In an effort to unify my web presence, this blog is moving:
http://emilykausalik.com/
Check it.
17 March 2008
16 March 2008
Thesis: Proposed
I have written a proposal and had it approved. Holy crap. The title is:
A FISTFUL OF DRAMA:
A STUDY OF MUSICAL FORM IN THE DOLLARS TRILOGY
Witty, yet cliche. I think I'll put up a PDF of the proposal at some point.
Also, tomorrow I am officially accepting Texas's offer. woot.
A FISTFUL OF DRAMA:
A STUDY OF MUSICAL FORM IN THE DOLLARS TRILOGY
Witty, yet cliche. I think I'll put up a PDF of the proposal at some point.
Also, tomorrow I am officially accepting Texas's offer. woot.
03 March 2008
Qdoba is my new favorite place to study
For some reason, Qdobas and Paneras are almost always next door. This is great for two reasons: (1) I love Qdoba and eat there quite often, and (2) Panera has free Wi-Fi. This combination allows me to sit at Qdoba, eat a veggie burrito, and mooch off of Panera's free wireless. I've been sitting here for over two hours now, reading sources and do research for my thesis, and about ten minutes ago the owner brought me some chips and salsa. "You're working far too hard to not have something to snack on." Pra sweet. So now I have more yummies and more inspiration to continue working.
---
On the PhD front, Prof. van den Toorn called me again yesterday and I again missed it. I'm going to try calling him tomorrow I think. Sounds like the fellowship I got is pretty big and they really want to sweet talk me into going there. I'm not complaining about that, trust me.
In other PhD news, Jennie got into FSU! That is so so awesome. Now we both have places to go next year.
28 February 2008
More+ on UCSB
Hi Emily,
Dr. Van den Toorn mentioned that he had left you a message.
Congratulations! You'll get the official letter from the university soon
that explains that this fellowship covers all the costs of university study
at UCSB. You might also want to look at Moodle (Google Moodle and UCSB) to
see some of the listings in the film department. And don't forget that we
are only two hours from tinseltown...
Please email me if you have any questions. You have the opportunity
through this fellowship to visit our campus. I will be in Paris March
17th-24th, but I will be in SB the rest of the time. I believe that $650
in travel money is paid for.
Best,
Pat
Free vacation much?
24 February 2008
Studying for the dreaded ORAL QUALIFYING EXAMS OF DOOOM
Yes. Three Os in DOOOM. That's how bad it is.
Anyway, the final part of my competancy exams takes place tomorrow at 2:30pm. I have hit the 24 hour mark, so I thought I would reflect on the organizational process I have developed.
I'm a very visual person, so I used a color coding technique. Green folders are GOOD TO GO! Purple are HEY, MORE WORK NEEDED. Yellow files have been read and bullet pointed. Red are READ ME!s. This has worked pretty well so far. Seeing the colors change has helped me get a decent grasp of how much work I've done, and how much is left.
I'll reflect more on the experience once I pass, be it tomorrow or some other time. Preferably tomorrow.
Anyway, the final part of my competancy exams takes place tomorrow at 2:30pm. I have hit the 24 hour mark, so I thought I would reflect on the organizational process I have developed.
I'm a very visual person, so I used a color coding technique. Green folders are GOOD TO GO! Purple are HEY, MORE WORK NEEDED. Yellow files have been read and bullet pointed. Red are READ ME!s. This has worked pretty well so far. Seeing the colors change has helped me get a decent grasp of how much work I've done, and how much is left.
I'll reflect more on the experience once I pass, be it tomorrow or some other time. Preferably tomorrow.
20 February 2008
Fiona Apple & Friends cover "Tonight You Belong To Me" (Gene Clark)
In case you don't read You Ain't No Picasso, or are too lazy to click on my Google Reader link, here is a great cover of Gene Clark's "Tonight You Belong To Me" by Fiona Apple and a few members of Nickel Creek. In my opinion, Fiona Apple can do no wrong. I love her.
13 February 2008
More on UCSB
So. I just received an email from Patricia Hall, the theory coordinator at UCSB and my roomie at the M&MI conference I went to last May in NYC. (If you don't know that story comment and I'll fill you in.) Anyway, she emailed me to let me know about my being accepted into the program (already knew), about my TAship (uhhh .... didn't know that!) and my fellowship nomination (heard about that). But the TAship? Hell yeah.
