A Man Called Blade (1977)
This was a surprisingly good forgotten gem in my DVD collection, especially with how it sets the right tone and atmosphere with a Keoma-ish title song and further use of 70s rock. In 1977 the spaghetti western genre was way past its prime and it had turned into more satirical territory, but this is one of the rare exceptions. It is surprsingly brutal, grim and bleak and the director’s experience with giallo films does show in places. With creative use of big contrast with cutting between two very different scenes, and some stylish editing with its kill sequences. John Steiner as the main villain is the highlight here, as he is both fierce, intelligent and calculated, and kind of looks and dresses a bit like Sartana. Political critique has always been a part of this genre, but rarely as openly and without much subtext as here. Very blunt and straightforward critique of ruthless capitalism with how it destroys nature and suppress worker rights. While not completely overlooked, I think this movie deserves a more prominent position in the hall of fame of the genre.
Rating: 4