Leone's brainstorm was to transplant the stylistic motifs of traditional Italian grand opera onto the American western. To that extent, Morricone's music was no afterthought. It was an integral part of Leone's master blueprint, and ultimately one of the most important factors of what made that film so groundbreakingly innovative. (Not to mention, influential. Anyone who wants to learn what inspired and informed Quentin Tarantino's modern filmmaking style need look no further.)
Morricone's blood-and-thunder "Ecstasy Of Gold" theme is used most effectively in the exhilarating end sequence when Tuco is frantically searching thousands of gravestones for the name "Arch Stanton".
What could have been a bland exposition scene is instead transformed into a directorial tour-de-force. My pick for the most brilliant narrative use of lightning-paced, crosscut editing to music ever made.
THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY is, perhaps due to it's comparative low budget and some horrendous lip-synching, still one of the most underrated films ever made. Contemporary critics inexplicably prefer Sam Peckinpah's THE WILD BUNCH - a film that (in my opinion) is almost unwatchable in comparison. PERIOD.
Still gives me goosebumps. I'd be thinking what the fuck is gonna happen today. Naked old retarded woman crawling blindfolded around the studio full of set mousetraps? Nope, couldn't predict that.
3 comments
1 [deleted] 2016-10-04
Leone's brainstorm was to transplant the stylistic motifs of traditional Italian grand opera onto the American western. To that extent, Morricone's music was no afterthought. It was an integral part of Leone's master blueprint, and ultimately one of the most important factors of what made that film so groundbreakingly innovative. (Not to mention, influential. Anyone who wants to learn what inspired and informed Quentin Tarantino's modern filmmaking style need look no further.)
Morricone's blood-and-thunder "Ecstasy Of Gold" theme is used most effectively in the exhilarating end sequence when Tuco is frantically searching thousands of gravestones for the name "Arch Stanton".
What could have been a bland exposition scene is instead transformed into a directorial tour-de-force. My pick for the most brilliant narrative use of lightning-paced, crosscut editing to music ever made.
THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY is, perhaps due to it's comparative low budget and some horrendous lip-synching, still one of the most underrated films ever made. Contemporary critics inexplicably prefer Sam Peckinpah's THE WILD BUNCH - a film that (in my opinion) is almost unwatchable in comparison. PERIOD.
1 MilesDavisRose 2016-10-04
All serious after all that has happen it would be great to hear this song and all 3 lads be on
1 Jackatard 2016-10-04
Still gives me goosebumps. I'd be thinking what the fuck is gonna happen today. Naked old retarded woman crawling blindfolded around the studio full of set mousetraps? Nope, couldn't predict that.