Joko invoca Dio... e muori (1968)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Director:

Antonio Margheriti

Writers:

Antonio Margheriti (writer)
Renato Savino (story)

Release Date:

19 April 1968 (Italy)

Genre:

Western

Tagline:

Five Men Held The Balance Of Death... ...his revenge explodes in a blaze of hellfire!

Plot Keywords:

Throat Slitting | Flashback Sequence | Spaghetti Western

Cast

Richard Harrison	...	Rocco
Claudio Camaso	...	Mendoza
Spela Rozin	...	Jane (as Sheyla Rosin)
Guido Lollobrigida		(as Lee Burton)
Werner Pochath	...	Kid (as Werner Pochat)
Paolo Gozlino	...	Pinkerton Detective Lester (as Paul Lino)
Alberto Dell'Acqua	...	Richie
Ignazio Spalla	...	Laredo (as Pedro Sanchez)
Mariangela Giordano	...	Rosita (as Marian Dana)
Goffredo Unger	...	Yuma (as Fredi Unger)
Luciano Pigozzi	...	Domingo (as Alan Collins)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Alexander Allerson
Luciano Bonanni	...	Jimmy (as Larry Bona)
Albert Carl
Lucio De Santis	...	Mendoza Prisoner (as Louis Santis)
Albert Nova
Claudio Ruffini	...	Posse Member
Aysanoa Runachagua	...	Sonko
Giovanni Ivan Scratuglia	...	Manolo (as Ivan Scott)
Lucio Zarini		(as Louis Zarini)

Also Known As:

Fünf blutige Stricke (West Germany)
Roko's Revenge (Canada: English title)
Vengeance

Runtime:

USA:81 min

Country:

Italy | West Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

West Germany:18 (nf) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Company:

Arlington International Pictures

Standard Spaghetti - O(ater)!

"Vengeance", an Arlington International Pictures release, now getting a second life via a new Image DVD, is a routine Spaghetti western revolving around an outlaw's quest for revenge against gang members who've betrayed him and killed his partner.

Rocco (star Richard Harrison, veteran of many an Italian Peplum and Western) is one of the gold thieves left holding an empty bag. Arriving too late to avert the death of his young partner, Richie (who is drawn & quartered in the film's prologue), Rocco systematically criss-crosses the countryside, looking to kill each of his 5 ex-trail buddies and get back his share of the gold. He's followed most of the way by a bounty hunter hired to retrieve the stolen gold, but who takes to acting as Rocco's guardian angel whenever the odds are stacked against Rocco's favor.

Harrison is appropriately laconic (much like Clint Eastwood as the famed "Man with No Name") in pursuit of his single-minded purpose. The rest of the Italian and Spanish cast capably perform their stock roles with a minimum of distraction. Much of the cast mouth their dialogue in English, which makes for less atrocious dubbing than usual for this type of fare.

DVD is letterboxed and print shows some minor wear & tear, but overall, it looks to be in decent shape. Definitely worth a viewing for fans of the genre.