Night Of The Serpent

Night Of The Serpent

La Notte Dei Serpenti

aka Ringo Kill / Nest Of Vipers

(1969)

Luke - Luke Askew

Hernandez - Luigi Pistilli

Pancaldo - Guglielmo Spoletini

Also Starring: Magda Konopka, Chelo Alonso, Luciano Casamonica, Franco Balducci, Giancarlo Badessi, Benito Stefanelli

Directed by - Giulio Petroni

Reviewed version - Global DVD

Luke is a drunk, former gunfighter. Now badly treated by a gang of Mexicans, whose leader rescued him from death. He is chosen to make a kill and take the blame. The target is a heir to $10.000, which the relatives and the army intendant Hernandez wants to get their hands on. Luke however changes sides when he finds out who the target is and must sober up and face his past to get back in gunslinging shape.

More of a drama than an action Spaghetti and storywise not typical Spaghetti Western. Better pay attention or you could miss some of the plot, like I did the first watch. Luke isn't your regular, macho, SW super hero as he is weakened by the bottle. Acting is good and you stay interested in how Luke will handle things, even if it might be a bit predictable. Benito Stefanelli got one of the worst wigs in SW history, second only to Lee Van Cleef's in 'God's Gun'.

Ok music score by Riz Ortolani. Filmed in Almeria and directed by Giulio Petroni, who made only a fistful of SW's. All his westerns have a somewhat different atmosphere from each other and all rather good. From Leone style copy 'Death Rides A Horse' to Milian crazy comedy 'Life Is Tough, Eh Providence?'. 'Night Of The Serpent' is probably his least known SW but it's certainly not worse than the rest.