Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.5

Sabata Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf July 27, 2014

Already an actor with an extensive history in westerns, Lee Van Cleef found himself in possession of a red-hot career after the global success of 1966’s “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” working his way up from supporting turns to starring roles. 1969’s “Sabata” was one of many gunslinger efforts Van Cleef participated in during this critical time, transformed into a glaring, unforgiving hero, feeding into a slightly zany atmosphere of showdowns masterminded by director Gianfranco Parolini. “Sabata” is an odd one, teeming with exaggerated characters, mild gymnastics, and the image of Van Cleef as the titular character, prowling around with delightful screen confidence, especially for a character who keeps a coin as part of his arsenal. For the most part, the movie has a snappy pace, fierce style, and bursts of aggression, keeping genre elements alert as it details a peculiar story of blackmail.

In the old west, a safe loaded with $100,000 has been stolen from the local bank. A high profile crime, the suspects appear to have eluded authorities, only to meet the expert tracking and gunfight skills of Sabata (Lee Van Cleef), who’s passing through the community. Returning the money to its rightful owner, Sabata is praised as a hero and offered a reward, making a friend in town drunk Carrincha (Ignazio Spalla), while trading barbed banter with Banjo (William Berger), a shadowy figure from Sabata’s past. Settling into a stay at the local hotel, given the once-over by employee Jane (Linda Veras), Sabata sets his sights on the heist’s mastermind, Stengel (Franco Ressel), blackmailing the killer for big bucks while outsmarting all his retaliation efforts. Applying pressure on a dangerous man, Sabata steps into the line of fire armed with his expert aim, playing Stengel for everything he’s got while keeping an eye on Banjo, unsure of the musician’s ultimate allegiance.

“Sabata” embraces several western traditions of the late 1960s, including a soaring theme song that introduces the titular character with sonic power, giving him a superhero-style welcome. There’s also an anti-hero streak in Sabata that makes him an interesting figure for inspection, working over Stengel with menace while keeping his distance from government interests in the safe, content to take a small reward (an amount that disturbs Carrincha) when he could ride off with all the money. There are gray areas to the character that help propel the screenplay, exploring his bizarre mission of justice that’s been created to line his own pockets, embodying a lawman and an outlaw throughout the feature, keeping the viewer and the supporting players guessing as Sabata orchestrates a plan secured by his willingness to kill anyone who dares to tamper with the timing.

Parolini doesn’t take “Sabata” seriously, teasing campy elements that push the feature into cartoon territory. It’s not a criticism, just surprise, trading in edgy western intimidation to transform the movie into a jaunty, ludicrous adventure that has a mute character named Alley Cat (Bruno Ukmar) bouncing into action on hidden trampolines, leaping to save the day. And there’s Sabata and his gift with flipping coins, showing miraculous aim as he gradually becomes the Fonzie of the old west. “Sabata” is meant to be a wild ride, and Parolini achieves his goal for at least the first two acts, keeping tensions simmering as the gunslinger’s abilities are detailed and Stengel’s taste for the theatrical when it comes to murder is explored inside his home, staging shootouts with hapless visitors who don’t know how to navigate his deadly décor.

Also contributing to the circus-style ambiance is cinematography from Sandro Mancori, who’s under orders to transform “Sabata” into the most zoom-happy picture of 1969. The slingshot style of the movie is something to see, boosting the story’s energy as everything is turned into a stinger moment, with Parolini almost afraid to settle down, allowing the feature to slow its momentum. Visually electric, “Sabata” has personality and speed, goosing the mythmaking interests of producer Alberto Grimaldi, who went on to create two sequels (one with Yul Brynner in the title role), flipping a few coins into his own pocket.

The ferocious visual appetite of the movie appears to have carried on throughout the years, with Sam Raimi’s “The Quick and the Dead” showing signs of influence from “Sabata,” while Robert Rodriquez’s “El Mariachi” trilogy also comes to mind during the film, as Banjo arms himself with a musical instrument that doubles as a working rifle.

“Sabata” works through fits of mischief (at one point, the desperado disguises himself as a painting to avoid detection) and characterization, building tensions between Sabata and Banjo, while Stengel burns at home, unable to destroy the thorn in his side. It all leads to an unexpectedly leaden conclusion that favors chaos over the action precision Parolini teases in the first two acts, embracing explosions and an elongated showdown featuring all invested parties. The violence grinds the film to a halt, and the screenplay also has trouble finding a suitable point of exit, dragging out the conclusion to a point of exhaustion. For a movie with such a lean, mean attitude, it’s surprising to watch the production pad the climax to meet run time demands nobody is asking for.

Sabata Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.34:1 aspect ratio) presentation doesn't feature a consistent run of damage and debris, but pockets of trouble are detectable, along with some mild flicker. Grain appears tasteful and largely contained, delivering a filmic appearance. Colors are aged but remain communicative, offering welcome hues for costumes and interior decoration, while the western palette of dusty browns and cool grays remains intact. Detail is available, with reasonable textures during close-ups, while set design and distances are open for inspection. Blacks are thick but seldom impenetrable, with delineation adequate.

Sabata Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix emerges with a heavily dubbed presence, making dialogue exchanges thick but understandable, with slower emphasis to keep up with the translation, helping to preserve performances. Atmospherics are pronounced, with jangly spurs and whooshing winds, but lack crispness, adding to the muddy sound of the movie. Scoring is available, with passable clarity and definition, but nothing emerges as dominant, with levels managed to keep performances top priority. Highs with violence and outbursts do register on the shrill side, hitting some weak extremes when passions come alive.

Sabata Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• A Theatrical Trailer (1:37, HD) is included.

Sabata Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Sabata" offers gunfights, a villain with an amazing comb-over and a deadly cane, flip-happy supporting characters, and plenty of squinty duels. But the real star of the show is Van Cleef, who snarls his way through a charmingly meaty performance, allowing body language to guide the work. As the focal point of the movie, Van Cleef sustains the gunslinger's acts of intimidation and evasion, making him a welcome rogue out to stomp on those who cross his invisible line. "Sabata" is most engaging when simply keeping close to Van Cleef, finding everything it needs in the actor's icy stare.