Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)

“How can you trust a man that wears both a belt and suspenders? Man can't even trust his own pants.” — Frank

Acting as a farewell of sorts to the famous Dollars Trilogy and as one of the most memorable character entrances in film history, the opening of Sergio Leone’s Spaghetti Western opus Once Upon a Time in the West (C'era una volta il West) is a masterwork of blocking, composition, editing, and sound design.

At over ten minutes in length, the nearly silent opening sequence centers on three gunslingers – Stony (Woody Strode), Snaky (Jack Elam), and Knuckles (Al Mulock) – and their arrival at Cattle Corner, an isolated train station somewhere in the Old West. Their purpose is a mystery, but their rough treatment of the locals and general demeanor speak volumes: they’re waiting for someone, and when he arrives it’s not going to be pretty.

Filmed over four days in La Calahorra, Spain, the opening sequence, like the rest of the film, was shot without sound so that dialogue and effects could be dubbed in during post-production. This was standard practice in Italian films of the era and gives Once Upon a Time in the West that classic Spaghetti Western feel.

But why three gunmen? Leone is rumoured to have offered the gunslinger roles to actors Clint Eastwood, Lee…

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from Art of the Title http://ift.tt/NTTLwr