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Messages - El Mal
16
« on: July 19, 2006, 03:26:57 AM »
I don't think it shows this in any version but the way you said it, Harmonica, it sounds like your version shows Timmy get shot. I know my version just shows the gun go off and then cut. Did they cut that out or was it never there.
Anyway, my favorite scene is same as Sackett, Starting with Fonda riding up with that music and ending at Frank's death.
The boy getting shot... Editing is the supreme tool for illusion in cinema tricking the audience into what they think they`ve heard or seen. Show close up of boy smiling, cut to colt revolver being fired/gun shot, cut to train stack belching smoke/screech of train whistle. Did anybody see the lad take a bullet, contort his face in agony, drop to the ground? I don`t think so. it`s just great editing. Maybe Frank actually shot a pheasant 
17
« on: June 20, 2006, 06:57:28 AM »
Hi El mal, nice to have you aboard, one way you can make yourself invaluable to us here on this board is if you can find out information on shooting schedules in Almeria, if there are any.
In particular interest to us is the filming of a new SW by Enzo Castelleri with Franco Nero, title is Gil Implacabili, "The Angle, The Brute, and The Sage", we have heard lots of rumors but someone on the ground in Almeria who could contact the proper authorities would be excellent.
Again looking forward to getting your input, thanks from all of us in advance.
Further to the above enquiry I have managed to obtain some news of filming in Almeria but no details as yet. My contact is a Brit working at Texas Hollywood a.k.a. Fort Bravo and I am informed that the next feature film to be filmed there will be an "Italian western of some sort" and they are due to start filming in September for around 16 weeks. Currently the BBC are filming a documentary there on the true story of Billy the Kid. Needless to say I will post more information as soon as I have it.
18
« on: June 08, 2006, 12:34:24 PM »
Following my recent trip to Almeria here`s a couple of "then and now" composites taken in Los Albaricoques.  
19
« on: June 06, 2006, 11:44:16 AM »
Having recently returned from Almeria to my home on the Costa Blanca I have just emailed my B & B lady there to see if she can tell me where news of forthcoming productions is posted i.e. which newspapers and where they advertise for film extras as I would pop down there to take part if there are any such opportunities for a sexagenarian Englishman! A possible source might be a version of our local freebee paper the Euro Weekly which produces an Almeria edition and is available online. Needless to say I will pass on any useful info if I get any. But don`t hold your breathe - she`s not really interested in westerns!  aw shucks!
20
« on: June 01, 2006, 06:28:58 AM »
Hi Peacemaker. It was only a small, light barrier and there were just some red paint marks on our white Punto! They don`t give you much warning. The barrier was down for a goods train which stopped to unload ballast stones or whatever onto the railside pile depicted elsewhere on the web roughly oposite the rear of the saloon. As the barrier remained down and we were wondering whether to ignore it and weave round it across the track a guy got out of the train cab and flicked a switch in a box on the track to raise the barrier. Later on a high speed train came roaring through. Here is my 2nd attempt to download a photo (hopefully successfully). Following my recent visit to the Flagstone Site this is a view I haven`t seen posted on web sites before taken from inside the adjacent farmyard. This shows the most complete side of the Flagstone saloon which is the east side i.e. the side in shot as Jill takes her buggy ride through the town. Note the filled in holes for the timbers which supported the roofing over the boardwalk. I`m putting the finishing touches to a town plan of Flagstone. I`m pretty sure that the brick remains marked "Phoenix" are actually the Cosmopolitan Theatre (Bronson shoots the man who falls through the banner). Anybody like to comment or confirm? 
21
« on: June 01, 2006, 05:17:11 AM »
Woops! back to the drawing board.
23
« on: May 30, 2006, 05:40:32 AM »
Seems I miss-timed our Almeria trip by a week! The Almeria edition of one of our freebie English language papers here on the Costa Blanca reports that Eli Wallach will be appearing at a Film Festival this week to receive a special achievement award. See www. euroweeklynews.com - Almeria Edition and www. almeriaencorto.es  El Mal.
24
« on: May 30, 2006, 04:35:58 AM »
Got timed out again - to continue my piece on the Almeria trip. Regarding Mini Hollywood the Bank, Sheriff`s Office and 2 saloons (all original I believe from FDM) are still in place around the main square but when you first walk into MH you turn a corner into a western street with flowerbeds and gardens in front of falsefront street buildings - pleez! Very Disney. The Yellow Rose Saloon was packed and we waited a few minutes for a lack lustre Can Can Show by 3 girls. No splits, no "whoops!" etc., The shootout in the main square at 5pm is excellent. Features 3 or 4 stuntmen, a wagon, 2 or 3 horses and 2 falls from balconies. Western Leone we didn`t fancy paying for as we saw a virtual 360 degree shot of it on the internet before going there and the tacked on town looks so phoney and spoils memories of OUATITW. We stopped opposite "on a high bluff!" and snapped a few tele shots for a souvenier shot of the Sweetwater House. Our priority visit next time? Texas Hollywood. Which the locals now call Fort Bravo (there is a basic fort built by the entrance but I understand this was for a computer game or something and holds little interest). Yes, I know it`s got little to do with SW`s but I`m a general western fan and was in my element there. Must view 800 Balas again and check against my snaps. I hadn`t heard about the new SW film and being 150 miles away we don`t get any freebee newspapers for that region (here in Torrevieja we get about 4 a week!). We made good friends with our B & B landlady, Shirley, whilst we were there and, although she`s not interested in SW`s (sacrilige!) I`ll ask her if there`s anyway of finding out about film making. We sat near her neighbours at a resaturant one night and heard them talking about film extra work. I wouldn`t mind staying over there with Shirley for a few days to do some of that. If anyone plans to visit the Tabernas area we can heartily recommend Shirley`s place at 30 Euros per night, min. 2 nights - breakfast extra. Try www.bedandbreakfast-directory.co.uk "Las Aguilas Miran" or phone Shirley direct on 00 34 950 066 025 (from UK). May put some photos in the site later. El Mal(colm)
25
« on: May 30, 2006, 04:07:22 AM »
Hi El Mal, welcome on the board.
Maybe some usefull information.
For the Flagstone ruins you’ll have to drive to Estacion La Collahara. The highway from Almeria to Granada. Drive towards the railway crossing and on the left and the right sight you’ll see the ruins.
Estacion La Collahara is also nice to visit, it’s not in use anymore but here’s also filmed a scene of Once Upon a Time in the West. The scene when Wobbles walk to Mr. Morton’s train.
The McBain ranch is close to Mini-Hollywood, it’s called Texas Leone.
Mini-Hollywood is used for Dollars Trilogy. There is a 3rd film set, called Texas Hollywood. I’ve not been there yet, but I’m going to check it out in July. If you visit this place in May please let me know afterwards. I’m interested.
The trains are still there, I read on another board that you will find them at Gaudix station.
Have fun next month!
[/quote
My partner & I had a great 3 days in Almeria last week. Unfortunately i didn`t get to check the web board before i left but found all the places we were looking for OK. There
is more than half a circle remaining at Los Albariccques which may soon disappear due to adjacent building but in view of previous comments I`m wondering if the cemented wall-like remains are the original circle anyway?
The Cortijo del Fraile is still standing and is a signposted listed site with an info board but there seems to be no attempt to preserve it. The stone chip road into it from Los Albaricoques is long, windy and very hard on the tyres! Also there were lots of flies buzzing around.
Texas Hollywood was great. Once you`ve paid at the barrier you park up free (not like Mini-Hollywood which is 2.50E for covered parking) by a small corral with a couple of bison and ponies and just amble into the set. It was a warm, sunny, cloud free day and i was kitted out in denim shirt, black leather wasitcoat, jeans, black stetson and replica bb Peacemaker and lefthanded holster! 3 or 4 actor/stuntment are wandering around and there were not many visitors but having a camera in my hand I was not confused with them. I have more authentic guns but took the lightweight bb gun because the real ones are just a pain to walk around with on your leg as they`re pretty heavy!
The shootout in the saloon was good fun and I had a gun put to my head. I reciprocated by putting my gun top the baddies lower regions!
Texas Hollywood is unspoilt whereas I didn`t like Mini Hollywood which we went to on our last day. It has been "tarted up" as a theme park and there were several coachloads of Spanish schoolkids barging there way into everywhere. The zoo was good.
