In 1968 westerns were being churned out by the dozens in Europe . The huge success of Sergio Leone's Dollar films
had stoked a fire for the genre that had been little more than cooling embers.
When those Clint Eastwood star making movies helped turn a samurai film into
Italian gold every European producer with access to horses saw a fortune in
them thar oats. Just sign up an American (or Canadian) star (or two, if cheap
enough), build some clapboard shacks, strap on six-guns and ride, baby! Enter
William Shatner. On a break from shooting Star Trek he travels to Spain to make
WHITE COMANCHE and, from his own accounts, is miserable the entire time. But
did great art come from his suffering? We shall see!
Of course, the reason we are covering this odd Euro-Western
is because it is a Spanish production and it stars several actors we have seen
before in the films of Paul Naschy. The lovely Rosanna Yanni, the saucy Perla
Cristal, the deadly Victor Israel as well as the amazing Barta Barri turn in
excellent performances here showing real talent and professionalism. And I'm
sure the fact that nearly all of them got to share scenes with the legendary
(slumming) Hollywood actor Joseph Cotton had
to be a career highlight. Cotton plays the town sheriff in what is easily the
best role the script has to offer. Every scene he is in is better off for his
presence and his skill elevates some sequences to a place the director rarely could
manage on his own. And did we mention the inappropriate score? This is a film
with much to talk about.
We close this episode out with a few pieces of mail that
come packed with some interesting information. One alerts us to a source for a
bootleg NIGHT OF THE HOWLING BEAST disc while another points to some
connections between COUNT DRACULA'S GREAT LOVE and Hammer's Karnstein Trilogy.
The horror geekiness is in high gear in this one, folks! If you have any
comments or questions please write us at naschycast@gmail.com or join us on the
Naschycast Facebook page for occasional updates and links to things of interest
for Spanish Horror fans. Thanks for downloading and listening!
