Savage Guns: Four Western Classics Vol. — Savage Guns: Four Western Classics Vol. 3( Blu Ray

Here from Arrow Video- both in the UK and stateside- is Savage Guns: Four Western Classics Vol. 3. The next in the lables open-ended series of Blu-ray boxsets bringing together four-euro westerns/ Spaghetti westerns from between the late 1960s and the early ’70s. All four of the films have received a classy 2k scan, as well as a new commentary track, plus a good selection of extras. The sets finished off with an inlay booklet with new writing, a double-sided poster, and reversible sleeves for each film.
 

First up we have 1968’s I Want Him Dead (aka Lo Voglio Morto), and its vengeance meets plotting an assassination brand of Western. It has a runtime around the one hour & twenty-seven-minute mark, and it largely moves by well enough- with things not always going as our hero wants things to go, and he gets a fair few beatings.

It was directed by Rome-born Paolo Bianchini. Between the mid-sixties & early  2020’s he had nineteen features to his name. These went from bizarre acid-tinged euro spy The Devil’s Men (1965), onto masked wrestler/ superhero spoof Superargo and the Faceless Giants (1968). Though to a few more spaghetti westerns like Gattling Gun (1968) & Hey, Amigo... Rest in Peace! (1970).

The film opens with our stubbly & blue-eyed hero Clayton (Craig Hill) arriving at a small western town with his twenty-something & dark-haired sister. He tells her to book into the salon, and that he’ll be back shortly. He rides out to meet a man he’s due to buy some land off- the cash he has is confederate, which he earned from three years’ work- doing twenty hours a day on a horse.  The man says his Confederate money is worth little or nothing. Meanwhile, back in the town his sister has checked in- two rough ‘n’ ready characters walking into her room- rape her off camera. And as Clayton gets back to the salon, he finds her dead on the floor.

Initially, the film focuses on Clayton chasing down the men, and we find out he might not be the best fighter- getting roughed up more than a few times. But he’s a damn good sharpshooter. In time we get a subplot regarding a rich man trying to get two generals assassinated, with the two rapists being part of the gang who are tasked with doing the job. And added into the mix we have Aloma (Lea Massari) who Clayton helps out of her abusive cook/maid job.

Acting wise our lead Hill looks like a mix of Franco Nero & a young Ian Ogilvy- he does ok as our hero, and he gets moments of quick draw action & dealing with nasty beatings. The rest of the cast is fine/ serviceable. On the action/ violence side of things, we get carriages gunned down in the desert, water-bound punch-ups, and a good amount of largely bloodless gunplay.

I Want Him Dead is a good enough start to this set- it’s nothing terribly distinctive or mould break, but as an entertaining at times fairly gritty western it's fine.
 
On the extras side for this film, we get a commentary track from critics Adrian J. Smith and David Flint, and this is a nicely chatty & wondering, if largely worthy track. They begin by talking about the film's fantastically filmed action, and how it gets straight into things with three people being killed before the opening credits roll. They talk about how 1968 was a key year for spaghetti westerns- with seventy-five films being released that year alone, and maybe why the film is less known. They discuss the effective editing of the rape scenes- which shows little but is still impactful. How the film's title rather has triple meaning as it unfolds, and how the Civil War time period is weaved into the plot effectively. They talk about how lead Hill makes for a believable sharpshooter, and how the American actor moved to Spain in the 60’s- going on to be in Spanish productions until relatively recently.  They chat about the film's theme of vengeance, and how all the characters, even our hero are very self-focused. Later on, they discuss some of the films key/ impactful scenes, and how the film's composer Nico Fidenco scored in most genres- before going on to score for Italian soft & hardcore films in the 70’s/80’s. They point out actors as they appear- etc. I’m not sure I learned a terrible amount from this track- but it was an entertaining one-play affair.

Otherwise, on the new extras side, we get the following- Dead Or Alive (12.42) an intro from journalist and critic Fabio Melelli. The Man Who Hated Violence (30.17) filmed interview with director Paolo Bianchini. Cut And Shoot (17.32) filmed interview with editor Eugenio Alabiso. On the archive side, we have an interview with composer Nico Fidenco (21.06), an English trailer, and an image gallery.
 
