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Dark Hazard (1934)
Early look at Greyhound racing.
Interesting film about the early days of American greyhound racing based on W R Burnett 1933 Novel by the same name,I read the book it is above average and better than the movie for it goes into deeper character development and motives which is hard to do in a 72 minute movie. Few people realize it but WR Burnett was a greyhound owner and a huge fan of greyhound racing.The champion dog "War Cry" featured in the movie was actually owned by W.R Burnett.Greyhound racing as we know it today started in Emeryville,Ca. back in 1919.I believe the film was released in 1934 so the sport had been around for only 15 years when the movie was released.The filming of the actual greyhound race scenes were beautifully done,it even shows hurdle races which was later banned.
The movie has a great cast of well known stars of that time but Edward G Robinson is the star here,for he is in almost every scene.It is pre-code ,Buck the Edward G Robinson character makes reference to sexually satisfying his girlfriend which would of been cut out after the code was established also the ending is very positive which probably would of changed after the code was set up for most people looked at gambling as a vice back then.One mistake in the movie was it made reference to greyhound racing in Hawaii but it never existed there.
The movie moves along swiftly and covers a lot of years.Robinson does a convincing job in this film as a man who puts his love of greyhound racing over everything else.This is the only known movie totally based on greyhound racing.This film was remade a few years later as Wine, Women and Horses but Dark Hazard if far superior to the remake , the remake does star the beautiful Ann Sheridan which is its only attribute.
Giù la testa (1971)
One of the best westerns ever made.
This film is a masterpiece it was also released as Fistful of Dynamite. Several versions of this film are floating around,some TV versions are butchered,thus it unfairly got some bad reviews.The best way to view it is BUY the UNCUT long version on DVD.If you are able to pick up the uncut version you are in for a real treat.Everything about it is sensational the cinematography,the soundtrack,the story, the acting,tremendous action scenes, it also makes great use of flashbacks and slow motion shots.This movie is just is as good as Once Upon a Time in the West and The Good Bad and the Ugly. It was poorly released in two versions and as stated most TV versions are edited so much you can hardly figure out some parts of the movie.Because of the weak theatrical release and butchered TV versions many people have neverseen or heard of this movie,believe me if you like Sergio Leone you will love this movie.It is James Coburn's best film.Haunting soundtrack that you will never forget.I have seen this movie 7 times it is one of the best westerns ever made !!! Eli Wallach was suppose to get the Rod Steiger role but the studio wanted a bigger name.