Blindman (1972)

Wow! Such a good movie.

Absolutely Brilliant!

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

Funny, strange, confrontational and subversive, this is one of the most interesting experiences you'll have at the cinema this year.

Possibly the worst film I've ever seen. Ringo must have been really worried about finding work! Demeaning by design to every character and just plain perverse. If you like Mano a Mano genital torture, half naked women being chased across a barren plain by men on horseback, repeated rape scenes, and mindless murder, you'll love this film. Just plain awful. If Ringo was smart he would have used his Beatles royalties to buy every copy and make it disappear forever.

"Blind Man" (1971) is an enjoyable spaghetti western, more in the comic book style, especially as played by Tony Anthony in the lead role. Although he does well, I think the director (Ferdinando Baldi), who has a great visual eye, could not get a better, more believable and affecting performance from him. I think it was a good idea as produced by Allen Klein for ABKCO Films and it was a good idea for Ringo Starr to appear, as he once again proves, here probably more so than just "A Hard Day's Night" that he had some quality as an actor. There is a lot of gratuitous nudity of the 50 women being delivered as wives for a mining camp in Texas as they are sidetracked from their rightful contract holder, Blind Man, by a band of long-haired outlaws who sell them to the Mexican army. Agneta Eckemyr has the role of the blonde "Pilar" on who pivots the smitten Candy (Starr) in the Blind Man's attempts to re-claim the girls. Kudos to Riccardo Pallottini for his beautiful photography and editing by Roberto Perpignani. They, at least, must have had fun during the filming. The end result is a bit unclear, story-wise and not particularly endearing. Perhaps rightly in the Top 20 spaghetti westerns, but definitely not the Top 10.

Italian filmmakers were famous for ripping off popular franchises from other countries (usually America). Often these rips offs were near carbon copies (only with terrible actors being badly dubbed), but every now and then, an Italian rip off will become more than just another rip off. Setting a rip off of Japan's popular Zatôichi series in the wild west wasn't an obvious thing to do; western heroes are famous for their eagle eye gun handling abilities, among other things; but director Ferdinando Baldi dared to go there; and the result is Blindman, which despite the unimaginative title; is a rather decent western. The plot, as the title suggests, focuses on a blind gunslinger. He's been hired to escort 50 women across America; but runs into trouble when he is double crossed by his 'business partners'. Not willing to lie down on this one, Blindman sets off in pursuit of those that crossed him, with deadly results.Tony Anthony takes the lead role and does a good job with it. This is the only western I've ever seen with a blindman in a central role (unless you count Johnny Depp in Once Upon a Time in Mexico) and I really don't see how anyone could have done the role any better. I also liked how the film depicts the title character going about his business with modified tools - for example, a 'Braille' map and a compass without a casing. Naturally, due to the plot, the film is not completely serious but the tongue in cheek style works fairly well. The film is not overly violent compared to other films of its type, but there is a fair bit of violence directed towards women which might shock some viewers. There's also a small role for Beatles star Ringo Starr, which was a nice surprise. Overall, I can't say that this film ranks among the best of the genre; but its good fun and I'd certainly rank it as a western worth seeing.

"Blindman"starring Tony Anthony and Ringo Starr is what I consider a special Spaghetti Western movie.Just when you thought you've seen them all,here is one with a twist,and quite entertaining as well!The movie takes you on this journey that enthralls you directly to the plot as it starts.A long-coated blind man is riding a seeing-eye horse out of the desolate Texas plains toward you.He's angry,ruthless and deadly.He's desperately after something.That something happens to be fifty beautiful mail-order brides that he was contracted to deliver to Texas.The women were purchased by miners,yet they ended up in Mexico.They were stolen by a partner Blindman trusted,who in turn sold them to an unsavory gang of bandits,all of whom has their own dishonorable agenda for the women.Now Blindman wants his fifty women,vengeance and paycheck!He deals out his own brand of justice,using his fine-tuned gift for sound and feel/depth-memory to unleash the bullets and the dynamite.The movie is action packed,exciting,violent,interesting and fun!There's carnage,nudity,and mass assault scenes that give this movie a bold and raw,yet fascinating cinematic appeal.It's a definite must-see for all Spaghetti Genre Western fans.Although some may find the plot absurd,the movie successfully takes on a life of its own.It's truly a movie to be enjoyed for what it is--entertainment.Tony Anthony(portraying Blindman)is convincing,with some of the best and funniest script lines of any Western movie I've seen.Ringo Starr(Candy)is well acted,blending in so tastefully as the quintessential bad guy.A good supporting cast fuels the engine for the movie,while the soundtrack-dynamics are true to form.What I find intriguing about this movie is that it speaks volumes about the will and perseverance of the human spirit."Blindman" is what I consider a truly collectible Western Film!