Decent Spaghetti adaptation of Hamlet with thrills , violence , shoot’em up and well set . This Ravioli Western packs violence , shootouts , high body-count and it’s fast moving and some moments genuinely entertaining . On his way back from the American Civil War (1861-1865) , Johnny (Andrea Giordana) is visited in his sleep by the ghost of his father who lets him know that he has been killed and who asks him to revenge him . Back in the family mansion , Johnny aware that not only has his deceased father has been murdered but that Gerty \/Gertrude (Fran\u00e7oise Prevost) , his mummy , has married her late husband’s brother Claude Hamilton (Horst Frank) . The latter is now the proprietary of the ranch and of all the ownerships of his daddy . Santana\/Polonius, a nasty Mexican outlaw , is supposed to have murdered Johnny’s father. Then Johnny seeks vendetta against Santana , Claude and his underlings (Ennio Girolami , Pedro S\u00e1nchez) .<\/p>\n
Interesting Spaghetti packs drama , thrills , action , and lots of shots and gunplay .It’s an exciting western with breathtaking showdown between the protagonists and hoodlums . There is a huge shootout in the ranch and a breathtaking face off between Andrea Giordana and Horst Frank . Good cast as Andrea Giordana who starred \u00a8Massacre at Grand canyon\u00a8 , “The Dirty Outlaws” and this \u00a8Johnny Hamlet\u00a8 at his best . Nice acting by Gilbert Roland as Horace ; he starred some Spaghetti such as Sonora, Goldseekers , Any Gun Can Play and Between God , the devil and a Winchester . Horst Frank as a cruelly baddie role is terrific, he steals the spectacle as a crazed psychopath ; former and subsequently he would play similar characters in various oaters . Furthermore, there appears usual Macarroni secondary actors such as John Bartha ,Ennio Girolami , director’s brother , and Ignazio Spalla or Pedro Sanchez who used to play similar roles to great Fernando Sancho . This widely deemed picture , unlike most conventional Spaghetti Western , contains exceptional setting , colorful images with an atmospheric cinematography by Angelo Filippini . Agreeable musical score by Francesco De Massi , Spaghetti’s usual , including catching and evocative songs by Alessandro Alessandroni , usual collaborator to Ennio Morricone .<\/p>\n
The motion picture was professionally filmed by Enzo G Castell . Director Enzo G achieved in “Johnny Hamlet ” possibly one of his best works of an important career , with some memorable scenes , appropriate camera movement and descriptive close-ups . Enzo usually makes experimental editing techniques such as unbroken transitions from one scene to another and a cameo appearance in his films . Castellari often works with Guido and Maurizio De Angelis and uses to do slow motion shootouts and choreographic death scenes . Enzo is a good a craftsman working in all kind of genres , as he made Western especially . His first one was \u00a8Some dollars for Django\u00a8 co-directed by Leon Klimovsky , but actually, for the most part of its filming by the disagreements arising with Klimovsky was realized by Enzo G. Castellari, which this film was his directorial debut in a sub-genre that became one of its greatest representatives ; in fact if you compare the beginning of “7 Winchester for a massacre” which would direct the next year and the end this one seem to be similar direction . After that , he went on directing \u00a8 Johnny Hamlet\u00a8 , \u00a8Kill them everybody and came back alone\u00a8, \u00a8Tedeum\u00a8 , \u00a8Cipolla colt\u00a8 and the masterpiece : \u00a8Keoma\u00a8 and finally its inferior sequel \u00a8Jonathan of the Bears\u00a8 also with Franco Nero . Some of them are serious , others are goofy and plenty of slapstick and slapdash . This \u00a8Johnny Hamlet\u00a8 (1968) is a bewildering story , enjoyable in lots of parts and it will appeal to Spaghetti Western fans . It’s an acceptable film , and better than a lot of the ulterior spaghetti western to come .<\/p>\n
Other Spaghetti Westerns freely based on famous novels and plays are the followings : \u00a8Apocalypse Joe\u00a8 by Leopoldo Savona with Anthony Steffen that takes elements from \u00a8Hamlet\u00a8 and \u00a8Macbeth\u00a8 of Shakespeare . Other Spaghetti freely based on notorious play by Shakespeare is \u00a8The Fury of Johnny Kid\u00a8 by Gianni Puccini with Peter Lee Lawrence and Cristina Galbo from \u00a8Romeo and Giuletta\u00a8 along with “Bullets and the Flesh” by Marino Girolami . Other Spaghetti based on known and classic plays and novels are : \u00a8The return of Ringo\u00a8 by Duccio Tessari inspired on the \u00a8Odyssey\u00a8, and \u00a8John Il Bastardo\u00a8(1967) based on books from Zorrilla and Moliere ; \u00a8Long days of vengeance\u00a8 by Florentano Vancini with Giuliano Gemma and Francisco Rabal , being based on classic novel titled \u00a8The count of Montecristo\u00a8 written by Alexandre Dumas and \u00a8between God , the devil and a Winchester\u00a8 based on Treasure island , being directed by Marino Girolami , father of Enzo G Castellari , with Richard Harrison , Gilbert Roland and Roberto Camardiel .