Blindman, der Vollstrecker

Ferdinando Baldi's Spaghetti take on the 'Zatoichi' films is one of the most stylish and enjoyable Spaghetti Westerns I've seen. Tony Anthony stars as the titular hero who is after a group of seedy Mexican bandits (one of which is played by...Ringo Starr!) who have kidnapped 50 women that he was supposed to take to some miners in Texas. Loaded with well-directed scenes of violence and gratuitous nudity, 'Blindman' is a must-see. Ha-ha what a knee-slapper!

A mysterious blind gunfighter roams through Mexico with a mission he has sworn to carry out , as he was hired to escort fifty mail order brides to their miner husbands . But his business pals treason him, selling the women to a nasty villain . As some enemies have stolen 50 women that belong to him , thus Blindman heads into Mexico and sets out in pursuit . Blindman is imprisoned by the bandit called Domingo (Lloyd Batista) who has the brides in a fortress where comes a military party commanded by a Mexican general (Raf Baldassarre) . In the middle of these two parties is a beautiful woman , Candy's(Ringo Starr) sweetheart, who helps Blindman . The gunfighter enters the stronghold attempting to take the girls shipment , being trapped between two feuding factions , a Mexican officer and a gang of Mexican bandits led by Domingo and Sweet Mama (Magda Konopka) , and he then is caught up in a struggle against them . But here is a problem however, the gunman is blind .

The film packs violence , shootouts , high body-count , and it's fast moving and quite entertaining . There is plenty of action in the movie , guaranteeing some shoot'em up or stunts every few minutes . Tony Anthony is very fine, giving even some comic touches , he ravages the screen, he shoots , hits and run and ultimately takes the law on his own hands It's an exciting western with breathtaking showdown between the starring Tony Anthony and his enemies Lloyd Batista , Ringo Starr , Magda Konopka , among others . The movie contains gun-play, action Western , thrills , bloody spectacle and some nudism in charge of beautiful girls , including the ordinary female shower among them . Made on a fairly middling scale with acceptable set design , adequate photography filmed in Elios studios and evocative musical score by Stelvio Cipriani . Screenplay with interesting premise about a 'blind gunfighter' though its origin results to be a Japanese series starred by ¨Zaitochi¨, a blind swordsman from the 60s and being recently remade by Takeshi Kitano . This interesting theme about a blind gunslinger in the West has been treated in other films such as ¨An eye for eye¨ by Michael Moore with Robert Lansing and ¨Minessota Clay¨ with Cameron Mitchell , directed by Sergio Corbucci and finally ¨Blind Justice¨(1994) by Richard Spence with Armand Assante , Robert Davi and Elizabeth Shue . An interesting casting full of usual Italian/Spanish Western players such as : Tito Garcia , Fortunato Arena , Guido Mannari , Renato Romano and very brief appearance of Eurotrash goddesses as Malisa Longo , Krista Nell , Janine Reynaud , Shirley Corrigan , among others . Special mention to Raf Baldassarre in his ordinary role as a cruelly baddie , he is terrific , and bears a hysterical and mocking aspect , subsequently he would play similar characters . The movie gets the ordinary Western issues, such as avengers antiheroes , violent facing off , quick scenes and exaggerated baddies . This is a good Spaghetti Western with some moments genuinely entertaining if you can avoid thinking too much . It's an improbable blending of standard Western with pursuits, high body-count and it's fast moving and quite entertaining . Acceptable cinematography by Ricardo Pallottini , but is necessary a perfect remastering , being the copy a little washed-out . Of course , the film was appropriately filmed in Almeria , Spain . As it was shot in Texas Hollywood-Fort Bravo , Almeria, and ¨ a fortress called Condor¨, where was filmed several Spaghetti as ¨ Blind man, Massacre at Fort Holman¨, ¨A man called Noon¨ , ¨El Condor¨ and ¨Conan the Barbarian¨ .

