‘EL PURO 2’ GAINS STAR, DIRECTOR! PLUS COWBOY LUNCH HONORS ‘HOW THE WEST WAS WON’, L.A./ITAL FILM FEST!

‘RESURRECTION OF EL PURO’ GAINS STAR AND DIRECTOR!

Brett Halsey (right) with Dana Ghia

I was just checking in with Danny Garcia at Chip Baker Films, movers and shakers in the Euro-Western world, and got some good news.   The previously announced ‘RESURRECTION OF EL PURO’, the sequel to 1969’s ‘EL PURO’, again starring Robert Woods (read my interview with Robert HERE l; if you haven’t read the story of how this sequel began as a gag and became a real movie, go HERE ) has acquired an additional star and a director.  

Robert Woods in RESSURECTION OF EL PURO

Joining the cast is Brett Halsey, an actor with extensive credits both stateside and international.  He made his first uncredited Western appearance in 1953’s THE MAN FROM THE ALAMO, starring Glenn Ford, and directed by Budd Boetticher, and was soon appearing in episodes of GUNSMOKE, ADVENTURES OF JIM BOWIE, DEATH VALLEY DAYS and BAT MASTERSON.  In 1960 he starred in the adventure series FOLLOW THE SUN, and after, he headed to Europe, where he starred in films in France, Italy and Germany; considering the time, the place, and Brett’s broad shoulders and striking features, Euro-Westerns seemed inevitable.   Soon he was starring in UCCIDETE JOHNNY RINGO; TODAY WE KILL, TOMORROW WE DIE; WRATH OF GOD; TWENTY-THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR SEVEN; ROY COLT AND WINCHESTER JACK, often billed as ‘Montgomery Ford’, before returning to the U.S. for film and TV work.  A couple of years ago he returned to the Montgomery Ford moniker to star in the remarkable indie WesternTHE SCARLET WORM (read my review HERE  ).

 

Currently Robert Woods and Brett Halsey are hard at work on a re-write of the RESURRECTION OF EL PURO screenplay, with the help of TV writer Ray Reese. 

At the Spaghetti Western Film Festival, North Hollywood, 2011

l-to-r Robert Woods, Mark Damon, Brett Halsey

photo:  Westerns All'Italiana

Also joining the production is director Rafael Romero Marchent, whose Spaghetti Western credits include PREY OF VULTURES (1972) with Peter Lee Lawrence, THE AVENGER, ZORRO (1969) starring Fabio Testi, and the very enjoyable DEAD MEN DON’T COUNT (1968), starring Anthony Steffan and Mark Damon.  His most recent Westerns are three BLACK WOLF films from 1980 and 1981.    

Joining them will be several actors familiar to Spaghetti Western fans: Antonio Mayans, of A TOWN CALLED HELL and MORE DOLLARS FOR THE MACGREGORS; Nicoletta Machiavelli, of NAVAJO JOE and THE HILLS RUN RED, and Simone Blondell, who co-starred with Robert Woods in PRAY TO GOD AND DIG YOUR GRAVE (1968),  and HIS NAME WAS SAM WALBASH, BUT THEY CALL HIM AMEN (aka SAVAGE GUNS).

The link to the official Facebook page in HERE.  They’re aiming to roll camera in September.   And to whet your appetite for the sequel, here is a link to the original EL PURO – the entire film --

Also coming soon from Chip Baker Films, SIX BULLETS TO HELL is currently in post-production, and should be ready in the spring or summer (you can read more about that one HERE ).  REVEREND COLT, a Neo-Spaghetti Western, like all three films, to be shot in Almeria, Spain and other classic Spanish locations, and starring villainous western icon James Russo, will be rolling camera soon (if you missed that article, go HERE ) . 

WEDNESDAY’S ‘COWBOY LUNCH @ AUTRY’ CELEBRATES ‘HOW THE WEST WAS WON’ SERIES

This Wednesday, February 19^th, Rob Word’s ‘Cowboy Lunch @ The Autry’, held the 3^rd Wednesday of every month, will honor one of the great Western TV series, HOW THE WEST WAS WON, a.k.a. THE MACAHANS, which began as a three-part miniseries in 1977, starring James Arness, Eva Marie Saint, and Bruce Boxleitner.  It became a weekly series in 1978, losing Saint while gaining Fionnula Fkanagan, ran through 1979, produced 28 additional episodes, and won two Emmys, Outstanding Supporting Actor for Ricardo Montalban, and Outstanding Make-up for Richard Cobos and Walter Schenk. 

