...was dead and buried... Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to Login or RegisterMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to Login or Register

In fact I read "Sam Pekinpek"... I really don't like this film, Terence Hill is unbearable, poor Henry Fonda...

Evy Angel Jones wrote on 03/27/15 at 2:50pm:

In fact I read "Sam Pekinpek"... I really don't like this film, Terence Hill is unbearable, poor Henry Fonda...

I think it's actually "Sam Peckimpek" with an "m". The homage is apparent and is bolstered by the fact that the huge posse in the film is referred to as "The Wild Bunch".

Personally I find the film frustrating. It had the potential to be incredible and without the slapstick influence of the "Trinity" films, it just might have been. Then again without the existence of the "Trinity" films, there might not have been any impetus to make it anyway.

What is really curious is that some of the scenes are incredibly well filmed and yet the content is severely lacking - in particular the urinal scene and the fairground scene where Nobody is wandering around.

But Hill says Peckinpah in the movie, doesn't he?

yes he does say Peckinpah - and there is no mistake to whom he is referencing here - as for the movie - first time i saw it i did not like it at all - but few months ago i saw it again and in much better light i must say - though it is not actually a Sergio Leone movie - some scenes are unmistakeable his - and not of director Tonino Valeri....
on the other hand Ennio Morricone's soundtrack is superb as always

I think it is a Leone film. 90 % Leone at least.

And it is mostly excellently directed, a pleasure to watch.

Hey Stanton, what'd you say we take our debate over who directed what over from the Sergio Leone forum to here  ;)

He, he, ...why not?

But the thread's title got it already right ...

I read Sergio Leone directed himself the urinal scene. For me it's the worst scene in this film. I prefer remembering Henry Fonda directed by the same Sergio Leone in "One Upon a Time in The West"...

Evy Angel Jones wrote on 03/29/15 at 5:44am:

I read Sergio Leone directed himself the urinal scene. For me it's the worst scene in this film. I prefer remembering Henry Fonda directed by the same Sergio Leone in "One Upon a Time in The West"...

He directed more than that scene, but there are ongoing discussions what he directed himself and what not.
Leone himself claimed in some interviews the opening scene, Fonda's battle with the wild bunch and the New Orleans duel for himself. For the last 2 photo evidence exists which show him on the set and doing stuff which looks like directing.
But apart from what he really directed in person he supervised the film to an extent that I think it is easily his 6th western. Most interviews with actors and crew members confirm this.

The Urinal scene is well enough directed, and works well enough as a parody on Leone's famous duel scenes. But belongs still to the problematic scenes which press the film too much towards a slapstick comedy

Btw many people think that Leone was a big influence on TWB and on American westerns of the 70s in general. Which I don't see.

It is funny in that light that in most books about Peckinpah Leone is not even mentioned. Especially as Leone asked him to direct Giu la testa, which is also not mentioned in any Peckinpah book. Not in the ones I have read.

I have an interview with Sam talking briefly about Sergio. They knew each other and were both the BIG NAMES when it came to western movies in the mid / late 60s and early 70s.
But they were both 'lions' and two directors, at least of their calibre, should not work together. Bodganovich's GIU LA TESTA would would ended up as a sure misfire. I'm glad Sergio did it himself in the end since I love the film.
NOBODY is one of my favorites. In fact it was the first film I ever saw in a cinema, that hot summer of 1974. I still recall the screening, one of the very few I can still recall from those years. Terence Hill is still one of my favorites. Next to Belmondo he was my ultimate hero. Bright, funny, athletic, good & unique looking , witty & serious as well.

I think it's still great, fits very well with LIBERTY VALANCE, RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY and various other 'old west / new west' films.
Of course the slapstick is its weak spot. Barboni used fast motion much more inspired than Leone did, that was not his cup of tea. I don't like toilet scenes but in this one it never bothered me. I guess because it was done so differently. Only the Italians could do stuff like that :).
Fonda works so well in the film because he plays it straight. the photography, staging is soo strong. There's R.G. (he told me Leone & Hill were so nice to him, because he represented 'real Hollywood western' to them.), wonderful locations... Morricone's score is so fantastic! Slightly recutted it would be one of the best westerns ever and to me it still is one of the best post-1969 westerns.

I tried to get Hill into considerering a feature-length film about him. But he is so shy, modest & private, you wouldn't believe it. Shame, he was the biggest European star for over a decade! He is also a Peckinpah fan by the way. In Mr.BILLION he even has the Italian poster for WILD BUNCH on his bed room wall!

Sam, Sergio, Monte, J.Agutter & Fabio Testi in Rome:
Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to Login or Register

having you here, Mike, is fantastic - Thank you!

mike bishop wrote on 03/29/15 at 8:37am:

I have an interview with Sam talking briefly about Sergio. They knew each other and were both the BIG NAMES when it came to western movies in the mid / late 60s and early 70s.

Which interview was that? Not sure if I've seen it.


mike bishop wrote on 03/29/15 at 8:37am:

But they were both 'lions' and two directors, at least of their calibre, should not work together. Bodganovich's GIU LA TESTA would would ended up as a sure misfire. I'm glad Sergio did it himself in the end since I love the film.

I remember reading somewhere that Leone put Peckinpah's name on the grave because he was upset that Peckinpah did not direct Giu la testa. Clearly this was not the case as Leone did it out of reverence to Peckinpah as a good natured joke.

There is a Leone quote about the Peckinpah grave in a German book in which he says:

"If we bury someone here, we extend his life"

If only that had been the case we could have had a few more Peckinpah movies after The Osterman Weekend.

Novecento wrote on 03/29/15 at 1:48pm:

I remember reading somewhere that Leone put Peckinpah's name on the grave because he was upset that Peckinpah did not direct Giu la testa. Clearly this was not the case as Leone did it out of reverence to Peckinpah as a good natured joke.

I was just reading that Ernesto Gastaldi, the screenwriter, actually put the name of Sam Peckinpah in as a holding name because he didn't know any Navajo names. The instructions were to replace the name with something authentic when they were out in New Mexico, but then they decided to leave it in instead.