6:41 It's worth to mention that at the exact moment Harmonica falls, the bell in the soundtrack starts ringing as his brother is hanged. Absolutely fabulous detail, which hints the fantastic blending of sounds and music into one.
Brilliant analysis. I loved Cheyenne music theme alot. You could almost think he is the villain at the beginning of the movie. But there is something quite odd when he appears along with such a chill cool music. Yeah, big twist!
I don't know who noticed this or not... Morricone's theme for that scene starts with the "classic" full version, is then followed by the harmonica theme played slower and with echo (flashback), and then the main theme played again under the arch. This last version of it (arch) includes an extended part with the entire thing going faster in a psychedelic mode.
Good explanation. The movie is a masterpiece and a climax of Leones work. That would not have been possible if that was his first western movie but it is in fact the end of a long continuous work of a dream team (music, camera, decoration...). The first long scene at the station is also worth while to have a closer look at.
The flashback scenes are shot in Monument valley - the authentic west from old Hollywood - which aids the impression that this is from some primordial west. Everything around it is shot in the Italian wets of Spanish Almeira.
Thank you for your really good analysis ,but I GOT to disagree with your take on the last establishing flashback shot not being necessary. That shot was EXTREMELY necessary to make sure that the entire viewing audience KNEW for sure that Frank FULLY understood WHO shot him and why before he died. The reason why it's of the upmost importance for the audience to know this is because the audience and Harmonica are now one AFTER viewing the horrible thing that Frank did to Harmonica when he was a kid. The audience IS Harmonica now and his revenge is now the audience's revenge. When Harmonica pulled that trigger it was also the audience pulling that same trigger. With ALL the years that have passed and all the people that Frank has killed there is NOWAY we are gonna settle for we "THINK "he know why. No, no, we GOT to KNOW Frank knew why inorder to get total satisfaction! I use to hear people say that this was the "BEST" Western ever and I would JUST turn my nose up because I am a western NUT and I LOVED ALL the Clint Eastwood and John Wayne and Audie Murphy westerns but THAT was before I saw THIS movie. I still love those movies, but THIS movie is in a class all by itself! 😀👍🏾
I waffle. Unforgiven has as much heart, more pain, and realism. I would agree its the best of spaghetti western. Maybe the best Fonda Bronson performance.
9:05 that's a good point, but i think the use of flashback could have worked had he not used the shot of Harmonica falling to the ground. I think he should have, instead, used the shot of Frank grinning and holding the harmonica, because maybe that would then underscore the power shift even further. Perhaps equally gratuitous as the original edit, but i think would make more sense emotionally, since the shot of him falling means more to him than to Frank
You contradict yourself with your little criticism because after it you acknowledge that the flashback of the harmonica falling out of the young Bronson's mouth matches with it happening with Henry Fonda. What were you thinking?
Having a close shot of a character in foreground and a long shot of another character together in the same staggered shot was not unusual by 1968. But everything else is a good analysis.
You could pretty easily get rid of that background noise on the voice, and if you didn't try to record all in one take you could trim the "um" and swallowing noises down. A bit distracting, but good video.
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I am 54 and still, the cinematography together with the soundtrack send me every time into tearing up. What an icon of a motion picture.
The legendary, Mr. Tonino Delli Colli, was the cinematographer.
This classic western is a masterclass in every element of film making.
Fonda's look for the flashback (when he is younger) is great, achieved with an undetectable hairpiece and super-short beard.
Excellent discussion on how these brilliant scenes where created for the Best Western Ever Made
You just never do stop learning things about this film and final duel here. Crazy.
6:41 It's worth to mention that at the exact moment Harmonica falls, the bell in the soundtrack starts ringing as his brother is hanged. Absolutely fabulous detail, which hints the fantastic blending of sounds and music into one.
Brilliant analysis. I loved Cheyenne music theme alot. You could almost think he is the villain at the beginning of the movie. But there is something quite odd when he appears along with such a chill cool music. Yeah, big twist!
I don't know who noticed this or not... Morricone's theme for that scene starts with the "classic" full version, is then followed by the harmonica theme played slower and with echo (flashback), and then the main theme played again under the arch. This last version of it (arch) includes an extended part with the entire thing going faster in a psychedelic mode.
Good explanation. The movie is a masterpiece and a climax of Leones work. That would not have been possible if that was his first western movie but it is in fact the end of a long continuous work of a dream team (music, camera, decoration...).
The first long scene at the station is also worth while to have a closer look at.
The biting of the apple and the crack of the older brother's neck.
Leone said it him self, he basically makes silent movies.
The flashback scenes are shot in Monument valley - the authentic west from old Hollywood - which aids the impression that this is from some primordial west. Everything around it is shot in the Italian wets of Spanish Almeira.
I've visited the site of the arch, some of it still stands.
My favorite shot in this movie is that slow pan into Charles Bronsons eyes before the grand reveal
Good analysis of an excellent movie.
Thanks man!
Yes brilliant.
Excellent analysis! I actually like how natural your narration is with the little um's and coughs.
Thank you for your really good analysis ,but I GOT to disagree with your take on the last establishing flashback shot not being necessary. That shot was EXTREMELY necessary to make sure that the entire viewing audience KNEW for sure that Frank FULLY understood WHO shot him and why before he died.
The reason why it's of the upmost importance for the audience to know this is because the audience and Harmonica are now one AFTER viewing the horrible thing that Frank did to Harmonica when he was a kid. The audience IS Harmonica now and his revenge is now the audience's revenge. When Harmonica pulled that trigger it was also the audience pulling that same trigger. With ALL the years that have passed and all the people that Frank has killed there is NOWAY we are gonna settle for we "THINK "he know why. No, no, we GOT to KNOW Frank knew why inorder to get total satisfaction!
I use to hear people say that this was the "BEST" Western ever and I would JUST turn my nose up because I am a western NUT and I LOVED ALL the Clint Eastwood and John Wayne and Audie Murphy westerns but THAT was before I saw THIS movie. I still love those movies, but THIS movie is in a class all by itself! 😀👍🏾
I waffle. Unforgiven has as much heart, more pain, and realism. I would agree its the best of spaghetti western. Maybe the best Fonda Bronson performance.
I agree; I try to imagine someone else in that part, but it belonged to Fonda.
9:05 that's a good point, but i think the use of flashback could have worked had he not used the shot of Harmonica falling to the ground. I think he should have, instead, used the shot of Frank grinning and holding the harmonica, because maybe that would then underscore the power shift even further.
Perhaps equally gratuitous as the original edit, but i think would make more sense emotionally, since the shot of him falling means more to him than to Frank
it's complicated 🤪
I agree with you, it's the one painful moment of an otherwise basically perfect scene.
Interesting tought, that way looks like Frank remembers what he did to Harmonica, and now is regreting his actions
@@eduardogomez2232 He surely regrets leaving him alive. A mistake he doesn't make anymore: "now that you have said my name"
Flashback is gratuitous. I agree. But it’s minor. Tugging at heart strings Mr. Leone.
You contradict yourself with your little criticism because after it you acknowledge that the flashback of the harmonica falling out of the young Bronson's mouth matches with it happening with Henry Fonda. What were you thinking?
Having a close shot of a character in foreground and a long shot of another character together in the same staggered shot was not unusual by 1968. But everything else is a good analysis.
You could pretty easily get rid of that background noise on the voice, and if you didn't try to record all in one take you could trim the "um" and swallowing noises down. A bit distracting, but good video.
You’re not wrong. The presentation of this one was a little sloppy. Thanks for watching!