Elio Scardamaglia Movies
- 1980
- PG
Monica Vitti stars as Tina Candela, a housekeeper on trial for murdering her husband. As she recounts her testimony, the jury becomes taken with fantasies about the marriage of the accused. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
Bud Spencer and Cary Guffey reprise the roles they originated in 1979's The Sheriff and the Satellite Kid in this sequel that finds the hapless ex-sheriff (Spencer) on the run from the army with his pint-sized alien sidekick (Guffey) when he stumbles into a town that just happens to be in need of an experienced lawman. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 1979
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The Sheriff and the Satellite Kid is an Italian comedy western, not so much "spaghetti" as "pablum." Tough sheriff Bud Spencer experiences a Close Encounter on the lone prairie. From out of a visiting spacecraft steps Cary Guffey, who befriends Spencer on the spot. Gaining a reputation as "The Satellite Kid," Guffey becomes the fastest gun--or laser--in the West. The Sheriff and the Satellite Kid bypassed the dying drive-in circuit to make its American debut on cable TV. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A retired football great heads back to the gridiron to coach a fledgling team and prove he still has that magic touch in this classic Bud Spencer sports comedy. "The Bulldozer" (Spencer) was a football giant with an ego the size of Texas. Refusing to believe that he could ever be defeated out on the gridiron, "The Bulldozer" eventually turned his back on the sport lest he risk being proven wrong. While the former star did prove successful at ducking out of the limelight and beginning a career as an anonymous fisherman, things took a turn for the worst when his boat was destroyed by a submarine. Subsequently unemployed, "The Bulldozer" reluctantly accepted a position coaching a minor-league team. Regardless of his "has been" status, however, "The Bulldozer" still knows that he's the best football player there is, and he's prepared to prove it to the entire world. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 1978
- R
In this poorly dubbed English-language Italian film, shot in England, Charleston (Bud Spencer) is a gangster who is trying to arrange a transaction which will result in the transfer of ownership of a huge yacht. It means a lot to him, because his freedom is at stake. It means a lot to the Texan (James Coco) and the Inspector (Herbert Lom) too, because they will gain, respectively, lots of cash and the return of a valuable stolen painting. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bud Spencer, Herbert Lom, (more)
- 1975
This satirical comedy recounts a tale of love across class boundaries; the twist is that here a middle-class juror, Gabriella Sansoni (Claudia Cardinale), learns about love from the testimony of Tina Candela (Monica Vitti), a woman on trial for murder. It seems that Tina has found ecstasy in a masochistic fashion by being slapped around by her beloved husband Gino (Giancarlo Giannini). She is so persuasive in this regard that Gabriella lays out a plan to receive similar treatment from her man, Andrea (Vittorio Gassman). ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Claudia Cardinale, Vittorio Gassman, (more)
- 1970
This focus of this unassuming war movie is the Italian youth whose loyalties are divided in the wake of the political turmoil that has fomented World War II. In particular, three provincial teens gravitate away from their close circle of friends to become thoroughly disillusioned by the present state of society. One young man joins the underground to fight fascism, while his sister falls in love with a veteran Italian pilot from the Spanish Civil War. After a heartbreaking series of events, she returns to the arms of the man who has always loved her, a childhood sweetheart. He is a young rebel who becomes alienated from his family and friends when he also takes a stand against the fascist regime. Flashbacks are used to give historical perspectives for the characters, a technique that occasionally leads to viewer confusion. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alain Noury, Roberto Lande, (more)
- 1970
The culmination of filmmaker Federico Fellini's lifelong love affair with circus folk was his 1971 The Clowns (I clowns). Fellini's alter ego this time is a young boy, taking in his first circus (again, we're treated to the "parade" motif so often utilized by the director). As the clowns go through their rollicking routines, Fellini takes the time to snipe at movie critics by having one humorless newspaperman, who keeps repeating "What does it mean?", inundated with pails of water. There is also a fleeting homage to Charlie Chaplin in the form of Chaplin's daughter Victoria, who portrays an auditioning clown. Made for Italian TV, The Clowns sustains its exuberance by taking absolutely nothing seriously--not even Fellini, who makes fun of himself throughout in the guise of a pretentious documentary filmmaker. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Riccardo Billi, Fanfulla, (more)
