that's how the movie begins, with the birth of Tauren's son - Ator!  Lightning flashes through the sky, elephants cry out and the Spider King's (Dakkar) eagle statue weeps blood.  Tauren's son has been born and the Spider King sends out his minions to kill baby Ator before the prophecy can come true. Luckily for us, a mysterious wizard, Griba (Purdom), takes baby Ator away just moments before the Spider King's henchmen arrive and start to slaughter everyone in sight. Griba takes baby Ator to another village where he finds a poor family to raise Ator as their own, in exchange they will want for nothing.

The years pass and Ator (O'Keefe) is now full grown and he wants to marry his sister.  Luckily for all involved, Ator and Sunya are not brother and sister and shall be married.  Unluckily, the Spider King's henchmen spotted Griba nearby and decide to wipe out the village.  Ator is able to kill two of the attackers before he is knocked out.  The Spider King takes a fancy towards Sunya and they take her with them as they can't find Griba anywhere.  When Ator regains consciousness, he finds his village in flames, his adopted parents killed and Sunya is nowhere to be found.

 
Ator comes across Griba and attacks him, thinking he is one of the marauders who attacked his village.  Griba takes Ator back to his cave and trains him in the ways of combat.  While training with staffs on a waterfall, a shapely blonde is attacked by three men.  Ator comes to the rescue as Griba watches on, nods and disappears.  After the blonde takes off, Ator searches for Griba and finds the Sword of Tauren - the key to his destiny.  He swipes the sword and takes off on foot.

After a slight detour with a tribe of Amazon women, Roon (Siani) the shapely blonde Ator helped out at the waterfall, decides to help him on his quest to rescue Sunya from the Spider King.  Somehow they manage to escape from the tribe of women and Roon gets herself trapped in a cave-in.  Ator goes looking for her only to be Indun (Gemser) a sorceress who resembles the seductive witch in Conan the Barbarian.  Ator is tricked into drinking a magic potion (never a good thing).  Meanwhile the pet bear helps free Roon from the cave-in.

Roon finds Ator in the clutches of the evil Indun and frees him by uncovering a magic mirror which transforms Indun back into a hag.  To quote from another movie, "Honey, you got real ugly."  Ator and Roon travel through the the zombie infested jungle and stop at a tavern.  Here, they meet up with Griba who reveals the Mark of Tauren that has been hidden since Ator was a baby.  He reveals that Ator must travel to the volcano so he can get the Shield of Moordoor which will make him invulnerable in battle.

Ator and Roon travel to the volcano that is guarded by blind men who have an acute sense of smell (no I'm not making this up).  To mask their scent, they rub themselves down with a nearby plant and walk through the cave to find the shield.  But it's guarded by a shadow warrior whom Ator must defeat.  Too bad the special effect isn't that special and looks like Miles O'Keefe swinging his sword around.

Our intrepid heroes finally reach the Spider King's lair in which Ator must battle the Spider King himself; who is easily defeated with the use of the Shield of Moordoor.  The twenty or so guards Ator and Roon had to defeat before the Spider King would attack appeared to be more of a challenge for them than the dreaded Spider King himself.

It's not over yet.  Sunya is trapped in a giant spider web.  And where there's a giant spider web, a giant spider is sure to be nearby.  And so is Griba who wants to be the new Spider King.  Another fight ensues, leaving Griba caught in the giant spider web.  Using the Shield of Moordor, Ator reflects the sun's rays onto the giant spider and is able to approach within striking distance.  The giant spider is easily dispatched with a few dozen sword slashes.  The volcano explodes as Ator and Sunya make their escape.

Conan the Barbarian was released in May of 1982 and was a huge hit.  Eager to cash in Conan's success, the Italian film industry started churning out sword & sorcery pictures.  Ator the Fighting Eagle saw its Italian release in October of 1982 by writer, cinematographer and director Joe D'Amato.  Let's just say Ator is no Conan.  Everything that made Conan a successful movie is lacking in Ator.  The costumes, props, special effects and acting are all laughable.  There is a certain low budget charm that runs throughout the movie in that "so bad it's good" kinda way.  Ator the Fighting Eagle must have been somewhat successful as it spawned several sequels.

