Blindman (1971)

[cigar joe]

Ok the latest addition to my SW collection.
Now here is an inspired bizzare bit of SW lunacy. 

Blindman 1971.

Tony Anthony is the iconic philosophical Blindman, he wears a floppy sombrero with a cartridge belt hat band, a patchwork duster with one sleve missing, he has a Winchester rifle that has an extended magazine that comes to a point making it double as a walking stick/cane. He uses a braille map and compass. He wears a leather sign around his neck that he can flip open that reads Blind Man on top and the equivalent in Italian below. He has a seeing eye horse named "Boss" which takes him where he wants to go... when he asks for directions he tells whoever he's asking to "tell the horse". 

"Boss" is some talented horse the whole credits sequence and about the first 4 minutes features the antics of this extraordinary steed.

Besides all this he's got extraordinary hearing and somewhat of a sixth sence and can mow down the baddies as he detects them,  this ladies & gentelmen, is the essence of a good SW.  Its done well enough that you suspend belief, its a good flick.

He enters a cantina with his Winchester in his out stretched hand so naturally enery one scatters as he swings the thing around. When he gets a room for the night he swings the rifle around and breaks a mirror, lol.

The story is he's got a contract to deliver 50 mail order brides to a bunch of miners in Lost Creek, Texas. He arrives in the town of Big Inch to collect them but finds out that a bandito/pimp named Domingo has hijacked them to work in a bordello that he runs with his sister "Sweet Mama". They are pimping them to the Mexican Army.

Domingo's brother is "Candy" played by Ringo Starr, he fancies a gringo blond and she is his undoing. Ringo does a great job with his character

This film even has a train scene that features the same squeeky windmill at a water stop along the railroad from OUATITW, (no I didn't see if it was Morton's RR  ).

I watched two versions of this the English cut and the Italian cut, the English cut has less T&A nudity (what can you expect with 50 women and it being the 70's, itsreminds you an explotation women in jail flick) and some bloody gunshots cut out so its a tad bit shorter.

Anybody whose folks may have a problem with this make note.

The Italian Cut has a few more Blindman philosophical one liners that don't show up in the English language version.

Here's one:

"Being blind is like being half a man, being blind and having no money.....now that's a bitch"

The sound track is also good, shrieks, whistles, guitars, whipsnaps, sounding a lot like Morricone but its Stelvio Cipriani.

SPO Entertainment Japan DVD, but I here that a German release with an english language version is being released.

I didn't know what to expect with this flick but was pleasantly surprised.

[redyred]

Sounds pretty good Joe. How good is stuff like direction and cinematogragphy?

[cigar joe]

As far as direction and cinematography its not up to Leone standards but its better than average, there are no inspired camera angles or ingenious use of framing Fredinando Baldi was the director he also directed "The Forgotten Pistolero" and "Texas Adios" of which I haven't heard much about.

[Belkin]

Saw it on the big screen years ago.....left me cold! Not one I would watch again. But talking about watching again, have just (re)viewed REDFORD in "JERIMIAH JOHNSON". Beautiful movie. Simple yet elegant. A forgotten masterpiece? A great companion piece to EASTWOOD'S "JOSEY WALES", imo that is. Ah, good post Sunday dinner fare.

[The Smoker]

Blindman is a great movie.

Instead of following the Fistful/Yojimbo template. They found something new..
Its a clever Spaghetti Western take on Zatoichi 'The Blind Swordsman' all the philosophical statements are like a homage, the shaby hobo appearances too. Which leads to underestimation of his potential.

How can a movie with the drummer from the beatles as a sadistic bandit loose. come on

[Belkin]

MMMmmmmmm! I think RINGO looks as bored playing the part as I was watching it! 

[cigar joe]

Maybe you'd better watch it again Amigo with a few stouts as a preamble.

What was it originally rated at in the UK, I don't think you may have seen the original uncut film.

[Belkin]

Maybe you'd better watch it again Amigo with a few stouts as a preamble.

What was it originally rated at in the UK, I don't think you may have seen the original uncut film.

You could be right, my friend. The cut I saw made no sense whatsoever. If I come across it on DVD will give it a second chance. Stout is a plus!!!!!

