Film of the Week #29 - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Karl Hungus

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060196/

You know, it's been a very, very long time since I've seen this film, so much so that I've only got vague memories of watching it as a kid with my dad, but those were fond memories. It's one of those films that's been on my list to see again for some time now, but I've never gotten around to.

Anyway, discuss!

Auvers

What a movie absolute classic, I nicked this brief synopses from Time magazine because I thought it summed it up better than I could.

Clint Eastwood is the "good" (slow to anger, but quick on the trigger), Lee Van Cleef is the bad (an elegant exemplar of absolute evil) and Eli Wallach is the "ugly" (a menacingly funny, totally amoral bandido whose relationship with the Eastwood character consists largely of betrayals). Leone's magnificent style is all contrasts (huge panoramic shots alternating with tight close-ups, very slow build-ups to lightning-fast action). This perfectly matches a narrative that encompasses sadistic brutality, wild humour and, yes, a tragic vision of war and its consequences

& the score by Ennio Morricone is possibly the finest movie soundtrack of all time.

Duggy747

Excellent choice! Though I haven't seen this movie in ages it's a classic! My bro has the spaghetti western boxset so I have to nick it off him next time I'm at his gaff (The joys of DVD ripping )

I love Eastwood movies, always make me wanna go out onto the streets and clean them up from the scum infesting them. Ennio Morricone's score is legendary, I whistle the the damn thing everytime I finish work, I don't even know why really!

da_deadman

I am so happy that this is the current Film of the Week - in fact, in honour of this I have just started playing the soundtrack on my stereo.

This is simply a fantastic piece of film-making that asks serious questions about war.
And it's full of so many iconic scenes; the pointless battle for the bridge, the young soldier dying, crossing the desert, and the final shoot-out (which still has me in nervous anticipation, even after seeing it all these times).

And that soundtrack really adds to every part of the film.

Trippie

Imo this is probably one of the most engaging films i have ever seen and depending on what sort of mood you are in there is a scene that resonates with you be it the shoot out at the end, the music being played in the army camp and the musican breaking down or the captains wry smile when he has realised the bridge is gone and no more lives wil be lost over such a pointless thing.

The characters and the relationships are all fantastic and the two main protagonists complement each other brilliantly especially when the power/upper hand is switching between them at various points in the film.

And the score has already been mentioned so i dont think i have to say anything other than i have yet to see a film where the soundtrack suits it better

Gillie

BEST WESTERN EVER!
That is all

Schism

Im glad this one has made film of the week. Its by far and away my favourite film since I seen it first when I was a kid, you might say it has sentimental value for me!

johnny_ultimate

Ive seen I think two of this trilogy, but I can never remember which ones... Whichever one I watched (may or may not be TGTBATU, more likely a Fistful of Dollars) was terrific. Must check out this to see if I have or have not seen before anyway.. probably lying around on VHS (:eek: ) somewhere.

Jello

da_deadman wrote:

I am so happy that this is the current Film of the Week - in fact, in honour of this I have just started playing the soundtrack

Just did the same myself.

Great film though - easily my favourite western.

The Denouncer

Love this movie, along with Once Upon a Time in the West and Outlaw Josey Wales this is my fav western ever.

Thelikefaneire

Im not a big fan of westerns and but when i saw the full directors cut of this in my schools film club i loved it. Infact i love the all 3 of the man with no name trilogy, but this movie is by far the best. Its just brilliant, and the long stand off at the end, priceless.

galactus

A legend of a movie. This and Shane are the classic two westerns for me.

Have seen this many, many times but got to see ts on the big screen in The Kino a few years back. There was at least one or two members of the audience dressed up in ponchos