Blood River (1974)
6/10
Violent Spaghetti/Paella Western with elements of Greek tragedy
13 July 2022
Spaghetti Western with unusual Indian theme , including lots of shots , thrills , action , including a twisted and bloody final conclusion. This thrilling and tragic film packs noisy action , shoot'em up , high body-count and it's fast moving , being entertaining enough and made in Italian style more than American one , approaching increasingly Sergio Leone manners , and keeping some details that make it off-the-wall in this particular genre . At the beginning a gory massacre takes place at an Indian village, in which the women are raped , and being burnt down , but one little kid witnesses the violent deeds . The surviving child , once grown-up becomes Indian chief Condor (Daniel Martín) and decides to take a merciless vendetta and to kill the White Men responsible of the horrible massacre . Meanwhile , baron land Abel Webster's (John Ireland) wishes anxiously a heir and he's hellbent on having his son, Ben (Michael Rivers) , marry half-breed Katherine (gorgeous Rosalba Neri) , though she's in love with her half-brother, Ringo (Fabio Testi) . Then , things go wrong.

This obscure and outlandish Spaghetti/Chorizo results to be an exciting Maccaroni western that contains a story full of violence , family drama , so-so dramatic pace and slick but amateurish direction . It follows the Sergio Leone wake , including close-ups , shootouts , choreographic confrontation and that's why being proceeded in Italian style . It's a thrilling western with spectacular scenes and breathtaking showdown among protagonists . There are loads of violent deaths , in which the wealthy land baron's underlings are murdered one by one , they are stabbed, hanged , shot, drowned , slashed and gored . It's a middle-budget film with usual actors , technicians, production values and pleasing results . Charismatic interpretation from Paella/Spaghetti's customary actors . Stars Fabio Testi giving a passable acting as a half-wit outlaw, at the beginning his long careet he performed some Spaghettis , such as : Cemetery without crosses ,At the End of the Rainbow , Django Meets Sartana, Zorro Justiciero, I quattro dell'Apocalisse , Red Coat and Clayton Drumm. While the Spanish Daniel Martin is so-so as a young Indian desperately wanting justice and revenge after witnessing the slaughter of the people of his village, he played a lot of Paella Westerns , usually as Indian role such as : The Last Mohican , Too Much Gold for One Gringo, Watch Out Gringo! Sabata Will Return , Man Called Gringo, Fall of the Mohicans or Uncas, el fin de una raza and had an important secondary role in Leone's Fistful of Dollars . And special mention for the Italian cult actress Rosalba Neri as half-breed daughter , she's is excellent , as always . Being the typical European co-production appearing regular Spanish secondaries as Luis Induni , José Canalejas , Miguel de la Riva and Italian ones as Luisa Rivelli , Attilio Dottesio . Vittorio Richelmy and Giovanni Cianfriglia or Ken Wood.

Colorful and evocative cinematography by Leoploldo Villaseñor , though being necessary a perfect remastering . And Morricone style musical score with catching leitmotif by Piero Umiliani . The motion picture was regularly directed by Gianfranco Baldanello . He was assistant director and subsequently directed some films . Gianfranco made several Spaghettis , such as ¨Uccidete Johnny Ringo¨ , ¨This man cant die¨ , ¨Son of Zorro¨ , ¨The Cry of the Wolf¨, ¨Black Jack¨ , ¨Blood River¨ and ¨30 Winchesters for El Diablo" - International title- or "Gold Train" . Rating : 6/10.
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