The Sabata Trilogy
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Sabata is a 1969 movie by Gianfranco Parolini.
An example of a Spaghetti Western, this film starred Lee Van Cleef as the hero Sabata and William Berger as the villain only called Banjo. Considered to be very comical and even parody-like of the famous Django and Sergio Leone films but still has some serious moments and entertaining gun battles. The film was popular upon release and would be followed by two sequels including Adiós Sabata and Return of Sabata. Adiós Sabata would star Yul Brynner as Indio Black so it's not considered as a true sequel. The third film in this trilogy, Return of Sabata, returns Lee Van Cleef to the main role. Both sequels were released in 1971 and directed by Gianfranco Parolini. All films have been remastered for their DVD release by Sony Pictures.
- "Though he carries a rifle instead of a sword, Lee Van Cleef's Sabata is clearly a ronin of the Old West....SABATA was successful enough to spawn two sequels." -- Dave Kehr , (New York Times)
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[edit] Sabata
Italian title: Ehi amico... c'è Sabata, hai chiuso!
Plot: Perennial villain Lee Van Cleef plays one of his rare good-guy roles in this campy, classic spaghetti outing from Gianfranco Parolini. When a group of supposedly upstanding citizens rob an Army safe in order to buy land for a railroad, trickster Sabata is on hand with his infallible aim. He toys with his enemies in a cat-and-mouse game involving guns, knives, and dynamite.
- Cast and Crew
- Writer: Renato Izzo
- Starring: Lee Van Cleef
- Director: Gianfranco Parolini
- Producer: Alberto Grimaldi
- Distributor: MGM, Sony Pictures (USA DVD)
- Runtime: 111 minutes
- Music: Marcello Giombini
- Language: Italian
[edit] Adiós Sabata
Italian title: Indio Black, sai che ti dico: Sei un gran figlio di...
Plot: Yul Brynner stars as gunslinger Sabata in this spaghetti Western and the setting is Mexico under the rule of Emperor Maximilian I. Sabata is hired as a mercenary by the guerilla leader Ocaño to steal a wagonload of gold from the Austrian army. He and his pals Escudo (Pedro Sanchez) and Ballantine (Dean Reed) succeed in doing so, but the wagon is not full of gold but of sand. They find out that the Austrian Colonel Skimmel (Gérard Herter), a classic mustachioed villain, has taken it for himself and challenge him.
- Cast for Adiós Sabata
- Writer: Renato Izzo
- Director: Gianfranco Parolini
- Producer: Alberto Grimaldi
- Music: Bruno Nicolai
- Yul Brynner .... Sabata/Indio Black
- Dean Reed .... Ballantine
- Ignazio Spalla .... Escudo (as Pedro Sanchez)
- Gérard Herter .... Colonel Skimmel
- Sal Borgese .... Septiembre
- Franco Fantasia .... Señor Ocaño
- Joseph P. Persaud .... Hitano, Revolutionary who does Flamenco dance of death (as Joseph Persaud)
- Andrea Scottia .... José
[edit] Return of Sabata
Italian title: È tornato Sabata... hai chiuso un'altra volta
Plot: The trigger-happy gunslinger Sabata (Lee Van Cleef) rolls into Hobsonville--a town that's owned by the robber baron Joe McIntock (Giampiero Albertini). Determined to steal back the load of gold that McIntock stole from him, Sabata gathers his gang and makes his attack.
- Return of Sabata Cast
- Writer: Renato Izzo
- Director: Gianfranco Parolini
- Producer: Alberto Grimaldi
- Music: Marcello Giombini
- Lee Van Cleef .... Sabata/Major
- Reiner Schöne .... Clyde/Lieutenant
- Giampiero Albertini .... Joe McIntock
- Ignazio Spallat .... Bronco (as Pedro Sanchez)
- Annabella Incontrera .... Maggie, Saloon Girl
- Jacqueline Alexandre .... Jackie McIntock
[edit] Trivia for the Sabata films
- Kill Counts:
- Sabata: 67
- Adiós Sabata: 115
- Return of Sabata: 27
Lee Van Cleef was unavailable to play Sabata, as he was committed to making The Magnificent Seven Ride! where he played Chris Adams, a role made famous by Yul Brynner in The Magnificent Seven. Instead, Brynner signed on for the role of Sabata, a role made famous by Van Cleef.
This film was not originally going to be a Sabata film. It was originally going to be titled Indio Black, but the title was changed to cash in on the original Sabata film.
The setting of Adiós Sabata is Mexico under Emperor Maximilian I., a historical period that has been fascinating lots of writers and film makers since then. Most famous is the film Vera Cruz, of whom Adiós Sabata is criticised to be a plagiarism. In this context maybe it should be added that the appearance of Austrian military contingents is historically not quite correct. There have been no regular Austrian military forces in Mexico during the rule of Maximilian. His brother, Franz Joseph I of Austria was strictly against his brother's "Mexican Adventure" so that he even forced him to disclaim on all hereditary titles he possibly could inherit, this way actually disowning him from the House of Hapsburg. Therefore in reality there has only been a voluntary corps of Austrian adventurers and supporters of Maximilian which was not part of the Austrian but of the Imperial Mexican Army and consequently uniformed accordingly.
Return of Sabata was included as one of The Fifty Worst Films of All Time in the book of that name by Harry and Michael Medved.
[edit] Some Quotes from the Sabata Films
From Return of Sabata:
Sabata: "You see Maggie, I'm old fashioned, I don't like orgies."
- Sabata: "You know by staying partners we can earn more than this."
- Clyde: "I see what you're aiming for and what if you swindle me on deal?"
- Sabata: "I'm not like you."
From Adiós Sabata:
Major Metternich: "I would not have given you the honor of being executed by a firing squad".
[edit] Type of Guns found in the Sabata films
Pistols
Sabata's four barreled gun is a fake. Roughly based on a derringer, Sabata's gun also has three extra barrels concealed in the grip.
In 'Return of Sabata', Sabata also has a "squeeze gun". This is very exotic and rare. It is a 7 shot .32 rimfire, nickel plated palm squeezer pistol called "The Protector", made by "The Chicago Firearms Co." circa 1900.
A quote from 'Return of Sabata'-- Sabata: "-I bought this weapon, same as yours a year ago for $12. Now if you are going to charge me $24 here, taxes or not, that sounds like legalised theft." Gunsmith: "-Never mind mister, we don't like stranger with tough talk." Today it's worth about $1500 to $2000. Nobody would/could use it in our days, because they stopped making .32 rimfire cartridges in the 1930's.
The "flip board" duel guns in 'Return Of Sabata' are Sharps derringer Model 1859 cal. .22. Also chambered for cal .32.
Mr. Stengel's single shot duel pistols are probably one of a kind. These were custom-made, usually for wealthy customers.
[edit] DVD Information
MGM/UA released the Sabata Trilogy in October of 2005. The films are in great condition although they have nothing for special features.
The Sabata Trilogy
- Special Features: Color, Closed Captioned
- Genre: Collections; Drama
- Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1, anamorphic enhanced widescreen
- Region Code: 1
- Rating: NOT RATED
- Languages: English
- Studio: MGM/UA
