Elsa Martinelli
(January 30, 1935 – July 8, 2017)
Elsa Martinelli was an Italian model and actress. She was “introduced” in The Indian Fighter (1955), which was produced by its star, Kirk Douglas, and directed by Andre de Toth.
In the Fifties and early Sixties, she split her movie career between European pictures and American stuff like Howard Hawks’ Hatari! and Orson Welles’ The Trial (both 1962).
She passed away in Rome today at 82.
50 Westerns From The 50s. 
La plus ravissante “squaw ” jamais vue sur un écran. Inoubliable Onahti dans ” the indian fighter” (rivière de nos amours). R.I.P.
Je suis complètement d’accord; merveilleux.
I am in complete agreement; marvellous
More sad news. After The Indian Fighter she became an instantly recognizable star of international cinema throughout the 60s.
RIP
Very sad news. She was gorgeous looking in her day, although somewhat miscast in The Indian Fighter as the only American Indian maiden with a strong Italian accent. I almost expected her to tell Kirk to “Shaddup-a-your face!”
She certainly was miscast in “The Indian Fighter” but still she was gorgeous and the movie was a lot of fun.
After working on the commentary for the Kino Lorber release of The Indian Fighter, I developed a real fondness for it. In spit of being miscast, I think she did well.
Off Topic………
But I thought I would give further information on the new French
Movinside label mentioned a few threads back.
Movinside are a new imprint releasing classic titles and cult favorites.
They have not issued any Westerns so far but have about six interesting
titles planned for the latter part of this year between September and
December. Movinside have a Facebook page and their official website is
still under construction.
Their 2017 release slate is as follows
I might add that the following are Blu Ray editions-don’t know at this time
if DVD versions are also available.
THE TEXAS RANGERS (1936)
King Vidor’s classic,far superior to the middling re-make STREETS OF
LAREDO. This will be one of the very few Thirties Westerns to appear
in high definition on Blu Ray…a must have.
THE EAGLE & THE HAWK (1950)
Big budget Pine-Thomas production photographed by the great James
Wong Howe. Big on lavish set pieces,short on logic. So far the only
John Payne Western to appear on Blu Ray. More Rhonda Fleming on
Blu Ray is always welcome.
SIERRA BARON (1958)
The release of the year as far as I am concerned-this unheralded little gem
has only been available in horrid pan & scan versions.
Paging David Rayner…This was released in the UK as the main feature
to HOW TO ROB A BANK (A Nice Little Bank That Should Be Robbed)
It was also released the same week as FROM HELL TO TEXAS
(UK title Manhunt).UK fans had all their Western CinemaScope needs
catered for that week.
CATTLE EMPIRE (1958)
Any Joel McCrea Western on Blu Ray is welcome news.
SHOWDOWN (1963)
This excellent Audie Murphy is also released later this month by
Koch Germany.
FORT COURAGEOUS (1965)
Here’s a real oddity. In 1965 producer Hal Klein and Director
Lesley Selander made three low budget black & white Westerns using
behind the camera talent from Bel Air pictures.
Klein got a distribution deal through Fox-as if to see if there was still any
life left in black & white programmer Westerns (there wasn’t).
As far as I know the three Westerns (the other two CONVICT STAGE
and WAR PARTY) were tough,gritty little affairs similar to the Bel Air
pictures. According to imdb FORT COURAGEOUS lifts footage from
Bel Air’s FORT BOWIE. FORT COURAGEOUS headlines Fred Bier
a new one on me but his imdb credits are extensive.
All three of these films co-star Don “Red” Barry
The only other Western programmers being made at that time were the
final Audie Murphy pictures and the A.C.Lyles’. After these three Selander
would do Murphy’s THE TEXICAN and round off his career with three
A.C.Lyles epics including the best one TOWN TAMER.
I believe FORT COURAGEOUS has had a DVD release several years
back.One things for sure,you just don’t know what will make it to Blu Ray
these days.
I don’t know at this stage if Movinside have “forced” subtitles-I would
sincerely hope not-Sidonis are the only French imprint that continue this
absurd practice,.
The French don’t do bootleg imprints French film fans are far too discerning
to put up with that sort of nonsense.
Movinside seem to follow the example of another label Carlotta regarding
releases-their initial releases are 20 euros each but later they combine
their releases in three part sets for 30 euros making about 10 euros
a title which is great providing you want all three titles.
When all is said and done it’s great that there is another imprint on the
scene releasing often obscure,hard to find Westerns-I look forward to
their future product with great interest.
If they bring out a wide screen transfer of THE DEERSLAYER (1957), even if only on BluRay, I might consider investing in a BluRay player just so that I could play it.
About the best money I ever spent was for an all-region Blu Ray player so I could get some westerns from the UK which are not available in America. I got The Last Sunset, Man Without a Star, The Last of the Fast Guns, Red Sundown & The High Chaparral tv show, also one of my absolute favourites: Canyon Passage.
THE DEERSLAYER is very high on my wants list too.
I don’t even know who owns the rights these days,although a Fox film I
think it may be,like most Regalscope titles now owned by Paramount/Republic.
It definitely had a “Twentieth Century-Fox presents a CinemaScope picture” opening title and fanfare on it when I went to see it. There was no mention of Regalscope on the opening titles.
David-I know THE DEERSLAYER was a Fox release,what I meant
was like most RegalScope titles I think it has ended up with Paramount/
Republic.Whoever owns it I wish SOMEONE would release it-
perhaps Movinside.
Warner Archive is having a 4 films for $44 sale today only. I’ll pick up 4 westerns and 4 noirs. Link:
http://www.wbshop.com/category/code/wacpromo.do?ref=EWAC170712&utm_source=marketing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=EWAC170712&_bta_tid=39928561315476389015587332670804990984447625316042796791169425947366463656394134482631227616155221067026&_bta_c=fnqadfkcgvzoqprababhky982zahg