A Confederate deserter battles a Mexican bandit when the deserter's child dies for lack of milk. Warner (George Hilton) receives word his girlfriend is dying and about to give birth to the couple's child. The woman is the daughter of Don Pedro Sandoval (Ernest Borgnine), who hates all gringos and Warner in particular. Warner sets out for Juarez, but is captured by a Confederate unit and jailed. He escapes with two other men when they flee from their grave-digging detail. Warner arrives in Juarez where he finds his lover has died of cholera after having given birth to a baby boy. Sandoval gives the squalling, sickly infant to Warner, but the locals refuse to help Warner find milk for the baby. One callous rancher drops a bottle of milk rather than help the hated gringo. The baby dies, and Warner and his men join a group of outlaw monks led by the Padre (Leo Anchoriz). Warner seeks revenge on those who would not help his cause. Staying one step ahead of the cholera epidemic and the Confederates. Warner returns to the rancher who dropped the bottle and drowns him in a bucket of milk while the townsfolk watch in horror. The gang continues to rob and pillage, taking refuge in a bar and pawing at the saloon girls. Warner then sets his sights on Sandoval. He tracks the bandit to a bull ring where the two fight with knives for the inevitable showdown. The film is plagued by poor English dubbing. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ernest Borgnine, George Hilton, (more)
- 1969
The Italian-Spanish Vengeance is Mine should not be confused with the 1948 British film or the 1980 Japanese production of same name. Spaghetti-western veteran George Hilton plays a man who spends the early portions of the film seeking out the person who allowed his family to die of disease during the Civil War. When that man (Ernest Borgnine) turns out to be unrepentant, it's all cat-and-mouse until the climactic showdown. A certain amount of sweaty intensity elevates this Spanish-Italian oater. Vengeance is Mine was released in Europe as Quei Dispe Rati Che Puzzano di Sudore et di Morte. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
This spooky Italian thriller is set in a remote medical clinic for the deaf-mute in a town terrorized by a mysterious hooded slasher. Many suspect that the doctor himself has been killing lovely young women. The rumors say that he does the grisly deeds to help reconstruct the quick-lime burned face of his formerly beautiful sister-in-law. Though it looked as if her falling into the vat of lime was an accident, some believe the doctor pushed her. The mystery comes in because the doctor is not the only one at the clinic with murderous tendencies. Other suspects include his crippled wife, a crazed patient, or an extortionist. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Berger, Max Dean, (more)
- 1965
In this sword and sandal spectacle, a Roman journeys to Asia to oversee the building of an aqueduct. His main job is to replace the former slavemaster. Unlike him, the new overseer tries a gentler approach with the slaves. When he proves that his methods are more effective, the former supervisor gets angry and decides to get his revenge by inciting a revolt amongst the captives. He almost succeeds in that all the Romans but the new overseer are slaughtered. One slave helps the gentle Roman to hide. Meanwhile the chief rebels are captured and killed. This leads the kindly supervisor to be blamed, so he and his newfound friend steal out of the city and team up with another rebel. They all dress up as masked gladiators and then take on the Romans. Eventually, the three avengers successfully foil the plans of the Roman troublemaker just before he makes an attempt to take over the local government. As a reward for their courage, the slaves are freed, and the reputation of the soft-hearted supervisor remains unblemished. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1965
This Italian/French/Spanish sagebrusher stars Giuliano Gemma as the Arizona Colt, a notorious bandit. Imprisoned in a desert town, the Colt is sprung by gang leader Gordon Watch (Fernando Sancho). Instead of galloping off into the sunset, Our Hero elects to stay in town to defend its citizens from the film's real bad guys: Watch's gang. Had Clint Eastwood and Sergio Leone had anything to do with it, Arizona Colt would probably be hailed as a classic; as it stands, it's just another spaghetti western. The film was also released as Man From Nowhere. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1964
In this sword-and-sandal fantasy, Goliath must rescue twenty-four virgins who are being sent as a tribute to an evil conqueror. First the hero liberates one of the women. He then teams up with two other titans to save the rest. Action, adventure, and romance ensue. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1962
Roger Browne was the latest entry in the Steve Reeves/Gordon Scott beefsteaks--er, sweepstakes--in 1962's Revenge of the Gladiators. Utilizing standing Cinecitta sets and well-worn costumes, the film has the husky Browne rescuing a princess from marauding barbarians. The damsel in distress is played by sword 'n' sandal "regular" Scilla Gabel. The director is Michel Lupo, he of the "Shout 'action', close your eyes and hope for the best" school of filmmaking. If you don't like the action highlights, you'll get a thrill out of watching the actors flap their mouths in a Babel of foreign languages while the English soundtrack tries to keep pace. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roger Browne, Scilla Gabel, (more)
