Sabata

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

Runtime: 111 minutes

Directed by: Gianfranco Parolini

Starring: Lee Van Cleef, William Berger, Ignazio Spalla, Aldo Canti, Franco Ressel

From: Prudozioni Europee Associate

Featuring the Wild West version of Call an Ambulance… But Not for Me!

Via the DVR recording a showing of this on HDNet Movies last month, I finally got to see Sabata as the lead when in the past, Django and three Sartana films were experienced—including one where Sabata appeared because copyright laws apparently don’t exist in Italy and instead of Lee Van Cleef or even Yul Brynner, the character was played by someone who resembled JOHN CENA. No shocker that this often echoed Sartana-- Gianfranco Parolini directed the initial entry in that series but then was passed over for subsequent installments, instead being handed this new franchise.

The film involves money stolen from a bank that villains wish to use to… acquire land that will become valuable once the railroad arrives. Gee, why does that sound familiar? Lee Van Cleef as Sabata shoots down those bandits and the crux of the movie is the bad guys attempting to dispose of him so they can re-acquire the dough. There are plenty of characters around, as literally dozens die throughout-usually through preposterous yet inventive ways to shoot someone w/ a four-barreled gun. This is just like a Sartana film so if you enjoy those pictures…

It's not the most serious Spaghetti Western picture. After all, there are some moments that in general are preposterous and this includes such elements as a character named Banjo who (get this) plays the banjo… which is also a rifle! Also, there’s an acrobatic troupe. However, this will help me remember this cartoony genre effort where Sabata is aided by a Civil War veteran and the villain is portrayed as a heel because he’s a faux-intellectual, pompous ass. Oh, and there was-no kidding-a moment where you think that someone is going to die and makes a remark as such, but it was a swerve.