 

Next, we have 1969’s El puro (aka La taglia è tua... l'uomo l'ammazzo io, The Reward's Yours... The Man's Mine). It was directed by Torpè, Sardinia, Italy born Edoardo Mulargia. He had seventeen features to his name- these went to more than a few westerns such as Blood at Sundown (1965), Don't Wait, Django... Shoot! (1967), & Don't Wait, Django... Shoot! (1968).  Otherwise, he released the sexually charged drama Lesbo (1969), voodoo-tinged Giallo Tropic Of Cancer (1972), and WIP film Escape from Hell (1980).

The film gets three different versions on the Blu-Ray- there’s an English & Italian langue version, which each last 98 minutes, and a hybrid English/ Italian version which rolls in at 108 minutes- I watched the longest of these three.

I think it’s fair to say from the off that there are some real pacing issues with the film- because even in the opening scene, which sees who we believe to be a sheriff going into a shed to get a wanted man- he stops pauses, glances at another man, pauses again- then finally goes in- really it felt almost arthouse like pacing- but there is no real reason for it.  As we move on things start to improve- as the sheriff and his prisoner get on a stagecoach with two rife-carrying riders. After going down the road they come across two men- they jump in the stagecoach, and we find out the sheriff, prisoner, the two men who just got on, and another seemingly unrelated man are all part of the same gang.

As we move on, we meet our key & in the films titled character Joe Bishop 'El Puro'(Robert Woods) in a saloon- he cuts a rather pathetic figure, as he can barely stand, and when asked to pay he has no money on him- so he gets beaten by one of the saloons staff with a large bat- been thrown out. One of the saloon workers Rosie(Rosalba Neri) takes pity on him, taking him back to her place. We find out that 'El Puro' is somewhat of a wanted gunman with a price on his head.

We spend the film bouncing back & forth between the gang, and their devilish deeds. And 'El Puro' who slowly but surely struggles out of his down/ drunken state. At a point, the gang decide they are going to track down 'El Puro' to cash in on the price on his head.

The whole film is fairly talky, and as already mentioned the pace does crawl in places. On the plus side, some of the gang are quite neat & distinctive characters, and they manage to fake they're a sheriff & posse a few times- with one very memorable scene where they go into a store. When 'El Puro' finally gets his mojo back- we get some neat gunplay, and a classic western town stand-off- though it does go by way too fast.
 
There are certainly some interesting ideas on show here- the washed-up & pitiful gunman, interesting gang characters, and a few other things. But really, it’s the pace & the lack of action here that lets the whole thing down- meaning it felt like a real trudge to get through most of the film's runtime.
 
The first new extra on this disc is a track from critics/commentary pros Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson, and as you’d expect with these two it’s a very well-researched, deeply informed, and all-round gold standard track- which could easily be played several times over. They start by talking about the film's title- which is either Cuban slang for a cigar, or Spanish for pure/ purely. They discuss how the film is rather a tonal mix- moving from going- toward- a comedic Western, with some very unpleasant scenes, and a bleak resolve. They chat about the film's composer Alessandro Alessandroni- who also did the whistling on many classic spaghetti western films. We find out the film's score has only had one official release on CD in 1995- but this is long out of print.  They point out notable actors/actresses & other films they appeared in including Mariangela Giordano- who will be known to euro horror cult fans as the mother who gets her breast munched off in Burial Ground: The Nights of Terror (1981).  We find at one point El puro was going to be a ‘Buddhist’ western where the gunslinger would be killed to be replaced by another. They chat about why US actors went to work in the Italian movie industry in the 60’s.  Later on, they discuss one of the films more unpleasant/ misogynistic scenes.  Talk about the Cinematographer Antonio L. Ballesteros, and his other notable pictures. 
 

Otherwise, we get the following on the new side. A Zen Western (15.07) intro from Fabio Melelli. A Real Italian (28.11) filmed an interview with actor Robert Woods. More Than Just A Western (36.37) an appreciation of the soundtrack and its composer, Alessandro Alessandroni, by musician and disc collector Lovely Jon- which as always is excellent, as he deep drives both the composers' career & the score itself.
 
 

Film number three is Wrath Of The Wind (aka La collera del vento, Revenge of Trinity, Trinity Sees Red) which is from the year 1970. It's an Italian Spanish production, and regards two scruffy hitmen being sent to a small town to take out a mark.

