If you are a fan of Spaghetti Western films, the 92 minutes will go pretty fast. The movie is pretty entertaining. This film also known by the titles of tempo di massacro, The Brute and the Beast, Colt Concert is the first spaghetti western directed by Horror legend Lucio Fulci. It was meant to be an Italian-Spanish co-production, and Spanish actor George Martin was originally cast as the film's protagonist. But the Spaniards withdrew, Franco Nero was given the role of Tom Corbett. The movie story by Ferdinando Di Leo is similar to the 1965's film Return of Ringo. The director was inspired by Raoul Walsh's 1947 film 'Pursued' to make a western with very some very strong Freudian overtones. Tom Corbett (Nero) is a prospector who is contacted by an old friend of the family, who asks him to come home immediately. Nero was really trying to be a Clint Eastwood 'Man with no name' character with this, even to the point of wearing No Name's outfit for Fistful of Dollars minus the poncho. Rather than trying to establish the character as an original character, the film producers are trying to ride on the high of the much more popular 'Dollar Trilogy" by Sergio Leone. When that didn't work, the film producers try to say that this was a Django (1966) movie, to try to ride off the fame of that movie. Franco Nero is not at his very best here, but he works as a mediocre character. He return home to find that the Corbett ranch is now property of the Scott family. Not only that, Mr. Scott (Giuseppe Addobbati) also took control of the town where a bullwhip-wielding maniacal killer, Jason Scott Junior (Nino Castelnuovo), shielded by his father's wealth control it with terror. Nino Castelnuovo is truly a character, unlike the underdeveloped Tom Corbett. In my opinion, he has two of the greatest scenes in the movie. One is the bullwhip fight with Tom at the party which is amazing to watch. The other is the opening of the film, where he forced a man to run away from killer dogs. Too bad, the dogs don't look like killers. They look more confused than vicious. Nino Castelnuovo looks like a Colonel Sanders mixed with Jerry Lewis lookalike psychopath. While Jason controls the town, Tom's brother Jeffrey Corbett (George Hilton) has become the town's drunk, who only lives for his bottle. While Tom is investigating the case, several of the people around him are murdered, but remarkably, the hired killers never try to kill him. According to his brother, they don't want to. Puzzled by all this, Tom decides to pay a visit to the Scott ranch, and talk to the family's old patriarch. This is where the melodramatic plot-twist similar to Texas, Addio, Nero's third spaghetti western of '66 come into play. It is here, where Tom learns the truth, and seek the final showdown between him and Jason Scott. The film was a very important film for the career of at least three people. If Massacre Time was a failure, Director Fulci career might have been over. For actor Franco Nero, if the movie is success. It would catapult him to the position of most popular Italian action star at the time. To Uruguayan actor, George Hilton it was the beginning of a very successful career in the Italian film industry. George Hilton makes the film watchable. Hilton shows off some trick riding and rather acrobatic stunt shooting that isn't being performed by a double. Hilton also gets big laughs with his character's habit of repeatedly proclaiming 'Excuse me, Gentleman' in a friendly salutation before shooting his enemies. The movie has some pretty cool stunts and shooting sequences. I just didn't like the one shot kills, it makes the movie look cheap and humorous. The death scenes are laughable. Today the violence of Massacre Time is no longer an issue, but at the time of its release, it certainly was. The Italian censors ordered Fulci to make cuts in both the opening sequence where a man devoured by dogs and the bullwhip sequence, and to remove a close-up of the two murdered Carradine girls. This cut version, with a length of 86 minutes, is called the Prima edizione. So if you got this version, you might be missing these scenes. In 1970 the cut scenes were restored, but not completely: some originally cut fragments are still missing, but there's a lot of debate about their content. The restored version, with a length of little over 88 minutes, is called the Seconda versione, and actually the longest available. In 1977 a special 83 minutes version was presented, probably for television showings. It has no name, not even a number, and people are usually advised to avoid it. So don't watch that one. The movie was billed as ultra-violent bloodbath, but it's far from it. There was barely any blood. No gore, and for a movie call Massacre Time. The death toll was 46. Tom kill 20, while Jeff kill 22. I believe Jason's gang killed 4. The action scenes probably inspired John Woo with some trademarks clichés such as flipping while firing, the emptying of guns into a single person at close range, birds flying through the air, etc. It's silly, but fun to watch. The dialogue, at least in Italian, sounds a bit theatrical. The English dubbing is just awful. It doesn't even match their mouths. The film is beautifully shot, but there isn't anything to look at in the background. Last, the soundtrack by Lallo Gori is lovely, with a infectious theme song called A Man Alone (Back Home some Day) performed by Sergio Endrigo that has several variations on it throughout the movie. This song is pure gold. Overall: The movie is a must watch for any Spaghetti Western fan. So leave some time for Massacre Time.

