RIP Giancarlo Santi

 The world of the western says goodbye to Giancarlo Santi, historical genre director

 

newnotizie

By Marisa Pettinato

2/22/2021

 

The world of cinema says goodbye to one of its great historical protagonists. He leaves at the age of 81, the Italian director Giancarlo Santi, known mainly by many, for having directed the epic spaghetti western, "The Great Duel".

Originally from San Lorenzo, an urban area of Rome, Giancarlo Santi was the first assistant director of important names, including: Marco Ferreri and Sergio Leone. The beginning of his debut, in fact, sees him as a right arm, right next to the bizarre Marco Ferreri, in the film, "The Adventures of Hercules".

Giancarlo Santi was also assistant director to Luigi Comencini, Michelangelo Antonioni and Glauber Rocha. With the great Sergio Leone, Santi collaborated in: "Once upon a time in the west" and "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly". A precious help and a person that Leone trusted blindly.

He leaves us at 81 years old "Foschia": this is the nickname of Sergio Leone given to Giancarlo Santi The great director had nicknamed him "Haze", because according to him, when he moved, it was as if he were carrying a huge cloud with him. "Behind a beard there can be a genius like a great asshole", these were the words that Sergio Leone addressed to Giancarlo Santi.

In short, there were no impossible feats for the Roman director. When actor Lee Van Cleef's contract with Sancro Film had come to an end, the producers asked Santi to quickly shoot a wester, with the collaboration of screenwriter Ernesto Gastaldi.

In fact, this is how "The great duel" was born, a film adored by many fans of the genre, as well as by director Quentin Tarantino, who not by chance will insert the musical commentary of Luis Bacalov many years later, right within his cult film "Kill Bill".

Over the years, Santi finds himself involved in projects that fail to take shape, including: "Don't shoot the parrot", a new western and a film about Celestino V. Among his most famous films, along with "Il grande duello “, We remember the parody film with Hugo Pratt and Paolo Villaggio,“ When he was there… dear you ”, written by Oreste Del Buono and the 2000 film,“ With the voice in the heart “.

 

SANTI, Giancarlo

Born: 10/7/1939, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Died: 2/19/2021, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Giancarlo Santi’s westerns – assistant director, director:

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly – 1966 [assistant director]

Death Rides a Horse – 1967 [assistant director]

Once Upon a Time in the West – 1968 [assistant director]

Duck You Sucker – 1971 [assistant director]

The Grand Duel - 1972 [director]