It was directed by Santander, Cantabria, Spain-born Mario Camus. He had thirty-three features to his name- these went from boxing drama Young Sánchez (1964), small-town set drama The Holy Innocents (1984), and eviction comedy-drama The Colour Of Clouds (1997).

For the first ten/ fifteen minutes of the film, you’ll be wondering if you put the wrong film in, maybe watching a hitman film instead. As the setting is late 19th century Spain- as we see a smartly dressed man being gunned down on a city hall steps- surrounded by folks in neatly pressed finery, and fairly modern-looking surroundings. We then head to a run-down apartment up some stairs where the two hitmen are hanging out- there’s Marco (Trence Hill) who has a set light blue eye stare, and says little. And the young, slightly longer-haired Jacobo (Mario Pardo)- who may/ may not be his brother. The pair are given a new hit- which means they travel out into the Spanish countryside by train- with Jacobo getting off a stop early, so it seems the pair don’t know each other.

Marco arrives in town- cutting quite a distinctive figure in the poor/ rundown town with his white dress shirt, and white dust-caught black suit. It becomes clear fairly soon that the working people are oppressed & controlled by rich landowners- who treat them very poorly.  Marco meets local raven-haired guest house work Soledad(Maria Grazia Buccella) who thinks he has been sent to help out the town of their troubles- but of course, he isn’t, and fairly soon it’s revealed who is there to kill- though unfortunately it’s at odds with his growing relationship with Soledad & the fiery/ unpredictable Jacobo.

Wrath Of The Wind is more of a mix of small-town drama & western- with a fairly slow & low burn over its one-hour & thirty-seven-minute runtime. Hill is excellent as the sullen & rather lost hitman. Buccella makes for a believable small-town woman looking for hope & escape from the small town. Two other worthy mentions are the recognisable/ respected Spanish actor Fernando Rey as one of the key landowners pushing forward the bad treatment of the townspeople. And Máximo Valverde as the neatly bearded/ cocky town thug.

Wrath Of The Wind certainly stands out as the most untypical Westerns in this set, and the social/ political edge to proceedings makes for a most original distinctive twist on the genre. You’ve just got to be open for a slightly slower & drama-edged flow- though we do still get gunplay, and some good old-fashioned bad guys devilry too. 

 On the extras side here we have a commentary track from author and critic Howard Hughes,  who gives a well research if possible, a little dryly delivered track.  He begins by talking about the film's different titles & the way it’s had different cuts/ presentations. We find out the opening shot was filmed in Seville, and that this and the following scene were cut from many versions of the film. We find out the main part of the film was captured in Andalucia- though not regularly used spaghetti western locations. He talks about the use of travelling on trains in the genre- indicating the new world coming into the Wild West.  He does a deep dive into the career of Trence Hill- discussing how the Italian actor with German origins roles changed/ developed over the years- with him becoming quite known/popular for his work in comedy films- which seems unbelievable really when you see his glum & unsmiling presence here. He discusses the film clandestine meeting scene in the film, and how it rather brought to mind a similar scene in 1971’s A Fistful Of Dynamite.  He points out the use of genuine interiors & not sets in the film. Later on, he talks about how Spain was a popular filming location in the 60’s & 70’s- bringing work to the country.  He talks about how the Wrath Of The Wind is very much a lost Trence Hill film, and that the actor returned again & again to the western genre over his years in acting. All in all, is a commentary track worth a play.
 
Otherwise, we get the following new extras. Campeions- Al Poder (16.58) intro from Fabio Melelli. The Days of Wrath (19.07) interview with camera operator Roberto D’Ettorre Piazzoli. They Call It... Red Cemetery! (9.28) a 2022 from filmmaker Francisco Lacerda, serving as a love letter to the spaghetti western genre.
 
 
 
Finally, we have 1975’s The Four of the Apocalypse...,( aka I quattro dell'Apocalisse ) which I guess you could describe as a Western road movie- with real heart, emotion, grit, and splatterings of gore.  It was directed by Luci Fulci- who of course is most known for his gory, illogical, but atmospheric horror films like Zombie (1979) & House By Cemetery (1981). Though he was fairly genre-varied over his fifty-two feature-length credits- going from musical comedy Ragazzi del Juke-Box (1959, onto erotic thriller One On Top Of The Other (1969), onto some great giallo like Don't Torture a Duckling (1972) & The Psychic (1977).