Ator was released on VHS and Betamax on the Thorn/EMI label.  It also saw an out of print DVD release by Legacy Entertainment.  All releases are pan & scanned from the original 1.85:1 aspect ratio and have a running time of 98 minutes.  Some quick research on the internet alludes to this being a cut release, but the IMDB page only lists a runtime of 98 minutes for this title.  From watching the film, it certainly feels as if it's cut.  If this were to be re-released in the original aspect ratio and uncut on blu-ray, I'd probably purchase it again... for ten bucks or less.

Spaghetti Western Bible Vol. 2

Spaghetti Western Bible Vol. 2:

Sartana: The Complete Saga

VideoAsia is back with their second collection of spaghetti westerns in the Spaghetti Western Bible Vol. 2, and this time around sees a marked improvement in quality and titles.  This ten film set is devoted to the character of Sartana, who was originally portrayed by Gianni Garko in 1968's If You Meet Sartana, Pray For Your Death directed by Gianfranco Parolini.  The character, liked Django, turned out to be very popular and spawned many sequels starring many actors in the title role.  Sartana is "one of the coolest and best known characters from the genre, he's often thought of as the 'James Bond of the West' for his stylish dress and use of gadgets and weapons."  Unlike the full title of this set claims, all 18 Sartana films are not included in this 10 film set.  Let's take a look at which titles are:

Disc 1 - Side 1 - Film 1

Have A Good Funeral My Friend, Sartana Will Pay (1971)

Starring: Gianni Garko
Directed by: Giuliano Carnimeo
Music by: Bruno Nicolai
Original Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Original Runtime: 96 minutes
DVD Runtime: 92 minutes

The set begins strongly with a nice widescreen print of this later entry into the Sartana series.  Sartana is the "Angel of Death" and his goal is to kill; not for revenge, but because these low-lifes deserve it.  The film sees Sartana unleash is wrath and James Bond inspired bag of tricks on the town's evil banker and his niece.

Disc 1 - Side 1 - Film 2

I Am Sartana, Your Angel of Death (1969)

Starring: Gianni Garko, Frank Wolff, Klaus Kinski, Gordon Mitchell

Directed by: Giuliano Carnimeo

Music by: Vasco & Mancuso

Original Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Original Runtime: 102 minutes
DVD Runtime: 93 minutes

This is the second film in the Sartana series and is presented in another nice print in the original aspect ratio.  Two for two, I wonder if VideoAsia can keep this up.  Someone posing as Sartana robs the Northwestern Bank, the safest bank in the west. A huge bounty is placed on Sartana's head and in come the bounty killers, including Klaus Kinski, to try and claim the reward.

Disc 1 - Side 2 - Film 1
Blood At Sundown (1969)
Starring: Anthony Steffen, Gianni Garko
Directed by: Albert Cardone
Music by: Michele Lacerenza
Original Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Original Runtime: 102 minutes
DVD Runtime: 100 minutes

Although not the correct aspect ratio and sourced from VHS, the quality of this one is much better than most titles on the previous release. Blood At Sundown was actually released in 1967 with the title of One Thousand Dollars on the Black where Gianni Garko just happens to play a villain named Sartana.  With the success of his other Sartana films, this one was re-released in 1969 and promoted as another entry in the Sartana series. Anthony Steffen and Gianni Garko play brothers, one good and one evil.  Steffen is wrongly imprisoned for a murder that Garko committed.  When Steffen gets out of jail, he returns to find that his evil brother has taken over the town and married his girl.  Anthony Steffen has had enough and is out for revenge.

Disc 1 - Side 2 - Film 2

If You Meet Sartana, Pray For Your Death (1968)

Starring: Gianni Garko, Klaus Kinski, William Berger

Directed by: Gianfranco Parolini

Music by: Piero Piccioni

Original Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Original Runtime: 95 minutes

DVD Runtime: 91 minutes

Here's another VHS sourced movie in the wrong aspect ratio, and this set began so well too...  The first of the Sartana series begins as a shipment of gold is robbed by William Berger and his gang - who get machined gunned when they try to double cross him. Berger and Klaus Kinski plan to blackmail the original gold thieves, a banker and his partners.  Unknown to all, Sartana is running the show and setting traps for all involved.

