Ehi amico... c'è Sabata, hai chiuso! (1969)

[Neville]

After a series of duds ("Boot hill", "Train to Durango"), I finally got myself another spaghetti western worth reviewing.

Shot two years after the final chapter of the Dollar trilogy, this is the first film to star the character of Sabata, drifter and bounty hunter, here played by Lee Van Cleef with his usual icy demeanor. Actually, this Sabata film doesn't go too far from Leone's early westerns. With some character names changed, you could easily believe it is a prequel to "For a few dollars more", as Lee Van Cleef character is less humanized but already uses his trademark black clothes and a varied array of firearms to dispose of his enemies.

The film is not as good as the Leone films it wants to imitate: Gianfranco Parolini's camerawork overuses zoom, and he cares that every scene has an almost inmediate payback, something Leone learned to avoid in his later movies in order to achieve an epic grandeur this film lacks. Still, Parolini is a more than able storyteller (the film moves at just the right pace) and has a great eye for colours and visual compositions. He also stages the frequent action with exemplary clarity and inventive (a scene in which Sabata uses a mirror to fool his enemies is nothing but brilliant), and has an interesting set of colourful villains and allies to explore, from a landowner who feels an almost Nazi contempt for "lower" individuals to a street musician who offers a sardonic musical commentary to Sabata's exploits.

Speaking of the music, the film has also to offer what probably is the best non-Morricone spaghetti western score I haver ever listened to. That and the wonderful cinematography -the colours and detail of interior shots is amazing- really make a difference with this movie.

[Scott]

This is a good one Neville. Also I like THE RETURN OF SABATA with Lee Van Cleef and those acrobats. Yul Brenner stars in the third film ADIOS SABATA.

[Scott]

SABATA TRAILER	Small | Large

Banjo Scene	Small | Large