Johnny Hamlet

As you will have guessed from it's title, this is indeed a spaghetti western based on Hamlet. Unless you are illiterate you will know the story, and a lot of the fun stems from seeing how this version differs from the play.

However, most everything else is quite cheap. True, the cinematography is fantastic, but even visually it got clumsy - there is a scene where Johnny is bent over and the camera circles his upper body in a manner that almost makes it seem he has no body at all. And there are plenty of more mistakes like this.

However, the technical aspects is the least of this films problems. Johnny Hamlet's biggest problems are: The Acting - random smirks and incomprehensible behavior. Gertie see's her son, looks at him for a long while and then he disappears. A few seconds later she says "Who's there" and then in the same breath - "Johnny(wait)". Just a few seconds later his uncle comes out, give a few lines, looks at him for a while, for then to shout "Johnny" like an hello. + Lot of moronic smirks like "hey I'm the bad guy, you should know that".

The Plotting - People seem to know everything. For example a person rides out to find someone this person has no way of knowing where is, however the character had apparently read the script. And lets not forget a disappearing circus troupe. And why the hell do they let the bad guys go every time they try to kill them. "Oh that's OK guys, we'll talk to you later". Jesus.

As stated, it's strengths/entertainment value lies primarily in the fantastic cinematography and comparing the film to the play. But this film is, at least to me, too damn dumb.

Decent Spaghetti adaptation of Hamlet with thrills , violence , shoot'em up and well set . This Ravioli Western packs violence , shootouts , high body-count and it's fast moving and some moments genuinely entertaining . On his way back from the American Civil War (1861-1865) , Johnny (Andrea Giordana) is visited in his sleep by the ghost of his father who lets him know that he has been killed and who asks him to revenge him . Back in the family mansion , Johnny aware that not only has his deceased father has been murdered but that Gerty /Gertrude (Françoise Prevost) , his mummy , has married her late husband's brother Claude Hamilton (Horst Frank) . The latter is now the proprietary of the ranch and of all the ownerships of his daddy . Santana/Polonius, a nasty Mexican outlaw , is supposed to have murdered Johnny's father. Then Johnny seeks vendetta against Santana , Claude and his underlings (Ennio Girolami , Pedro Sánchez) .

Interesting Spaghetti packs drama , thrills , action , and lots of shots and gunplay .It's an exciting western with breathtaking showdown between the protagonists and hoodlums . There is a huge shootout in the ranch and a breathtaking face off between Andrea Giordana and Horst Frank . Good cast as Andrea Giordana who starred ¨Massacre at Grand canyon¨ , "The Dirty Outlaws" and this ¨Johnny Hamlet¨ at his best . Nice acting by Gilbert Roland as Horace ; he starred some Spaghetti such as Sonora, Goldseekers , Any Gun Can Play and Between God , the devil and a Winchester . Horst Frank as a cruelly baddie role is terrific, he steals the spectacle as a crazed psychopath ; former and subsequently he would play similar characters in various oaters . Furthermore, there appears usual Macarroni secondary actors such as John Bartha ,Ennio Girolami , director's brother , and Ignazio Spalla or Pedro Sanchez who used to play similar roles to great Fernando Sancho . This widely deemed picture , unlike most conventional Spaghetti Western , contains exceptional setting , colorful images with an atmospheric cinematography by Angelo Filippini . Agreeable musical score by Francesco De Massi , Spaghetti's usual , including catching and evocative songs by Alessandro Alessandroni , usual collaborator to Ennio Morricone .

The motion picture was professionally filmed by Enzo G Castell . Director Enzo G achieved in "Johnny Hamlet " possibly one of his best works of an important career , with some memorable scenes , appropriate camera movement and descriptive close-ups . Enzo usually makes experimental editing techniques such as unbroken transitions from one scene to another and a cameo appearance in his films . Castellari often works with Guido and Maurizio De Angelis and uses to do slow motion shootouts and choreographic death scenes . Enzo is a good a craftsman working in all kind of genres , as he made Western especially . His first one was ¨Some dollars for Django¨ co-directed by Leon Klimovsky , but actually, for the most part of its filming by the disagreements arising with Klimovsky was realized by Enzo G. Castellari, which this film was his directorial debut in a sub-genre that became one of its greatest representatives ; in fact if you compare the beginning of "7 Winchester for a massacre" which would direct the next year and the end this one seem to be similar direction . After that , he went on directing ¨ Johnny Hamlet¨ , ¨Kill them everybody and came back alone¨, ¨Tedeum¨ , ¨Cipolla colt¨ and the masterpiece : ¨Keoma¨ and finally its inferior sequel ¨Jonathan of the Bears¨ also with Franco Nero . Some of them are serious , others are goofy and plenty of slapstick and slapdash . This ¨Johnny Hamlet¨ (1968) is a bewildering story , enjoyable in lots of parts and it will appeal to Spaghetti Western fans . It's an acceptable film , and better than a lot of the ulterior spaghetti western to come .

