ironhorse_iv
This movie made me absolutely livid, because this film honestly could had been one of the better Spaghetti Western films, I have ever saw; but instead, it plays out, really effervescence. 'Kill the Wicked' tells the story of a Good Samaritan drifter, Benny Hudson (Larry Ward) and a stranded woman, Jenny Matterson (Daniela Igliozzi), whom finds themselves being torture; when they accidentally walk into an gang's hideout in a ghost town. The ghost town backdrop gives the film, it's eerily unsettling creepy atmosphere, but the characters rarely act upon it. You never see them, show any fears of the place, they were staying at. The film could had use that as a psychology tool, showing the breakdown of the group, showing the complications and mistrust weaving its way into their plan. It could had play more of a paranoia factor cause by their lust of the gold. The movie doesn't capitalize on that, as it should have; because of this, the audience is left, wanting something really intense that never truly appear in the film. For the most part, the pacing is pretty bad. All the good action is in the beginning, as the movie continue to dull and hold off from the drama, until a badly deliver climax. Today, the psychedelic visuals are pretty dated. The haunted abandoned hotel looks like a cheesy left-over set from a Hammer Film Production. It was indeed low-budget. Director Tanio Boccia was sometimes called the Italian Roger Corman, because of his ability to make movies in no time, with hardly any money. The main lead, Larry Ward is a veteran American television actor, best known today for voicing the Jabba the Hutt character in 1983's Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. He was OK in the film, but his character is badly written. The movie tries to put a lot of religious metaphors with Hudson. He's a lame Jesus Christ archetype, character whom a drifter whom ride on a white horse, help people, only to get wipe, and tied down on a cross like tree. You see him get torture time after time, without much attempt to fight back. It got so lame in the action; that an animal and old lady had to do most of the work to save him. Once, he does, pick up a gun, he's does little to nothing, and let's most of the bad guys killed each other. He has little to no personality to claim for, and the movie kinda knows that, so they focus, most of time, getting to know the bad guys. The bad guys are well played. Men Fury AKA Furio Meniconi was great as the lead bad guy, Braddock. You really can't help, hating the guy. Massimo Righi AKA Max Dean plays the lunatic, a little bit over the top; that it's not convincing. He's probably the most familiar face to spaghetti western fans. Despite, getting second billing, Rod Dana AKA Robert Marks is barely in the film as Randall. His character really comes out of nowhere, just to make sure, the nearly pacifist hero, Hudson doesn't killed any of the bad guys toward the end. It's such a disappointment. One of the biggest drawn in the film is the erotica nature that comes from main vixen, Shelley (María Silva), who loves to sleep around to get closer to the gold. Maria is very attractive, indeed. Her near nude scenes were pretty sexy. Still, her character lacks anything else, besides a Femme fatale that is there to look pretty, and have catfight with All-American girl, Jenny. I like how the filmmakers put random shot of Jenny dropping a Bible is added in. We get it! The Ghost town is serving here as the catholic limbo, the flames of the final scene representing hellfire. The original title, 'God doesn't pay on Saturday' is an Italian saying, referring to the old custom of paying wages on Saturday night. The idea behind it is that God is not committed to any earthly habit, but will sooner or later pass his judgment on all mortal souls. It's nice that they add religious overtones to the story; but they need to be craftier on it. Screenwriter Mino Roli would later, try to do this, by retelling the same story a few years later with producer/director Cesare Canevari in the 1970 film 'Mátalo!' with mixed results. The movie has one of the coolest opening credits to any Spaghetti Western film, with colorful animation sequence with title song about the price of gold. The song by Angelo Francesco Lavagnino & Gordon Scott is pretty catchy. Sung by Roberto Matano, the song seems more like a 1960s James Bond opening theme song, than a western theme. One of the biggest problems with the music is that the movie is overplayed, way too much, that it gets annoying. Other music throughout the film wonderfully enhances the atmosphere and action. The English dubbing isn't that, bad. It's a bit off, but not off-putting. Still, it was a bit weird that the English version left the production credits still stuck in the original Italian lettering. The movie is presented in an uncut version which I did watch. The picture is sharp, vivid and almost without much scratches. It was a decent transfer. Some versions of this film under the Wild East Distributors has this film as a double billing feature with the movie 1966's Kill or Be Killed, also directed by Tanio Boccia. Overall: It's a very uneven very amateurish little film. I can't recommended this film for Spaghetti Western fans. Watch 1970 film 'Mátalo!' instead.
Wizard-8
If you are a fan of spaghetti westerns, chances are that several of the ingredients in "Kill The Wicked" will be very pleasing to you. The movie is greatly atmospheric, for one thing, with the ghost town setting providing an eerie backdrop. Much of the movie's violent sequences pack a real punch as well. Also, Angelo Francesco contributes a musical score that is very flavorable, adding to the movie's grim and eerie mood.The movie is not without fault, though. Actually, there is only one problem, but that problem is a pretty big one. The fault is that the movie is VERY slow and drawn out. There is probably only enough plot for about sixty or so minutes, but the movie is stretched out to almost ninety minutes in length.While I am recommending the movie, it's under the conditions that you are a fan of the spaghetti western genre and can accept some faults, plus you happen to be patient. If you fit those two categories, then the movie definitely will have some rewards.
FightingWesterner
After a bloody stagecoach robbery, a nasty gang of cutthroats leave a wounded compatriot to die on the plains while they go hide out in a ghost-town and begin making hostages out of whoever comes along.A shoestring spaghetti western with a fairly thin plot, this benefits from it's bright, colorful look and the fact that this is pretty interesting visually. The story is told primarily in pictures, with only sparse dialog for the most part. If you turn off the sound, you'd still get the gist of what's going on.One thing I particularly enjoyed was the gang's lone female member. She was really cute and looked great in and out of her leather pants! There's definitely better Italian westerns out there, but a lot worse too. This is worth a look for fans who've seen everything.
heybhc
Larry Ward is toplined in this low budget Italian/Spanish oater for some reason; he has less screen time than the other male leads, except for Robert Mark, who disappears early on only to reappear toward the end. Ward was an American actor who had quite a few TV appearances, mostly in westerns, and appears suited to play the town storekeeper, or priest, or councilman, hardly a wandering adventurer. Mark has plenty of charisma as Randall, one of a quartet of killers who hole up in a wonderfully dilapidated ghost town, hiding out until they can escape over the border. Ben (Ward) and Judy, recently widowed, ride into town and are taken prisoner by the gang, who enjoy toying with them. Meanwhile the money has disappeared, Braddock (the fine Furio Meniconi), the leader, is growing agitated, and his lover Shelley is looking around for a better deal. This script was the blueprint for the later MATALO! which is virtually identical, with the addition of boomerangs. The remake is a little crazier, with the women dressing like hippies and wild camera-work, psychedelic music, and a Gothic atmosphere, but KILL THE WICKEDS is a good time for western buffs, available on a nice double feature from Wild East, teamed with KILL OR BE KILLED, also starring Robert Mark.