*five minutes later*
Okay so I just looked up the TAship info ... apparently it is a partial fee waiver (ehhh) and free health insurance (very nice). So I'd need the fellowship, which Dr. Hall said pays for tuition and fees. So I'd really need both. And the fellowship is for students who are the first in their families to go to college.
This is started to get complicated. I applied to, like, seven PhD programs because I didn't think I had a shot. I applied to the MA because I wanted to see if I had a chance in hell at a top music program in Europe (I mean ... Adam Krims works there!). I've gotten into three of the seven and have been offered money at two of them. I may actually have to make a really tough choice. If I get a big honkin' fellowship at UCSB in addition to a TAship ... hmmm. But I mean, Texas is my #1 ... ugh. I didn't think I'd get in anywhere! Now I have three possibilities, maybe even more after I hear back from other places. I'm way too indecisive for this.
I was talking with some other grad students today, and out of the four "scholar" grads that are graduating this year (all in August because we're too lazy and too much of commitaphobes to write our thesis) I am the oddest one out and the only one to continue on after this year. Morgan is a musicologist that focuses on 20th-century music (she's writing on Berg's Lulu, Kathryn is a musicologist and cellist who is obsessed with Bach and is writing about Vaughn Williams, Jennie is a theorist writing on phrasing in Bach, and I am a theorist that listens to punk and indie rock and is writing about film music. They fit much better into the canon than I do. Yet Morgan and Kathryn are seriously considering changing fields, and Jennie may give up if she doesn't get into FSU.
So. Maybe the canon is changing? Maybe the field of "acceptable dissertation topics" is finally branching out after ... two hundred years. I guess I just have good timing.
*five minutes later*
Okay so I just looked up the TAship info ... apparently it is a partial fee waiver (ehhh) and free health insurance (very nice). So I'd need the fellowship, which Dr. Hall said pays for tuition and fees. So I'd really need both. And the fellowship is for students who are the first in their families to go to college.
This is started to get complicated. I applied to, like, seven PhD programs because I didn't think I had a shot. I applied to the MA because I wanted to see if I had a chance in hell at a top music program in Europe (I mean ... Adam Krims works there!). I've gotten into three of the seven and have been offered money at two of them. I may actually have to make a really tough choice. If I get a big honkin' fellowship at UCSB in addition to a TAship ... hmmm. But I mean, Texas is my #1 ... ugh. I didn't think I'd get in anywhere! Now I have three possibilities, maybe even more after I hear back from other places. I'm way too indecisive for this.
I was talking with some other grad students today, and out of the four "scholar" grads that are graduating this year (all in August because we're too lazy and too much of commitaphobes to write our thesis) I am the oddest one out and the only one to continue on after this year. Morgan is a musicologist that focuses on 20th-century music (she's writing on Berg's Lulu, Kathryn is a musicologist and cellist who is obsessed with Bach and is writing about Vaughn Williams, Jennie is a theorist writing on phrasing in Bach, and I am a theorist that listens to punk and indie rock and is writing about film music. They fit much better into the canon than I do. Yet Morgan and Kathryn are seriously considering changing fields, and Jennie may give up if she doesn't get into FSU.
So. Maybe the canon is changing? Maybe the field of "acceptable dissertation topics" is finally branching out after ... two hundred years. I guess I just have good timing.
09 February 2008
I GOT INTO UT-AUSTIN!!!
Dear Emily,
I am delighted to inform you that the theory faculty has recommended
that you be admitted to the Ph.D. program in music theory at the
University of Texas! You were one of only a few students chosen from
a very large pool of applicants and I commend you for this
achievement. Your official letter of acceptance will be arriving in
the mail shortly.
We are prepared to offer you a scholarship in the amount of 20,000
dollars for your first year along with a waiver of out-of-state
tuition valued at about 6,500 dollars. This brings the total value
of your first year offer to about 26,500 dollars. In-state tuition
is currently in the neighborhood of 6,000 dollars. Should you accept
our offer, after your scholarship year you would be given a
three-year .5 teaching assistantship to begin in your second year,
bringing the total number of years of support to four. The stipend
for teaching assistants is currently 10,000-10,500 dollars for the
two-semester long session. Teaching assistants also receive an
out-of-state tuition waiver valued at around 6,500 dollars, about
6,000 dollars of in-state tuition assistance (this covers the entire
amount of your in-state tuition), and health insurance valued at
about 3,000 dollars. This brings the estimated nine-month total to
25,500-26,000 dollars.
