IFC Part One: Exercise 1.4

Exercise 1.4 Music Maketh the Movie? The scores for A Fist Full of Dollars and its two counterparts are undoubtedly some of the most iconic music in cinema history. They blend seamlessly with the films, driving the action forward without overwhelming the viewing experience. From what I understand, Morricone composed much of the music before […]

A Fistful of Dollars (1964)

A Fistful of Dollars (1964) Dir: Sergio Leone Cast: Clint Eastward, Marianne Koch, Gian Maria Volonte, Wolfgang Lukschy Summary An unnamed drifter arrives in a small Mexican town caught in a bitter rivalry between two powerful families. Seeing an opportunity to profit, he cleverly plays both sides against each other to make a fist full […]

IFC Part One: Exercise 1.3

Exercise 1.3 Watching three films back to back, which essentially tell the same story, has been an interesting exercise. I have written a full analysis of each film in separate posts, accessible by clicking on their titles. However, the exercise asked me to summarise each film in around three sentences. Yojimbo (1961)A ronin arrives in […]

Yojimbo (1961)

Yojimbo (1961) Dir: Akira Kurosawa Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai, Yoko Tsukasa, Isuzu Yamada Summary A Ronin arrives in a small town caught in the grip of warring crime lords. Despite warnings to move on, he uses the fact that both sides desire his swordsmanship to his advantage, believing the town would be better off […]

Last Man Standing (1996)

Last Man Standing (1996) Dir: Walter Hill Cast: Bruce Willis, Christopher Walken, Bruce Dern SummaryDuring the Prohibition era, a lone gunslinger finds himself caught in the middle of a gang war between the Italian and Irish mafias in a deserted West Texas town. Seizing the opportunity, he begins playing both sides against each other for […]

IFC Part One: Exercise 1.2

“The Seven Samurai” vs. “The Magnificent Seven” While The Seven Samurai and The Magnificent Seven share a nearly identical plot, they are fundamentally different films. These differences primarily stem from the distinct cultural contexts in which they were made. The Seven Samurai is set in feudal Japan and tells the story of seven ronin—masterless samurai—who […]