[cigar joe]

Here this is from the IMDb on its certification:

Blindman
Certification: Finland:(Banned) (1972) / Sweden:(Banned) / UK:X / USA:R / Canada:18+ (Quebec) / Canada:R (Ontario)

Wow, banned in Finland & Sweden, rated "X" in the UK, its pretty tame stuff, lol.

How did you get in the theater back then Belkin?, lol.

[Belkin]

Here this is from the IMDb on its certification:

Blindman
Certification: Finland:(Banned) (1972) / Sweden:(Banned) / UK:X / USA:R / Canada:18+ (Quebec) / Canada:R (Ontario)

Wow, banned in Finland & Sweden, rated "X" in the UK, its pretty tame stuff, lol.

How did you get in the theater back then Belkin?, lol.

Saw it back in the ole' homestead, Dublin. Eire had a totally different rating system from Britain. For example the LEONE trilogy were rated suitable for kids. As were say, the BRUCE LEE movies. THE WILD ONES with BRANDO, although banned for years in the UK was shown in Dublin at a Saturday morning matinee. All of these and more were shown uncut. It was only in the mid 70's with the press backlash did they start to censor violent movies. A peculiar (Catholic) outlook was, for many years, that violent movies were ok but sex scenes were chopped to pieces. I remember seeing a version of FROM HERE TO ETERNITY that was missing the LANCASTER/KERR beach scene! Go figure. I caught up with a BLINDMAN re-issue in late 70's and remember that it was chopped to hell and back yet they showed TAXI DRIVER uncut! SERPICO was missing the swearing. All very confusing. No wonder I drink! 

[Le Bon]

Here this is from the IMDb on its certification:

Blindman
Certification: Finland:(Banned) (1972) / Sweden:(Banned) / UK:X / USA:R / Canada:18+ (Quebec) / Canada:R (Ontario)

Wow, banned in Finland & Sweden, rated "X" in the UK, its pretty tame stuff, lol.

How did you get in the theater back then Belkin?, lol.

The X certificate in the UK back then was the equivalent of the 18 we have now which came in in the 80's. So it was just for adults, a bit different than the US X cert.

[redyred]

Also, practically everything gets banned in Finland and Sweden, they have really tough rating laws over there. Look at most SWs on IMDb you'll see the same thing.

[The Smoker]

It has 'Rock n Roll' pedigree.
Blindman was funded/produced by ABKCO, Allen Klein's production company. And a branch of London Records in New York.
He's known for managing the Stones business in the States in the late 60s. And more famous for over seeing the neglated business problems at Apple Corps on Savill Row, as the Beatles where bitterly falling apart in the public eye.

Hence why Mr Starkey plays Candy in Blindman.

Klein actually has a cameo in the film. One of the sleepy siesta riflemen at window at the start.

Tony Anthony went through gruling days in the desert dust with his 'Blindman' contact lenses, which must of been quite primitive for the time. You can see how Blindman gets that sometimes quite intense scowl on his face. 

 

[Marco Leone]

Well, I've watched it last night (wasted on wine), and penned a review for my site, to compliment the review that Cigar Joe kindly allowed me to use:-

"Your average spaghetti western gunslinger goes in search of gold, probably hidden in a grave somewhere, someplace. Or is hunting down the bad guy that has murdered a member of his family. But not Blindman - "I want my 50 women".

Yes, Blindman has a contract to deliver 50 mail order brides to a group of miners, and unfortunately he has been double-crossed by his partner, who has sold the women on to bandit Domingo.

It is worth noting that Domingo's brother, Candy, is played by none other than former Beatle and Thomas the Tank Engine narrator Ringo Starr. And, surprisingly he plays this role really well (who said he was the least talented Beatle - I couldn't imagine Paul McCartney acting so well. Actually, I know - I saw "Give My Regards to Broadstreet" once!).

The film, with its "mock Morricone" score, charges along comic book style, and is really good fun. The politics are maybe a bit dodgy in places (judging by the number of beatings and mishandling that both the Blindman and his 50 women are subjected too at regular intervals) and you have to question how a blind gunslinger could have survived so long. But maybe it is such points that make this so different from the many other Spaghetti Westerns, and help to make this a really great view".

http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/spaghettiwesterns

[cigar joe]

Its a hoot, lol.