I very much enjoyed speaking with you at the recent SMT conference.
Based on our conversation, I believe you would find our program to be
an especially good fit for you. As I mentioned in a previous email,
we have a very active theory program at UT with a current enrollment
of about 15 masters and doctoral students, including those working on
masters reports and dissertations. The faculty has a very strong
research record with articles appearing in major journals and books.
Perhaps most important of all, is the fact that we have one of the
strongest placement records in the nation with all recent graduates
(interested in doing so) landing teaching positions in colleges and
universities throughout the United States and Canada.
Congratulations on your acceptance into the theory program at UT! If
you would like to visit our campus, I would be more than happy to
schedule individual meetings with the members of the faculty. Please
let me know if you have any questions. I will look forward to
hearing from you.
All the best,
EP
HELL F'N YEAH!
08 February 2008
More PhD Stuff, Elliot Smith, and the Status of Rock Analysis
Hey hey. I'll do this in order.
I've been nominated for a departmental fellowship at UC-SB. That definitely rules. I still have yet to hear from the six remaining schools, though I've heard that UT-Austin has made decisions and that UKansas-Lawrence has just begun looking at apps. I'm hoping that by the end of February I'll know from everywhere and will have some choices.
Today was the Tonal Systems of Rock workshop at the Conversations in Music conference at UMich. Six groups of 2-3 graduate students presented analyses of many different pop songs. My group did Elliot Smith's "Pretty Mary K" from his album Figure 8 (2000). The three of us had very different approaches. Brian, a PhD candidate from CCM, presented a very Schenkerian approach, and discussed a large scale I-bIII-V-I progression throughout the piece. The bIII occurs in the large bridge/third rotation section that changes keys from D major to F major. Those of you Neo-Riemannians will note the PR relationship of those two key areas. Nate, a PhD candidate at UMich, talked about the S-T cadences and lack of dominant cadence types throughout the work, as well as the Ab/G# relationship that goes throughout the work. I took a less technical approach, discussing the vocal qualities and layering which played into the death/religious connotations of the work, in turn illuminating the plagal S-D cadences and the lack of dominant goal orientation. I also waxed all musicological-like, talking about possible song meanings, Elliot Smith's personal life, recording techniques and aesthetic associations of them, and the like.
I was in a tricky position because the session was let by Walt Everett, the head of the theory department at UMich. A program I am applying to. I did, however, talk to him for a few minutes about my application (he said he enjoyed my Morricone article) and about my continued research for my thesis. So that was good. I feel like I said some good things at this workshop, but I was definitely not as technically/analytically detailed as everyone else. Oh well.
Every other presentation--with the exception of the presentation on Radiohead's "Faust Arp"--contained a Schenker graph. When exactly did pop analysis begin to revolve around Schenker so much? I wonder what Schenker would think about popular and contemporary music being analyzed with his methods. He's probably rolled over so many times in his grave that the world's rotation has slowed.
I've decided to put up the transcription I helped work on for the workshop, as well as my time breakdown, on my portfolio site. I think I'll also put up my Morricone paper and my final version of the Final Fantasy IX paper. I also need to start working on my thesis! And my Scrubs paper. And I think my paper for G/A/M will be on Authenticity and Death. I'll focus primarily on Elliot Smith and Nick Drake, and maybe some other folk/pop/singer/songwriters that have committed suicide/died and how it helps authenticate/whatever their musical legacies. I like using slashes apparently.
Wow, that was a long post.
I've been nominated for a departmental fellowship at UC-SB. That definitely rules. I still have yet to hear from the six remaining schools, though I've heard that UT-Austin has made decisions and that UKansas-Lawrence has just begun looking at apps. I'm hoping that by the end of February I'll know from everywhere and will have some choices.
Today was the Tonal Systems of Rock workshop at the Conversations in Music conference at UMich. Six groups of 2-3 graduate students presented analyses of many different pop songs. My group did Elliot Smith's "Pretty Mary K" from his album Figure 8 (2000). The three of us had very different approaches. Brian, a PhD candidate from CCM, presented a very Schenkerian approach, and discussed a large scale I-bIII-V-I progression throughout the piece. The bIII occurs in the large bridge/third rotation section that changes keys from D major to F major. Those of you Neo-Riemannians will note the PR relationship of those two key areas. Nate, a PhD candidate at UMich, talked about the S-T cadences and lack of dominant cadence types throughout the work, as well as the Ab/G# relationship that goes throughout the work. I took a less technical approach, discussing the vocal qualities and layering which played into the death/religious connotations of the work, in turn illuminating the plagal S-D cadences and the lack of dominant goal orientation. I also waxed all musicological-like, talking about possible song meanings, Elliot Smith's personal life, recording techniques and aesthetic associations of them, and the like.