The motion picture was compellingly realized by Ferdinando Baldi . Direction by Ferdinando Baldi is well crafted, here he is more cynical and violent and inclined toward humor and packs too much action . Baldi makes a nice camera work with clever choreography on the showdown , fighting , moving shootouts and bemusing scenes . Baldi was a craftsman who directed all kind genres but especially Western such as "Carambola's Philosophy: In the Right Pocket" , "Django, Prepare a Coffin" , ¨Adios Texas¨ , ¨Rita in the West¨ and of course ¨Il Pistolero dell'Ave Maria" or USA original title "Forgotten Pistolero" at his best . ¨Blindman¨ is an outlandish , surprising and uneven story but will appeal to Spaghetti Western aficionados . Rating : 7 , riotous Western in which there's too much action and violence and excitement enough .

Your average spaghetti western gunslinger goes in search of gold, probably hidden in a grave somewhere, someplace. Or is hunting down the bad guy that has murdered a member of his family. But not Blindman - "I want my 50 women".

Yes, Blindman has a contract to deliver 50 mail order brides to a group of miners, and unfortunately he has been double-crossed by his partner, who has sold the women on to bandit Domingo.

It is worth noting that Domingo's brother, Candy, is played by none other than former Beatle and Thomas the Tank Engine narrator Ringo Starr. And, surprisingly he plays this role really well (who said he was the least talented Beatle - I couldn't imagine Paul McCartney acting so well. Actually, I know - I saw "Give My Regards to Broadstreet" once!).

The film, with its "mock Morricone" score, charges along comic book style, and is really good fun. The politics are maybe a bit dodgy in places (judging by the number of beatings and mishandling that both the Blindman and his 50 women are subjected too at regular intervals) and you have to question how a blind gunslinger could have survived so long. But maybe it is such points that make this so different from the many other Spaghetti Westerns, and help to make this a really great view.

This is one of those movies that is just plain great. I would recommend this movie to anyone, not just spaghetti western fans.

Tony Anthony is great in this movie. This is the second Anthony spaghetti western that I have seen, and the other one (A Dollar Between the Teeth) is incredible also. After seeing this film, I am convinced that Tony Anthony deserves more recognition as a spaghetti western star than he has gotten. He belongs right up there with Nero, Gemma, Eastwood, and Milian (no one comes close to Lee Van Cleef). His character in this film is one tough hombre. He really takes a beating, but always returns to create Hell on Earth for his enemies. He has a lot of great lines in this movie too.

The movie really stretches ones suspension of disbelief when the blind man is able to ride a horse to Mexico, and when he exhibits his uncanny ability to aim a gun, but this is such a high-quality film that it manages to pull it off with ease.

The music score is excellent -a great classic spaghetti western sound with a little bit of sitar thrown in.

Besides being a spaghetti western, this film also borrows some elements from exploitation movies, (lots of scantily clad and naked women, women behind bars, etc.) but manages to do it without sacrificing the quality of the movie. Fans of both genres should be especially pleased with this film.

This is a must-see for spaghetti western fans, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys movies that are somewhat off-beat, and very well made.

"I want my fifty women!" "Blindman", a unique Spaghetti Western full of sarcasm, has one of the genre's most bizarre story lines. Clearly inspired by the Japanese "Zatôichi" films about the eponymous blind Samurai (played by Shintarô Katsu"), "Blindman" is about a blind gunman who escorts a group of fifty women to Texas, where they are to be married to miners. But he is cheated and the fifty young women are kidnapped by a gang working for two Mexican pimps/bandidos and their beautiful but villainous sister. They underestimate Blindman, a man who has to trust on his horse and his hearing, and soon have to find out that their handicapped opponent is a deadlier challenge than they might have expected. Tony Anthony is unforgettable as the blind gunman, staring into nonentity and demanding his fifty women back. The locations are great, the supporting cast includes Ringo Starr, as the younger of the two villainous brothers. Not very well known, but full of dark humor and action, Blindman, a Spaghetti Western with a very good soundtrack, is one of the genre's little treasures. Brutal, witty, bizarre, unique! Great fun film!