DEATH SENTENCE (1969)
DEATH SENTENCE
aka SENTENZA DI MORTE
Koch Media (Germany)
Region 0 PAL, 2.35:1 (16*9)
Running time 90m
I know, you thought I'd finished my spaghetti western round-up. So did I. Then I found a few scribbled notes about DEATH SENTENCE, so what the hell.
In many ways, this one isn't a typical spaghetti western. The director, Mario Lanfranchi, is not the most well-known among directors of the genre, and it's not that surprising based on this effort. That isn't to say the film isn't any good because it's actually a really decent entry in the genre - it's just a little different and possibly not suited to the tastes of people who expect exactly the same thing from every spaghetti western they watch.
For one thing, it has a far more theatrical feel. There's not as much action as you'd expect, instead offering up a lot of talking. This approach to character building is admirable, though many a fan might find themselves wondering when the talking is going to stop and the shooting is going to start. This is a spaghetti western after all.
The music, by Gianni Ferrio, is not your typical spaghetti western soundtrack fodder either. While this is a good thing in terms of the movie's score, it's not so good when listening to the main song - I'll be honest, the song is simply rubbish. Shame really, as most spaghetti theme songs (one of the few spaghetti western cliches that wasn't started by Sergio Leone's movies) tend to be reasonably easy on the ear.
The plot is one of the more standard aspects, offering up the usual helping of greed and revenge. Where it does differ however is in the structure. We are introduced to the film with the hero of the piece getting one over on one of the villains, then flashes back to show his quest to take out one killer at a time. This four-part quest is a little like the one employed by Jodorowski in EL TOPO, except this time the story isn't as barmy and actually makes a bit of sense. Like Jodorowski's film, DEATH SENTENCE also benefits from some wonderful desert photography too.
The cast of the film is mostly pretty average (the lead is Robin Clarke, who manages but isn't exactly comparable to Eastwood, Nero, Van Cleef, etc., and the female characters feel like they've been forced into the film for sex appeal and nothing else) with a couple of exceptions. Cult cinema veteran Richard Conte makes an appearance, which is always welcome, but the best of the film belongs to Tomas Milian.
Cuban actor Milian always steals the show no matter which of the countless Eurocult movies of his you happen to be watching. In DEATH SENTENCE he's sporting a garish albino look (see above) that looks totally out of place on him yet helps in making this villain one of his more memorable characters. It also helps that he's addicted to blondes and gold, an addiction he registers with much hamming and scenery-chewing. With an over the top performance like that you just wonder where he can possible go without it ending in an anticlimax, but I'm happy to report he manages it. His death scene (don't tell me I've spoiled it, if you like spaghetti westerns, you knew he'd die) is possibly the highlight of the film, as he throws himself about in the most contorted spasms, in the end making you wonder if he's dying or breakdancing.
It's worth watching for Milian alone, but if you're after a slightly unusual spaghetti western there's probably much for you to enjoy.
Extras on the disc include trailers, a making-of featuretter (conversation with the director in English) and an audio commentary with the director (again, he speaks in English).
aka SENTENZA DI MORTE
Koch Media (Germany)
Region 0 PAL, 2.35:1 (16*9)
Running time 90m
I know, you thought I'd finished my spaghetti western round-up. So did I. Then I found a few scribbled notes about DEATH SENTENCE, so what the hell.
In many ways, this one isn't a typical spaghetti western. The director, Mario Lanfranchi, is not the most well-known among directors of the genre, and it's not that surprising based on this effort. That isn't to say the film isn't any good because it's actually a really decent entry in the genre - it's just a little different and possibly not suited to the tastes of people who expect exactly the same thing from every spaghetti western they watch.
For one thing, it has a far more theatrical feel. There's not as much action as you'd expect, instead offering up a lot of talking. This approach to character building is admirable, though many a fan might find themselves wondering when the talking is going to stop and the shooting is going to start. This is a spaghetti western after all.
The music, by Gianni Ferrio, is not your typical spaghetti western soundtrack fodder either. While this is a good thing in terms of the movie's score, it's not so good when listening to the main song - I'll be honest, the song is simply rubbish. Shame really, as most spaghetti theme songs (one of the few spaghetti western cliches that wasn't started by Sergio Leone's movies) tend to be reasonably easy on the ear.
The plot is one of the more standard aspects, offering up the usual helping of greed and revenge. Where it does differ however is in the structure. We are introduced to the film with the hero of the piece getting one over on one of the villains, then flashes back to show his quest to take out one killer at a time. This four-part quest is a little like the one employed by Jodorowski in EL TOPO, except this time the story isn't as barmy and actually makes a bit of sense. Like Jodorowski's film, DEATH SENTENCE also benefits from some wonderful desert photography too.
The cast of the film is mostly pretty average (the lead is Robin Clarke, who manages but isn't exactly comparable to Eastwood, Nero, Van Cleef, etc., and the female characters feel like they've been forced into the film for sex appeal and nothing else) with a couple of exceptions. Cult cinema veteran Richard Conte makes an appearance, which is always welcome, but the best of the film belongs to Tomas Milian.
Cuban actor Milian always steals the show no matter which of the countless Eurocult movies of his you happen to be watching. In DEATH SENTENCE he's sporting a garish albino look (see above) that looks totally out of place on him yet helps in making this villain one of his more memorable characters. It also helps that he's addicted to blondes and gold, an addiction he registers with much hamming and scenery-chewing. With an over the top performance like that you just wonder where he can possible go without it ending in an anticlimax, but I'm happy to report he manages it. His death scene (don't tell me I've spoiled it, if you like spaghetti westerns, you knew he'd die) is possibly the highlight of the film, as he throws himself about in the most contorted spasms, in the end making you wonder if he's dying or breakdancing.
It's worth watching for Milian alone, but if you're after a slightly unusual spaghetti western there's probably much for you to enjoy.
Extras on the disc include trailers, a making-of featuretter (conversation with the director in English) and an audio commentary with the director (again, he speaks in English).
Labels: Eurocult, spaghetti westerns, Tomas Milian
posted by Alan at 10:10 pm
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