I was in a tricky position because the session was let by Walt Everett, the head of the theory department at UMich. A program I am applying to. I did, however, talk to him for a few minutes about my application (he said he enjoyed my Morricone article) and about my continued research for my thesis. So that was good. I feel like I said some good things at this workshop, but I was definitely not as technically/analytically detailed as everyone else. Oh well.
Every other presentation--with the exception of the presentation on Radiohead's "Faust Arp"--contained a Schenker graph. When exactly did pop analysis begin to revolve around Schenker so much? I wonder what Schenker would think about popular and contemporary music being analyzed with his methods. He's probably rolled over so many times in his grave that the world's rotation has slowed.
I've decided to put up the transcription I helped work on for the workshop, as well as my time breakdown, on my portfolio site. I think I'll also put up my Morricone paper and my final version of the Final Fantasy IX paper. I also need to start working on my thesis! And my Scrubs paper. And I think my paper for G/A/M will be on Authenticity and Death. I'll focus primarily on Elliot Smith and Nick Drake, and maybe some other folk/pop/singer/songwriters that have committed suicide/died and how it helps authenticate/whatever their musical legacies. I like using slashes apparently.
Wow, that was a long post.
24 January 2008
I got my first PhD Application Decision!
Dear EMILY:
It is a pleasure to inform you that you have been admitted to graduate study at the University of California, Santa Barbara. On behalf of Chancellor Yang and myself, I welcome you! UCSB faculty, staff, active student groups, and alumni look forward to interacting with you. Whether in class, through research, in writing, or in conversations, we value your creative contributions and hope that your academic studies at UCSB will be both invigorating and rewarding.
You are admitted for Fall 2008 into the Department of Music for:
-Doctor of Philosophy (PHD) with emphasis in Theory
OH MY GOD I GOT IN!!!
22 January 2008
Paul Pots - Nessun Dorma (from Turandot)
This is seriously amazing. I'll let the video explain itself.
And from what I understand, he did go on to win the competition.
He released an album with a cover of REM's "Everybody Hurts (Sometimes)" that is pretty fantastic. It was translated into Italian to lend some "authenticity" to the recording. But then again, authenticity is a tricky term ...
And from what I understand, he did go on to win the competition.
He released an album with a cover of REM's "Everybody Hurts (Sometimes)" that is pretty fantastic. It was translated into Italian to lend some "authenticity" to the recording. But then again, authenticity is a tricky term ...
20 January 2008
University of Nottingham!
I ordered Chinese for dinner last night, and got this fortune:
Then about three hours later I received this email:
I think the most surprising part is that my fortune cookie fortune was actually a fortune.
But hey! I got in somewhere! This might seem lame, but I feel like the hope that I have been losing over the last few weeks has been restored. I can get in somewhere. In Europe, no less. How sweet would that be? But I'm going to do the smart/non-impulsive thing and see if I get any other offers. If I can swing it, I'll get into a PhD program but matriculate a year later so that I can go to Nottingham and get a second masters.
Now the future is exciting. :) This whole after-BGSU thing is finally real. I also need to get my ass IN GEAR and get some work done!
Then about three hours later I received this email:
Dear Ms. Kausalik,
You will soon be receiving official notification by mail, but I wanted to let you know informally that you have been admitted to the Masters program in Music at the University of Nottingham. Congratulations!
As you probably know, the Masters program here is one of the most competitive that there is, and only a small percentage of applicants for the Masters program here are admitted; so your admission testifies to your accomplishments and the impressive application that you have put together.
Please do not hesitate to contact me, if you have any further questions about the Masters program here, and I look forward to welcoming you to Nottingham in the fall. Yours,
Adam Krims
Adam Krims
Professor of Music Analysis
University of Nottingham
I think the most surprising part is that my fortune cookie fortune was actually a fortune.
