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Once Upon a Time in Italy: The Westerns of Sergio Leone
An illustrated exploration of the mid-twentieth-century filmmaker's "spaghetti westerns" considers his role in defining the genre, his visual style and elliptical storytelling methods, and his creation of such works as A Fistful of Dollars and Once Upon a Time in the West. 12,500 first printing.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 5, 2023
A pictorial and comprehensive book about the most audacious filmmaker of all time. I watched Christ Stopped at Eboli recently. So I appreciate the sets and aesthetics of the Leone movies. This is an account of one of the greatest achievements in cinema. Some of it is boring. But it is a work of genius. Italians are a talented people. Everyone thinks America is the Mecca of cinema. But Italian Americans did all this stuff. Leone, Morricone, Scorsese, Coppola, Ortolani, Donaggio, De Niro, Al Pacino, Pesci. So many of them. Italians have contributed so much to cinema. Sergio Leone was a man more interested in the history and cinema of another country and he went ahead and made whatever the fuck he wanted to about that country he looked up to. Would anyone dare to make a film like this today? I believe there are many people who still want to make daring films like the ones Leone made. But they cannot get off their ass. They do not have the drive or the talent to do it. They have the technology - cameras on their mobile phones. They have the mediums (Youtube and so many of its competitors). But they cannot seem to get off their ass and do what Leone did. Leone is one of the greatest cinema entrepreneurs of the 20th century.
Want to read
May 21, 2013I creamed my pants just by seeing the words The Westerns of Sergio Leone
Leone is that good!
Leone is that good!
September 12, 2025
Once Upon a Time in the West, based on a story by Dario Argento, Bernardo Bertolucci and Sergio Leone, directed by the latter
9.4 out of 10
This memorable motion picture has become a landmark in the History of Cinema, included on major lists of the Best Films Ever Made.
Some of its scenes are also presented online as Nec Plus Ultra, the quintessential best shots.
Some say the moment when Harmonica aka the solid Charles Bronson - rather unusually formidable for this cinephile, who has seen him mostly in forgettable fare, where all his enemies die and there is nothing interesting about the plot - arrives by train is the best shot ever.
Henry Fonda also has an unusual role, whereas we are expecting him to play the hero, a role model, in this motion picture, he is the absolute villain, Frank, a monster willing to walk on bodies, throw a divine widow like Jill McBain aka the spectacular Claudia Cardinale out on the street.
Frank works for a railway Baron, Morton, who gains the extraordinarily valuable land of the widow, if the railway station is not finished before the line reaches the property.
Foul play, murder, extortion, every monstrosity would be used in order to get the land.
Harmonica might stand in the way, for he has a revenge to take, given that the beastly Frank had killed in the past a member of his family, in gruesome, terrible circumstances.
Furthermore, a valiant, fearsome ally would join forces with Harmonica, Manuel 'Cheyenne' Gutierrez aka the sensational Jason Robards.
There are many tense, dramatic scenes.
The gun fight that takes place when Harmonica comes to town, by train, is splendid, although very short.
The expectations are building up to a superb climax.
Another battle takes place around and within the special train car that transports the disabled and vicious Morton and his henchmen.
Frank sees the shadow of Harmonica, as he moves on top of the train, and manages to take him prisoner.
But then Cheyenne enters the stage and uses marvelous tactics and accurate shooting to eliminate all his adversaries.
Frank had gone by now, but evidently, a major confrontation would have to take place between:
The Good and The Bad
The villains try to force the widow McBain to sell her land for a pittance.
When Harmonica offers $ 5,000, which might me fifty million today, they cannot stop him.
Frank offers him the five thousand and a dollar, to avoid a shoot to kill situation.
Counterintuitively, Harmonica seems to help the villain escape execution at the hands of his own men, paid by Morton to eliminate him.
But that's just because he wants to fight him himself, in a fair fight, not see his enemy killed in a 'dirty' manner, by assassination.
