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2017 | 15 | 30 | 105-119

Article title

Spaghetti Shakespeare: „Johnny Hamlet” and the Italian Western

Authors

Content

Title variants

Languages of publication

EN

Abstracts

EN
The Italian Western, Johnny Hamlet (1968), directed by Enzo G. Castellari, draws on the revenge story of Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet for plot and characterization. While international distributors of the film downplayed its connection to highbrow Shakespeare, they emphasized the movie’s violent content and actionpacked revenge narrative, which was typical of the western all’italiana. Johnny Hamlet shares similarities with the brutally violent Django (1966), directed by Sergio Corbucci, whose avenging angel protagonist epitomizes the Spaghetti Western antihero. Although the filmmakers of Johnny Hamlet characterized Johnny as a vindicator, they also sought to develop the “broody” aspect of this gunfighter, one based on Shakespeare’s famously ruminating hero. Using innovative film techniques, Johnny Hamlet shows Johnny as a contemplative pistolero.

Year

Volume

15

Issue

30

Pages

105-119

Physical description

Dates

published
2017-06-30

Contributors

  • University of Central Missouri

References

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Document Type

Publication order reference

Identifiers

YADDA identifier

bwmeta1.element.ojs-doi-10_1515_mstap-2017-0008
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