Criminally underrated.
This is one of Leone's most entertaining films. Why don't you ever hear more people talk about it?
Who agrees?
The Expendables- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6RU5y2fU6s
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MovieChat Forums > Giù la testa (1972) Discussion > Criminally underrated.
I was astounded and blown away by 2001: A Space Odyssey on my first viewing.
Same with Once Upon a Time in the West.
With DYS, I could sense the power in the film the first time around, but I didn't have the "!!!!!" until my second viewing (in which the film brought me to tears).
The first half is pretty weird and painful the first time through, and combine that with the extremely minamalist (and arguably first-time-confusing) narrative, and a load of viewers are going to be quickly put off by it.
Films are usually more enjoyable if you go in with a good level of trust in the director, but DYS just plain demands it; it's certainly not something I would recommend for someone's first Leone film.
It's a phenomenal film IMO, but a relatively low number of viewers are going to be able to get into it in the first place.
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It is to be fair, but it's nowhere near as under-rated as other spaghetti westerns I've seen. The Big Gundown, Companeros, The Mercenary etc. are much better westerns The Dynamite yet are even more unknown than this film is.
"You brought two too many"-Harmonica
I was astounded and blown away by 2001: A Space Odyssey on my first viewing.
Same with Once Upon a Time in the West.
With DYS, I could sense the power in the film the first time around, but I didn't have the "!!!!!" until my second viewing (in which the film brought me to tears).
The first half is pretty weird and painful the first time through, and combine that with the extremely minamalist (and arguably first-time-confusing) narrative, and a load of viewers are going to be quickly put off by it.
Films are usually more enjoyable if you go in with a good level of trust in the director, but DYS just plain demands it; it's certainly not something I would recommend for someone's first Leone film.
It's a phenomenal film IMO, but a relatively low number of viewers are going to be able to get into it in the first place.
^^This share
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I felt the same way one of the posters above me did. Films such as Once Upon a Time in America, Once Upon a Time in The West, and TGTBTU absolutely blew me away the first time I watched them. It only took me a single viewing to realize that these films were masterpieces. With DYS, it was a different story. I thought it was quite good at first, but it didn't wow me like these other Leone classics. But, a second viewing certainly changed that for me. Now I wouldn't rate this as high as these other films, but it truly is one incredible, underrated LEONE film.
Hey there, Johnny Boy, I hope you fry!
If I mention it to someone they usually say "Oh yes, Clint Eastwood, great film", then I have to explain it's Dynamite not Dollars, and what the film is about. Maybe there is an element of people thinking they know it from the past so don't bother to see what it actually is. (This being in the UK where it's not D.U.S.)
shareCount me in as another person that appreciated this movie a lot more the second viewing.
It's only natural, most people saw The Dollars trilogy and Once Upon a Time in the West before this movie, were expecting another masterpiece... but in the second viewing, there are no longer high expectations, and it's easier to appreciate this movie for what it is, a damn good western.
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My ratings:
http://www.imdb.com/user/ur5531916/ratings
Another reformed prodigal son from Leone
This film has really subtle performances, a second viewing is a must; as with all the others "Once upon a time" films
BTW, the new Italian blu-ray is fantastic, I can't recommend it highly enough
http://www.amazon.it/Giu-Testa-Maria-Monti/dp/B00G2UUUM0/ref=sr_1_1?s= dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1392655121&sr=1-1&keywords=giu+la+test a
I happen to think it's a masterpiece, and Leone's second best behind OUATITW. I think something that would've helped make it less obscure to more general audiences would've been to stick with the title it was released under in France, 'Once Upon a Time...the Revolution.' To me that's the best and most appropriate title for it. I guess they went with Fistful of Dynamite to associate it more with the more well known Dollars films, but it really is apart of the 'Once Upon a Time...' trilogy and not the Dollars trilogy, so I think sticking with the France release title would've solidified its identity better to avoid title and content confusion which I think is partly responsible for this one slipping through the cracks somewhat.
On another note, try watching the 'Once Upon a Time...' trilogy in this order, OUATIA, OUATTR, OUATITW. Best order if you ask me.
agree
shareI'm gonna do a backwards Leone marathon soon, watching Fistful last will add to the surreality I guess
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