Saw Fistful of dynamite for the first time

[Hippieoddball1]

Just got the dvd and watched it. Although i have been a fan of sergio for years and have seen the rest of his films so many times over the years, having seen the dollars trilogy every week just about since the age of four, i'm now 21.
I haven't seen thsi because i've never had chance always missed it when it wss on the tele, etc and not being able to get hold of a copy.
I must say i'm extremely dissapointed with it, i didn't expect it to be brilliant but i didn't expect it to be really dull. The last hour makes it into a alright film and of course there's moments of genius innit, but there a few things that are just poor about it.
First off it's not funny, the accents get on your nerves, and the first hour and a half are really slow and boring, like i said the last hour is good and there are great scenes but overall i'm very dissapointed.
I think this is because the film is too story based, well the first hour and a half anyway and the reason i like leone is because you don't need to know the story to watch his great scenes over and over again, there's too much talking in the first hour and a half and not enough music and emotion, but after that it picks up, i mean the scene in the rain when they get shot is genius, and the flashbacks are superb, i would like to see the last flashback in the iitalian version, and when the bridge  blows up, brilliant.
There's also another thing, why has everyone called james coburn character sean, when all the way through the film that name isn't even mentioned and he's clearly called john, i know it sometimes sounds like sean, but even in the news clipping that juan finds it says john.
Just a few thoughts after waychion it for the first time, hope my opinion improves of it, i'm sure it will, because the mans a genius.
But you can't really complain when he's directed six mature works, and 5 of them are the greatest films ever made, but we all would like more, what can we say the man's pure genius.

Anyone bored i know i am just typing it, thanks for reading though.

And it's quite obvious the film should have been called Duck You Ducker in every country.

[Garry Cowell]

There's also another thing, why has everyone called james coburn character sean, when all the way through the film that name isn't even mentioned and he's clearly called john, i know it sometimes sounds like sean, but even in the news clipping that juan finds it says john.

His name is Sean (hence the lyrics in the music #Sean Sean Sean#)
If you listen to Coburn when Steiger first asks his name he clearly says "Sean". Then because Steiger doesn't understand he say the english version of it "John". After all Sean is the Irish version of John.

[Hippieoddball1]

yeah but in the paper clippings it says john, as it does on the box of the dvd. He says john if you ask me, who fuckin knows anyway coburn accent is shockin, i couldn't understand half the stuff he was sayin, and i'm english and my great grandparents were irish, thats where i get my fuckin ginger bonnet from, bastards.

[Jon]

I disagree with  most of your comments[only my opinion though!!].The film is indeed a bit diiferent btu I love it because it sees Sergio attempting a film with more dialogue and actual character developement ]rather than rigid archetypes].And I do think it is funny,particulatly the first meetings of Sean and Juan.

This film will always divide Leone's fans.I think it's a great 'bridging' film between OUATITW and OUATIA.You are right about saying it should be called Duck You sucker though.

[KERMIT]

   just to see a film  staring both steiger AND colburn  + H/oddB1's objective point of view is enough to make me go on a GB&U fast and let DUCK broaden my horizons.

[Cuchillo]

Evening. It's a shame you didn't enjoy it that much, but it's great to read everyones opinions on it.  My other half got it today & we watched it (still not throwing out that 1982 vhs release of it yet!! in fact ever!). The print is great.  I really do like this film., - ignoring Senor Coburns slightly dodgy accent. I love the opening scene in the wagon. Leone's sense of humor is great. If a film makes me laugh & makes me think at the same time, i always think it's worth watching.
Altogether now: sean sean sean
 

[Cuchillo]

 ::)Apologies. I wil post a much more interesting post tomorrow when i haven't been seduced by FFOD & various light ales.
I salute you all!

[Hippieoddball1]

This is funny. I've just watched it again and now i think it's fuckin brilliant. What a film, everything i said in the first post is bollocks.
I maintain it's not funny, but who cares it's just brilliant to watch.
Two things though that are a bit dodgy
1. Coburn's accent, that's the funniest thing in the film.
2. The model train that blows up at the end, it'd pretty obvious.

Apart from them two i think it's superb, i wish i never posted that first comment now, it's funny how your opinion can change.

I don't think it's funny because i don't like slapstick comedy anyway, even though there's not much of it and to be honest i'm prejudise against humour that doesn't come from england, because we are the greatest comedians in the world.

Although the good the bad and the ugly is funny, thanks to tuco, and clint, and because it's the greatest film ever made.

Back to this film though, pure class man, i'm just glad i watched it again so soon. It's some of the best scenes i've seen in my life, and steiger's performance is brilliant, coburn is as cool as ever.

It's been a funny old day, downs and up's, now i'm happy.

[KERMIT]

 i was just about to comment on how  mood effects our perceptions while viewing a film first watched.  
i wqs going to say it would be interrestin H/oddB1 how w/ repeated viewing a film can go from disapointing to a
groove.   next time i'll strike while the iorn is hot.  

leone's magic abides    

[Jon]

This is funny. I've just watched it again and now i think it's fuckin brilliant. What a film, everything i said in the first post is bollocks.
I maintain it's not funny, but who cares it's just brilliant to watch.
Two things though that are a bit dodgy
1. Coburn's accent, that's the funniest thing in the film.
2. The model train that blows up at the end, it'd pretty obvious.

Apart from them two i think it's superb, i wish i never posted that first comment now, it's funny how your opinion can change.

I don't think it's funny because i don't like slapstick comedy anyway, even though there's not much of it and to be honest i'm prejudise against humour that doesn't come from england, because we are the greatest comedians in the world.

Although the good the bad and the ugly is funny, thanks to tuco, and clint, and because it's the greatest film ever made.

Back to this film though, pure class man, i'm just glad i watched it again so soon. It's some of the best scenes i've seen in my life, and steiger's performance is brilliant, coburn is as cool as ever.

It's been a funny old day, downs and up's, now i'm happy.

Good to see you've changed your mind.Although I've always liked FFOD,I remember when i first saw OUATITW when I was about 15,after having not long seen the Dollars trilogy.I must admit,I was very disappointed,I actually found it boring!!Than I watched it again a couple of years later,and i saw the light,I realised it was actually a masterpiece!Maybe I was initailly too young to appreciate it,or expected something different,I can't remember.Leone'd films ALWAYS demand repeat viewing!!!

[shorty larsen]

To me, OUTW is the best Morricone movie, but FFOD is my favourite one.

And probably because of the music.

I think Morricone's score is one of his sadest one.

Just a thing, in order to enjoy the best the Leone's movies, you said that the film is "too story based", but even GBU, OUTW and OUTA are even "too story based" as FFOD.

[The clint]

When I saw it (the long version) for the first time, I thought it was far too long. Then I watched it again and I thought it was much better. I think Coburn is cool and it makes up for his accent which is muddled too say the least (Switching from American to some overexagerrated Irish). Which is it Sean or John? When he introduces himself he says: Sean, but then directly after he says: John. Steiger says: "That is fantastic, that's incredible. My name is Juan and yours is SEAN. It's Juan and JOHN, ay?" See if you can hear it too...

About that train crash sequence, I think the effects are eccellent but take a look at the frames in some of the shots of the exploding train that appear 'stretched' horizontally. Probably stock footage printed on Techniscope film.