Other Spaghetti Westerns freely based on famous novels and plays are the followings : ¨Apocalypse Joe¨ by Leopoldo Savona with Anthony Steffen that takes elements from ¨Hamlet¨ and ¨Macbeth¨ of Shakespeare . Other Spaghetti freely based on notorious play by Shakespeare is ¨The Fury of Johnny Kid¨ by Gianni Puccini with Peter Lee Lawrence and Cristina Galbo from ¨Romeo and Giuletta¨ along with "Bullets and the Flesh" by Marino Girolami . Other Spaghetti based on known and classic plays and novels are : ¨The return of Ringo¨ by Duccio Tessari inspired on the ¨Odyssey¨, and ¨John Il Bastardo¨(1967) based on books from Zorrilla and Moliere ; ¨Long days of vengeance¨ by Florentano Vancini with Giuliano Gemma and Francisco Rabal , being based on classic novel titled ¨The count of Montecristo¨ written by Alexandre Dumas and ¨between God , the devil and a Winchester¨ based on Treasure island , being directed by Marino Girolami , father of Enzo G Castellari , with Richard Harrison , Gilbert Roland and Roberto Camardiel .

Based on an idea by Sergio Corbucci, Enzo Castellari directed this western adaptation of Shakespeare's "Hamlet" drama, as Django (or Johnny, depending on which dubbing you get in your country) avenges the death of his father. It is interesting to observe how the classical tragedy elements work in the context of a Mediterranean style western movie. Not yet 30 years old, Castellari was already very creative at little touches like the camera circling around Django's face in the scene at his father's grave, and should take this way further in "Keoma" a decade later.

"Quella sporca storia nel west" suffers a bit from the unconvincing cast: German actor Horst Frank with his blond hair does not look like he is a member of the same family as Gilbert Roland, the veteran actor Roland is too old to play Andrea Giordana's brother, whose mother is much too young to be the mother of any of them. But even if the audience won't buy this ensemble for a family, the cruelty of the old tragedy is working great for a tough western, and the visual qualities of the movie, also gifted with a thrilling musical score by Francesco de Masi, save the day and make it a must for the collection of every spaghetti western fan. Regrettably, Andrea Giordana did not make any westerns after this anymore, because the young man had talent.

I'm going to rank this the 6th best Spaghetti Western of all time, behind only the five Sergio Leoni classics (because personally I find Sergio Corbucci's most renowned efforts too gothic and depressing for my taste)

Enzo Castellani has studied the SL playbook and does a great job of framing his shots to maximise the value of the scenery and uses zooms and close-ups to build tension and help mitigate the limited acting skills of some of the cast.

Most Spaghetti Westerns use generic semi-arid Spanish scenery to stand in for the West of the United States, making no attempt to match the scenic grandeur achieved by John Ford, in his use of Monument Valley as a backdrop, or Anthony Mann's use of the Rocky Mountains, and fair enough too as the genre is mainly one of B movies with small budgets. However great background scenery doesn't have to cost more money, and here they make extensive use of the picturesque rock formations of "Cuidad Encantada" near the equally picturesque town of Cuenca in Spain.

The script is decent and draws some added zest from elements borrowed from Shakespeare's famous play "Hamlet", however don't expect to carry that analogy too far, as there are not nearly enough fights and shootouts in a Shakespearian play to satisfy the intended audience of a Spaghetti Western. Castellani knows this and ensures that there is plenty of action to be found here, accompanied by thuds and whacks which even exceed the usual level of impact, with each blow sounding as if a door or wall had been demolished to provide it.

I also found the choreography of the fight scenes to be above average, with fights incorporating some imaginative use of flips, throws and tumbles to season the usual diet of punches and broken furniture.

As for the acting, it's up to the expected level for a Spaghetti Western, some memorably fruity villains, a very attractive but somewhat wooden hero and female eye candy, and a single Hollywood has been, hoping to follow in Clint Eastwood's footsteps and get a career boost. In this case it is the redoubtable Gilbert Roland, who once did a shift as the Cisco Kid in B Movies of the 1940s, and he brings his customary assured macho charisma to the role of experienced friend of the hero, who steps in to save him whenever he gets in over his head, which in this movie is pretty much constantly.

Highly recommended to fans of the genre.

This underrated spaghetti western, based on an idea by Sergio Corbucci and directed by Enzo Castellari of Keoma fame, sports excellent cinematography, a nice soundtrack by the recently deceased Francesco De Masi and an impressive cast. While the protagonist, played by Andrea Giordani, is the usual spaghetti 'avenging hero' fare, the highly charismatic Horst Frank and the rest of the cast do a great job. The 'Hamlet' theme injects a lot of originality into the vengeance story, the intro dream sequence being very surreal and creative. And while you will not find a deep, meaningful version of 'Hamlet' here, lots of religious metaphors are around and, along with the healthy dose of humor (which not everyone will appreciate) make this one of the more intelligent euro westerns around. Definitely recommended.