Western Books

[titoli]

I have just received the first edition of this (with the title in the singular) and read it at a sitting. To be read with a grain of salt (some chronology and factual errors are blatant) but mandatory reading for every leonite for the number of infos and the self-portrait Leone delineates.     

[dave jenkins]

In French?

[titoli]

Oui, monsieur. But not that difficult, I presume, to read for english speakers.

[Tuco the ugly]

Oui, monsieur. But not that difficult, I presume, to read for english speakers.

 

[Groggy]

I have just received the first edition of this (with the title in the singular) and read it at a sitting. To be read with a grain of salt (some chronology and factual errors are blatant) but mandatory reading for every leonite for the number of infos and the self-portrait Leone delineates.     

Any errors more blatant than Frayling's?

[noodles_leone]

More like arrangements of the truth by Leone in order to show that not only he is the greatest director of all time, but he's also always right, i sees everything coming, he wins every argument, he is a great guy, and people around other than his close collaborators are morons.

[Novecento]

Hi all, thought I'd make my first posting although I've been lurking around the boards for a while now.

It's basically Leone in his own words so, as Noodles_Leone puts it, it is pretty one-sided but nonetheless very interesting.

Personally I loved his comments concerning Kurosawa and Japanese cinema and also his lengthy description of the introductory scene to "Leningrad" (soon to be directed by Giuseppe Tornatore!). For some nice Leone exaggerations, check out his claims regarding My Name is Nobody where, in particular, he claims to have personally directed the introductory "barber's shop" scene which is clearly Valerii's work.

[noodles_leone]

To me it's the best book about Leone or Leone's work up to date. THE only must-read. And if can't read French, then, learn.

Welcome on board, by the way 

[noodles_leone]

Another interesting thing is what he says about may 68 or Brigitte Bardot. He basically saw may 68 coming (unlike other people) and discovered Bardot.

[Sonny]

Hi all, thought I'd make my first posting although I've been lurking around the boards for a while now.

It's basically Leone in his own words so, as Noodles_Leone puts it, it is pretty one-sided but nonetheless very interesting.

Personally I loved his comments concerning Kurosawa and Japanese cinema and also his lengthy description of the introductory scene to "Leningrad" (soon to be directed by Giuseppe Tornatore!). For some nice Leone exaggerations, check out his claims regarding My Name is Nobody where, in particular, he claims to have personally directed the introductory "barber's shop" scene which is clearly Valerii's work.

  so, in other words, you're saying Leone was lying? lol I find your post interesting, mainly because you seem to have a firm grip on what appears to be a distinct difference between Valerii's work and Leone's in My Nmae is Nobody. I mean, I understand why it's not always considered a "Leone film" but I never understood the distinct differences everyone else seems to notice between Leone's style and Valerii's. I mean, when I saw My Name is Nobody (after having only seen GBU and FAFDM) I thought of it as a light-hearted version of Leone's other films. And I knew nothing about Valerii's style and didn't bother to compare it to Leone's in My Name is Nobody. To me, Leone is those sudden extreme close-ups, the Morricone scores, and the very intense scenes that take their time to reach an action point.
So I just want to know more about Valerii's style and how it's so distinct in My Name is Nobody.. in other words, how can you be sure that he directed the baber shop scene?

Welcome to the board! 

[dave jenkins]

So I just want to know more about Valerii's style and how it's so distinct in My Name is Nobody.. in other words, how can you be sure that he directed the baber shop scene?

I want to hear more about this as well.

[Novecento]

so, in other words, you're saying Leone was lying? lol I find your post interesting, mainly because you seem to have a firm grip on what appears to be a distinct difference between Valerii's work and Leone's in My Nmae is Nobody. I mean, I understand why it's not always considered a "Leone film" but I never understood the distinct differences everyone else seems to notice between Leone's style and Valerii's. I mean, when I saw My Name is Nobody (after having only seen GBU and FAFDM) I thought of it as a light-hearted version of Leone's other films. And I knew nothing about Valerii's style and didn't bother to compare it to Leone's in My Name is Nobody. To me, Leone is those sudden extreme close-ups, the Morricone scores, and the very intense scenes that take their time to reach an action point.
So I just want to know more about Valerii's style and how it's so distinct in My Name is Nobody.. in other words, how can you be sure that he directed the baber shop scene?

Just posted some more evidence here: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=126.msg127852#msg127852

[Sonny]

Just posted some more evidence here: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=126.msg127852#msg127852

Thanks for the info you posted. 

The question does remain, however, about Valerii's style compared with Leone's. I don't doubt that Valerii directed certain scenes of My Name is Nobody (or most of them). I wasn't doubting your sources in determining the barber shop scene direction, etc. I only want to know about the style resonance you were talking about in your earlier post on this thread, when you said that the barber shop scene was "clearly Valierii style". That's what I was talking about.

[Novecento]

Nowadays, in the big homogenized movie industry, it is hard to distinguish any director from another purely on the basis of their use of the camera or what they ask of their cinematographers. I would venture to suggest that the sole exception, of which I am aware, is Giuseppe Tornatore.

Anyone can have similar visual themes which they may or may not have adopted from others. Tarantino is often cited as a great example of a distinctive director but this has nothing to do with camera use. He is rather noted for dialogue, unchecked violence, appropriation of old songs/scores, references to Spaghetti Westerns / Kung Fu flicks etc.

Of the many books that are made into movies, people often say the book is better. When you are dealing with intricate plots, extensive character development etc. this makes perfect sense. Conversely, if a Leone movie like OUATIW were made into a book it would be incredibly dull; OUATIA was indeed based on a book but the link is very loose.

How can you tell a Dali from a De Chirico? Well sometimes its obvious and for other cases there are probably whole books on the topic. Personally I know very little about paintings but I assume it is a very similar situation here between Leone and Valerii although in this case motion is also of paramount importance. As I mentioned to Jenkins in a previous posting, when I have the time I will rewatch some scenes and try to verbalize exactly what I mean but, even after this, the whole thing will undoubtedly still be very nebulous.

[Sonny]

Thank you for your reply, Novecento. I realize it's difficult to pinpoint the esac t features that might distinguish certain directors from others. And you're right, as the movie industry "progressed" there were less and less noticeable feature one could attribute to directors. Such distinctions became more relative to genre differentiation.

I'm still interested in the topic itself. I'd like to read about your opinion of the distinctions when you get the chance.