But hey! I got in somewhere! This might seem lame, but I feel like the hope that I have been losing over the last few weeks has been restored. I can get in somewhere. In Europe, no less. How sweet would that be? But I'm going to do the smart/non-impulsive thing and see if I get any other offers. If I can swing it, I'll get into a PhD program but matriculate a year later so that I can go to Nottingham and get a second masters.
Now the future is exciting. :) This whole after-BGSU thing is finally real. I also need to get my ass IN GEAR and get some work done!
19 January 2008
Finished Editing!
Woo! I just finished my editing gig for The Complete Idiot's Guide to Music History. Granted, I could have gotten it all done much sooner, but I am a super bad procrastinator to ridiculous extremes. I think I'm a masochist or something.
Anyway, the last few chapters are so cool. He basically traces the progression of jazz, rock, blues, hip-hop, Brill Building pop tunes, and all sorts of stuff, from the turn of the 20th century up through the late 90s. And does a really great job of it. It's worth picking up for that alone. And to see my name in there! haha.
Tonight I'm going to marathon my movie trilogy and get music/scene timings. It'll be a long, tedious process, so I plan on knitting while doing it.
I also picked up a few scores to engrave for Dr. Trantham. He is working on supplemental material for The Complete Musician's Guide to Theory and Analysis (Clendenning/Marvin). The scores will eventually be on the WW Norton webpage if you want to see my handiwork.
Anyway, the last few chapters are so cool. He basically traces the progression of jazz, rock, blues, hip-hop, Brill Building pop tunes, and all sorts of stuff, from the turn of the 20th century up through the late 90s. And does a really great job of it. It's worth picking up for that alone. And to see my name in there! haha.
Tonight I'm going to marathon my movie trilogy and get music/scene timings. It'll be a long, tedious process, so I plan on knitting while doing it.
I also picked up a few scores to engrave for Dr. Trantham. He is working on supplemental material for The Complete Musician's Guide to Theory and Analysis (Clendenning/Marvin). The scores will eventually be on the WW Norton webpage if you want to see my handiwork.
16 January 2008
Truth
"Composers are like little kids; they like to play with all the toys in the toy box."
- Michael Miller, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Music History (Alpha Books, forthcoming)
- Michael Miller, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Music History (Alpha Books, forthcoming)
14 January 2008
The Beauty of the PDF; or, One Man's Misfortune is Another Man's Pleasure; or, Airleaf Publishing Makes My Thesis Research Easier by Sucking it Up
I'm trying out the long title thing. I like it.
Anyway, I received an email from Philip Tagg today, containing instructions on how to obtain his out-of-print text "Ten Little Title Tunes: Towards a Musicology of the Mass Media."
So thanks to Airleaf Publishing being shady and going out of business, Prof. Tagg cannot reprint his much-in-demand book, and I now have a PDF that I can search for any reference material I want. Now I can digitally search for any references I need, easily flip to mentions of augmented seconds or Ennio Morricone, and copy/paste quotes as needed. It's beautiful for me, but bad for Prof. Tagg. Hence the title, or at least part of it.
You can help support the Mass Media Music Scholars' Press (MMMSP) by going to http://www.tagg.org/donate.html, and under "Special instructions for the
merchant" enter "for MMMSP."
If you are interested in obtaining Ten Little Title Tunes and cannot locate a hardcopy, head to http://fd2.formdesk.com/tagg/TenTitlesOnline and fill out a request form.
peace, love, and s
em
Selection of websites documenting Airleaf Publishing scams and complaints
http://www.todays-woman.net/poetry-scams-27.html,
http://www.loneprairie.net/art_blogs/artnews/2005/12/watch-out-for-airleaf-p
ublishing.html,
http://leegoldberg.typepad.com/a_writers_life/2007/01/the_airleaf_mor.html
http://forums.writersweekly.com/viewtopic.php?t=922
http://forums.writersweekly.com/viewtopic.php?t=4145
http://forums.writersweekly.com/viewtopic.php?t=3865
http://forums.writersweekly.com/viewtopic.php?t=3827
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=964
http://writerlystuff.blogspot.com/2007/12/hallelujah-airleaf-publishing-is-o
ut-of.html
Anyway, I received an email from Philip Tagg today, containing instructions on how to obtain his out-of-print text "Ten Little Title Tunes: Towards a Musicology of the Mass Media."
Many factors have made a complete mess of distributing this book.
1. Airleaf publishing, the company we (the MMMSP) paid to print, bind and
distribute the book became the object of many scam complaints (see Appendix
for selection of sites documenting their malpractice) and were forced out of
business. I didn't find out about this until very recently.
