A Fistful of Dollars (DVD, 2009, 2-Disc Set, Collector's Edition)

The first true Spaghetti Western follows the exploits of a nameless drifter (Clint Eastwood) who wanders into a town torn apart by greed, corruption, and revenge. The clever, tough-talking gunslinger then plays the town's two feuding families off each other to his own benefit. As members of each family are planted in the ground, the gold in his pockets gets heavier and heavier. This violent remake of Akira Kurosawa's YOJIMBO made Eastwood a star, and sparked two sequels--FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE and THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY--to form what is now referred to as the Man with No Name trilogy. All three films starred Eastwood, featured Ennio Morricone's distinctive musical compositions, and were directed--in a wonderfully gritty style--by Sergio Leone. Although the film was not released in the United States until 1967, it was produced and released internationally in 1964.

Sergio Leone remakes Akira Kurosawa's YOJIMBO into a film that only launched the Spaghetti Western genre, but it also redefined a stale, repetitive, dying American genre.

Clint Eastwood is a laconic, mysterious gunfighter who arrives in a depressing border town where two rival gangs of smugglers try to outgun one another. Using his wits and a Cobra-handled Colt, Eastwood accepts both jobs as an enforcer and pits one criminal against another in a series of inventive, deadly showdowns.

Despite the film's $20,000 budget, the sets in Almeria are given an extraordinarily gritty look thanks to production designer Carlo Simi. Massimo Dallamano's Techniscope cinematography fills the movie with extreme close-ups and sun-drenched vistas. And of course, Ennio Morricone never fails to deliver a great soundtrack to accompany Leone's directorial style.

Although the plot and characters aren't original to the nth degree, I don't see this movie as a remake at all let alone Kurosawa. A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS is the first Spaghetti Western of its kind, but it won't be the last.

Ah westerns... if anyone asks me if I like westerns, my usual reply is "not really" I say this because I don't really watch a lot of westerns. The strange thing is, when I actually do decide to watch a western, nine times out of ten I really enjoy it. This one, is no exception.

I recently saw the Sergio Leone "Man With No Name" Trilogy on Bluray was on sale at Amazon the other week. How could I refuse such a bargain? Three supposed classic Clint Eastwood movies for under $30? I was totally sold, sure they were westerns, but they were CLINT EASTWOOD westerns, and I love myself a bit of Clint.

A stranger comes to a small town where two factions are fighting with each other to run the place. The man with no name (who for some reason is called "Joe" which really should make him "The Man Called Joe" but I digress...) plays them off against each other and claims loads of cash for his troubles. Sure the blood looks like red paint, and when people die, they act like they should be in swan lake, but this movie is a CLASSIC. Great story, great acting by Clint, great directing. Yup, it is a keeper, and now I really am looking forward to watching the other two movies in the trilogy.

Clint Eastwood stars in Sergio Leone's 1964 western.
A gunslinging drifter enters a town torn by crime,
greed and revenge. This is a great film and this
2-disc set has nice picture and sound plus neat
extras. I recommend this classic.

no wonder it is called the big bang of clint eastwood's carrier. it's most greatest western of all time since the greatest legacy of western itself formed by john houston. fabulous!