Death Rides a Horse (1968)

A Masterpiece!

A brilliant film that helped define a genre

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

Fifteen years after the brutal massacre of his family by vicious outlaws, Bill (John Phillip Law) is finally ready for revenge, having perfected his gun-slinging skills; however, the young man finds himself facing competition from recently released criminal Ryan (Lee Van Cleef), who is also gunning for the murderous gang.Death Rides a Horse marks my very first foray into the spaghetti western genre outside of the relative safety of Sergio Leone's better known movies, and while it's not quite on a par with the Leone classics, the film is still a solidly entertaining adventure that certainly can't be accused of not trying…Between the film's brutal, rain-lashed opening massacre and its wind-swept gun-fight finalé, Death Rides A Horse delivers almost all the elements one might reasonably expect from the genre: a dashing, gun-slinging hero hell-bent on revenge, a grizzled ex-convict with a score to settle, loathsome villains, wonderful widescreen cinematography, a jail-break, a lynch-mob, fist fights, whisky drinking, poker playing, lots of rapid-zoom close-ups of eyes, a cool Ennio Morricone score, a village of scared Mexicans, and just a little gallows humour.Where the film suffers somewhat is with its rather pedestrian plot, that offers too few genuine surprises, and which, at almost two hours, resorts to padding out the action by having the lead characters take it in turns to put themselves in mortal danger, only for one to be saved by the other. This nonsense takes some swallowing, but director Giulio Petroni's stylish handling, some gritty violence, and a fine performance from Van Cleef ensure that the film never drags.While this might not be a top-tier spaghetti western, it's impressed me enough to make me want to check out further non-Leone movies.

As a child, Bill witnesses the murder of his family by four robbers.Fifteen years later, he embarks on his revenge. During his quest, he crosses paths with Ryan, an ex-con who wants the money the robbers owe him.Saw the good reviews. Let me say up front the version I saw had the worst dubbing ever. People's mouths would move and no voice would come out until 4 seconds later. It was like some bad Japanese dubbed movie!That said, it's well made and apparently influenced Tarantino in Kill Bill. John Philip Law cannot act but Lee Van Cleef saves the day.I'm not a huge fan of spaghetti westerns, but I liked this movie. If you ARE a fan, you'll probably love it.

Death Rides a Horse (AKA: Da uomo a uomo/As Man to Man) is directed by Giulio Petroni and written by Luciano Vincenzoni. It stars Lee Van Cleef, John Phillip Law, Carlo Pisacane, Luigi Pistilli, Anthony Dawson, Jose Torres and Carla Cassola. A Technicolor/Techniscope production, music is by Ennio Morricone and cinematography by Carlo Carlini.As a young boy Bill Meceita (Law), hidden away and cowering, was witness to the rape and murder of his family. 15 years later he is out for revenge against the gang who committed the crimes. Also after the same gang is Ryan (Cleef), fresh out of prison and with his own reasons for vengeance. Two men with the same objective, but not "exactly" working together even as they keep crossing each others paths…Highly regarded by staunch Spaghetti Western fans, Death Rides a Horse has all the staple requirements in place to understand why that is the case. However, and it is a fun, violent and technically smart picture, it still comes across as a little jaded, even unadventurous. Certainly as an appetiser to the more well known Spaghetti's from the houses of Leone, Corbucci et al, it's filling for sure, a good starting point in fact for those exploring the sub-genre for the first time. But it hardly transcends Spaghetti Western World.It's ripe with scope landscapes, sweaty close ups of hard bastard anti- heroes and low life villains, violence that grabs the senses as Morricone whirls his musical baton of sublime distortional sounds, and of course there's Van Cleef doing what he does best, acting with a visual skill that says so much whilst actually doing very little. The by-play between Cleef and Law, a future Sinbad no less, is truly enjoyable, as their characters get caught somewhere in the middle of a dusky void that asks them to help or hinder their respective rival.It all builds to the big finale, where a pretty gentle twist fails to derail the momentum of the action and tension. While Petroni drops in some visual flares which obviously had future directors taking notes. All told it isn't that great a film to feel confident enough about recommending it to the casual film fan, but anyone with an interest in Spaghetti Westerns will find rewards. On proviso that is, that expectation level is set at a suitable level. 7/10

A gang of western cutthroats kills a ranch family during a robbery, but misses the hidden boy witness. Fifteen years pass by quickly. All grown up, tall blond John Phillip Law (as Bill) uses visual clues to track his family's murderers. He receives an unlikely ally when likewise vengeful gunslinger Lee Van Cleef (as Ryan) gets out of jail; the older man was part of the gang, but played a different role than the others. They have a secret bond. Although dubbed, the stars make it predominantly English-speaking Italian film. This is a stylistically stiff, sneering and steely-eyed attempt to capitalize on the newly popular "spaghetti western" genre. Unconventional direction, camera-work and editing adds a little interest.*** Death Rides a Horse (8/31/67) Giulio Petroni ~ John Phillip Law, Lee Van Cleef, Mario Brega, Anthony Dawson