2. "Ten Titles" went quickly out of print but interest remained quite high.
I had to make it available online because I don't have the time to organise
its re-publication as hard copy. That caused me a lot of extra
administrative work.
3. I receive around 100 emails each day during the teaching year. 50 of
those emails require some sort of action. I have no administrative
assistance and just can't keep up. This autumn I had a bad bout of 'flu.
After 4 days flat on my back, I opened my email inbox to discover not the
usual "74 unread messages" but "592 unread messages". I am now down to "296
unread messages".
So thanks to Airleaf Publishing being shady and going out of business, Prof. Tagg cannot reprint his much-in-demand book, and I now have a PDF that I can search for any reference material I want. Now I can digitally search for any references I need, easily flip to mentions of augmented seconds or Ennio Morricone, and copy/paste quotes as needed. It's beautiful for me, but bad for Prof. Tagg. Hence the title, or at least part of it.
You can help support the Mass Media Music Scholars' Press (MMMSP) by going to http://www.tagg.org/donate.html, and under "Special instructions for the
merchant" enter "for MMMSP."
If you are interested in obtaining Ten Little Title Tunes and cannot locate a hardcopy, head to http://fd2.formdesk.com/tagg/TenTitlesOnline and fill out a request form.
peace, love, and s
em
Selection of websites documenting Airleaf Publishing scams and complaints
http://www.todays-woman.net/poetry-scams-27.html,
http://www.loneprairie.net/art_blogs/artnews/2005/12/watch-out-for-airleaf-p
ublishing.html,
http://leegoldberg.typepad.com/a_writers_life/2007/01/the_airleaf_mor.html
http://forums.writersweekly.com/viewtopic.php?t=922
http://forums.writersweekly.com/viewtopic.php?t=4145
http://forums.writersweekly.com/viewtopic.php?t=3865
http://forums.writersweekly.com/viewtopic.php?t=3827
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=964
http://writerlystuff.blogspot.com/2007/12/hallelujah-airleaf-publishing-is-o
ut-of.html
13 January 2008
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Music History
Back in October, I got an email from Michael Miller asking if I would do technical editing for his upcoming text The Complete Idiot's Guide to Music History. He had asked an old professor of mine for a recommendation of someone to ask, an my name was passed along. How cool is that? So now I'm through chapter 6 of the text, and it's been pretty fun. Going through and doing the editing has been a great refresher of my music history knowledge, and reading a text with a non-scholar audience has been pretty interesting.
The book is up on Amazon.com now for pre-order! Sweet! There will be a little bio about me in there too, which is super cool. And it definitely doesn't hurt to have a publication on my CV.
As far as other things go .... I haven't heard from any PhD schools yet. It's killing me a bit.
The book is up on Amazon.com now for pre-order! Sweet! There will be a little bio about me in there too, which is super cool. And it definitely doesn't hurt to have a publication on my CV.
As far as other things go .... I haven't heard from any PhD schools yet. It's killing me a bit.
07 January 2008
Top 10 Under-Appreciated Spaghetti Westerns
As you might have gathered, I have been watching TONS of spaghetti westerns as research for my thesis. It's really great; I watch a sweet movie, can usually knit or crochet while it's on, and I'm researching too! No brainer, for sure.
Well anyway, my friend Scott does a lot of movie posts (seeing as he got his bachelors in film studies) and I am taking a cue from him and giving one a shot. I've been meaning to do this for a while, and I love procrastinating, so here it is!
Here are the top ten under-appreciated spaghetti westerns!
10. My Name is Nobody
Sergio Leone's last western. Terrence Hill, the last great spaghetti western star, plays Nobody, who is determined to get his idol Jack Beaureguard (Henry Fonda) to retire in a blaze of glory. Nobody arranges Jack to face off against the Wild Bunch, a group of 150 bandits. This is a comedy, but a really good western. Morricone wrote the score.
9. A Bullet for the General
A gringo comes along and helps out El Chuncho (Gian Maria Volonté, the bad guy in A Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More) and his group of bandits steal weaponry and return it to the general. It turns out, however, that the gringo is there to assassinate the general. Martine Beswick is hot in this movie (whatever, I can say that if I want to), and the ending is pretty messed up and rather unexpected. This also has Klaus Kinski in it, which rules because he is a badass. Morricone wrote the score.