We went on from Texas Hollywood to La Calahorra. I`ve put a short pice on this visit under Flagstone (please search). I got timed out last time I did a piece so will finish this now and add more shortly. Also I am new to these discussion boards and don`t fully know the procedures. El Mal.
26
« on: May 30, 2006, 03:27:29 AM »
Hi Peacemaker. I`ve put a short piece on the site ref La Calahorra. Please search for it under Flagstone - more on topic there. Please feel free to discuss there. Just finalising my Plan of Flagstone Town but hope to ask Ramon to check it out before "publishing" it. El Mal.
27
« on: May 26, 2006, 11:55:00 AM »
Just returned from a trip to the Flagstone Set remains on the Charches to La Calahorra road, Almeria, Spain. What`s left of them still seem to be more or less unchanged and as reported and photographed by Ramon. A bird lover appears to have installed nesting boxes in the shells of the buildings. Someone has told me that the Spanish are keen pigeon fanciers. Who knows? We found a British contractor and his brother overseeing some Spanish workers at the Saloon which is now a farm building.
I approached the Brits and they were genuinely surprised and fascinated to learn that they were working amongst the remains of a western film set. In fact one of them grabbed his mobile and phoned his dad in the UK to say, "Hey dad, guess what? I`ve just been laying tarmac on the floor of the Flagstone Saloon in Once Upon a Time in the West!" Apparantly the farmer wants to house his sheep in the building.
Life can still be dangerous in Flagstone. We stopped at the barriered railroad crossing to check it was clear before driving onto the site and promptly found the barrier hitting the roof of the car to the sound of clanging bells!
I have been trying to create a map of Flagstone but, even after a trip there, it`s pretty tricky to work out as glimpses of brick sets whilst watching the film are fleeting. The set was re-used after OUATITW but so far I am only aware of the film "The Price of Power" of which I`ve obtained a copy. Some additions to the original set look really tacked on and phony in that film. Subsequent filming probably explains the word "Phoenix" on one of the remains as I cannot trace this name in viewings of OUATITW. Or a Dentist for that matter as that logo appears on another building.
There are more remains on the saloon side of the El Calahorra/Charches road than on the other side and a quick word with one of the family who own the saloon etc.appears to establish that the land the other side of the road belongs to someone else. Apart from the Flagstone First National Bank building and an associated building there is virtually nothing else on that side remaining other than a few small piles of stone so I imagine the owners on that side may have removed parts of the set some time ago.
OK, I`ll stop there as I`m a newbie and may be telling you something you already know. Might post some photos later if I think they`ll be informative. I gained access to the farmyard adjacent to the saloon and photographed the fully intact East wall - Haven`t seen that posted anywhere yet.
Regards from a movie set anorak!
28
« on: May 26, 2006, 11:12:15 AM »
According to Christopher Frayling Frank (Fonda) uses a reproduction Silver Colt .38 and Harmonica (Bronson) a genuine Colt Peacemaker with the frontsight removed and the hammer smoothed down to improve speed on the draw.
29
« on: May 26, 2006, 10:58:54 AM »
Just returned from a visit to the Flagstone site and I viewed Sweetwater (Western Leone Theme Park) from a distance as It appears to be even more commercialised than Mini Hollywood. Can`t help with your query on the rail lines but I did put my compass near the rail track at La Calahorra and it does indeed run East/West. A stroke of luck or just another Leone attention to detail?
30
« on: April 22, 2006, 03:34:59 PM »
As I now live within 150 miles of Almeria I shall be making my first trip there next month (May 2006) to search out some key locations. I am particularly interested in the remains of Flagstone at La Calahorra which I have discussed with Ramon elsewhere. Like others I have had difficulty in matching up photos of the brickbuilt ruins with the films in which they were featured. So I`ve bought a compass! and hope to line things up when I get there. There are already some excellent photos of the remains on various websites but if i can provide any useful additional info when I return I`ll post the details on this site. Any up to date info would be appreciated. Is it permissible to wear replica guns & holster at Mini Hollywood etc? Newbie El Mal in Spain.
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