Friday, February 6, 2009

SPAGHETTI MOMENTS IN NON-SPAGHETTI WESTERNS

Don Randi's music for Glenn Ford's 1973 western Santee (which by the way was "Co-Produced" by Edward Platt, the ol' Chief hisself from the GET SMART tv show and featured John Hart, the other LONE RANGER  who couldn't carry Clayton Moore's mask) sounds spaghetti-like in several places.

The title song of the 1959 Jack (Billy The Kid) Buetel western MUSANG! sung by the amazing Champ Butler (so amazing I couldn't find any info on him) sounds like it could have been lifted from the credits of many a spaghetti.  This modern western was co-written and directed by the late great Tom Gries (100 RIFLES & THE RAT PATROL.)  Another favorite who departed this earth way too soon....at the age of 55.

The 1972 Robert Mitchum south of the border "American" oater THE WRATH OF GOD (not to be confused with the 1968 spaghetti WRATH OF GOD with Montgomery (Brett Halsey) Ford seems and feels more spaghetti to me than Mitchum's  1978 VILLA RIDES which was actually filmed in Almeria.  Some of the movie is set in a town that is a mirror image of Los Albaricoques and co-star Ken Hutchison evoked memories of Lou Castel in A BULLET FOR A GENERAL.

4 comments:

Tom B. said...

I agree on WRATH OF GOD. The first time I saw it I thought it was filmed in Spain.

Chris Casey said...

Yep, I thought the same thing about WRATH OF GOD. For a long time I thought it was an Italian Western, or at least a Euro-hybrid like 100 RIFLES.

Hey, Jangoz...
Do you know if that song from MUSTANG is the same tune that was done as an instrumental by both Link Wray and Dick Dale in the early '60's? If it is, then I completely agree with you about it sounding extremely Spaghetti-like!

Tom B. said...

Question since OUATITW is a series of scenes and an homage from previous American westerns could Bronson's harmonica playing character based on his role in VERA CRUZ?

John Crummett said...

Interesting point, Tom. Never thought about it before.