Fun fact: Kubrick phoned Leone and asked him how he did the opening scene of A fistfull of dollar (soundtrack perfectly sync with video). He explained. Kubrick was very interested about that so he decided to do the same (music first and then writing the scene) in Clockwork Orange. Few months later Kubrick phoned Ennio Morricone to offer to him the possibility to write the soundtrack of Clockwork Orange. Leone convinced Ennio to tell to Kubrick that he was occupated and he couldnt do it. Of course it was a lie, Leone simply didnt want to share his friend Ennio with other important directors. Morricone said in a recent interview that his only regreat was the fact that he had never worked with Kubrick. Sorry for my english, i'm Italian.
catothewiser they kept it all in focus because Leone was using Techniscope, which is a system of widescreen cinematography that used a smaller area of film than the usual CinemaScope of the time, and thus required shorter lenses and a smaller aperture in the lens. Generally the more light you have coming into the camera, the smaller your aperture needs to be; and the smaller your aperture is, the more depth of field you’ll have i.e. more things will be in focus. Since Leone was shooting in total sunlight, there was so much light that he could basically have the aperture so small that everything was in focus.
Morricone has always been my favorite composer of all time. It’s just a shame that people only know him for the western music he produces; he’s got so much more, Chi Mai is one of my favorites.
I saw Ennio Morricone live in Helsinki a couple years back and having his film scores blasted at you by a full orchestra was a pretty transcendent experience, I must say.
Wow! I have grown up with his music playing in my house as far back as i remember. I would crying tears of beauty the whole time if I could hear it live.
@@SiMeGamer Aren't you being a little pretentious? I understand what you mean but we're not discussing epistemology here. Also opposition without exposition achieves nothing.
@@FabledGentleman Fuck that, Morricone did far better than that. It's just one of his most popular songs because Metallica often played it on their concerts. Now everyone and their mother is full of "ecstasy of gold". It's not a bad track for sure but it's seriously overrated.
You talk about his music in his films, but I think his use of silence is just as great. The openings in Once Upon A Time in the West wouldn't as captivating without its silence. And noting that in the intro, we have no idea what the stakes are at that point, yet we're completely invested and on the edge of our seats due to the cinematography, acting by the actors and the organic sounds that create a tense mood. Same with the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (my favorite film of all time) and it's opening. Using silence to portray tension without any type of stakes is a freaking artform and is rarely able to be duplicated, and later "adding silence" in dramatic stand offs or encounters, focusing on the facial expressions, adds even more tension to a scene. He is such a great filmmaker because of how deliberate he is with every single sound in his films.
James Burgess ** Eastwood & steve McQueen used this ..silence speaks louder then words style. Both were very good at it and used it when directing also.
Revisiting this video on hearing the news of Ennio Morricone's passing today at the age of 91. He's left a legacy on film scores that will last for as long as the movies exist. Rest in peace, Maestro.
Great video. I've never seen Once Upon a Time in the West, but that last scene when Charles responds with, "Someday." Man that got me. Added to the list for sure.
This is my father's favorite movie. The family joke was his pleasure at the patience of Leone and his, to some, monotonous attention to detail. I am now a composer. Great video.
Despite how much i loved him as composer, i don't feel sad at all. Death is part of life. But such huge amount of timeless score masterpieces, makes him truly immortal.
This one resonated so much! There are lots of moments in my life, whether alone or in a crowd where the moment I start playing music through my headphones, everything around me suddenly begins to feel cinematic!
Came back to this piece after learning that Maestro Ennio Morricone passed away today. Thank you for helping me pay tribute to one of the greatest composers of our times through your video.
4:49 this scene with this music absolutely tears my heart out every time. Ennio Morricone's music is one of the most powerful and emotional experiences, and I am yet to see a film he scored where the film wasn't elevated to another level simply due to his music. His score to De Palma's Casualties of War is equally heartbreaking.
After a long day of work, watching Nerdwriter and having a tea is the most delightful part of my day! Thank you NerdWriter for everything you have made and done! I love your work and how you have gave me such an appreciation for art in all forms!
Zzid Do yourself a favour, go out and buy a Blu-ray or DVD (ensuring the original aspect ratio of 2.35:1 has been maintained) and watch and enjoy. Be warned, it is not a short movie. I guarantee it you will keep the disk, never lending it out, and you will rewatch over and over again. This is true cinema.
Music on movies are always emotional connection with me. This movie is special due to its music and the close up of faces; actors introspection. Profound emotions!
" That's crazy.For two reasons.ONE - nobody in these parts got the guts to wear those dusters buy Cheyenne's men.TWO-Cheyenne's men don't get killed ".
Oh my goodness. The beauty of the facial close ups with the music. I now have an understanding of why I felt the way I did when viewing those films. Thank you!
Once upon a time in the west is fantastic. The begining with them waiting bottled a dynamic tension and that fly on the man's face was amazing. That movie every time I watch it never loses it's grandeur. Great video as you do. Best day & Best wishes to you & yours.
It's moments like where the text disappears behind a building (3:26), that make me truly admire @Nerdwriter1. He puts time and effort into his video essays, he will wait to release something until every possible detail looks amazing and transitions are as seamless as possible. It's inspiring to all young filmmakers like myself. Thank you.
That scene is one of several in the film where the personal and intricate dramas of the characters are suddenly dwarfed by the WEST!!! The big picture of the world on it's unstoppable onrush... it's quite an effective little trick, yanking us back and forth between the intense and the epic...(can you tell I LOVE this film?). And oh yeah,the MUSIC..it swells and blossoms at those moments of epic...
I've sadly never seen Once Upon a Time in the West in full length as an adult (only bits and pieces here and there as my father watched it during my childhood) yet, but I have listened to Leone's soundtrack numerous times. Listening to the film's eponymous score (the Once Upon a Time in the West theme) during that scene you've shown where the woman realized her family wasn't coming off the train nearly brought me to tears. I am purchasing Leone's Dollar anthology off eBay right now :)
Except different people have different reading speeds so it doesn't work too well. I'm a slow reader and it was way off for me. Until you make interactive videos with eye tracking and also somehow adjusting the music and accounting for many extreme factors, this kind of editing is not going to amount to much. Of course doing it for himself would be great, but we can't know what this particular case is.
You brought all those memories back, thank you for taking the time to showcase this great movie. it will always be a masterpiece for me, the soundtrack, the director, the film score, the actors and how the movie was made, thank you so much, appreciated
landscape detective Yes superb movie stunning sound track it doesn’t get better then that . My mother was born in Sicily so the movie means a great deal to me.
Remember, while the music was playing on set, the film was shot without sound (as italian movies typically were) to allow for easy dubbing in different languages and to have actors from different countries. So all the sounds (like the sojnd collage in the opening 13 mins) were done in post-production.
Oh man, i could always burst out into tears because of the beauty of the scene beginning at 5:26 until 6:46. all in one shot in perfect harmony with the music, and when the camera moves up upon the roof ... it's nothing else than pure poetry. It's my favorite scene of the whole movie and that you are showing exactly this is confirming that you have the sixth sense for movie art. Extraordinary.
Ugh, you just Had to do Once Upon a Time in the West. One of my all time favorites. The music at 6:00 (her theme) makes me want to ball my eyes out. It just hits you.
I have seen this movie a lot of times (and listened to the score countless times), but only now did I realize that the scene you showed is perfectly mirrored in the final scene. It even plays the same music. The difference at the end even if it's the same music it now sounds hopeful. Perfect.
What's often forgotten of Leone is that, being himslef the don of a director, and so having passed his life on set, he knew all the possible camera "tricks". Many directors at the time couldn't even imagine that a scene like that (single cut from when she walks away from the train, then into the station, seen from the window, then the entire town seen from above) could have been shot.
Your essays are always brilliant! The Leone / Morricone connection is a landmark and transcending in my business (I am a film composer). Again thank you for your video essay. Sharing this. You really do have such keen intellect. BTW - Composing is not during editing, it's after when we get a "locked cut" (which is rare now a days). Rarely do we score before a film is shot--- hasn't happened for me yet.
I’ve seen The Movie on the silver screen, on television, video, dvd and bluray. Maybe 15 times or more during my life. As a child, a teenager, twen and as an adult and I never tire of it. If you never saw it your life is not complete.
I just saw this and I want to say thank you so much. I've always regarded Sergio Leone as a genius. he can take a normal one minute scene and stretch it into 10 minutes by all the close-ups-- that's always been his signature; but I never knew about the music being played while the actors were doing the scene .that is pure genius .I also agree Once Upon a Time in the West is his opus his greatest movie. And yes the scene when Jill comes off the train is always very moving; as is the final scene when she comes walking out with the water as the town is being built around her home.
This scene and the one where Eli Wallach runs in the cemetery (The good the bad and the ugly) are in my opinion the very best Leone & Morricone partnership. They are both perfect in suspense, timing and music score. Unforgettable.
“Part of the reason we listen to music is to soundtrack our experiences.” For as long as I’ve had access to portable music that’s exactly what I’ve done. Every car ride, every train journey, every walk home, I’ve carried the voices of the orchestra and their composers with me. I’ve let them cascade over the landscapes flying past outside the window, watched the hills and the mountains and the bumps in the road dance with the strings and the drums. I’ll often sit at the window in the evenings and let the music and the changing cloudscape melt into each other and let the score flow out into void of the night’s sky. I honestly feel my life and my memories have been enriched by the presence of music. I’m forever chasing that feeling of living inside the cinema screen, if only for a few minutes. For me it’s where things make the most sense. That unspoken language. Thank you so much for this essay. It brought tears to my eyes when you described how Thomas Newman’s music brings you into that harmonious place, because he’s the one composer, above all others, who’s sound and “voice” has carried me though all these years. He’s the one who always comes to mind first when this subject comes up. His work lifts my soul and moves it like nothing else I’ve ever known. I honestly can’t truly describe how powerful it is, but then again I don’t need to. It’s wonderful to know you take the same comfort from it that I do :) And thank you, you’ve inspired me to go watch Leone’s films. They’ve always been on my list, but now I have to watch them.
You truly take art appreciation to another level. This channel has long been a favorite of mine & my only selfish complaint would be that I'd like more of these great videos. Keep up the great work sir.
You should definitely watch his films. I agree with Nerdwriter that Once Upon a time in the West is his best film, but the dollars trilogy could be a nice warm up to it - just don't expect the sort of emotion this film captures
@@URBONED couldn't have put it better, as great as the trilogy is it's a warm up to his best film once upon a time in West, tho I'd say once upon a time in America is a more ambitious film just doesn't surpass the west.
I love that you are so used to making these videos that it must not be too difficult to start and finish a new video. I was making a film and I was motivated to complete for a few days and when I ran into some problems, that motivation suddenly dissapeared. I don't know how to get it back. I've just got to do it. All of you youtubers are such hard workers, starting and finishing projects, doing things. Anyway, don't stop is what I wanted to say.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - main characters, with a different instrument used for each one: flute for Blondie (Man with No Name), Arghilofono (Ocarina) for Angel Eyes, and human voices for Tuco.
Thank you so much for this Evan! Once Upon a Time in the West is my all time favourite film. And the final duels from this and For a Few Dollars More are my favourite scenes in cinema.
She was breathtakingly beautiful. Imagine her looking at you longingly with those eyes at 8:05. Fuck I'd do anything. How could Charles Bronson walk away from that ffs?
That scene from the beginning of Once Upon a Time in the West, where the camera lifts up over the train station to show a wide shot of the town while the music is coming to a crescendo is just absolutely perfect.
Once upon a Time in the West. Man, I love this movie and its brilliant score is one of the few cinematic scores I have in my playlist and listen to almost daily. I didn't know Leone made the actors listen to it on set but when you look at the scenes now, you can see it.
Leone’s best movie is The Good, The Bad And The Ugly from 1966. The soundtrack alone makes it one of the best movies ever of cinema’s history, truly is a masterpiece. Add to this a simple yet brilliant script, with beautiful footage from stunning long shots to close ups, you get an epic movie. Simply amazing.
The way music makes you feel so deeply and how Leone teams up with Morricone to create scenes that make you feel so inmerse in the movie is why i like to see and learn from films, amazing work! This video is the perfect example of why im here on yt
My first time watching your channel. This review embodied many of my long time personal feelings towards movie music. Fantastic video and edit. I was brought to tears by the end.
In the final GBU shootout scene when Blondie puts the stone on the ground, I love that broken minor 9th chord. It sounds like death has just arrived to claim a soul.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks Once Upon A Time In The West is Leone’s best film. The soundtrack is devastatingly beautiful, the cinematography is phenomenal, and Henry Fonda & Charles Bronson’s performances are some of their best, in my opinion. Easily the best Western ever made: nothing will top it.
Once Upon a Time in the West is one my favourite movies ever. This video reminds me of another beautiful scene from the film "The Eagle has Landed". There is a scene where Liam (Donald Sutherland) is parachuted into a small idyllic village to assist the German troops. After landing he walks through the green meadows before reaching his destination. This scene is just a few seconds long but the scenic landscape and the soothing music make it extremely captivating.
I had no idea! This makes so much more sense now! More filmmakers should ABSOLUTELY do this! We all know how certain music, certain songs can transport us "into character" in our everyday lives, just imagining having a fully flesh part to tap into with a ready built score blasting behind you as the scene plays out must be a transcendent experience.
I always wondered how at the final shootout, Henry Fonda throws his jacket down perfectly with the music. OUATITW is my all time favorite movie and I wish more people made video essays about it. I jumped when I saw this thumbnail bwaha
What a great video! I'm really glad you decided to take your time and dive into your personal experiences with music in film before contextualizing it. I'm sure we've all had those moments, and I'd wager John Williams was responsible for at least a single instance of it in most of us. For me it was Gustav Mahler's Piano Quartet in A minor when it was featured throughout Shutter Island, and the sweet sad feeling like wintry nostalgia it gave me. Anyways, thanks again for making such good content
@@MrStoptheEU Nah, he's right. You don't need to understand Japanese to listen to traditional koto music and feel the beauty in its simplicity. Well, simple is a poor word, because it's certainly complex enough. Minimalist is perhaps a better one. An operatic aria can move your soul without you understanding a single word. Music has a powerful effect on humans.
Once Upon a Time in the West is a goddamn masterpiece. All of his movies are, but that one in particular is just something else. Once Upon a Time in America is also a stunning piece of work.
As a director visiting in Budapest Hungary, last year I took a night off & wondered into St Stevens Basilica THE SQUARE. There stood a 150 foot screen - showcasing ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST to the open public. Someone kindly offered us a front row seat & on came Ennio & the cast of magnificent actors. It was surreal to watch something so spectacular & hear his music compliment the story. A life experience that will forever remain precious. That is the power of FILM. That is the power of MUSIC IN FILM. Thank you for yet another brilliant commentary. These sessions are priceless. I even made my composer & cast watch your series on Blade Runner / Vangelis last fall before we started Pre Pro - flawless!
Fun fact: Kubrick phoned Leone and asked him how he did the opening scene of A fistfull of dollar (soundtrack perfectly sync with video). He explained. Kubrick was very interested about that so he decided to do the same (music first and then writing the scene) in Clockwork Orange. Few months later Kubrick phoned Ennio Morricone to offer to him the possibility to write the soundtrack of Clockwork Orange. Leone convinced Ennio to tell to Kubrick that he was occupated and he couldnt do it. Of course it was a lie, Leone simply didnt want to share his friend Ennio with other important directors. Morricone said in a recent interview that his only regreat was the fact that he had never worked with Kubrick. Sorry for my english, i'm Italian.
what a fabulous story, especially if it's true
Pretty good English there, Signore!! Bravo!
Interesting story and your English is better than my Italian. Actually, your English may be better than my English :)
Leone paid tribute to Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange in Once Upon A Time in America with the Switching Baby Tags scene.
Sorry for my Italian, I'm English
Only one problem with a score so beautiful, its sometimes hard to see through the tears.
agree
They had as in the first half not going to lie
"Oony vbe pprblem wth a scre..."
WTF man learn how to write!
Is that elton john?
and they will be lost in rain...
Sergio Leone's direction + Ennio Morricone's music = Timeless Classic.
+Clint Eastwood eye squinting
That too.
And Lee Van Cleef👌
Just like Akira Kurosawa and Toshirô Mifune. As I'm guessing from your profile pic you'd agree
@@noway9768 Oh hell yeah.
This crane shot going over the roof is absolute perfection.
did I also see it in Back to the Future III?
@catothewiser One of my favorite movies too indeed !
@catothewiser this is a very good question :)
Yes it's a reference in back to the future 3 to one of if not the best western movie ever made.
catothewiser they kept it all in focus because Leone was using Techniscope, which is a system of widescreen cinematography that used a smaller area of film than the usual CinemaScope of the time, and thus required shorter lenses and a smaller aperture in the lens. Generally the more light you have coming into the camera, the smaller your aperture needs to be; and the smaller your aperture is, the more depth of field you’ll have i.e. more things will be in focus. Since Leone was shooting in total sunlight, there was so much light that he could basically have the aperture so small that everything was in focus.
I saw Ennio Morricone live in Italy. There’s nothing like hearing an entire roman amphitheater erupt with cheers to a single note from a harmonica
Which song would that be? "Man with a harmonica"?
Morricone has always been my favorite composer of all time. It’s just a shame that people only know him for the western music he produces; he’s got so much more, Chi Mai is one of my favorites.
And mine ....
The Thing is also really good
Mine too
Mine is from Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
And mine. I saw Morricone in concert a couple of years before he died. Of course he played Chi Mai and moved me to tears.
I saw Ennio Morricone live in Helsinki a couple years back and having his film scores blasted at you by a full orchestra was a pretty transcendent experience, I must say.
Edith Ottilia saw him in Stockholm earlier this year. It was mind blowing!
I am envious.
Wow! I have grown up with his music playing in my house as far back as i remember. I would crying tears of beauty the whole time if I could hear it live.
I saw his last concerts in Verona and Rome. Unforgettable.
The Danish Symphony does several of his works and they are also on You-Tube. Once upon a Time in the West th-cam.com/video/efdswXXjnBA/w-d-xo.html
'Without music, life would be a mistake.' - Friedrich Nietzsche
I love this quote.
"Here Comes the Boom" - If you have not seen this movie it is based on a true story and close to my heart because I love music.
That’s a pretty weak quote tbh
5 minutes later: *1 million of deaf people take their lifes*
What a dumb quote. It implies so many metaphysical and epistemological errors.
@@SiMeGamer Aren't you being a little pretentious? I understand what you mean but we're not discussing epistemology here. Also opposition without exposition achieves nothing.
Here after Ennio Morricone's death today. Rest in music.
Ecstasy of Gold *always* gives me a strong emotional reaction.
it's sort of a perfect song
It is maybe the best theme song ever composed for a movie. In my mind it even beats Imperial march, superman theme and Indiana Jones theme.
You might have seen this. I mean, who hasn't ? xD
But if you haven't, prepare for goose bumps.
th-cam.com/video/enuOArEfqGo/w-d-xo.html
@@FabledGentleman One can never watch it enough :)
@@FabledGentleman Fuck that, Morricone did far better than that. It's just one of his most popular songs because Metallica often played it on their concerts. Now everyone and their mother is full of "ecstasy of gold". It's not a bad track for sure but it's seriously overrated.
You talk about his music in his films, but I think his use of silence is just as great.
The openings in Once Upon A Time in the West wouldn't as captivating without its silence. And noting that in the intro, we have no idea what the stakes are at that point, yet we're completely invested and on the edge of our seats due to the cinematography, acting by the actors and the organic sounds that create a tense mood. Same with the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (my favorite film of all time) and it's opening.
Using silence to portray tension without any type of stakes is a freaking artform and is rarely able to be duplicated, and later "adding silence" in dramatic stand offs or encounters, focusing on the facial expressions, adds even more tension to a scene. He is such a great filmmaker because of how deliberate he is with every single sound in his films.
This is so true!
James Burgess not HIS use of silence, it was ClintEastwoods signature / style.
James Burgess **
Eastwood & steve McQueen used this
..silence speaks louder then words style. Both were very good at it and used it when directing also.
His Two Tower video actually mentions the silence of Sergio Leone in the opening of his video
“The music is not in the notes, but in the silence between.” ~Mozart
Revisiting this video on hearing the news of Ennio Morricone's passing today at the age of 91. He's left a legacy on film scores that will last for as long as the movies exist. Rest in peace, Maestro.
When Jill's theme starts, I cry. On command. It's such an amazing movie, such an amazing score.
Thanks for your video!
At 6:00 I got so amazed by the scene that I forgot that I was watching a NerdWritter video.
Amazing.
Great video.
I've never seen Once Upon a Time in the West, but that last scene when Charles responds with, "Someday." Man that got me.
Added to the list for sure.
This is my father's favorite movie. The family joke was his pleasure at the patience of Leone and his, to some, monotonous attention to detail. I am now a composer. Great video.
Me and 2.6 million other people are off to watch or rewatch Once Upon a Time in the West.
Ha...you read my mind.
Yeap. Was just planning on it.
😂 yep
Yessir! For those in the same boat...watch on youtube here: th-cam.com/video/W6gZVDOoQVQ/w-d-xo.html
Definitely
Ennio's score literally stopped me in my tracks as a kid running up the stairs when I first heard it.
RIP Ennio Morricone - his work is and will always remain beyond legendary and divine.
Today the world takes a huge bow of sadness .. Ennio Morricone passes away. He left us with gorgeous memories of storytelling & beauty.
Despite how much i loved him as composer, i don't feel sad at all. Death is part of life. But such huge amount of timeless score masterpieces, makes him truly immortal.
My all time favorite director! His partnership with Morricone was dynamite!
a fistfull of dynamite?
Duck, you sucker!
man, I need to see Once Upon a Time in the West again
“I’ve always said that my best dialogue and screenwriter is Ennio Morricone. ” - Sergio Leone
RIP Ennio Morricone 1928 - 2020
This one resonated so much! There are lots of moments in my life, whether alone or in a crowd where the moment I start playing music through my headphones, everything around me suddenly begins to feel cinematic!
I always have this. Lately iv been speed walking through People with music on. It makes u feel like you are going to smtng important 🤣
3:28 damn that was smooth
Came back to this piece after learning that Maestro Ennio Morricone passed away today. Thank you for helping me pay tribute to one of the greatest composers of our times through your video.
4:49 this scene with this music absolutely tears my heart out every time. Ennio Morricone's music is one of the most powerful and emotional experiences, and I am yet to see a film he scored where the film wasn't elevated to another level simply due to his music. His score to De Palma's Casualties of War is equally heartbreaking.
The Good The Bad and The Ugly + Once Upon a Time in the West have 2 of the best soundtracks in the history of cinema.
+ For a Few Dollars More.
@@ErebosGR + The Great Silence.
I loved the music in, "Once Upon a Time in America." So beautiful. So poignant.
After a long day of work, watching Nerdwriter and having a tea is the most delightful part of my day! Thank you NerdWriter for everything you have made and done! I love your work and how you have gave me such an appreciation for art in all forms!
Your videos about those masterpieces are growing into masterpieces themselves. This was beautifully edited.
I’ve always wanted the theme of “Once Upon a Time” to play at my funeral.
I cry every time I listen to it...
"America" or "West"?
Once Upon A Time In the West is my favourite movie.
Best western ever made
I personally like The Good the bad and the ugly better, and also unforgiven by Clint Eastwood. But hey, these are all really good movies.
I have never seen it...
Zzid Do yourself a favour, go out and buy a Blu-ray or DVD (ensuring the original aspect ratio of 2.35:1 has been maintained) and watch and enjoy. Be warned, it is not a short movie. I guarantee it you will keep the disk, never lending it out, and you will rewatch over and over again. This is true cinema.
@@user2144 will do!
Music on movies are always emotional connection with me. This movie is special due to its music and the close up of faces; actors introspection. Profound emotions!
"Inside the dusters there were three men. Inside the men there were three bullets."
" That's crazy.For two reasons.ONE - nobody in these parts got the guts to wear those dusters buy Cheyenne's men.TWO-Cheyenne's men don't get killed ".
Oh my goodness. The beauty of the facial close ups with the music. I now have an understanding of why I felt the way I did when viewing those films. Thank you!
As a fan and an admirer of Ennio Morricone, I really appreciate this video.
Once upon a time in the west is fantastic. The begining with them waiting bottled a dynamic tension and that fly on the man's face was amazing. That movie every time I watch it never loses it's grandeur. Great video as you do. Best day & Best wishes to you & yours.
This episode made me cry and I wasn’t ready for it yet I am so grateful. Thank you
It's moments like where the text disappears behind a building (3:26), that make me truly admire @Nerdwriter1. He puts time and effort into his video essays, he will wait to release something until every possible detail looks amazing and transitions are as seamless as possible. It's inspiring to all young filmmakers like myself. Thank you.
Wow, that was amazing. The scene you showed of her getting off the train with the music on set was mind blowing. Thank you
That scene is one of several in the film where the personal and intricate dramas of the characters are suddenly dwarfed by the WEST!!! The big picture of the world on it's unstoppable onrush... it's quite an effective little trick, yanking us back and forth between the intense and the epic...(can you tell I LOVE this film?). And oh yeah,the MUSIC..it swells and blossoms at those moments of epic...
"Once upon a time in the west", stunningly beautiful!
Super video mate. I never knew this, when I rewatch the movie ill have a whole new perspective!
I've sadly never seen Once Upon a Time in the West in full length as an adult (only bits and pieces here and there as my father watched it during my childhood) yet, but I have listened to Leone's soundtrack numerous times. Listening to the film's eponymous score (the Once Upon a Time in the West theme) during that scene you've shown where the woman realized her family wasn't coming off the train nearly brought me to tears.
I am purchasing Leone's Dollar anthology off eBay right now :)
Please tell me you've watched it since making this comment
The line under "all of you" came in time just when I was reading that part. This guy syncs reading pace to his edits too. Amazing.
Except different people have different reading speeds so it doesn't work too well. I'm a slow reader and it was way off for me. Until you make interactive videos with eye tracking and also somehow adjusting the music and accounting for many extreme factors, this kind of editing is not going to amount to much. Of course doing it for himself would be great, but we can't know what this particular case is.
My mouse was right under as i was reading and i thought i did something. You might be right. Amazing.
Ennio morricone scores were my workout soundtrips, that rise and the meaning behind em all basedo nthe scenes theyre played inspiring
All thosw 4 movies are masterpieces. Is incredible how morricone never got an oscar for those scores!!!
And for "the mission " too.
You brought all those memories back, thank you for taking the time to showcase this great movie. it will always be a masterpiece for me, the soundtrack, the director, the film score, the actors and how the movie was made, thank you so much, appreciated
Ennio’s composition from cinema paradisio is my favorite movie score of all time .
So true. Cinema Paradiso is my all time favourite film. Still can't watch the last scene without a tear in my eye. Just perfect.
landscape detective
Yes superb movie stunning sound track it doesn’t get better then that . My mother was born in Sicily so the movie means a great deal to me.
Remember, while the music was playing on set, the film was shot without sound (as italian movies typically were) to allow for easy dubbing in different languages and to have actors from different countries.
So all the sounds (like the sojnd collage in the opening 13 mins) were done in post-production.
The theme of Frank during this film, especially at the final duel, is nothing short of cinematic and musical perfection.
Oh man, i could always burst out into tears because of the beauty of the scene beginning at 5:26 until 6:46. all in one shot in perfect harmony with the music, and when the camera moves up upon the roof ... it's nothing else than pure poetry.
It's my favorite scene of the whole movie and that you are showing exactly this is confirming that you have the sixth sense for movie art. Extraordinary.
Ugh, you just Had to do Once Upon a Time in the West.
One of my all time favorites. The music at 6:00 (her theme) makes me want to ball my eyes out. It just hits you.
I have seen this movie a lot of times (and listened to the score countless times), but only now did I realize that the scene you showed is perfectly mirrored in the final scene. It even plays the same music. The difference at the end even if it's the same music it now sounds hopeful. Perfect.
I love that scene at the train station and have every since I first saw it as kid. So much going on there.
What's often forgotten of Leone is that, being himslef the don of a director, and so having passed his life on set, he knew all the possible camera "tricks". Many directors at the time couldn't even imagine that a scene like that (single cut from when she walks away from the train, then into the station, seen from the window, then the entire town seen from above) could have been shot.
I just finished watching Once Upon a Time in America this morning!!! This is beyond perfect timing.
YES !!! THIS IS REAL THEATRE IN FILMMAKING PROCESS !!! LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS !!! ENNIO !!! SERGIO !!! GENIUS AND GENIUS !!!
