manus byrne
A fistful of Dollars is the the first film in the Dollars trilogy. The Dollars trilogy is one of the most famous trilogies ever made. But sadly the Dollars trilogy did not start off as a masterpiece. Most westerns made in the 1960s were just OK and were just fun action films and that is what A Fistful of Dollars is. The reason why there was so many westerns made in the 1960s is because they were cheap. A Fistful of Dollars was made on a budget of 200,000 which is quite cheap of films. Constraints of the budget shows and I alway felt when watching this that it was cheap.
This film has a famous opening which is animated in silhouettes which does look unique but goes on for too long and some animations are repeated several times. The main chritor (The man with no name) or as I like to call him the man with no character because their really is no aspects about his character that differentiate him from other western characters. And that's not just the main character, there is not much to differentiate this film from other westerns made at the time. But there some will choreographed fight scenes but there is two problems with the fight scenes in this film. Fist it is the aim of the character. Ever time a character shots they never miss. Their shots are alway perfect, This gets rid of the tension that the character might just miss the shot. And whenever some does get shot they have most traumatic reaction to it. It is hard to explain but their reactions are so traumatic and unrealistic that it gets rid of the tension from how distracting it is. And although this film is rated R in America and 15 in the United Kingdom this film has very little blood or blit holes. So there is no indication that someone has just been shot. And I think that's way they all have such traumatic reactions.
One of the best parts of this film is the soundtrack. it is some of the best and iconic soundtracks to ever be in a film.
All in all A fistful of dollars is just an average western that doesn't really do much to innovate the genre. There are a few cool scenes and a some memorable quotes and a brilliant soundtrack.
That is way I give A Fistful of Dollars a 6 out of 10
Lechuguilla
It's San Miguel, in Mexico. The town's got two bosses; neither likes the other. Both bosses lord over a clan of bad guys. The town is not moral; it's a town of death. Into this gloom rides Joe the stranger (Clint Eastwood). The stranger may or may not be a good guy. But he's a sharpshooter with a .45 pistol, and he uses it, a lot. He sizes up things in San Miguel and formulates a clever plan. This stranger is smart.Commonly referred to as the first spaghetti western, "A Fistful Of Dollars" evokes a new style: a script with grungy, mean characters; minimal dialogue; a hip protagonist vaguely similar to James Bond. Also, sets, costumes, and music are all highly stylized. I like the style.The script is engineered for maximum entertainment. There are action climax sequences about every ten minutes. Sounds of gunshots are heightened. We never learn anything about Eastwood's character, which makes him mysterious, indeed.Outdoor visuals were shot mostly in southern Spain. Cinematography makes use of long camera shots and extreme close-ups. Camera filters are poorly used in day for night shots. Production design is terrific. San Miguel looks pleasantly minimal with its whitewashed adobe dwellings and dirt streets.The look of the film and the script convey a sense of isolation, mystery, and death. There are references to Easter: a crucifixion, resurrection, a last supper. Though I have never been an Eastwood fan, and would have preferred another actor in his role, the multi-national cast perform their parts well.Aside from the casting of Eastwood, my main problem is the blurring of villains. With two evil gangs, it was hard to tell who was who, and which side each character was on. Overall, though, "A Fistful Of Dollars" is an entertaining western. I like its 1960s style much better than the stale, stereotypes of pre-1960 westerns. And that mournful, funereal dirge of Morricone's soundtrack adds enormously to the film's emotional tone.
Richie-67-485852
What makes this movie work so well is that it is a good story to tell and it is told nicely and believably so that we get absorbed into it. It is interesting to note that the respect given to anyone that can wield a gun is acted out for us to see including how just having a gun is not enough. Everyone has a gun and men learned quickly to intimidate using gangs and numbers. However, what if someone came along who can fire a gun 5-6 times a second to another's draw? Enter the man with no name who is so good at what he does that he doesn't parade it but instead uses it when needed. It doesn't take long for the word to get out and a reputation is born. Clint Eastwood gives us someone to believe in and we do! Great supporting cast and stories within stories which when done right makes it a must see again and again. This movie is a comeback experience. I have seen it so many times and will see it again. Look for the classic scene where we learn not to insult Clint's mule. If one doesn't apologize for the slight, there is no second chance. LOL This is a good movie to snack with while watching with a tasty drink. It also makes you wonder too. There was a lot of money back then to be made but would you live to spend it? Find out when you go for your own "Fistful of Dollars...Enjoy
Matt Greene
Leone's first western certainly isn't his most ambitious. However, the familiar, simple take it has on the anonymous-man-coming-to-town-and-helping-the-good-guys story is so wonderfully told with the director's unique touches of style and unflinching propensity for violence. The action is fun, intense and exciting, and the bad guys are presented so that hating them is an absolute joy.
AD