Disc 2 - Side 1 - Film 1
The Price of Death (1971)
Starring: Gianni Garko, Klaus Kinski
Directed by: Lorenzo Gicca Palli
Music by: Mario Migliardi
Original Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Original Runtime: 99 minutes
DVD Runtime: 89 minutes

The film opens with the murder of a woman by the unseen killer, a casino is robbed and the bad guys escape in a bloodbath.  Klaus Kinski is wrongly arrested for the robbery and the town judge sees this as the perfect opportunity to hang him.  His attorney pays a visit to Gianni Garko, a retired bounty killer (but not Sartana).  Garko finds the real robbers and Kinski is released, but not before Garko recognizes him as the man who killed the woman at the start of the picture.  Time for a shootout anyone?

Disc 2 - Side 1 - Film 2
Sartana in the Valley of Death (1970)
Starring: William Berger
Directed by: Roberto Mauri
Music by: Augusto Martili
Original Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Original Runtime: 95 minutes
DVD Runtime: 79 minutes

Although not the correct aspect ratio, the print presented here is very nice.  William Berger is hired to break the Douglas brothers out of jail for half of their stolen money.  Once they are safe, the brothers double cross Berger, who escapes into the desert. There he is found by a mysterious woman who brings him back to life - only to turn him in for the reward.  Remember children, crime does not pay.

Disc 2 - Side 2 - Film 1
Light the Fuse, Sartana is Coming (1970)
Starring: Gianni Garko
Directed by: Giuliano Carnimeo
Music by: Bruno Nicolai
Original Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Original Runtime: 99 minutes
DVD Runtime: 96 minutes

 

Sartana breaks into the local jail because he hears that a prisoner needs to talk to him. The prisoner was arrested for killing his partner, a crime he claims he didn't commit. Sartana believes him and helps him escape. They travel back to scene of the crime and Sartana finds out he was tricked. It's not a good idea to piss off the "Angel of Death" as Sartana will seek vengeance!

Disc 2 - Side 2 - Film 2

Sartana's Here... Trade Your Pistol For A Coffin (1970)

Starring: George Hilton

Directed by: Giuliano Carnimeo

Music by: Francesco De Masi

Original Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Original Runtime: 93 minutes

DVD Runtime: 91 minutes

 

Referred to as I Am Sartana on the packaging and menus, the pan & scan print used has an alternate title of Sartana's Here... Trade Your Pistol For A Coffin.  I don't know about you, but I'd rather have a slightly widescreen print in an incorrect aspect ratio than a pan & scan one any day.  In this one, Sartana and Sabata (no, not Lee Van Cleef's Sabata) team up to take on a crooked banker and a Mexican bandito.

Disc 3 - Film 1

One Damned Day At Dawn Django Meets Sartana (1970)

Starring: Fabio Testi, Hunt Powers

Directed by: Demofilo Fidani

Music by: Coriolano Gori

Original Aspect Ratio: Not Listed

Original Runtime: Not Listed

DVD Runtime: 82 minutes

Okay, I can see the reasoning behind titling this one Django and Sartana on the DVD. The print used seems to have forgotten one word in the translated title. Fabio Testi arrives in town as the new sheriff and quickly discovers that there is trouble brewing in town. The town boss and his gang are running a gun trafficking scheme.  Django is also lurking around town watching all that happens.  Eventually, Fabio Testi and Django team up to clean up the town one damned day at dawn.

Disc 3 - Film 2

Django and Sartana Are Coming, It's The End (1970)

Starring: Hunt Powers, Gordon Mitchell

Directed by: Demofilo Fidani

Music by: Coriolano Gori

Original Aspect Ratio: Not Listed

Original Runtime: 96 minutes

DVD Runtime: 84 minutes

Referred to as Django vs Sartana on the packaging and menus, Django and Sartana Are Coming, It's The End is the last movie in the collection and it is the weakest one.  The print appears to be taken from a television broadcast, complete with the Station ID in the lower right corner. The daughter of a wealthy land-owner is kidnapped by outlaws. He hires Django and Sartana to rescue her.

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The Spaghetti Western Bible Vol. 2 is an enormous improvement over Volume 1. All ten films are actually spaghetti westerns this time around and most of the prints used are of high quality. In my book, this one is worth picking up.  Let's just hope the next entry in the series at least retains these higher standards if not improves upon them.