Django - Ich will ihn tot

I really like Craig Hill in the role of Django (character's name in the German dubbed version) because he plays him tough and down-to-earth. Django wants to avenge his sister's death, but unfortunately he kills a guy in a tavern brawl first - who turns out to be the sheriff's brother. Understandably, Django has got no help to expect from the law afterwards and must do the revenge job on his own. Well, lone rangers always made great heroes, while hunting parties didn't! Rough genre movie without flaws worth mentioning, voted 7/10.

There's a typical scene in LO VOGLIO MORTO (I WANT HIM DEAD) where Clayton (Craig Hill) who is stalking the men who raped and killed his sister stands on a hill and watches five horsemen riding in the distance. The shot is low to the ground, all we see are his legs and boots and the riders in the distance as they approach a villa. Cut to the five bandits riding one by one; I was reminded of the samurai running to the village in Kurosawa's SEVEN SAMURAI. Any spaghetti western which evokes this masterpiece is okay with me! Director Paolo Bianchini does a good job throughout; here and there may be a hole in the plot, but the style, music (by the great Nico Fidenco), and gritty performances by the actors carry this fine Eurowestern to another level. Any fan of the genre will be in ecstasy watching this one!

I became aware of this Italian Spaghetti Western only recently; it turned up both on late-night Cable TV (which is how I watched the film, though the English-dubbed German print bore no title or credits whatsoever apart from the concluding "Ende"!) and online. I had been impressed with the same director's subsequent effort in the same vein i.e. GATLING GUN (1968) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064013/usercomments-3 which, likewise, dealt with the American Civil War.

A far-fetched subplot here, in fact, sees unscrupulous weapons manufacturer Andrea Bosic attempt to thwart the Peace Treaty signing between Confederates and Unionists because in that way his otherwise lucrative business would plummet! This is tied in with the central narrative which, typically, has a young man go after the villains who callously raped and murdered his sister – these happen to be members of Bosic's gang who ultimately first turn on their boss and then, out of greed, kill each other off!; along the way, our hero also saves nominal heroine Lea Massari and her younger companion from much the same fate!

As played by Craig Hill (from the recently-watched ASSIGNMENT TERROR [1970]), he evokes John Philip Law in the popular – and obviously superior – DEATH RIDES A HORSE (1967), proving an adept gunman but also getting a beating every so often (since he even has to contend with a corrupt sheriff, whose brash younger brother he had killed in self-defense, and his associates). The result, then, is a minor (and pretty forgettable) genre effort – but one that serves its purpose in the entertainment stakes; as is to be expected, the score (courtesy of Nico Fidenco) emerges as its main asset.

The first time i watched this film i was surprised @ how good it was. We spag western fans are always searching for the next "good one" and let me tell you, there are many "bad ones" to wade through in the process. I want him dead has been called gritty in every review i have ever read about it and it is. It is also a kick but revenge western with a kick butt Craig Hill performance. He has also done a few other spags worth mention. The dirty fifteen aka. fifteen scaffolds for the killers and no graves on boot hill by Sergio Garrone being @ the top of my list. I want him dead has great camera work and the score is superb. It fits the film like a glove. Jose Manuel Martin plays the antagonist and many other spag regulars will be spotted by any fan of the genre. I have the Franco Cleef version of the film. To my knowledge it is the best English language version available. Franco Cleef is the man!! Go Franco Go!!!!!! He puts together English language versions of rare spag westerns for English speaking fans that would have no other way to watch these fantastic films. Thanks Franco for everything you do.

Decent Spaghetti with Chorizo Western crammed with shootouts , chills , drama , murders , lots of violence and action . An Italian-Spanish co-production full of emotion , exaggerated characters, and twists ; ¨Lo Voglio Morto" - Italy (original title) "I Want Him Dead" - UK, USA title results to be a nice co-production directed by Paolo Bianchini . Set during the American Civil War when Clayton (Craig Hill)'s sister is raped and murdered. As it is time for lethal revenge. Clayton seeks vengeance and kills sheriff (Remo De Angelis)'s brother. He subsequently sets off in pursuit the murderous and a dangerous band (Jose Canalejas , Frank Braña , Andrea Scotti ,Rick Boyd and Jose Luis Martin) . At the same time Clayton becomes involved into a plot planned by Mallek (Andrea Bosic) to avoid a peace treaty between Confederation and Union in which General Ulysses Grant and Lee attempt to reunite themselves in Richmond (Virginia) to finish hostilities . Along the way he meets a beautiful woman (the prestigious actress Lea Massari) and both of whom set out towards Cuerno Rojo , Red Horn, where takes place the treacherous encounter . But Clayton is taken prisoner by the bandits and suffering hitting , knocks , punches and tortures . In the end , the newspaper published the following : ¨War may end . Secret meeting between Federals and Confederates . Mysterious plot to foil peace talks ! . Dynamite found parley grounds ! .

Passable Tortilla/Ravioli Western with usual theme , a merciless vendetta along with an intrigue about American Civil War . It packs crossfire , thrills , action , go riding , and lots of shots and gun-play . There is plenty of action in the movie , guaranteeing shootouts or stunts every few minutes and spectacular scenarios from Almeria , Spain . However , there are some night scenes and a regular cinematography ; adding bad situations and some turn of script that no one understands . Interesting as well as surprising screenplay by Carlos Sarabia based on his story . The notorious Spaghetti/Paella actor , Craig Hill is fine in his usual tough role , here playing a relentless , two-fisted revenger . His role is well performed , he plays as a cruel avenger , a violent veteran who seeks a bloody vendetta , an ordinary plot in Spaghetti/Paella Western . Craig Hill played a lot of Spaghetti , his first Western was ¨Hands of a Gunfighter" or ¨Ocaso de un Pistolero¨ , he went on playing : "Seven Pistols for a Massacre" , "Rick and John¨ , ¨Conquerors of the West¨ , ¨Bounty hunter¨ , "I Want Him Dead" , "Fifteen Scaffolds for the Killer" , "Three Crosses of Death" , ¨Bury Them Deep¨ , and this "I want him dead¨ . His main enemy is rightly performed by Jose Luis Martin as a cruelly baddie role is terrific, he subsequently would play similar characters . Furthermore, there appears usual Italian/Spanish Western support actors , a largely secondary cast filled with familiar faces , all of them ordinary in Chorizo western , such as Frank Braña , Tomas Blanco, Jose Riesgo , Andrea Scotti , José Canalejas and Federico Boido . Adequate production design by Wolfgang Burmann , a notorious designer who has designed a lot of important films such as ¨Tesis¨, ¨Abre Los Ojos¨ , ¨Amnesia¨, ¨Lorca , Muerte un Poeta¨ , ¨Fortunata and Jacinta¨ and many others . Middlingly photographed by Ricardo Andreu , being necessary a right remastering and filmed on location in Almeria , as usual . And being accompanied by an agreeable musical score by Nino Fidenco , including catching leitmotif and enjoyable songs at the beginning and the end .

This decent motion picture titled Ehi Amigo... Sei Morto! or 1968 Lo Quiero Muerto¨ , was well produced by Ricardo Merino and professionally directed by Paolo Bianchini and he used the pseudonym as Paul Maxwell. At this film he inclined towards violence and too much action . Paolo made various Spaghetti such as ¨Gatlin Gun¨ , and 1968 ¨God Made Them... I Kill Them¨ and ¨European Spy sub-genre¨ such as 1969 ¨Devilman Story¨ , 1968 ¨Superargo¨ , 1967 ¨Hypnos Follia Di Un massacre¨ , 1966 ¨Il Gioco Delle Spie¨ . ¨I want him dead¨ Rating : 6/10 ,acceptable Western for some scenes typical Spaghetti .