Every Spaghetti Western fan knows what the above is; the ring where Col. Mortimer and Indio had their final duel in For a Few Dollars More. The ring which has been recently restored, resides in the town of Los Albaricoques.
While the ring itself is probably not original to what was used in the movie, it is an excellent recreation of what came before. From the right angle you can imagine being in the film!
While much of the surrounding town of Los Albaricoques has changed (the building Indio came out of is completely gone and has been replaced), this location is unspoiled, and remains a place that every LVC fan should visit!
I will let the pictures speak for themselves. Click to enlarge.
Yes, I did duel LVC while I was there. Below is a little Photoshop fun of mixing 1965 with modern day.
Above is a picture of a replica watch I bought for the trip. I took probably close to a hundred photos at the ring, many with me holding the pocket watch of course. In all my excitement I actually left the watch somewhere near the ring! I drove back to Los Albaricoques the next morning to find it (who wouldn't want to go back to this location!). It was not where I thought I left it, so I figured it was gone. When I went back to the actual ring, there it was, sitting right by where LVC stood! Now not only do I have my watch back, but it has spent the night in the duel ring of Agua Caliente!
Next to Sad Hill from The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, this is probably one of the most sacred places for a Sergio Leone fan! Not to be missed!
Hello Aaron! I'm guessing that pocket-watch has some significance in FAFDM?? :) Wow, that photo of you and LVC sure looks realistic o_O
ReplyDeleteAaron, you took all the stills along and then looked for the right angle, didn't you? Very impressive! How did the duel end? As you obviously are alive and kicking, did you shoot LVC?! Shame on you! ;)
ReplyDeleteGloria, do watch FAFDM, it is one of my all time bests!
Maggie you are very funny! :) :) and yes FAFDM is n° 1 on my LVC to-watch list! (Guns, Girls and Gangsters is second! :))
ReplyDeleteI want to find a young lady & move to this town. We could live on Lee Van Cleef street & someone could come to the door and say "I generally smoke just after I eat. Why don't you come back in 10 minutes". Then another would say "The carpenter tell me now I tell you. The money isn't in the bank..it's in this all along". Then just as my young lady & I get cozy in our old hotel room there is a knock on that door & a porter is there to carry out bag as someone is yelling "take it to the station. The genleman is leaving".
DeleteYou have a good precise eye for matching the original camera angles, Aaron!
ReplyDeleteWe needn't ask who won that duel . . . obviously, the Man in Black showed mercy toward you.
Clint never showed up for the duel with the other watch, so we just decided to knock back a few beers instead!
DeleteOh these are so beautiful Aaron! And the part about leaving your watch and finding it again. That must have felt like an epiphany of some kind for you.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing! :)
Thaaaaaanks
ReplyDelete