Tony Anthony carries a torch for Diana Lorys in GET MEAN.


a Wisconsin town—GET MEAN’s “anything goes” narrative certainly defies expectations for a while. The melding of settings and conven- tions provides novelty, and the un- explained presence of a mysterious silver sphere at the opening and close of the picture allows for some further speculation on the occasional fantastic elements. Not all of the movie’s other decisions are as creative or effec- tive. Battista’s choice to have Sombra idolize Richard III is an inspired character facet, while David Dreyer’s tiresome perfor- mance as a squealing, gay sec- ond-in-command is broad even by mid-’70s standards. Also mildly reprehensible is an ex- tended bit where Anthony turns shoe-polish black after an en- counter with some spirits. While the weakest component and a possible deal breaker for some,


the often lowbrow humor is ulti- mately not much different than that commonly found in the even more comedic Euro oaters of that decade. Efficient, occasionally clever direction from Ferdinando Baldi (TERROR EXPRESS) and elaborate locations (particularly an impressive fortress left over from EL CONDOR) give the project a bit more sweep than the earlier Stranger outings. Those who prefer more traditional Eu- ropean westerns will not have much patience for Anthony’s willingness to play with conven- tions, though viewers fed up with what they perceive to be the genre’s limitations and revenge- oriented plotlines will likely be more receptive.


Produced near the end of the “spaghetti western” cycle, GET MEAN did not duplicate the success of the first two Stranger


installments, but this elaborate Blue Underground release gives it the sort of respectful presenta- tion the movie never enjoyed stateside. With the long-awaited issue of Warner Archive’s three picture THE STRANGER COL- LECTION, Anthony’s career has been pretty well represented on disc over the past few years, with BLINDMAN (1971) the sole re- maining major title still awaiting some form of domestic release. GET MEAN received only a brief theatrical run, and this Blu-ray/ DVD combo pack special edition represents its first legitimate do- mestic home video release. Like many Euro westerns, this was shot in the Techniscope format and Blue Underground’s 1080p 2.35:1 presentation looks very nice, boasting a clean image with appropriately balanced color. The post-synched audio


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