As always, the event, which starts at 12:30, is free – although you’ve got to buy your own lunch – and is followed by ‘A Word on Film’, with Rob Word leading a discussion among his guests, actors and other industry people associated with the show.  Rob never announces his guests in advance, but he always comes through with an interesting and talented group – previous luncheons have been attended by Hugh O’Brien, Johnny Crawford, and many others.  Don’t get there at the last minute – as these events have grown in popularity over the last few months, latecomers have had to be turned away.  Last month’s salute to the 24^th anniversary of LONESOME DOVE packed the house.  Below is a sample of what you (and I) missed!  This is part one of four parts, and the links to the next ones should be on the screen as each ends.

WINNER CHOSEN FOR THURSDAY’S ‘NEW WEST’ CONCERT!

Daniel O’Connell of Glendora, California is the lucky winner of two tickets to the OutWest – sponsored concert, An Evening with NEW WEST, this Thursday night.  It’s part of the OutWest Concert Series at the Repertory East Playhouse, at 24266 Main Street, Newhall, CA 91321.  Award-winning NEW WEST brings their own brand of Western ballads, story songs and cowboy swing to entertain you.  Raul Reynoso, Michael Fleming and David Jackson return to the Western stage with their engaging performance style!  And if you’re not our winner, don’t despair – tickets are still available!  Don’t miss this opportunity to enjoy Michael Fleming’s memorable original songs, the trio’s sweet harmony, Raul Reynoso’s world class guitar work and David Jackson’s show-stopping numbers.  Dress up!  SCTV will film, and you just may be on TV!  Tickets $20.  RSVP and Purchase tickets at OutWest 661-255-7087.  The doors open at 7 p.m.

In case you haven’t noticed, we have a new sponsor here at the Round-up, the OutWest Western Boutique and Cultural Center in Newhall – just go to the top left corner of the Round-up, click their logo, and you’ll be magically transported to their wonderful store. 

LOS ANGELES ITALIA FILM FESTIVAL - SUN. FEB. 23 – SAT. MARCH 1

Franco Nero at the Fest in 2012

Once again the Los Angeles Italia Film Festival is coming to Hollywood’s Chinese 6 Theatres for a week of Italian cinema and personal appearances.  This is the third year I’ve covered this event, and it’s always a delight.  And all of the screenings are free – tickets are available on a first-come, first served basis!  If you love film, and you’re local, you’d be crazy not to check this out.  Here is the link to the complete festival schedule: http://www.losangelesitalia.com/en/official-program-2014.html

While the past two years there has been considerable focus on Euro-Westerns, there does not appear to be any Westerns on this year’s agenda.   However, there are some events that will still be of particular interest to Western movie fans.  On Monday night at 9:45 pm, the documentary EUROCRIME! THE ITALIAN COP AND GANGSTER FILMS THAT RULED THE 1970S will be screened, and director Mike Malloy, Eurocrime and Eurowestern star Franco Nero, and others will be present.  Mike Malloy produced the excellent indie Western SCARLET WORM, which is discussed elsewhere in this Round-up.  Franco Nero is, of course, the original DJANGO, and Mike Malloy is producing the new Franco Nero Django film, DJANGO LIVES! Franco Nero will also be present on Thursday for the 4:10 pm screening of THE MYSTERY OF DANTE.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Thanks to my daughter for this!

HAPPY PRESIDENTS DAY!

THAT’S A WRAP!

On Friday night, a friend called, asking my help to track down a movie.  Her daughter having recently announced her engagement, they were in the mood to see FATHER OF THE BRIDE, but couldn’t track down a copy.  Did I have one?  Yes: a Beta copy.  But I assured her that I could get her one on Saturday, which I did, from that great source for hard-to-find movies, Eddie Brandt’s Saturday Matinee, in North Hollywood.  I’d forgotten that in addition to the Spencer Tracy MGM classic, there was also a remake starring Steve Martin.  I got both, which was good, because they wanted the Steve Martin one, and my wife and I got to watch Spence. 

My point is, people tell you that everything is easily available, especially online, and it’s not.   FATHER OF THE BRIDE with Steve Martin was a big hit, and something of a perennial, but it wasn’t available from Netflix, except for a long, indefinite wait for a disk, nor from any of the other download services.  And I understand that they have started dropping tons of movies from the lists of films they stream.  Why?  They don’t have to worry about competition from BLOCKBUSTER or HOLLYWOOD VIDEO, because they drove them out of business – so you don’t have a choice anymore.   For that matter, remember how good BLOCKBUSTER was when it started?  What a wide variety of movies they used to carry?  And then, when they drove all the mom-and-pop video stores out of business, they started dropping everything except current hits and video games. 

If you like a movie, BUY it, OWN it, KEEP it.  Don’t count on anyone else to look out for you, because monopolies are not about service, they’re about ‘take it or leave it.’  And if you’re having trouble finding a movie, go to Eddie Brandt’s Saturday Matinee.  Here’s the link to their site: http://www.ebsmvideo.com/

Happy Trails,

Henry

All Original Contents Copyright February 2014 by Henry C. Parke – All Rights Reserved