Enzo G. Castellari
Encyclopedia
Enzo G. Castellari is an Italian
film director. He became famous during the 1960s by directing several spaghetti western
s with such titles as Go Kill and Come Back (Vado... l'ammazzo e torno, 1967) , One Dollar Too Many
(1968), Seven Winchesters for a Massacre (Sette winchester per un massacro, 1967) and Go Kill Everybody and Come Back Alone
(Ammazzali tutti e torna solo, 1968). His films exhibited a flair for violent action and gunfights, often using slow-motion to spectacular effect. His film Keoma
(1976) is considered the last great film of the genre.
as Enzo Girolami. He is the son of director Marino Girolami
, aka Franco Martinelli. Castellari was a pioneer in the early Italian crime film genre, with High Crime
(La polizia incrimina la legge assolve, 1973) and Big Racket (Il grande racket, 1976). In the 1980s, his career suffered somewhat from the drop of quality in Italian genre films, and he found himself churning out financially successful B-movies like The New Barbarians
(I nuovi barbari, 1982) or 1990: The Bronx Warriors
(1990: I guerrieri del Bronx, 1982). His film Great White
(L'ultimo squalo, 1981) was pulled from theaters following a successful lawsuit from Universal Pictures
, who accused the filmmakers of plagiarizing
Steven Spielberg
's Jaws
. As Italian cinema declined, Castellari found work in television and as an action scene consultant.
On the German DVD of Johnny Hamlet (Quella sporca storia nel west, 1968), Castellari states that he's working on a new western (called The Badlanders), starring his favorite actor Franco Nero
in the lead again, also revealing that Liam Neeson
and Ethan Hawke
were eager to play a part in it. Later rumors had Mickey Rourke
and Quentin Tarantino
being involved. It has been quiet around the project for a while now.
Castellari is mainly known for his westerns, war and crime films, and has been called the "european Sam Peckinpah
" and the "action master". He also directed two very successful war films: Inglorious Bastards (Quel maledetto treno blindato, 1977) and Eagles Over London
(La battaglia d'Inghilterra, 1969), and made another shark film called The Shark Hunter (Il cacciatore di squali, 1979).
Castellari cameoed as a German mortar squad commander in his film Inglorious Bastards; and Quentin Tarantino
had him play the role of a German general in his film Inglourious Basterds (2009) which was inspired by it.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
film director. He became famous during the 1960s by directing several spaghetti western
Spaghetti Western
Spaghetti Western, also known as Italo-Western, is a nickname for a broad sub-genre of Western films that emerged in the mid-1960s in the wake of Sergio Leone's unique and much copied film-making style and international box-office success, so named by American critics because most were produced and...
s with such titles as Go Kill and Come Back (Vado... l'ammazzo e torno, 1967) , One Dollar Too Many
One Dollar Too Many
One Dollar Too Many is the American release title of I tre che sconvolsero il West, a 1968 Spaghetti Western feature film directed by Enzo G. Castellari and starring Antonio Sabato, John Saxon, andFrank Wolff...
(1968), Seven Winchesters for a Massacre (Sette winchester per un massacro, 1967) and Go Kill Everybody and Come Back Alone
Go Kill Everybody and Come Back Alone
Kill Them All and Come Back Alone is a 1968 Italian motion picture directed by Enzo G. Castellari. The movie is a western and was written by Castellari and Tito Carpi. It stars U.S...
(Ammazzali tutti e torna solo, 1968). His films exhibited a flair for violent action and gunfights, often using slow-motion to spectacular effect. His film Keoma
Keoma (film)
Keoma, also released in various counties under the titles Django Rides Again and The Violent Breed, is a 1976 Spaghetti Western film directed by Enzo G. Castellari and starring Franco Nero and Donald O'Brian...
(1976) is considered the last great film of the genre.
Life and career
Castellari was born in RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
as Enzo Girolami. He is the son of director Marino Girolami
Marino Girolami
Marino Girolami was an Italian film director who gained a cult following for his horror movies like Zombie Holocaust. He was the father of the Italian film maker Enzo G...
, aka Franco Martinelli. Castellari was a pioneer in the early Italian crime film genre, with High Crime
High Crime
High Crime , also known by its UK video title The Marseilles Connection, is a 1973 poliziottesco film directed by Enzo G. Castellari. The film stars Franco Nero, James Whitmore, Delia Boccardo and Fernando Rey....
