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Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Death Rides A Horse (aka Da Uomo A Uomo) (1967)

A child witnesses the killing of his father and the rape and murder of his mother and sister. When he grows up to be a young man (John Phillip Law), he vows to avenge their deaths. At the same time, a man (Lee Van Cleef) just released from prison vows to track down the men who double crossed him and sent him to prison. But fate has a surprise for both men. This is a terrific spaghetti western, tense and gripping yet with a surprising amount of poignancy and even a soupcon of humor. The glint eyed edgy Van Cleef and the blue eyed boyish Law make for an offbeat but engaging pair. Directed by Giulio Petroni but it would have done Sergio Leone proud. There's a sensational score, one of his very best, by Ennio Morricone which Quentin Tarantino pilfered for KILL BILL. The striking wide screen (Techniscope) cinematography is by Carlo Carlini (Fellini's IL VITELLONI) impressively utilizing the dusty Spanish locations. With Anthony Dawson (Hitchcock's DIAL M FOR MURDER).

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