Texas, Adios

While Texas, Addio may not be among the high water mark of European Western filmmaking, I find it baffling that one would completely dismiss a film because of the quality of its post-production dubbing in a language different from that of its country of origin. Filmmakers are rarely responsible for how their film is presented in foreign language markets, so to place the blame on Mr. Baldi and the producers for the relative poorness (which I must also disagree with--there have been much, much worse dubbing jobs) of the dub is the same sort of ill-informed ignorance that says that the Godzilla films produced by Toho Studios in Japan are "badly acted" because the American dubbing is sub-par.

Aside from the dubbing, there's really no other reason to state that the studio and/or producers were incapable of making a Western. While Texas, Addio may not on par with Red River or The Searchers, the film delivers what most Western audiences ask for--a solid hero, a hissable villain, a believable conflict, plenty of gunplay, and a scenic atmosphere (and again, I'm baffled by statements that label the Spanish location as unattractive or, at the very least, not reminiscent of the American West).

If you're interested in Italian Westerns, I urge you to see beyond the dubbing and invest the time in this film.

Burt Sullivan, a rugged Texas sheriff heads to Mexico along with his raw younger brother Jim to seek revenge, by arresting the man Cisco Delgado for murdering their father quite a few years ago. When they reach a small Mexican town, they learn that everyone fears Cisco, as he has power over the people and their laws. Even with those obstacles that get in his way of finding Cisco, Burt wants his man, but a family secret he learns from Cisco when they finally meet. Turns the much-wanted revenge, into something even personal.

The ever cool, hard-ass Franco Nero appears in this customary walk-in-the park spaghetti western. There's nothing really going for it to set apart form the norm, but due to Nero's charismatically gloomy presence, fluid pacing and Enzo Barboni's terrifically panoramic and professional looking photography of the desert terrain. These things go on to shape it into a solid, if unremarkable experience. The passé premise is a simple and unassuming one with a relaxed temperament, which is broken up by excitingly fast action, brutal stabs of violence and would go onto spring one random twist midway through. Plastering the firm script is plenty of snappy dialogues, but also lazy cracks can show up and stock characters are represented. Other than Nero, the only other performance to standout was José Suárez sophisticatedly sadistic part as Cisco. The plot actually allowed a bit of development and emotional play to the Cisco character. The rest of the noble cast were more than acceptable. Director Ferdinando Baldi squeezes in some stylish lashings and energetic verve, but rather then being truly dazzling in its context and visuals, it turns out to be proficiently competent and surefooted. Nothing pretentious marks its way in. Anton Garcia Abril's exuberant music score can be dynamic and tight, but feel symmetrically staged. Don Powell opening / closing emotional car wreck of a song can be quite risible. The English dubbing is not so great either, but there's not real damage by it. It's a polished and workmanlike production, but there's few major draw-cards.

"Texas, Adios" is middling work of the sub-genre, but for the fans it diverts and breezes by in no time.

The movie deals with a sheriff (Franco Nero) who leaves his work in Texas and along with his younger brother (Albert Dell'Aqua) go to Mexico to revenge the death their father . Both of whom get in a little town where everybody is afraid of Cisco Delgado (Jose Suarez) who has become the local landowner . There , they take on the land baron and his henchmen (Livio Lorenzon, Jose Guardiola , Hugo Blanco) . They're only helped by an advocate at law (Luigi Pistilli) and some villagers.

It's a typical Spaghetti/Paella Western co-produced between Italy/Spain in which blends the common scenarios , as invincible and tough antiheroes , difficult and fast showdowns with numerous deceases , impulsive and quick zooms as well as musical score with Ennio Morricone influence . The picture has a certain remembrance to the ¨Trilogy of the dollars¨ and ¨Once upon a time in the West¨ by Sergio Leone regarding the avenging theme , there're even similar plots and twists . Besides , set decoration by Eduardo Torre Fuente and Carlo Simi , the same from both movies . It also bears remarkable resemblance to ¨Django¨ (Sergio Corbucci) referring to Franco Nero role in similar interpretation and clothes . The picture was shot in Abril and May of 1966 , in Almeria (Spain), location where during 1960-70 years were filmed hundreds of Spanish-Italian Westerns . Being a Spaghetti/Paella Western , there appears several usual secondaries of this peculiar sub-genre as Spanish actors : Hugo Blanco , Jose Guardiola , Elisa Montes a special intervention of José Suarez and Italians : Luigi Pistilli , Antonella Murgia , Gino Pernice , Ivan Scratuglia and Remo De Angelis .

Cinematography by Enzo Barboni or E. B. Clucher (author of ¨Trinity series¨ with Terence Hill and Bud Spencer) is well made . It contains an evocative and atmospheric score by Antón Garcia Abril . The motion picture titled ¨Texas, Addio¨, or ¨Goodbye Texas¨ , or ¨The vengeance of Django¨ was professionally directed by Ferdinando Baldi . Ferdinando was a craftsman who directed all kind genres but especially Western such as "Carambola's Philosophy: In the Right Pocket" , "Blindman" , ¨Il Pistolero dell'Ave Maria" or "Forgotten Pistolero" , ¨"Django Sees Red" , ¨Rita in the West¨ and , of course , ¨Adios Texas¨ at his best . The pic will appeal to Franco Nero fans and Spaghetti Western buffs . Rating : Nice and good . Well worth seeing .

Sheriff Burt Sullivan and his younger brother Jim want to take revenge for their murdered father and say "Good bye, Texas!" to head for Cisco Delgado, the hiss-and-hate bad guy, who resides in Mexico. Unlike in many other Spaghetti Westerns the hero is never really slick and instead decides for an against-all-odds approach. The darkness of other serious spaghetti westerns is missing.

The sung score is memorable, the cinematography of Enzo Barboni is mediocre, Franco Nero is good as usual while the other actors do their job with little ambition. Overall this Western has average quality.

5 / 10.

(aka: THE AVENGER)

Sheriff Burt Sullivan (Franco Nero) leaves his job temporarily to go down to Mexico with his kid brother Jim (Alberto Dell'Acqua) and hunt down Cisco Delgado, the man who killed their father. Only there's an added surprise complication since the Delgado is related to Sullivan in a way which I won't reveal.

I had no problem with the dubbing since it's no worse that what you find with many films in this genre, but there's some pretty sloppy editing here. For example, early in the movie Sullivan (Nero) is ambushed by a man with a rifle up in some rocks. He has a shootout with the man and eventually kills him, but he doesn't go over to investigate and find out who the man was or find some clues as to why he was after him. Instead he turns the other way and finds his brother Jim waiting down at the bottom of the hill, playing a banjo. Bizarre to say the least.

The opening title track sung by Don Powell isn't any great shakes, either. Some of the later music cues in the film sound like surf instrumentals with a slightly Spanish tinge to them. Like out of KILL BILL or something. They sound pretty cool in light of the dreary opening track.

I must say that I did like the Almeria locations that vary between desert and rocky high ground as well as beautiful canyons and a river that could pass for the Rio Grande, but that's not enough to take it over the edge, imo.

The beautiful widescreen anamorphic Anchor Bay DVD comes with a 10 minute featurette where Franco Nero discusses the making of the film and how he used stuntmen in the fight scenes to make it look more believable, and he's right. Some of the fist fights do look good.

As it is, it doesn't hold a candle to DJANGO or Nero's previous western before this, TEMPO DE MASSACRO (MASSACRE TIME) which is one of my favorites. I wish Anchor Bay would release that one since it not only stars Franco Nero, but was directed by master horror director, Lucio Fulci.

In the meantime, I consider Texas, ADDIO below average.

4 out of 10

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