8. Duck, You Sucker
James Coburn and Rod Steiger play an explosives expert and a Mexican bandit caught up in the Mexican Revolution. You get to see them essentially gun down an entire military unit. It's awesome. The cuts are fantastic (it's a Leone film, so expect nothing less), and Morricone's music is also great. But when is it not?
7. Death Rides a Horse
Bill sees his parents murdered, and 14 years later teams up with a very bad man (Ryan, played by Lee van Cleef) to avenge their deaths. Ryan has just been released from prison after being framed by the same men that kill Bill's fam. It's the perfect balance of untamed youth and an experience gunslinger. Only catch: the four men they are hunting down are now authority figures in the new "Civilized" West. This is one of Lee van Cleef's best performances by a long shot. Morricone, again, wrote the score.
6. The Cruel Ones / Hellbenders
Another Corbucci flick with plenty of killing. An ex-Confederate steals a large sum of money and plans on restarting the war against the North. All sorts of crazy stuff happens along the way, including an Indian War Party, fights with Union soldiers, and fighting amongst his family. Once again, Morricone wrote the score. He was a busy guy.
5. Django
A lone gunslinger, dragging a coffin behind him, gets caught in the middle of a battle between waring factions--Mexican bandits and the KKK--in a western town. With a huge machine gun. Sooooo many people die. Another classic Corbucci flick, with scoring by ... guess who? Morricone!
4. For a Few Dollars More
This is a more well-known western, but it is the least known or seen out of the Dollars trilogy. I personally like it a lot more than A Fistful of Dollars, the first of the trilogy. Blondie/Manco/whatever and the Colonel (Lee Van Cleef) hunt down El Indio (Gian Maria Volonté) for the $$$. Pure and simple. Who cares about saving people? They just want the green. And they get a lot of it. It's a great film with a sweet showdown at the end. Directed by Sergio Leone, and scored by THE MAN, Ennio Morricone.
3. Run, Man, Run!
This is the second of a series of films directed by Sergio Sollima (I guess Sergio is like Steve in Italy, or something) centering around the knife-throwing bandit Cuchillo, played by Tomas Milian. He promises a revolutionary that he would find and return 3 million bucks to Mexico to help fund the revolution. Everyone wants a piece, including French assassins and bounty hunters, a former Salvation Army worker turned gold huntress, and many other bandits. All the while, Cuchillo's girlfriend follows him around, trying to convince him to give up the search and marry her (she's way too good looking for him). Bruno Nicoli scored most of the film, but Morricone also wrote some (I think the opening thing and something else, I can't remember).
2. Vamos a Matar, Compañeros!
This is a really great flick with awesome music. The theme song is just perfect. Guess who composed. Just guess. Tomas Miliam and Franco Nero team up to save a professor that can unlock a safe with Mexico's greatest treasure locked inside. Nero playing a Swedish arms dealer is pretty hilarious. The female lead is Iris Berben; when she gets her hair chopped of she looks pretty hot. Oh, and Jack Palance is in this one as a marijuana-crazed madman bent on killing the Swede. Another Corbucci film with a decent amount of killing, explosions, and unnecessary violence.
1. The Great Silence
This is honestly one of the best spaghetti westerns of all time. Directed by Sergio Corbucci (known as "the other Sergio"), and staring a gorgeous French man as a mute gunslinger. The bad guy is flippin' Klaus Kinski. That guy is amazing. The story revolves around this town in the mountains being hassled by bandits led by Kinski. The Great Silence comes in, helps out a widow (in more ways than one, hint hint), and kills people with his fancy mechanical pistol. Lots of people die, in line with a Corbucci flick. The ending is one of the most controversial in the history of westerns, to the point where they actually had to film a second ending for release in the Middle East/Africa. Also, scored by Ennio Morricone.
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These are really all top-notch films. If there are any that you have not seen, hit up Netflix! They're all on there!
Well anyway, my friend Scott does a lot of movie posts (seeing as he got his bachelors in film studies) and I am taking a cue from him and giving one a shot. I've been meaning to do this for a while, and I love procrastinating, so here it is!
Here are the top ten under-appreciated spaghetti westerns!
10. My Name is Nobody
Sergio Leone's last western. Terrence Hill, the last great spaghetti western star, plays Nobody, who is determined to get his idol Jack Beaureguard (Henry Fonda) to retire in a blaze of glory. Nobody arranges Jack to face off against the Wild Bunch, a group of 150 bandits. This is a comedy, but a really good western. Morricone wrote the score.
