Disney Versus Tarantino ~ Duel In The Old West
Brian E. Erland | Brea, CA - USA | 10/12/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Shot in the Tuscan mountains of Spain, director Giovanni Veronesi has created a decidedly strange and rather quirky western which continually vacillates between wholesome family entertainment and dark, surreal Tarantinoesque depravity.
Famous gunfighter Johnny Lowen (Harvey Keitel) decides to hang-up his sixshooter and return to the home and family he left some twenty years ago. In his absence his wife has died and his son (Leonardo Pieracconi) has grown-up and is now the town Doctor. Doc is married to a beautiful Indian maiden, Pearl (Sandrine Holt) and has a young half-breed son, Jeremiah (Yudii Mercredi).
Retirement doesn't come easy for Johnny. Jack Sikora (David Bowie), another notorious and reportedly psycho outlaw is on his trail. Jack is determined to kill Johnny, thereby securing for himself the reputation of "fastest gun." Johnny's refusal to strap on his sixshooter angers Jack and his gang. They try to change his mind by taking their hostilities out on the townspeople. As the violence escalates it becomes clear that someone will have to face Sikora sooner or later. Who will it be?
A delightfully ecclectic and oddball supporting cast. There's Joshua (Jim van der Woude) the town fool who lives on Doc's roof, crowing like a rooster at sunrise and hooting like an owl through the night. Then there's the very sexy Mary (Alessia Marcuzzi), saloon owner and resident whore who delights the young Jeremiah with her outdoor showers.
However it's Jack Sikora and his seedy entourage that steal the show. There's Rastafarian (Kwame Kwei-Armah) and Albino (Stephan Jenn) two of the most unsavory individuals you'll ever lay your eyes on as Sikora's bodyguards, while Leathergirl (Michelle Gomez) photographs the nefarious deeds of their leader for posterity. Then of course there's David Bowie with his chronologically inappropriate sunglasses and peacock attire posing with delight after every killing.
Definitely not your standard run-of-the-mill western. Worth seeing and should stand up very well with repeat viewings."
Guilty Pleasure
Gary D. Saluti | West Chester, PA | 09/18/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"A true Spaghetti Western replete with the usual cast of characters, poor acting, seemingly dubbed dialog, cliches galore etc. (Did they really have sunglasses in 1882)? The added bonus of course is Keitel and Bowie. You must have a sense of humor to appreciate this truely funny Italian view of the wild west. Many will think me crazy, and I hate to admit it, but I really enjoyed this film."
Wimpy Western
L. Shirley | fountain valley, ca United States | 09/19/2008
(2 out of 5 stars)
"Okay, so I wasn't exactly expecting "Gunslinger's Revenge" to be the next "Unforgiven". But when the artwork of the 3 tough guys in western garb on the front cover grabbed my attention while sorting the the bargain bin at Wal-Mart caught my eye, I was compelled to picked it up, Hmmm, I thought, as I read the blurb on the back, sounds promising.
An aging infamous gunfighter returns home to live in peace with his family and is forced out of retirement by an even deadlier gunfighter who has been on his trail for a year and is itchin for a shoot out to prove who is best .Sounds like something right up my alley and what's more, one of my favorite tough guys, Harvey Keitel was the star. I couldn't pass it up.
Well, as it turns out, this was of course no "Unforgiven", and as a Western lover who never met a Western I didn't like in some way(if nothing else, the scenery and sound of the horses galloping always get to me), I think I can honestly say, this one was terrible. It may possibly be the worst Western I have ever seen.
A young "half-breed"(as he calls himself) boy is the light of his Indian Mom and White Dad's life.We see the story unfold from his eyes. The little town they live in has it's share of quirky characters, and live not far from from reservation with the boys maternal family. Dad is the town "Doc" and seems to be the peacemaker of all quarrels. When two guys argue in the middle of town and threaten to take each other out, Doc steps in the middle(literally) and all is forgiven. But when Doc's father returns to town after a twenty year absence, he turns their lives upside down.
Johnny Lowen(Keitel) was an infamous gunfighter. None tougher or faster on the draw. But he is through with the life of a killer and wants to come home to the homestead where he was born and live a peaceful life with his son and family.But with him he brings trouble.When Jack Sikora, an even deadlier gunfighter-due to the fact that he is not only good with a gun, but a "psycho" as well- comes looking for Lowen for one last gunfight, Lowen's family and the entire town are put in danger. Live's are being lost as Sikora taunts Lowen out of retirement and eventually Sikora has found a way to get Lowen to strap his gun belt back on.
This movie was filmed as if someone was trying to resurrect the old spaghetti western genre, and just failed miserably. It should be left in peace and in all the glory it had in the 60's and 70's. The good guys, (including our anti-hero wanna-be Keitel)with the possible execption of Doc's slightly touched sidekick and his wife, were the biggest bunch of wimps ever to set foot in the old west. The only time Keitel ever even used his gun was to shoot bottles off a fence post. The only one who show an ounce of spirit and courage was the boy's mom. Doc who was born in the west, spoke like he just graduated from some eastern finishing school. The acting was pitiful,dialogue awful,the action slow, painful and boring. I also expected more of a storyline for the Indians, who were merely kept informed of the events, and predicted what the "spirits" would do.
I would have expected one of my all time favorite tough guys, Harvey Keitel, to save this horrible film, as I have never seen a movie that had him in it that I didn't enjoy. But really the only meaty role and really good acting came from David Bowie, who was truly a scary psycho surrounded by an entourage of more psycho killers. So a star for him, and one for the music. I forgive Mr. Keitel for this, everyone has to have one bad film(think Brando in 'The Island of Dr. Moreau"),but as a fan, and as a Western lover,I'm sorry to say, I can not recommend this film at all(I'm not even sure this fits into the "western" genre"). There wasn't even that scenery or galloping horse sound to help me warm to this film. I watched the clock more then the film and was glad when the hour an a half came to an end.
The film is rated PG13 and has some violence(and one nude scene) mixed in with this other wise tame film.
Saddle Up and ride in the opposite direction of this one......Laurie
Also with Harvey Keitel(see my reviews for details) - Thelma & Louise
Taxi Driver (Collector's Edition)
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