Our series of spoiler filled shows focused on the films of

Antonio Margheriti continues with one of the director's westerns. Of course,

the name in the credits is his standard pseudonym Anthony M. Dawson but we all

know who made this excellent combination of Spaghetti Western and

Blaxploitation genres. TAKE A HARD RIDE was financed by 20th Century Fox after

having great success with Margheriti's previous western for the studio THE

STRANGER AND THE GUNFIGHTER (1974). Teamed again with that film's star Lee Van

Cleef Margheriti is able to show his skill again by directing one of best of

the very few examples of a western with a mostly black lead cast. Further, this

movie has the distinction of reuniting the three male leads of THREE THE HARD

WAY (1974) for the last time until Fred Williamson would take it upon himself

to cast them all in his 1982 film ONE DOWN, TWO TO GO. A team this good

shouldn't have had to wait seven years for another big screen adventure but

that's Hollywood

I guess.

 Co-host John Hudson and I take a run through this fun film

discussing not just the director and stars but also the location shooting; the

script's detailed characterizations; the bad guy's deep bench; a possible snake

death; the horror of swinging bridges and the many joys of watching Jim Brown

and Fred Williamson spar onscreen. It will be clear that we hold this film in

high esteem and it will also be clear that John's cat Snowbell has some things

to say as well. She makes her presence known throughout the show, so those

meows you hear from time to time are not a ghost feline stalking you as you

listen tom the podcast.

 Be warned that we start the show with a few minutes of talk

about what we've been reading and watching since we last podcasted together.

This time out John came prepared to list off some interesting recent viewings.

I take the opportunity to relate that I've been reading an excellent crime

novel by the author of 'Money Shot' but I repeatedly refer to the writer by the

wrong name. The author of 'Choke Hold' and its predecessor is Christa Faust NOT

Christina Faust as I call her in the first part of the show. I apologize to her

and to anyone out there that might go in search of her great books and wonder

why they can't find them! Sorry!

 If you have any comments or suggestions you can reach us at

[email protected] and we'll be glad to include your email in future

episodes.