"Massacre Time" is one of the most awesome Italian Western films I've seen. It's more violent than the usual fare, as you might expect from the one and only Fulci. He delivers with this one! The plot is simple enough: Franco Nero is a man who is wronged by a ruthless gang. He seeks revenge. Does he get it? Well, you'll have to see to find out. Trust me, you'll be rooting for this dude! It's awesome.The only thing that sucks about this flick is how hard it is to find. I wonder why they haven't released this one Anchor Bay or something like they did "Four of the Apocalypse." The only version I could find is a Japanese import that is just so-so. The one thing I have to say is that this film must be seen in Italian with English subtitles. The dubbing is not the best.If you can find it, buy it. As a Spaghetti Western fan, you will not regret it. "Massacre Time" is a must! 8 out of 10, kids.

The idea of a Lucio Fulci western is compelling to say the least. Known for making some of the most gory, brutal and sadistic horror movies during the eighties, Fulci's first western "Tempo Di Massacro" is an early sign of his coming transition to the splatter genre. It lacks the gore but it certainly does not lack on the brutal and sadistic trademarks which have made Fulci famous around horror circles. Alright so there were some things that were basically copied from other Italian westerns it was still a fun movie to watch and it's not like that's a big revelation considering the whole commercialized nature of the genre.The movie begins with a shot of a man being chased by a hunting party. The kind that usually hunts animals for sport only this time they're hunting people. Needless to say what happened when they caught him. Did I mention that this movie was sadistic and this is not the only proof there's more further along? Anyways "Tempo Di Massacro" stars Franco Nero as Tom Corbett a prospector whom after receiving a mysterious letter about his family, returns home. But things have changed a lot since he's been gone and Corbett realizes this as soon as he arrives. His family's ranch has been taken over by a rich landowner and his demented son (the guy that was leading the hunting party earlier). One might say that story is a slow mover, I disagree. I found it's pace to be very precise setting up the outline for the final confrontation. The story is coherent enough so that it makes sense. There are a few twists here and there so as not to get too boring when waiting for the showdown.In a movie that supposedly starred Franco Nero, his character Tom wasn't all that impressive, gone was that cynical attitude with which he portrayed the titular character in "Django" and his clothing, well it's obvious where they were taken from (small hint: an Italian western movie with Clint Eastwood). Instead more focus was put on Tom's brother Jeff played by George Hilton, a drunkard with a bit of a temper and the sadistic son of the landowner played by Nino Castelnuovo. Both these men were the highlights of the movie. Respectively performances are well done considering that this is a spaghetti western. The score by Lallo Gorri is good, very catchy song in the beginning.Now what really makes "Tempo Di Massacro" fun is it's finale. There Fulci demonstrates that he is more than capable of directing action. With commendable choreography, masterful synchronization between the shooting and victims's death. It's a hard task to create a long entertaining action scene, most of the times everything wears out after a couple of minutes not here though. Variety is the key to success in such sequences and Fulci packs the scene with outdoor, indoor shootouts making it an entertainingly diverse gunfight. The film ends with a symbolic white dove flying away, possible this is from where John Woo got his dove gimmick from.Anyways "Tempo Di Massacro" is one of the better Italian westerns out there. It's a good movie on all accounts, worth the look from fans of the genre or even horror fans intrigued with Lucio Fulci's pre-horror work.

"Tempo Di Massacro" aka "Massacre Time" of 1966 is the first and best Western directed by horror legend Lucio Fulci. Anybody who knows Fulci's work won't be surprised that this is a rather brutal Spaghetti Western, perfectly cast with the great Franco Nero. When Tom Corbett (Franco Nero) returns to his hometown, after receiving a letter from an old friend, he finds it entirely in the hands of landowner Mr. Scott, and his insane and sadistic son Scott Jr.(Nino Castelnuovo). After visiting his alcoholic brother Jeff (George Hilton) and the old Indian lady who rose them after their mother's death, Tom tries to find out about the Scotts, especially Scott Jr., who enjoys torturing and murdering people, but nobody in town wants to tell him about them. "Massacre Time" proves, that Fulci is not only a Horror-genius, but also a competent director in other genres. While Westerns were certainly not his strongest genre, this film, as well as "Four Of The Apocalypse" are more than solid films that should not be missed. Franco Nero is great as always, it is no coincidence that this guy is one of the icons of the Italian Western. George Hilton also delivers a great performance as Jeff Corbett, Tom's brother who is a great shot, in spite of his constant drinking. I also found that Nino Castelnuovo made a very good insane villain. The Chinese undertaker is another great and very funny character. A Fulci film, this is of course a pretty violent movie, people are almost whipped to death, a guy is lacerated by dogs, and the film does not scant with bloody bullet-shredded corpses. Lallo Gori's soundtrack is also pretty cool, not phenomenal but decent. As many Westerns starring Franco Nero after Sergio Corbucci's masterpiece "Django", "Tempo Di Massacro" was marketed as a Django sequel in Germany and Austria. "Massacre Time" is definitely not as brilliant as "Django", but it is still a great, original and very entertaining Spaghetti Western that should not be missed by genre-fans. Highly Recommended!