Là dove non batte il sole AKA The Stranger and the Gunfighter AKA El kárate, el Colt y el impostor

Là dove non batte il sole AKA The Stranger and the Gunfighter AKA El kárate, el Colt y el impostor

Compagnia Cinematografica

1974

Western, Action, Historical Drama

DVD
D+

A Western and an "Eastern" (complete with martial arts) mashed together.  Antonio Margheriti directed.

The Bounty Killer AKA The Ugly Ones AKA El precio de un hombre

The Bounty Killer AKA The Ugly Ones AKA El precio de un hombre

Tescia etc.

4 November 1966

Western

DVD
D+

It's the quicker picker-uppper.  Director Eugenio Martín co-adapted Marvin H. Albert's novel.

The Price of Power AKA Il prezzo del potere

The Price of Power AKA Il prezzo del potere

Consorzio Italiano etc.

18 December 1969

Western
DVD
D+

It's not often that you get Van Johnson playing President Garfield and dubbed into English.  Tonino Valerii directed and co-wrote, a couple years after Days of Wrath AKA Days of Anger AKA I giorni dell'ira.

Sundance Cassidy and Butch the Kid AKA Vivi o, preferibilmente, morti AKA Alive or Preferably Dead

Sundance Cassidy and Butch the Kid AKA Vivi o, preferibilmente, morti AKA Alive or Preferably Dead

Compagnia Finanziaria etc.

17 September 1969

Historical Comedy

DVD
C-

This was hard to Google.  Duccio Tessari directed and co-wrote.  And, no, it's not exactly a Western.

Life Is Tough, Eh Providence? AKA La vita a volte è molto dura, vero Provvidenza?

Life Is Tough, Eh Providence? AKA La vita a volte è molto dura, vero Provvidenza?

Oceania Produzioni Internazionali Cinematografiche etc.

26 October 1972

Comedy, Western

DVD
C+

This is wacky, not just in the slapstick but in dubs that reference e.g. Joe Namath and They Shoot Horses, Don't They? At times, I thought I'd give it a B-, but there are too many dangling threads, like the saloongirl who kept swearing vengeance and then missed the last third of the movie.  Giulio Petroni directed, five years after the much darker Death Rides a Horse AKA Da uomo a uomo.

The Weasel's Tale AKA El cuento de las comadrejas

The Weasel's Tale AKA El cuento de las comadrejas

100 Bares etc.

16 May 2019

Comedy

DVD
B+

A sharp and delightful black comedy that plays with movie cliches with aplomb.  The performances in the small cast are great, too, and the house is gorgeous.  Juan José Campanella directed and co-wrote, and I'm stunned that this is the same man whose The Secret in Their Eyes AKA El secreto de sus ojos (2009) I gave an F- to!

Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! AKA ¡Átame!

Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! AKA ¡Átame!

El Deseo S.A.

12 December 1989

Comedy
DVD
C-

Better than I expected. Pedro Almodóvar wrote and directed.

Tapas

Tapas

Castelao Productions

13 May 2005

Dramedy
DVD
C+

I kept waiting for this to click with me and for all the stories to connect, but neither happened.  Still, I wasn't bored.  José Corbacho and Juan Cruz co-directed and co-wrote.

Talk to Her AKA Hable con ella

Talk to Her AKA Hable con ella

El Deseo S.A.

15 March 2002

Drama

DVD

D-

A collection of things I don't want, like bullfighting.  Pedro Almodóvar wrote and directed.

The Shepherd AKA El pastor

The Shepherd AKA El pastor

Corinth Films

21 November 2016

Drama

DVD
C-

Not much happens in the first quarter hour, but I liked the music and cinematography.  Jonathan Cenzual Burley wrote and directed.

The Sea Inside AKA Mar adentro

The Sea Inside AKA Mar adentro

New Line etc.

2 September 2004

Drama

DVD
D+

Bumped up a notch for actual shots of the sea.  Alejandro Amenábar directed and co-wrote, three years before Los Otros.

A Perfect Day

A Perfect Day

Mediapro etc.

28 August 2015

Dramedy

DVD
C-

Fernando León de Aranoa directed and co-wrote, based on the novel Dejarse Llover by Paula Farias, a couple years before Loving Pablo, which I disliked much more.

Pan's Labyrinth AKA El laberinto del fauno

Pan's Labyrinth AKA El laberinto del fauno

Estudios Picasso etc.

11 October 2006

Historical Drama

DVD
C-

Although this hints at other genres-- fantasy, horror, war drama, etc.-- the first quarter hour is basically about a little girl and a maidservant (who might be a spy) and some other characters in '40s Spain.  Guillermo del Toro wrote and directed.

The Others AKA Los Otros

The Others AKA Los Otros

StudioCanal etc.

2 August 2001

Historical Drama

DVD
D+

Too much shrieking, and not even at scary things.  Alejandro Amenábar wrote and directed.

The Orphanage AKA El Orfanato

The Orphanage AKA El Orfanato

Rodar y Rodar

11 October 2007

Drama (but later Horror of course)

DVD
C

I liked this more than I expected and probably would've stayed tuned if it were just about the mom and her imaginative little boy living in a big house near the sea.  J.A. Bayona directed, nine years before the inferior A Monster Calls.

My Life Without Me

My Life Without Me

Sony etc.

7 March 2003

Drama

DVD
D+

Another depressing movie with "My Life" in the title.  This is based on Nanci Kincaid's short story collection Pretending the Bed Is a Raft.  Isabel Coixet directed, eleven years before Learning to Drive.

Mensaka

Mensaka

Studio Unknown

1998

Drama

DVD
D+

Bleak view of a bunch of young people, although nothing too shocking happens in the first quarter hour.  This is based on a novel by José Ángel Mañas and directed by Salvador Garcia Ruiz.

Loving Pablo

Loving Pablo

Studio Unknown

29 September 2017

Crime Drama, Romance?

DVD
D

This is based on Virginia Vallejo's memoir Loving Pablo, Hating Escobar, about falling for a drug lord.  Fernando León de Aranoa directed and co-wrote.

Guernica AKA Gernika

Guernica AKA Gernika

Sony

26 April 2016

War Drama, Romance

DVD
B-

The political and romantic entanglements of various journalists before and during the infamous bombing.  It took me awhile to sort out the characters, let alone their involvements, but I certainly enjoyed it more than most war dramas, and not just the romances.  It is cinematic and probably was stunning on the big screen.  Koldo Serra directed this Spanish-American multilingual production.

Four Rode Out

Four Rode Out

Sagittarius Productions

December 11, 1971

Western

DVD
D

If the direction and production values were better, I could see this being a D+ or even a C-, since it's comparatively intelligent and feminist, and the cast is somewhat surprising.  (I tuned out before Leslie Nielsen showed up.)  John Peyser directed and actor Dick Miller co-wrote.