It has also appeared on prominent all-time critics lists, including Time's 100 greatest films of the 20th century and Empire's 500 greatest movies of all time, where it was the list's highest-ranking Western at number 14. Once Upon a Time in the West - Trailer (Starring: Henry Fonda, Charles Bronson, Claudia Cardinale) Once Upon a Time in the West. Many of the film's most memorable lines of dialogue came from Donati, or from the film's English dialogue adapter, expatriate American actor Mickey Knox.[12]. [14], Fonda did not accept Leone's first offer to play Frank, so Leone flew to New York to convince him, telling him: "Picture this: the camera shows a gunman from the waist down pulling his gun and shooting a running child. The music was written by composer Ennio Morricone, Leone's regular collaborator, who wrote the score under Leone's direction before filming began. Sergio Leone’s 1968 Spaghetti Western film “Once Upon a Time in the West” is a strong example of a post-structuralism film. [21] Directors such as Martin Scorsese, George Lucas, Quentin Tarantino,[22] and Vince Gilligan[23] have cited the film as an influence on their work. ( Log Out /  How this is viewed depends on the audience’s interpret ion of the work. The codes are usually in … When Paramount offered Leone a generous budget along with access to Henry Fonda—his favorite actor, and one with whom he had wanted to work for virtually all of his career—Leone accepted the offer. Sparkmesh's page for the title Theme from "Once Upon a Time in the West". The Man 10. The cowboys: Frank, Harmonica and Cheyenne, all represent a new type for the Western genre. Learn Film/TV score for Flute Solo by Ennio Morricone in minutes. For Once Upon a Time in the West, Leone changed his approach over his earlier Westerns. They filmed at the famous Monument Valley, in Utah that was immortalized as a symbol of the West by director John Ford. The movie's structure is loose and episodic; its themes--the seduction of greed, the stupidity of war--are not particularly novel. As in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, the haunting music contributes to the film's grandeur, and like the music for The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, is considered one of Morricone's greatest compositions. The film has a very simple plot. It was also the most popular film in Germany with admissions of 13 million, ranking third of all time. SKU 104726. As a Judgement 3. and Once Upon a Time in America, though the films do not share any characters in common. Morricone immediately reveals his penchant for unusual scorings as he sets the first statement for harpsichord and vibraphone accompanied by the cello. Stander remained in the credits, though he did not appear in this version at all. Each of the characters has a diegetic and non-diegetic score that further describes their persona. Following the film's completion, Once Upon a Time in the West was dubbed into several languages, including Italian, French, German, Spanish, and English. Leone claimed the projectionist told him, "I kill you! Frank on the other hand dresses a little better than Harmonica and Cheyenne, but is still facially worn from his misdeeds. These scenes were cut for the American release: Otherwise, one scene was slightly longer in the US version than in the international film release: Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Great for checking all the versions of your favorite song that are out there, and maybe even finding a new favorite version of your own! This is because the railroad or American expansion finally comes to the town. Leitmotifs are especially used with the Harmonica man’s solo tune, which is a haunting intense tone that makes the listener afraid of what will happen next. Harmonica helps Frank kill them, though, by directing his attention to their whereabouts from the room where Mrs. McBain is taking a bath. On two occasions, Frank has asked him who he is, but both times Harmonica only answered with names of men "who were alive before they knew you". Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. Download Ennio Morricone Once Upon A Time In The West (Theme) sheet music and printable PDF music notes. Once Upon a Time in the West offers somewhat of a balance between the lead male 25 characters and Jill. This version was shown in European cinemas, and was a box-office success. Jill gets the help of the Harmonica man and his friend Cheyenne (Jason Robards) who is also seeking revenge on Frank. and Once Upon a Time in America. During production, Leone recruited Donati to rewrite the script due to concerns over time limitations. Once upon a Time in the West (opening theme) 2. The land was bought by Brett McBain, who foresaw that the railroad would have to pass through that area, to provide water for the steam locomotives. Once Upon A Time In The West Theme (Ennio Morricone) - YouTube ( Log Out /  Harmonica man, Leone originally wanted Clint Eastwood, who turned it down. After Clint Eastwood turned down an offer to play the movie's protagonist, Bronson was offered the role. Cheyenne has a piano and banjo tune that is used for comedic effect, where as Jill has a romantic harpsichord to show her beauty and hope in the West. The contrast in clothing separates the characters in terms of status. Closer. This time, Harmonica says he will reveal who he is "only at the point of dying". The codes are usually in the symbolism of the film. A Dimly Lit Room 8. This theme was so effective that it led to many declaring the end of the Western as a movie genre. [15][16][17] Scenes at the Sweetwater Ranch were filmed in the Tabernas Desert, Spain; the ranch is still located at what is now called Western Leone. He had come across the novel The Hoods by the pseudonymous "Harry Grey", an autobiographical book based on the author's own experiences as a Jewish hood during Prohibition, and planned to adapt it into a film (17 years later, it would become his final film, Once Upon a Time in America). Ennio Morricone - Once Upon a Time in the West (Main theme)Transcription pour Piano : David Juna The haunting presence of the man with the harmonica and his theme permeates the entire score. Once Upon a Time in the West (Theme) Bill Frisell. This paid homage to previous Western films. The scene in which Morton and Frank discuss what to do with Jill at the Navajo Cliffs. In 2009, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant". Frank is also trying to take the land that the widowed Jill McBain (Claudia Cardinale). Leone liked to tell the story of a cinema in Paris where the film ran uninterrupted for two years. Basically the film follows a man who plays a harmonica (Charles Bronson) who is seeking revenge on Frank (Henry Fonda). I.B. Meanwhile, former prostitute Jill arrives at Flagstone from New Orleans, revealing that she was McBain's new wife, and therefore the new owner of the land. Tauris & Co. 