A couple of days ago, I went to Chauvel Cinema in Paddington to watch one of Sergio Leone's classic spaghetti western films, Once Upon A Time In The West with Kieran. Fortunately for me, my first ever screening of a Leone film was in a large theatre, of a restored 35mm film print. The experience was out of this world.
Initially I was prepared for another one of those boring old films, which go on for at least one hour too long for my fragile attention span. Kieran had been telling me about how Leone films were known to be "long and draggy" to the average viewer. Afterwards, I hoped so much for the night's screening to prove my doubtful self wrong.
And so it did. Leone's meticulous filmmaking created this stunning, epic western film. One that I really, really enjoyed. After the film's 15-minute opening of the most beautifully composed sound design, I knew I was going to enjoy this. It said everything about Leone's filmmaking style - methodical, European. The excellent sound design continues throughout the film, layered with Ennio Morricone's amazing music composition. I was sold when Charles Bronson's character began to play that hauntingly beautiful track - titled "Man With A Harmonica".
I think what makes Leone's characterisations so fantastic is his clever use of Morricone's music throughout the film, played as theme songs for his characters in different situations, and at times, in different tempos. Also, combined with features of meta, such tracks become so memorable, it simply works for the film.
Leone's vision is captivating in this film. I absolutely loved the dueling eyes of Henry Fonda and Charles Bronson captured in the power of the extreme close-up shots that filled the camera's wide frame - what tension! I just loved the confrontation's impact on me in the theatre. The cinematography of the film came across as formalist, which I understand - prior to the screening, Kieran had told me a story about how Leone was so precise with his direction that he was literally mathematical about everything.
Otherwise, there was nothing about this film that I didn't disagree with. The dialogue was a bit weird, and at times Claudia Cardinale seemed dubbed, but everything else about the film worked for me.
A great western film overall. The next on my 'Sergio Leone must watch list' will be the three films prior to this - A Fistful of Dollars, For A Few More Dollars and The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.
I just can't rate this any less than 10/10.
Initially I was prepared for another one of those boring old films, which go on for at least one hour too long for my fragile attention span. Kieran had been telling me about how Leone films were known to be "long and draggy" to the average viewer. Afterwards, I hoped so much for the night's screening to prove my doubtful self wrong.
And so it did. Leone's meticulous filmmaking created this stunning, epic western film. One that I really, really enjoyed. After the film's 15-minute opening of the most beautifully composed sound design, I knew I was going to enjoy this. It said everything about Leone's filmmaking style - methodical, European. The excellent sound design continues throughout the film, layered with Ennio Morricone's amazing music composition. I was sold when Charles Bronson's character began to play that hauntingly beautiful track - titled "Man With A Harmonica".
I think what makes Leone's characterisations so fantastic is his clever use of Morricone's music throughout the film, played as theme songs for his characters in different situations, and at times, in different tempos. Also, combined with features of meta, such tracks become so memorable, it simply works for the film.
Leone's vision is captivating in this film. I absolutely loved the dueling eyes of Henry Fonda and Charles Bronson captured in the power of the extreme close-up shots that filled the camera's wide frame - what tension! I just loved the confrontation's impact on me in the theatre. The cinematography of the film came across as formalist, which I understand - prior to the screening, Kieran had told me a story about how Leone was so precise with his direction that he was literally mathematical about everything.
Otherwise, there was nothing about this film that I didn't disagree with. The dialogue was a bit weird, and at times Claudia Cardinale seemed dubbed, but everything else about the film worked for me.
A great western film overall. The next on my 'Sergio Leone must watch list' will be the three films prior to this - A Fistful of Dollars, For A Few More Dollars and The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.
I just can't rate this any less than 10/10.
Ahhh! I love Sergio Leone's Westerns and this is my favourite of the bunch! One of the coolest things is that his shots throughout the movie are paced in emulation of a quickening heartbeat. If you decide to check the Eastwood flicks then you are also obligated to see Akira Kurosawa's excellent "Yojimbo" (the basis of "A Fistful of Dollars"). Toshiro Mifune's just as much of a badass as old Clint.
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