(La polizia incrimina la legge assolve, 1973) and Big Racket (Il grande racket, 1976). In the 1980s, his career suffered somewhat from the drop of quality in Italian genre films, and he found himself churning out financially successful B-movies like The New Barbarians
The New Barbarians
The New Barbarians is a 1983 Italian post-apocalyptic action film directed by Enzo G. Castellari.The film was released in U.S. theaters by New Line Cinema as Warriors of the Wasteland in 1984.-Plot:...
(I nuovi barbari, 1982) or 1990: The Bronx Warriors
1990: The Bronx Warriors
1990: The Bronx Warriors is a 1982 Italian action-science fiction film directed by Enzo G. Castellari.-Plot:Anne is the 17-year-old heiress to the arms manufacturing giant, The Manhattan Corporation...
(1990: I guerrieri del Bronx, 1982). His film Great White
Great White (film)
Great White is a 1980 Italian horror film directed by Enzo G. Castellari and starring James Franciscus and Vic Morrow. The film is extremely similar to Steven Spielberg's Jaws.-Plot:...
(L'ultimo squalo, 1981) was pulled from theaters following a successful lawsuit from Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures
-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...
, who accused the filmmakers of plagiarizing
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is defined in dictionaries as the "wrongful appropriation," "close imitation," or "purloining and publication" of another author's "language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions," and the representation of them as one's own original work, but the notion remains problematic with nebulous...
Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an...
's Jaws
Jaws (film)
Jaws is a 1975 American horror-thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on Peter Benchley's novel of the same name. In the story, the police chief of Amity Island, a fictional summer resort town, tries to protect beachgoers from a giant man-eating great white shark by closing the beach,...
. As Italian cinema declined, Castellari found work in television and as an action scene consultant.
On the German DVD of Johnny Hamlet (Quella sporca storia nel west, 1968), Castellari states that he's working on a new western (called The Badlanders), starring his favorite actor Franco Nero
Franco Nero
Franco Nero is an Italian actor.-Early life:Nero was born Francesco Sparanero in San Prospero Parmense , the son of a sergeant in the...
in the lead again, also revealing that Liam Neeson
Liam Neeson
Liam John Neeson, OBE is an Irish actor who has been nominated for an Oscar, a BAFTA and three Golden Globe Awards.He has starred in a number of notable roles including Oskar Schindler in Schindler's List, Michael Collins in Michael Collins, Peyton Westlake in Darkman, Jean Valjean in Les...
and Ethan Hawke
Ethan Hawke
Ethan Green Hawke is an American actor, writer and director. He made his feature film debut in 1985 with the science fiction movie Explorers, before making a supporting appearance in the 1989 drama Dead Poets Society which is considered his breakthrough role...
were eager to play a part in it. Later rumors had Mickey Rourke
Mickey Rourke
Philip Andre "Mickey" Rourke, Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter and retired boxer, who has appeared primarily as a leading man in action, drama, and thriller films....
and Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990s, he began his career as an independent filmmaker with films employing nonlinear storylines and the aestheticization of violence...
being involved. It has been quiet around the project for a while now.
Castellari is mainly known for his westerns, war and crime films, and has been called the "european Sam Peckinpah
Sam Peckinpah
David Samuel "Sam" Peckinpah was an American filmmaker and screenwriter who achieved prominence following the release of the Western epic The Wild Bunch...
" and the "action master". He also directed two very successful war films: Inglorious Bastards (Quel maledetto treno blindato, 1977) and Eagles Over London
Eagles Over London
Eagles Over London, also known as Battle Squadron and Battle Command , is a 1969 Italian "macaroni combat" war film directed by Enzo G. Castellari.-Plot:...
(La battaglia d'Inghilterra, 1969), and made another shark film called The Shark Hunter (Il cacciatore di squali, 1979).
Castellari cameoed as a German mortar squad commander in his film Inglorious Bastards; and Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990s, he began his career as an independent filmmaker with films employing nonlinear storylines and the aestheticization of violence...
had him play the role of a German general in his film Inglourious Basterds (2009) which was inspired by it.
External links
- Enzo G. Castellari official site
- Enzo G.Castellari-biography on (re)Search my Trash
- Castellari: Action Italian Style tribute publication dedicated to Enzo G. Castellari and his films