'An Opera of Violence', documentary on the DVD, Once Upon a Time in the West (disambiguation), Learn how and when to remove this template message, Once Upon a Time in the West (soundtrack), "Top 25 Greatest Villains - Henry Fonda as Frank", "The film with three names – in praise of Sergio Leone's neglected spaghetti western", "25 new titles added to National Film Registry", "Complete National Film Registry Listing | Film Registry | National Film Preservation Board | Programs at the Library of Congress | Library of Congress", "An Exclusive Interview With Mickey Knox", "La Calahorra, una estación de cine para los 'western' españoles", "Estados Unidos en Granada. She dresses very properly and is visually very stunning, and the dusty atmosphere hasn’t gotten to her. In post-structuralist films though the audience can take multiple meanings from one thing. According to film critic and historian Christopher Frayling, the film quotes from as many as 30 classic American Westerns. ----- Once Upon a Time in the West - Dire Straits ----- Tabbed by: maguri Tuning: Standard Dire Straits Once Upon a Time in the West (1979) (Knopfler) From: "Communique" Great song to … The tone of the film is consistent with the arid semidesert in which the story unfolds, and imbues it with a feeling of realism that contrasts with the elaborately choreographed gunplay. For the English dub, the voices of many of the American cast, including Fonda, Bronson, Robards, Wynn, Wolff, and Lionel Stander, were used. Back in the present, Harmonica draws first and shoots Frank. This film has been labeled “the greatest film every made” and rightfully so because of its use of semiology, which is the study of symbols. He found it to be "good fun" and "a painstaking distillation" of Leone's famous style, with intriguing performances by actors cast against their type and a richness of detail projecting "a sense of life of the West" made possible by Paramount's bigger budget for this Leone film. In a roadhouse on the way to Sweetwater, where he also encounters Mrs. McBain, Harmonica informs Cheyenne that the three gunfighters appeared to be posing as Cheyenne's men. Most of the infrastructure in the film is run down or falling apart, and the town almost feel like ghost towns. The film also mostly takes place in an arid, dry and isolated area. The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists: The movie was a massive hit in France,[6] and was easily the most successful film released there in 1969, with 14.8 million admissions, ranking seventh of all time. The brick arch, where Bronson's character flashes back to his youth and the original lynching incident, was built near a small airport 15 miles north of Monument Valley, in Utah, and two miles from U.S. Route 163 (which links Gouldings Lodge and Mexican Hat). It was one of the first times in a Western film where the villain was played by the lead actor. In structuralist films one thing conveys one meaning. [14] Cowboys before this, especially seen in John Wayne films, were romanticized and explorers. [nb 1] This release is the color 2.35:1 aspect ratio version in anamorphic widescreen, closed captioned, and Dolby. Farewell to Cheyenne 4. Ebert complained, however, of the film's length and convoluted plot, which he said only becomes clear by the second hour. Instead, Mrs. McBain allows Frank to seduce her, seemingly to save her life, and is then forced to sell her property in an auction, where Frank's men intimidate the other bidders. While viewing Cardinale as a good casting choice, he said she lacked the "blood-and-thunder abandon" of her performance in Cartouche (1962), blaming Leone for directing her "too passively. As the two prepare for a gun duel, Harmonica's motive is revealed in a flashback. In Italy, a 175-minute director's cut features a yellow tint filter, and several scenes were augmented with additional material. The Italian director Sergio Leone's 1968 film "Once Upon A Time In The West" borrows themes from many earlier westerns, including "Johnny Guitar" (1954) a film involving a former prostitute who owns property needed by an oncoming railroad, while making an unmistakable contribution to the genre of its own. Dulce Pontes – Your Love (Once Upon A Time In The West) Lyrics. The second disc has special features, including three recent documentaries on several aspects of the film: The film was released on Blu-ray on 31 May 2011. You touched me and calmed my fear, Turned darkness into light. While Harmonica rides away with Cheyenne's dead body, the work train arrives and Mrs. McBain carries water to the rail workers. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. [7], In the US, Paramount edited the film to about 145 minutes for the wide release, but the film underperformed at the box office, earning $2.1M in rentals in North America.[39]. [9], In 2009, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".[10][11]. The film realizes heavily on symbolism and themes, which can be interpreted in many different ways. It is not until the end of the film when the town livens up and we see more people. ( Log Out /  Fonda felt having dark eyes and facial hair would blend well with his character's evil, and also help the audience to accept this "new" Fonda as the bad guy, but Leone immediately told him to remove the contacts and facial hair. The Trasgression 5. It was added again for the U.S. market, because the American distributors feared American viewers would not understand the story otherwise, especially since Harmonica's arm wound is originally shown for the first time in the scene at the trading post, which was cut for the shorter U.S. version. The same movie over and over again for two years! The film “Once Upon a Time in the West” is two hours and 45 minutes, and the script itself had only 15 pages of dialogue. A restored 4K version has been published by Cineteca Bologna in 2018, with improved colors and image quality.[40]. Leone felt that Fonda's blue eyes best reflected the cold, icy nature of the killer. The sprawling railways are reaching the far-west, and somewhere along its way, in a small border town, the paths of four characters are going to cross and clash: a young woman looking for a fresh start, an outlaw on the run for a crime he (this time) didn't commit, a ruthless killer on the payroll of a railroad tycoon, and a mysterious man with no name who plays a couple of sad chords on a harmonica and a few cadences on his revolver.