Your essays are always brilliant! The Leone / Morricone connection is a landmark and transcending in my business (I am a film composer). Again thank you for your video essay. Sharing this. You really do have such keen intellect.
BTW - Composing is not during editing, it's after when we get a "locked cut" (which is rare now a days). Rarely do we score before a film is shot--- hasn't happened for me yet.
I’ve seen The Movie on the silver screen, on television, video, dvd and bluray. Maybe 15 times or more during my life. As a child, a teenager, twen and as an adult and I never tire of it. If you never saw it your life is not complete.
I just saw this and I want to say thank you so much. I've always regarded Sergio Leone as a genius. he can take a normal one minute scene and stretch it into 10 minutes by all the close-ups-- that's always been his signature; but I never knew about the music being played while the actors were doing the scene .that is pure genius .I also agree Once Upon a Time in the West is his opus his greatest movie. And yes the scene when Jill comes off the train is always very moving; as is the final scene when she comes walking out with the water as the town is being built around her home.
This scene and the one where Eli Wallach runs in the cemetery (The good the bad and the ugly) are in my opinion the very best Leone & Morricone partnership. They are both perfect in suspense, timing and music score. Unforgettable.
Legendary movie sequences
That song from Once Upon A Time in the West is the most beautiful song I have ever heard in my life.
“Part of the reason we listen to music is to soundtrack our experiences.”
For as long as I’ve had access to portable music that’s exactly what I’ve done. Every car ride, every train journey, every walk home, I’ve carried the voices of the orchestra and their composers with me. I’ve let them cascade over the landscapes flying past outside the window, watched the hills and the mountains and the bumps in the road dance with the strings and the drums. I’ll often sit at the window in the evenings and let the music and the changing cloudscape melt into each other and let the score flow out into void of the night’s sky.
I honestly feel my life and my memories have been enriched by the presence of music. I’m forever chasing that feeling of living inside the cinema screen, if only for a few minutes. For me it’s where things make the most sense. That unspoken language.
Thank you so much for this essay. It brought tears to my eyes when you described how Thomas Newman’s music brings you into that harmonious place, because he’s the one composer, above all others, who’s sound and “voice” has carried me though all these years. He’s the one who always comes to mind first when this subject comes up. His work lifts my soul and moves it like nothing else I’ve ever known. I honestly can’t truly describe how powerful it is, but then again I don’t need to. It’s wonderful to know you take the same comfort from it that I do :)
And thank you, you’ve inspired me to go watch Leone’s films. They’ve always been on my list, but now I have to watch them.
You truly take art appreciation to another level. This channel has long been a favorite of mine & my only selfish complaint would be that I'd like more of these great videos. Keep up the great work sir.
I never watched a Leone movie, but this video almost made me cry with the final scene. Amazing.
You should definitely watch his films. I agree with Nerdwriter that Once Upon a time in the West is his best film, but the dollars trilogy could be a nice warm up to it - just don't expect the sort of emotion this film captures
@@URBONED couldn't have put it better, as great as the trilogy is it's a warm up to his best film once upon a time in West, tho I'd say once upon a time in America is a more ambitious film just doesn't surpass the west.
I love that you are so used to making these videos that it must not be too difficult to start and finish a new video. I was making a film and I was motivated to complete for a few days and when I ran into some problems, that motivation suddenly dissapeared. I don't know how to get it back. I've just got to do it.
All of you youtubers are such hard workers, starting and finishing projects, doing things. Anyway, don't stop is what I wanted to say.
Don't forget Tonino Delli Colli who photographed all those beautiful faces!
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - main characters, with a different instrument used for each one: flute for Blondie (Man with No Name), Arghilofono (Ocarina) for Angel Eyes, and human voices for Tuco.
4:30 that sequence is so sad and beautiful.
Thank you so much for this Evan! Once Upon a Time in the West is my all time favourite film. And the final duels from this and For a Few Dollars More are my favourite scenes in cinema.
Off topic: Claudia Cardinale was a tremendous babe.
hell yeah she was.
That is NEVER off topic
And then some.
She was breathtakingly beautiful. Imagine her looking at you longingly with those eyes at 8:05. Fuck I'd do anything. How could Charles Bronson walk away from that ffs?
@@SquidkidMega Lol they nothing alike. Both beautiful though.
That scene from the beginning of Once Upon a Time in the West, where the camera lifts up over the train station to show a wide shot of the town while the music is coming to a crescendo is just absolutely perfect.
To this very day, every time I hear Ecstasy of Gold I get goosebumps.
Once upon a Time in the West. Man, I love this movie and its brilliant score is one of the few cinematic scores I have in my playlist and listen to almost daily. I didn't know Leone made the actors listen to it on set but when you look at the scenes now, you can see it.
Leone’s best movie is The Good, The Bad And The Ugly from 1966.