The film is set in Utah in the year 1873. It opens with sleek, well-dressed, and charming gambler Subby Preston (Fabio Testi) arriving at a western town- unfortunately, the local sheriff is well aware of his notoriety for fleecing folks- so he first burns his several sets of marked cards, and then throws him in jail.

In the cell with him are twenty-something prostitute Emanuelle 'Bunny' O'Neill (Lynne Frederick), African American grave digger Bud (Harry Barid), and passed-out dunked Clem (Micheal J Polland). The four bond fairly quickly with banter, humour, and beetle racing going down. 

The town suddenly gets somewhat of a shake-up with folks’  getting gun down & strung up, and one thing leads to another with the four being let loose. After bonding they decide to head for a larger city together some six or so days away- and so our western road movie unfolds. Along the way, they meet a camp of Dutch Christians, a snake-like bandit. Stopping off in a ghost town, a town full of just men, and on through the heat, rain & snow.
There is a real feeling of heart & humour from the beginning of the film- but as it unfolds, we get moments of touching friendship, cruelty & brutality, and sadness (several times I welled up).  The film is scored by a band that is playing a mix of more vocal-based Pink Floyd & ELO- which is both mellow, hazy and lulling.
 

We get a truly wonderful cast- Testi is a perfect fit as the sleek gambler who finds his heart. Frederick also has a good character arc too as the young lady of the night. Both Polland & Barid finish off the four with charm & humour. Also, worth mentioning are Tomas Milian as cruel & snake-like bandit Chaco. And Adolfo Lastretti as the traveling revenant who has a past with Subby.

There are a few moments of gory violence Fulci is known for- but really, they are few and far between. With the focus here is on an adventure, friendship, and heartfelt emotion. A surprising film from Fulci, and a great high-point end to this box set. 
 
Extra wise on this lastly disc we get a great selection of things. First off, we have a commentary from author and genre expert Kat Ellinger- and as always with Ms Ellinger we find a wonderfully realized, very well-researched, and fascinating track. She kicks off by briefly discussing the other film Fulci made in 1975 horror comedy Dracula in the Provinces. She points out Donald O'Brien who plays the sheriff at the beginning of the film, who later went on to have a few notable roles in euro-horror like the made Dr in Zombie Holocaust (1980). She comments on how Italian western always have very hot/ attractive actors in, unlike their American counterparts. She talks about why she thinks the film can be seen as a horror film labelled as a Western, as well as a post-apocalyptic tone/ feel. She discusses how Fulci started his film work in comedy, and why the director can’t be seen as an auteur. She talks about how the film is about the loss of innocence. Later on, she chats about Tomas Milian who plays the snake & cruel bandit- talking about his career in general, and how he was such a versatile actor.  She talks about the film’s final act, and how it resolves everything. Another track I’ll be playing again.

Otherwise, we have the following Apocalypse Now (15.16) intro from Fabio Melelli. It Takes Four (35.02) previously unreleased interview with production manager Roberto Sbarigia. Did You See How Lucio Shoots? (43.35) which finds Fulci expert/ author Stephen Thrower doing a deep dive into the film, and as always, he does a wonderful in-depth job. He starts off talking about the films the director made before the film to hand. We find out actress Lynne Frederick went on the marry Peter Sellers a few years later, which rather killed her career. He talks about how Fulci was very much influenced by Bob Dylan soundtrack for Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973). He discusses how the film is ribbed with melancholia and has string of bead-like structure. And of course, much more- another must-play featurette.  Lastly, we have The Rhythm Devils Play (37.11) which finds Lovely Jon doing another deep dive into the film’s soundtrack and its composers, Franco Bixio, Fabio Frizzi and Vince Tempera. Newly restored theatrical trailer. Image gallery.
 
Savage Guns: Four Western Classics Vol. 3  features another nicely varied selection of Euro westerns- with each getting such classy treatments, with their 2k prints & their excellent extras. Here’s very much looking forward to Vol 4, and I do hope this series runs & runs.