I much prefer TGTBATU. It's an absolute firecracker of a film. It's frenetic, it never lets up, and it's a laugh riot. One of Sergio Leone's most secret yet most potent weapons was his humor, and Tuco brings that out in spades. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly is the pinnacle of the spaghetti western genre, and Leone never did another genre better. Once Upon a Time is sorely lacking in humor by comparison (and doesn't fit the spaghetti western archetype as well, because it's more intent on seriously deconstructing it). It takes itself more seriously and some consider that to its benefit, but I consider it to it's detriment. To me the 'profound' things that Once Upon a Time has to say about the death of the west are not enough to overcome what a simply unbridled wild ride The Good is, it's a roller coaster of a film like none other. One of the only other films that gives me the adrenaline rush it does is Raiders of the Lost Ark, other than that the number of comparables are few and far. On top of that, it saw Ennio Morricone at the peak of his powers. The best soundtrack he's ever done bar none, I can't imagine the final graveyard scene without his orchestration. And the cast was universally stronger as well. Clint was always a better western frontman than Bronson, Wallach steals the show as the gag-a-minute Tuco, and it wouldn't be right without Van Cleef as the nemesis (although he puts forth a much stronger role in Few Dollars More admittedly). Robards and Fonda are both incredible actors with magnetic screen presence, but they didn't fit the bill as well as the aformentioned did in a Leone western. I read once that Morricone wrote the score of Once Upon a Time... without having seen the film yet, whereas he wrote the score of TGTBATU with the specific scenes in mind. And it shows, because The Good, The Bad and the Ugly has a vastly superior soundtrack to Once Upon a Time (although Once Upon a Time's soundtrack is no slouch either)
Well, the soundtrack to "Once Upon A Time In The West" is my all-time favorite film soundtrack, and I consider it Morricone's masterpiece. So we'll have to agree to disagree....
I can barely sit through either one anymore. I chose OUATITW tho. That movie started me cracking my knuckles.
The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly...the cinematography is top notch, and the score is one of the best of all time.
However, I feel both the cinematography AND the score in "Once Upon A Time In The West" are even better. This clip from the film, starting at the 3:00 mark to the end, has the most stunning shots of Monument Valley ever put on film, and coupled with the theme used during it (Jill's America), makes it one of my all time favorite coupling of cinematography and music. Simply jaw dropping...(Watch full screen with headphones if you can).
The shots are stunning.......and the movie holds it's own. But in my opinion, it ranks well behind the gritty, operatic beauty that permeates The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly. Best western ever put on celluloid.
Once upon a time ? Things I liked .. Opening shoot out scene the score. End scene realisation harmonica/ Fonda Didn’t like the railroad scenes. Also ..Jason Robards took up to much screen time.
Was Morricone involved with Once Upon a time ...? He was involved with The Good, The Bad ... insisting the horns were used.
I actually think Once Upon A Time In The West is the better film but, as good as it is, it misses Clint.
C'era una volta il West v. Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo. These just sounds better to my ears. Both stone classics, for me it's BBC by una naso.
I’ve seen each many times. However, neither, although obviously both incredible, can surpass A Fistful of Dynamite for my entertainment pleasure.
Love em both but Once Upon A Time In The West gets my vote. Incredible film. Bronson at his best and Henry Fonda as the Heavy - yes.