The soundtrack alone makes it one of the best movies ever of cinema’s history, truly is a masterpiece. Add to this a simple yet brilliant script, with beautiful footage from stunning long shots to close ups, you get an epic movie.
Simply amazing.
When I was 13 and wanted to direct movies I had this idea. I never thought someone would have actually already done it. Props to you Mr. Leone.
8:25 That underline was perfectly timed, well played.
Timed to what? I missed it.
@@ninaadadhvaryu1603 I think they meant that if you read it at a normal pace, the line underlines "all of you" at the correct timing.
The way music makes you feel so deeply and how Leone teams up with Morricone to create scenes that make you feel so inmerse in the movie is why i like to see and learn from films, amazing work! This video is the perfect example of why im here on yt
Sergio Leone - an all time genius.
My first time watching your channel. This review embodied many of my long time personal feelings towards movie music. Fantastic video and edit. I was brought to tears by the end.
another beautifully pieced together video dude, thank you
HOW THE HELL HASN’T ANYONE NOTICED THIS COMMENT HOLY FUCK! I love your videos man, you’re one of the best!
In the final GBU shootout scene when Blondie puts the stone on the ground, I love that broken minor 9th chord. It sounds like death has just arrived to claim a soul.
Yeah. Same as that incredible deep, metallic twang that starts the final duel in OUATITW. You just know that this is it.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks Once Upon A Time In The West is Leone’s best film. The soundtrack is devastatingly beautiful, the cinematography is phenomenal, and Henry Fonda & Charles Bronson’s performances are some of their best, in my opinion. Easily the best Western ever made: nothing will top it.
Once Upon a Time in the West is one my favourite movies ever.
This video reminds me of another beautiful scene from the film "The Eagle has Landed". There is a scene where Liam (Donald Sutherland) is parachuted into a small idyllic village to assist the German troops. After landing he walks through the green meadows before reaching his destination. This scene is just a few seconds long but the scenic landscape and the soothing music make it extremely captivating.
You are a Blessing In my life and lives of so many students with your soothing voice, Mr.Nerdwriter.
I wish you saw this.
I had no idea! This makes so much more sense now! More filmmakers should ABSOLUTELY do this! We all know how certain music, certain songs can transport us "into character" in our everyday lives, just imagining having a fully flesh part to tap into with a ready built score blasting behind you as the scene plays out must be a transcendent experience.
I always wondered how at the final shootout, Henry Fonda throws his jacket down perfectly with the music. OUATITW is my all time favorite movie and I wish more people made video essays about it. I jumped when I saw this thumbnail bwaha
All the start of the duel, with the circling around each other, is like a dance.
What a great video! I'm really glad you decided to take your time and dive into your personal experiences with music in film before contextualizing it. I'm sure we've all had those moments, and I'd wager John Williams was responsible for at least a single instance of it in most of us. For me it was Gustav Mahler's Piano Quartet in A minor when it was featured throughout Shutter Island, and the sweet sad feeling like wintry nostalgia it gave me. Anyways, thanks again for making such good content
Skywalker scene gave me goosebumps. That music mannn
This is hauntingly beautiful. These are the scenes which you can feel at the very end of every single nerve, uplifting, giving you joyous goose bumps.
Music is an universal language. It's knows no barrier.
Bullshit.
@@MrStoptheEU Nah, he's right. You don't need to understand Japanese to listen to traditional koto music and feel the beauty in its simplicity. Well, simple is a poor word, because it's certainly complex enough. Minimalist is perhaps a better one. An operatic aria can move your soul without you understanding a single word. Music has a powerful effect on humans.
You should have mentioned Once Upon a Time in America! I love that movie to death, it's probably my favorite out of both Leone's and Morricone's work.
RIP Ennio, your music continues to inspire
I always come back to this video. This introduced me to the world of Sergio Leone's westerns and the process. Love this analysis.
This was one of your best! I know how I'm spending my afternoon now. Time to binge watch Spaghetti westerns!
Once Upon a Time in the West is a goddamn masterpiece. All of his movies are, but that one in particular is just something else. Once Upon a Time in America is also a stunning piece of work.
Someone very wise once said:
*"The picture is there to touch your mind, music touches your soul".*
This is your best work yet. The writing and the editing.
Ken Russell did this too, playing Stravinsky during the orgiastic sequences of The Devils!
Now that's one movie people should talk about more often.
As a director visiting in Budapest Hungary, last year I took a night off & wondered into St Stevens Basilica THE SQUARE. There stood a 150 foot screen - showcasing ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST to the open public. Someone kindly offered us a front row seat & on came Ennio & the cast of magnificent actors. It was surreal to watch something so spectacular & hear his music compliment the story. A life experience that will forever remain precious. That is the power of FILM. That is the power of MUSIC IN FILM. Thank you for yet another brilliant commentary. These sessions are priceless. I even made my composer & cast watch your series on Blade Runner / Vangelis last fall before we started Pre Pro - flawless!