Some critics thought this film perfect, while the one from The New York Times wrote that 'it is quite bad'
9.4 out of 10
This memorable motion picture has become a landmark in the History of Cinema, included on major lists of the Best Films Ever Made.
Some of its scenes are also presented online as Nec Plus Ultra, the quintessential best shots.
Some say the moment when Harmonica aka the solid Charles Bronson - rather unusually formidable for this cinephile, who has seen him mostly in forgettable fare, where all his enemies die and there is nothing interesting about the plot - arrives by train is the best shot ever.
Henry Fonda also has an unusual role, whereas we are expecting him to play the hero, a role model, in this motion picture, he is the absolute villain, Frank, a monster willing to walk on bodies, throw a divine widow like Jill McBain aka the spectacular Claudia Cardinale out on the street.
Frank works for a railway Baron, Morton, who gains the extraordinarily valuable land of the widow, if the railway station is not finished before the line reaches the property.
Foul play, murder, extortion, every monstrosity would be used in order to get the land.
Harmonica might stand in the way, for he has a revenge to take, given that the beastly Frank had killed in the past a member of his family, in gruesome, terrible circumstances.
Furthermore, a valiant, fearsome ally would join forces with Harmonica, Manuel 'Cheyenne' Gutierrez aka the sensational Jason Robards.
There are many tense, dramatic scenes.
The gun fight that takes place when Harmonica comes to town, by train, is splendid, although very short.
The expectations are building up to a superb climax.
Another battle takes place around and within the special train car that transports the disabled and vicious Morton and his henchmen.
Frank sees the shadow of Harmonica, as he moves on top of the train, and manages to take him prisoner.
But then Cheyenne enters the stage and uses marvelous tactics and accurate shooting to eliminate all his adversaries.
Frank had gone by now, but evidently, a major confrontation would have to take place between:
The Good and The Bad
The villains try to force the widow McBain to sell her land for a pittance.
When Harmonica offers $ 5,000, which might me fifty million today, they cannot stop him.
Frank offers him the five thousand and a dollar, to avoid a shoot to kill situation.
Counterintuitively, Harmonica seems to help the villain escape execution at the hands of his own men, paid by Morton to eliminate him.
But that's just because he wants to fight him himself, in a fair fight, not see his enemy killed in a 'dirty' manner, by assassination.
Some critics thought this film perfect, while the one from The New York Times wrote that 'it is quite bad'
September 12, 2015
A really deep look into the life of Sergio Leone with some fantastic interviews. The interviews with those who worked with Sergio, and Sergio himself, are highlights.
June 21, 2019
Created for The Autry Museum of the American West's Sergio Leone retrospective back in 2005, this book is a nice overview of Sergio Leone's western all'italiana films. Filled with some amazing interviews (Lee Van Cleef's was short, but amazingly honest and hilarious) and even more amazing imagery of the various marketing materials (posters, lobby cards, etc.) used for this films. This book is a great starting point for anyone interested in Sergio Leone the filmmaker and the brief, but intense period when western all'italiana films were being made by the dozens per year.
January 25, 2023
Filled with poster art and artifacts of the cinema-verse of Sergio Leone plus interviews with all involved in the making of Leone movies. Plus an essay on John Ford by Leone AND an interview with Martin Scorsese on Leone. Have recently watched the DOLLARS trilogy and this book greatly enhanced the pleasures of doing so.
October 21, 2019
Terrific appreciation of Leone and his films with photos and interviews with everyone from Leone and Eastwood to Martin Scosese.
February 23, 2022
research for wolf-cub
yojimbo inspired fistful
imaginary mythic west
amoral anti-hero drifter
bloody quicksilver stylization
yojimbo inspired fistful
imaginary mythic west
amoral anti-hero drifter
bloody quicksilver stylization
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 21, 2023
Amazing insight into the world of Leone and Italian cinema, with some rare interviews and a vast collection of photographs and posters.
July 1, 2023
Simply beautiful.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews