Le salaire de la haine

In the long line of spaguetti westerns, this has a double right to belong to the genre: it is a product 'made in Italy', and it has enough ketchup blood on the 'pasta'. Besides a few shootings, the highlights that may make this rather unique is the 'classic' addition of iron-claws used in two duels to the death: one between two Mexican slaves for their masters pleasure; and one between two 'gringo' bandits for possession of a tract of land, and a woman. Either the filming, or the video copying, are so bad as to diminish greatly the original intended gore effect.

"Hate Thy Neighbour" combines the classic Spaghetti revenge scenario, with the regular Spaghetti "map" tale. The story centres around Ken Dakota's search for the murderer of his brother, who was killed by bandit Gary Stevens, at the behest of Mexican land owner Chris Malone, for a goldmine map. Stevens tears the map in two, and gives Malone half, spiralling into a running feud of double crosses between the two, whilst Dakota attempts to bring the men responsible for his brothers death to justice.

This is a really enjoyable Spaghetti Western, albeit with the odd moment of corny dialogue. It includes some really exciting moments, such as peasants and bandits duelling with metal claws for Malone's pleasure, torture by hanging over a pit of snakes, and some very talented bandito musicianship! My experiences to date have highlighted that Director Baldi can come up with some great movies (Blindman, Viva Django) and some absolute turkeys (Get Mean and, so I've heard, Rita of the West). Hate Thy Neighbour doesn't hit the highs of Blindman by any means, but is certainly an enjoyable view, with George Eastman (as Stevens) and Horst Frank (Malone) putting in good roles, and the plot having some quality twists and turns.

Not the easiest of movies to get your hands on, but certainly worth the effort if you are a fan of the Spaghetti genre.

Nice Spaghetti stars Ken Dakota : Spyros Focas to be aware his brother : Remo De Angelis, was killed by Gary Stevens : Luigi Montefiori or George Eastman , to get half a map about a valuable mine . But Stevens has a nasty partner and chief called Malone : Horst Frank, while arguing the whereabout the goldmine , Gary is tortured and hanged, the reason for he didn't get the map. Later on, Dakota leaves his beautiful wife : Nicoletta Machiavelli and sets out in pursuit of the villain enemies . As Dakota seeks for a merciless vengeance and along with an undertaker called Duke : Roberto Risso go to Mexico to find the killer Stevens and his colleague Malone, taking place a deadly game among them . Revenge has never been so Brutal !.

Interesting and trilling Spaghetti Western with various original ingredients as some violent fights among contenders wielding blood hooks, and two extremely nasty baddies : Horst Frank and Luigi Montefiori or George Eastman. Both of them steal the show as two ambitious criminals who will stop at nothing to get their purports : to take the map of the golden mine . In addition an enjoyable and likable relationship between the relenteless avenger Dakota and the sympathetic , boozy undertaker Duke . Stars the litte known Spyros Focas as the tough revenger who seeks justice and vendetta for his sibling. Support cast is acceptable with some familiar faces , such as the gorgeous Nicoletta Machiavelli, Roberto Rissi, Franco Fantasia, Remo de Angelis, among others.

It contains an atmospheric musical score in Ennio Morricone style by Robby Poitevin, including catching songs at the beginning and the end. As well as adequate cinematography in Eastmancolor by Enzo Serafin. The motion picture was well directed by the expert craftman Ferdinando Baldi. He was a good Italian professional filmmaker who wrote and made films of all kinds of genres, as Wartime : Warbus, The Ultimate Mission, Just a damned Soldier. Spaghetti or Pasta Western : Adios Texas, Rita of the West, Get Mean, Pistoleros of Ave Maria, Viva Django, Carambola, Crazy adventures of Len and Coby, Comin' at ya!. Peplum : Son of Cleopatra, Duel of Champions, Battle of Germany, In the Shadow of the Eagles . Adventures : The Tartars, Taras Bulba, Pedro Il Cruel, Saul and David, Pirates of the Green Island, Treasure of the 4 Crowns , among others. Rating : 6.5/10. Above average Ravioli Western thah will appeal to Spaghetti aficionados.

Along with the town undertaker, a Man follows his brother's killer (George Eastman) to Mexico, where sinister (and I mean sinister!) gringo Horst Frank forces his Mexican slaves to fight to the death using steel claws. Frank then sets his sights on Eastman's secret goldmine, holding him captive and torturing him until the justice seeking brother comes to take him away.

A fairly standard revenge plot is helped along nicely by some interesting ideas, unusual developments, and some fairly graphic violence, keeping things exciting and entertaining throughout.

Due to the crackpot nature of some of the film's plot elements, this seems more like a drive-in movie than a spaghetti western.

Horst Frank is a lot of fun to watch as the deranged, yet urbane bad guy, while George Eastman is good and nasty too. However, the hero is too bland and cardboard. You don't really feel anything about him, one way or another.

I gave this movie a 2 only because the dubbing into English was pretty good. Other than that: simplistic, unbelievable and amateurish. I watch these things only for the comic value while wondering why anyone would actually spend money producing it. I like westerns, but they have to have some semblance of reality. Apparently the director invented a whole new way of fighting when the two fighters with the steel hooks would dance around each other covering their faces. Very strange. And it was amazing that so many men could be shot with one bullet and just fall over dead. One even got stabbed in the stomach and just died instantly. Give me a break.