The Good the Bad and the Ugly

​The Good, The Bad and The Ugly is a classic western film and arguably the gold standard for the genre. It’s specifically a spaghetti western. Spaghetti westerns are western movies made by Italian directors and producers. They were often collaborations between production companies from Italy and Spain. Director Sergio Leone’s “Dollars Trilogy”, which concludes with this movie, brought this western subgenres to the mainstream. This film was primarily filmed in Spain as well as Cinecettà studio in Rome. the movie is known for its long shots and close up cinematography as well as a masterclass in the use of tension. The plot revolves around three gunslingers on a competitive search to find a fortune in a buried cache of confederate gold amid the violent chaos of the American Civil War ( specifically the Battle of Glorieta Pass of the New Mexico Campaign in 1862). Western Icon Clint Eastwood reprises his role as The Man with No Name, who he plays in the entire trilogy, known in this movie simply as “Blondie” A.K.A the good. Starring alongside him is Lee Van Cleef, known for playing villains, as “ Angel Eyes” A.K.A the bad as well as Tony Award winner Eli Wallach as “Tuco” A.K.A the ugly. Oscar Winning composer Ennio Morricone provides the film’s iconic score and soundtrack which includes legendary tracks such as the self titled main theme, The Story of a Soldier, The Ecstasy of Gold and The Trio. Fun fact for Vin about The Ecstasy of Gold: Metallica uses it to open up their concerts and even recorded an instrumental metal cover of the song for the tribute album “ We All Love Ennio Morricone”. In the nearly 60 years since it’s release The Good, The Bad and The Ugly has stood the test of time as the prime example of all the things that define a truly great western: gritty dialogue, well placed and timed action sequences, multi layered and methodical storytelling and an epic driving score that sells the drama and suspense perfectly. Even the one and only Quentin Tarantino has called it “"the best-directed film of all time" and "the greatest achievement in the history of cinema". I hope you all enjoy this masterpiece that redefined not just a genre but filmmaking as a whole.