9. A Bullet for the General
A gringo comes along and helps out El Chuncho (Gian Maria Volonté, the bad guy in A Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More) and his group of bandits steal weaponry and return it to the general. It turns out, however, that the gringo is there to assassinate the general. Martine Beswick is hot in this movie (whatever, I can say that if I want to), and the ending is pretty messed up and rather unexpected. This also has Klaus Kinski in it, which rules because he is a badass. Morricone wrote the score.
8. Duck, You Sucker
James Coburn and Rod Steiger play an explosives expert and a Mexican bandit caught up in the Mexican Revolution. You get to see them essentially gun down an entire military unit. It's awesome. The cuts are fantastic (it's a Leone film, so expect nothing less), and Morricone's music is also great. But when is it not?
7. Death Rides a Horse
Bill sees his parents murdered, and 14 years later teams up with a very bad man (Ryan, played by Lee van Cleef) to avenge their deaths. Ryan has just been released from prison after being framed by the same men that kill Bill's fam. It's the perfect balance of untamed youth and an experience gunslinger. Only catch: the four men they are hunting down are now authority figures in the new "Civilized" West. This is one of Lee van Cleef's best performances by a long shot. Morricone, again, wrote the score.
6. The Cruel Ones / Hellbenders
Another Corbucci flick with plenty of killing. An ex-Confederate steals a large sum of money and plans on restarting the war against the North. All sorts of crazy stuff happens along the way, including an Indian War Party, fights with Union soldiers, and fighting amongst his family. Once again, Morricone wrote the score. He was a busy guy.
5. Django
A lone gunslinger, dragging a coffin behind him, gets caught in the middle of a battle between waring factions--Mexican bandits and the KKK--in a western town. With a huge machine gun. Sooooo many people die. Another classic Corbucci flick, with scoring by ... guess who? Morricone!
4. For a Few Dollars More
This is a more well-known western, but it is the least known or seen out of the Dollars trilogy. I personally like it a lot more than A Fistful of Dollars, the first of the trilogy. Blondie/Manco/whatever and the Colonel (Lee Van Cleef) hunt down El Indio (Gian Maria Volonté) for the $$$. Pure and simple. Who cares about saving people? They just want the green. And they get a lot of it. It's a great film with a sweet showdown at the end. Directed by Sergio Leone, and scored by THE MAN, Ennio Morricone.
3. Run, Man, Run!
This is the second of a series of films directed by Sergio Sollima (I guess Sergio is like Steve in Italy, or something) centering around the knife-throwing bandit Cuchillo, played by Tomas Milian. He promises a revolutionary that he would find and return 3 million bucks to Mexico to help fund the revolution. Everyone wants a piece, including French assassins and bounty hunters, a former Salvation Army worker turned gold huntress, and many other bandits. All the while, Cuchillo's girlfriend follows him around, trying to convince him to give up the search and marry her (she's way too good looking for him). Bruno Nicoli scored most of the film, but Morricone also wrote some (I think the opening thing and something else, I can't remember).
2. Vamos a Matar, Compañeros!
This is a really great flick with awesome music. The theme song is just perfect. Guess who composed. Just guess. Tomas Miliam and Franco Nero team up to save a professor that can unlock a safe with Mexico's greatest treasure locked inside. Nero playing a Swedish arms dealer is pretty hilarious. The female lead is Iris Berben; when she gets her hair chopped of she looks pretty hot. Oh, and Jack Palance is in this one as a marijuana-crazed madman bent on killing the Swede. Another Corbucci film with a decent amount of killing, explosions, and unnecessary violence.
1. The Great Silence
This is honestly one of the best spaghetti westerns of all time. Directed by Sergio Corbucci (known as "the other Sergio"), and staring a gorgeous French man as a mute gunslinger. The bad guy is flippin' Klaus Kinski. That guy is amazing. The story revolves around this town in the mountains being hassled by bandits led by Kinski. The Great Silence comes in, helps out a widow (in more ways than one, hint hint), and kills people with his fancy mechanical pistol. Lots of people die, in line with a Corbucci flick. The ending is one of the most controversial in the history of westerns, to the point where they actually had to film a second ending for release in the Middle East/Africa. Also, scored by Ennio Morricone.
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These are really all top-notch films. If there are any that you have not seen, hit up Netflix! They're all on there!
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