Sabata: the Sequels!!!

Okay, so I got curious. Maybe it's because I finally learned that Yul Brynner played the cowboy in Westworld (yes, I get it now). Or maybe I had too much free time. But I watched Adios Sabata and Return of Sabata. I could practically review these two movies together, because, frankly, they both have the same plot. In fact, it's the same plot as the first movie. You'd think this would be boring, right WRONG! In Adios Sabata Yul Brynner is hired by Mexican revolutionaries to steal gold from some Austrian military guys. Hot damn! I guess this is sexy Sabata. Er....I mean, he's no Lee Van Cleef, but the gaping shirt sure helps make up for that. Supposedly, his character was called Indio Black in the Italian version, but Sabata in the international release, capitalizing on the first movie's popularity.

Anyway, he meets up with one of the leader of the revolutions, Escudo (Pedro Sanchez/Ignazio Spalla).He looks familiar, right?!?! Coincidence? Nope, he was the drunk from the first movie! Looks like he'd our comic relief yet again. Escudo has his two faithful "swooping hawks" as he calls them:

Septiembre (Salvatore Borghese). A man who doesn't talk, loves musical pocket watches, and has this neat trick where he flings metal ball bearings with his feet. I repeat, he has small metal balls that fit into a special groove on his shoes which allow him to fling the balls at his opponents.

And he's not the weird one.

The other "swooping hawk" Gitano (Joseph P Persaud) doesn't do much...just the Flamenco Dance of Death.

I will repeat that for everyone who's mind just got blown. Flamenco. Dance. Of Death. Meditate on that one for a while.And the gang rides off! VIVA LA REVOLUTION!

Only it's never that simple.

See, while the Mexican revolutionaries are trying to steal the gold from the Austrians, this guy Ballantine (Dean Reed) is also going after the gold.

He's pretty much this movie's Banjo in that he already knows Sabata, teams up with Sabata, and then tries to betray him and the Mexican army at every turn to take the gold all for himself. His only quirk is that he needs to write everything down because he has a terrible memory.

But, wait, there's more!

Our villian, the Austrian Colonel Skimmel (Gerard Herter) is also trying to steal the gold from...uh, himself.

Guess the lure of gold was too much for the poor guy. Or his monocle is screwed in too tight.

It's a fine movie on us own. Yul Brynner is different from Cleef, more stoic, but it's a good contrast to the other actors who play pretty crazy characters. I think this is an example of a spaghetti western where if you don't take it too seriously, just let it wash over you, you'll get some laughs out of it.

Plus Sabata plays a mighty fine piano.

Didn't I mention that? HE PLAYS THE PIANO.

What a guy.