Sergio Leones renown as a filmmaker rests upon a fistful of films; most notably the three Westerns he made with Clint Eastwood in the mid-1960s: A Fistful of Dollars (1964); For a Few Dollars More (1965); and The Good; the Bad and the Ugly (1966). While the success of these movies ensured Leones reputation would endure; the few films he made following The Man with No Name Trilogymdash;culminating in his American gangster epic; Once Upon a Time in America (1984) with Robert DeNiromdash;would solidify Leones place as one of the great visionaries of his time.In this enhanced revision of Once upon a Time: The Films of Sergio Leone; Robert C. Cumbow examines the work of this Italian filmmaker who made his mark re-envisioning the American Western. This volume includes a greatly expanded introduction and contains newly revised essays in which Cumbow analyzes the transition from "peplum" films to westerns in the Italian popular tradition. The book also examines each of Leones major films as director; as well as the swan song Italian Western My Name Is Nobody; which Leone co-wrote and guided as producer. Cumbow also studies Leones compositional style and the influence of Catholicism and the Italian grand opera tradition on his work. He provides a critical evaluation of Leones style in reshaping the Western genre (and later; the crime film); as well an assessment of the influences on Leones work; and his continuing impact on subsequent generations of film makers.Additional features of this book include thumbnail comments on the professionals who most frequently made up Leones cast and crew; as well as an entire chapter devoted to composer Ennio Morricone. The book also includes an exhaustive bibliography; discography; and filmography; completely updated for this new edition. For fans and scholars seeking original and illuminating discussion of his work; The Films of Sergio Leone provides a critical appreciation of this master stylist.
#891865 in eBooks 1964-01-17 2013-03-15File Name: B00BGLCFBO
Review
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. At the Hands of the IgnorantBy Jim MuccioIn November; 2010 I read about the artistic exploits of Wafaa Bilal and was intrigued. So intrigued I blogged about his latest project and posted it in several online forums. I also ordered his book; "Shoot an Iraqi; Art; Life; and Resistance Under the Gun" co-written with Kari Lydersen. I read it in one sitting. Astonishing in content and brilliantly written; Bilal and Lydersen have taken; by my first estimate; an ill-conceived; albeit somewhat artistic; publicity stunt and turned it into a MUST READ commentary on the cost of war...now my second and more accurate estimate.In a nutshell Wafaa writes about his confinement to an exhibit room at the Flat File Gallery in Chicago. He called the exhibit "Domestic Tension" and lived within its confines for one month. Thats the domestic part. The tension comes from the added twist. If you visited him; either on-line or in person; he gave you the option to fire a yellow paint ball at him at 300 feet per second; all day; every day. Approximately 65;000 balls of yellow paint were fired during his ordeal. He was forced to live under the fear of being whacked at anytime. There was a field of fire available to the paint ball gun which he could escape be remaining close to the ground...inducing the stress of literally living "Under the Gun". When online visitors stopped in they could chat with him directly; setting up a tension between those who could reach out to the humanity of the situation observing and bearing witness to the ongoing persecution; and those who wanted to have sadistic fun at the expense of another human being. (NOTE: Although sadistic fun unfortunately occurs in warfare I do not believe it is a primary driver yet it does become another ugly cost of war).As he writes about his ordeal during his month in captivity he wraps in the story of his early life growing up in Iraq under the brutal dictatorship of Saddam Hussein. He describes what life was like for the Iraqi people; their hopes and dreams for education and prosperity; their day to day family existence; with both their good humor and sanity evaporating during what has now amounted to almost three decades of constant war. Wafaa escaped as a refugee to Kuwait; Saudi Arabia; and finally to the United States but carries the scars of many haunting years of fear and persecution in its countless forms. That is what he was trying to recreate in "Shoot and Iraqi" as a cathartic response to the guilt he has felt by leaving Iraq and thus surviving to tell his tale."Shoot an Iraqi" is not a war protest; though many who read it might consider it so...I might also add that some associated with his project seem to convey a clear anti-war vibe...yet Wafaa resisted the invite to preach rather he simply wants us to think about the cost of war in human terms rather than ethical or moral implications. This book is also not an indictment on the use of remotely piloted vehicles to execute war; which have gained so much favor and criticism during the wars in the Middle East...yet remain highly misunderstood. Again; Wafaa resists the temptation to draw too many parallels between what he was doing and this new brand of warfare. Early on he exhibits a desire to make the parallel; primarily when he attributes a tragic event which cost the life of many innocent civilians to reconnaissance conducted by an unmanned aircraft. Only in the sense that violence is being executed at a distance can the two be compared. No other parallels to this brand of warfare exist. But this is not a debate to have in this book review. The other parallels to the stress of those caught in the war zone and living minute by minute "Under the Gun" with the constant threat of death are quite real.Wafaa has a unique vision in his art form that will continue to elicit strong criticism; censorship; and even persecution; whether intentionally by his own hand or by the hand of ignorance. He grows and we grow as a result of what he has experienced and has shared. This book goes a long way in reducing the hand of the ignorance...in this particular case mine.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. An intriguing book that looks at the cost of war with a humanistic eyeBy Brie0070Typically I try not to get into politics of wars but as fate had it; I actually had the privilege of having Wafaa himself as a professor when I attended The School of the Art Institute of Chicago a few years back when he was still teaching there. I didnt know what to expect having an Iraqi for a professor; mostly because I had little knowledge of Iraq outside of media coverage. As I began to get to know him; not only did I start to learn about his life and his part played within the political climate; I also learned how his artwork turned into a pivotal role in his own survival. His past artwork has shown how he is able to bring up controversial issues in a way that illuminates both sides yet remains unbiased. He is truly inspirational and I was constantly in awe of him when he was my professor. I decided to buy his book sometime later out of curiosity and it stood up well to the actual man it is about. The book does a fantastic job of jumping back and forth from his life growing up in Iraq to one of his more current pieces "Domestic Tension." The book also does a tremendous job explaining his artwork; why it was necessary for him to work "Domestic Tension" (a piece that literally had people shooting paintballs at him over the internet) and also what the cost of war is on a human level. Whether youre an artist; interested in the impact of war or just interested in biographies; I highly; highly recommend this book.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. I loved this bookBy TashaFayI loved this book. Its well written and provides more information than just about Wafaas art project; but his life story. I like the parallel story structure and the incite that the book provided. Im interested in art and Iraq; so this book was perfect.