Sartana – Im Schatten des Todes (1969)

Sartana – Im Schatten des Todes: Directed by Demofilo Fidani. With Jeff Cameron, Benito Pacifico, Paolo Figlia, Elisabetta Fanti. Sartana has a bounty on his head and he’s wanted dead or alive. To eliminate this he makes a deal with the local politicians. If he hunts down the marauding Randal Brothers, the bounty will be removed.

“Short-budgeted movie, awfully directed by Miles Deem or Demofilo Fidani , the ¨ Ed Wood of Spaghetti Western¨ . It begins with Sartana fleeing from brutal cutthroats , as he is besieged by a marauding band of bounty killers who pursue him here and there . To eliminate this he makes a deal with the local politicians . If he hunts down the ruthless Randal Brothers, the bounty will be removed . While the saintly roving gunslinger Sartana arrives in town to establish law and order and saving an African-American from bigotry men who are harassing and mistreating him . Along the way , shrewd Sartana helping the damsel in distress , as there happens a kidnap in which various bandits take a young (Simonetta Vitelli or Blondell , Demofilo Fidaniu0026#39;s daughter and starred several films for his father), who was suddenly abducted by the vicious outlaws . Stubborn and cunning Sartana to terminate a reign of terror carried out by the cruel band of criminals , Randall Brothers , he carries out astute plans and he faces off duels against the crazed enemies and seeking vendetta . And it contains a thrilling , climatic final fight betwen Sartana and Randall , at the moving end , both of whom fighting into sands , it must have left both antiheroes needing a bath .u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThis below-average and disconcerting Ravioli Western packs thrills , action , brawls , crossfire and drags a lot , balancing in ups and downs . The ridiculous movie results to be poorly made , being a rip-off from other much better Sartana movies usually starred by Gianni Garco , George Hilton or William Berger . ¨Passa Sartana…¨ has the typical Spaghetti characters , as the violent facing , greedy antiheroes , bloody and spectacular showdowns, quick zooms , extreme baddies , but being wretchedly directed . Badly made by Demofilo Fidani who eventually had more pseudonyms than any working director in the world , as he realized a number of Spaghettis as ¨Django and Sartanau0026#39;s Showdown in the Westu0026quot; , ¨Giù la Testa¨, u0026quot;Sartana, the Invincible Gunmanu0026quot; , ¨El Sartana… lu0026#39;Ombre Ta Mort¨, among others . Stars a mysterious heroes from Spaghetti Western : Sartana , but this one has nothing do to with the other classic Sartana movies . This Sartana is lousily performed by the blonde stuntman Jeff Cameron , a Z-actor with whom director Demofilo Fidani worked in various films. Cameron interpreted in a great number of Spaghettis as a main actor and as a secondary , and he used to utilize varius pseudonyms as Glen Fortes , as he played : Nevada Kid , Sartana ..e vennero in quattro per uccidere Sartana! , Passa Sartana… è lu0026#39;ombra della tua morte , Straniero… fatti il segno della croce! , Prega Dio… e scavati la fossa! , Django cut price corpses , Strange say your prayers , among others . Jeff Cameron is accompanied by ordinary actores from Demofilo Fidaniu0026#39;s factory , such as : Dino Strano , Benito Pacifico , Dennys Colt , his daughter Simonetta Vitelli and Demofilo himself as the Mayor and wielding an inappropriate glasses . The first movie on Sartana as an avenger hero was made by Frank Kramer (Gianfranco Parolini) interpreted by John Garco or Gianni Garco or Gary Hudson , besides being starred by Klaus Kinski and William Berger . As usual , the mythic role appears elegant and dressed in black and with a killer look . After being continued by Alfonso Balcazar ¨Sartana non perdona or Sonora¨with Jorge Martin , Jack Elam and Gilbert Roland . Anthony Ascott (Giuliano Carmineo) realized several movies with George Hilton who replaces to Garco . Hilton plays more natural and roguish than Garco who was cold and peculiar . Garco starred various Sartanas with Carmineo as ¨¨Sartana the gravediggeru0026#39;(69) , ¨Light the fuse Sartana is coming¨(71) . And ¨Sartana in the valley of death¨ by Roberto Mauri with William Berger as Sartana , among others. Miles Deem directed some Sartanas which are considered aburd and bottom and barrel . As Deem directed four Sartanas deemed horrible , lousy and cheesy . Furthermore , a string of sequels and rip-offs with other Z-series directors .u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003enThis ¨Passa sartana…¨ delivers a passable and atmospheric cinematography by Franco Villa , being shot in Elios studios and the usual exteriors on location in Lacio , Rome . As well as an evocative – in Morricone/Spaghetti style- musical score by Coroliano Gori . This inferior picture was lousily directed by Demofilo Fidani or Miles Deem , considered to be the u0026quot;Ed Wood of Spaghetti Westernu0026quot; and husband of Mila Vitelli Valenza ,a professional costume designer and father of actress Simonetta Vitelli , both of whom worked in various films of Demofilo . Fidani directed all kind of genres in low budget and exploitation pictures . He followed shooting these taboo-breaking films with excursions into porno film , adventures and action . He eventually had more pseudonyms that any working director in the world, similar to Bruno Mattei and Jess Frank. Fidani wrote and directed adventure : ¨Karzan jungle lord¨ , Thriller : ¨La legge de la Camorra¨, Sex comedy : ¨La professoressa di lingue¨, Giallo : ¨Masseusse good-looking offers her services¨, and Western : ¨Arrivano Django e Sartana¨, ¨Django e Sartana all ultimo sangue¨, ¨Passa Sartana¨, ¨Nevada Kid¨, ¨Django story¨, ¨Giu testa… Hombre¨, ¨Era Sam Wallash!¨. Rating 2.5/10 inferior and embarassing Spaghetti Western. This is exclusively for Spaghetti Westerns hardcore fans.”