I found SHANGO a largely average spaghetti western, benefiting from an interesting storyline but let down by an indifferent execution. The one thing the film does well is convincing portray the desert heat, not bad when it was largely made at Cinecitta Studios in Rome. Anthony Steffen is the titular character, the stock hero (and a Texas Ranger to boot), while the bad guys are a bunch of Confederates who refuse to believe that the American Civil War is over.
What this amounts to is a great deal of oppression and suffering meted out to innocent folk in the first half of the production, followed by revenge-fuelled action in the second half. The action is fast and furious and has some good stylistic touches, like the bit where Steffen hides inside the sacks to execute his enemies. However, the characters are largely uninteresting and the tale never grabs you as it should. The best bit is all of the old tunes that the soldiers whistle throughout.
What this amounts to is a great deal of oppression and suffering meted out to innocent folk in the first half of the production, followed by revenge-fuelled action in the second half. The action is fast and furious and has some good stylistic touches, like the bit where Steffen hides inside the sacks to execute his enemies. However, the characters are largely uninteresting and the tale never grabs you as it should. The best bit is all of the old tunes that the soldiers whistle throughout.