The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. It's called the greatest "Spaghetti Western" ever made. It's ranked #4 on IMDb's Top 250.Conspicuously, it is not ranked on the AFI's Top 100 -- in the list's original or updated incarnation. And that maybe should have been my first clue. It's not that I've always (or even usually) agreed with the AFI list, but the film's absence there was the first tip that perhaps some people hold the film in overly high esteem.
Having now seen the movie, I do not get it. At all. The movie clocks in just shy of a ponderous three hours long, and feels longer still. The languid pacing goes 10 minutes before the first line of dialogue is spoken, spends the first half hour introducing the major characters, doesn't bring up the actual MacGuffin of the plot until after the one hour mark, and culminates in a three-way "Mexican standoff" that lasts nearly lasts five minutes. (Really! Time it! I'm talking five actual minutes, not five "internet hyperbole minutes.")
I suppose that for some, this is precisely the charm of the film. Certainly, this style inspired subsequent films. But I wasn't charmed; I was just plain bored. I honestly tried to find some redeeming element of the movie, but couldn't come up with anything other than the legendary musical score by Ennio Morricone. Even that is more famous than good. The notorious hook is entertaining for a minute or two, but doesn't sustain for three hours any more than the film itself.
Sorry, "one of the greatest films ever," but I've got to give you an F.
4 comments:
Wow. It's on my list. I admit it's a triumph of style over substance, but I like that style. Anyway, thanks for trying. It's cool that you're watching all these movies you've heard so much about over the years. Even if they're all wrong. :)
Are we talking a "Punch-Drunk Love" F, a "Mi Familia" F, a "The Birds" F or a "Watchmen" F? ;-)
I'd say it's closest to a Punch-Drunk Love F: hard for me to finish, and more concerned with doing things for style than for telling a story.
Do you have a list of the movies I've rated an F, or just a really impressive memory?
I'd like to say my memory is that cool, but nah. When I saw the F I was just curious as to how many you'd actually given, since I only actually remembered Punch-Drunk Love and Watchmen being the others.
I stopped when I got back to the original Iron Man review in Sunner 08. 5 over 2 years ain't bad!!
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