During these last years, western films are living a new regeneration. After a long golden age that lasted from cinema’s origin until mid of the 70’s, followed by an interlude when was virtually considered disappeared, to reappear, during this new century, not only as a genre on trend, but as a setting where enjoying different histories and registers.
In this irregular history, we can find a very special era, the one that goes from 1961 to 1976. That was the time of spaghetti western.
What spaghetti western is?
“Spaghetti western” was the pejorative name that, not only the north american media, but the cinema critics in general, always referred to the european westerns. The reason is very simple. Most part of these films were italian and spanish (often co productions) and, very occasionally from other european countries like Germany or France.
The spaghetti western is characterized, unlike the classical american movies, by a much more natural and dirty esthetic, immoral characters and high doses of violence. By other side, also usually had in common a limited budget. Although this didn’t affect in the acceptable artistical level that reached many ot these movies.
It is worth to mention its main contribution to the cinema industry. Much to the wisest criticals regret, the spaghetti western changed the way to make a film. This was the genre that popularized adding a sound track as movie’s one more actor, it was a key element to give force at the most relevant scenes. One of the most representative examples are the works from the compositor Ennio Morricone.
Spaghetti western history
Despite the oldest european western is The emperor of California (1936) by german director Luis Trenker, this film is lacking of spaghetti western characteristics. In fact, tend to take as referent the american film Veracruz (1954) bt Robert Aldrich.
Mass production of westerns in Europe didn’t start until 1961, but wasn’t until 1964 that the success of A fistful of dollars, by Sergio Leone, converted the spaghetti western in a mass genre.
During the second half of 60’s decade this genre lived its peak, specially thanks to films by Sergio Leone, but also other directors such as Sergio Corbucci or Enzo G. Castellari.
At beginnings of the 70’s, the spaghetti western started to decline. It was the time that director Enzo Barboni gave a twist reinventing the genre with his movie The call me Trinity with the comical couple Bud Spencer and Terence Hill. The comedy-picaresque tone of the history was unknown until then, but it didn’t leave enough mark to make the genre keep going for a few years. At mids of the decade, important films were barely produced and, year 1976 with Keoma by Enzo G. Castellari is taken as end date for spaghetti western.
Anyway, we must have in mind that, between 1961 and 1976 about 500 films from this genre were produced in Spain and Italy. A number that demonstrates an evident demand by the audience.
Esplugas City, at Barcelona’s West
When we talk about spaghetti western filming in Spain, the first thing that comes to our minds are the settings at Almeria’s deserts in Tabernas, builded between 1965 and 1966. But the truth is that, one of this genre’s pioneer was Esplugas City, erected in 1964 and the second permanent village builded in Spain after Hoyo de Manzanares one in Madrid where had just finished filming For a few dollars more with a young promise: Clint Eastwood.
Esplugas City was born by the need of Balcazar Cinematographic Studios, located in Barcelona, for a space to shoot outside scenes. A first village of 10.000 square meters was build, but had to be moved in 1967 because of a highway construction. Its new destination was Centro and Mallola neighbourhoods in Esplugues de Llobregat. That accommodate a true West village: with Saloon, Sheriff’s office and stables, around a 120 meters long and 12 wide dusty desert sand main street.
Between 1964 and 1972 Esplugas City accommodated up to sixty films. By its stage ride stars such as Klaus Kinski, Charles Boyer, George Martin, Christopher Lee, Robert Taylor, Lex Barker, Giuliano Gemma or Jack Elam. Standing out titles as Arizona’s gunmen, A gun for Ringo or, its last production, They called him Calamity.
And the thing is that spaghetti western decadence started to affect Balcazar Studios and Esplugas City. At beginnings of 70’s, the Balcazar family wanted to keep alive the village and its legend by transforming it into Europe’s first western themed amusement park. After hard negotiations with the City Hall, they finally got the permit. The bad luck wanted that Alfredo Sánchez Bella, Francoist Minister for Information and Tourism between 1969 y 1973, saw it during his transfer to Barcelona’s El Prat airport. After asking to his subordinates what was that, the minister ordered demolish the village because «gave a bad image» to Spain.
But Balcazar’s saved the best for the end, the filming in august 1972 of what would be their last western, They called him Calamity with which would make coincide production’s fiction and true village end: a group of bandits would blow out the village, which would be burned out to ashes. Village on fire images, filmed with three cameras because there was no chance to repeat scenes, were so spectacular that were sold to its use in other movies and served to collect the last earnings.
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Image’s fonts: Tarantino Archives, New York Times, Hollywood.com, La Vanguardia
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