Behind the Scenes of The Commander (1988)

By the late 1980s, the "Man with the piercing eyes" had transitioned from the dusty trails of Almería to the humid jungles of Southeast Asia, becoming a staple of the Italian-produced "Macaroni Combat" genre. In 1988, he teamed up once again with the master of low-budget spectacle, Antonio Margheriti, for the high-octane mercenary flick, The Commander (originally Der Commando). Today, we’re going behind the lens to see how this screen legend handled one of his final action roles. 

By 1988, the "Mercenary on a Mission" subgenre was in full swing. The Commander followed a group of soldiers of fortune sent into the Golden Triangle to destroy a heroin factory. While the film featured younger leads like Lewis Collins, it was the presence of Lee Van Cleef as Colonel Mazzarini that gave the movie its weight and "cool factor." 

Even at 63, and despite the health issues that would claim his life only a year later, Van Cleef was the heartbeat of the production. Unlike his more physical roles in the 60s, Van Cleef’s Mazzarini was the strategist. Much of his filming took place in "command center" sets. Crew members recalled that Lee didn't need to run through the jungle to be intimidating; he could dominate a room just by leaning over a map and squinting through his signature smoke. 

This was Van Cleef’s final collaboration with director Antonio Margheriti. Their shorthand allowed the production to move at lightning speed—essential for an Italian B-movie with a tight budget.

Despite the sweltering heat of the Philippines locations, Van Cleef remained a "one-take wonder." He was known for having his lines memorized and his blocking perfect, a trait that endeared him to the hardworking Italian crew.

The Commander would be one of Lee Van Cleef's final film appearances before his passing in 1989. While the movie is a wild, explosion-filled ride, there is a certain poignancy in watching Lee on screen. He brought a sense of dignity to a genre that was often chaotic. For fans of Van Cleef, The Commander isn't just an action movie—it’s a final masterclass in screen presence. He proved that you don't need a horse or a poncho to be the toughest man in the room; you just need that look.

New Soundtrack - Day of Anger 2 Disc Edition from Quartet

Just released from Quartet Records!

Quartet Records, in collaboration with GDM and Universal Music Publishing Italy, celebrates the centenary of Maestro Riz Ortolani with the ultimate edition of his classic, killer score for DAY OF ANGER (I giorni dell’ira, 1967), an iconic spaghetti western directed by Tonino Valerii and starring Lee Van Cleef and Giuliano Gemma. The film, one of the most beloved by fans of the genre, is about a scruffy street sweeper who becomes the pupil of a famed gunfighter, and the stage for confrontation is set when the gunman overruns the boy’s town through violence and corruption.

Riz Ortolani’ score finds him at the height of his creative powers, blending sweeping orchestral themes, tense action motifs and moments of surprising lyrical beauty into a uniquely sophisticated musical experience.

While Ennio Morricone’s influence often dominates discussions of music for Italian westerns, Ortolani’s approach to DAY OF ANGER reveals a distinct voice—elegant, dramatic and melodic. The unforgettable main theme (rediscovered by Tarantino and included in his film Django Unchained) captures the film’s atmosphere of revenge, ambition and moral conflict, while recurring motifs demonstrate the composer’s remarkable ability to balance raw tension with emotional depth.

Albums were released by RCA in 1967 in mono (the Italian LP) and stereo (the U.S. edition). Both featured the same track listing, though with different mixes, takes and edits on some tracks. That LP program was subsequently released on CD, but always in the Italian mono version until the two most recent reissues, which also included the film score in stereo. For this new 2-CD edition, we have included the complete score in stereo, in addition to the mono and stereo albums, from their respective original elements. The audio for this release (supervised by Claudio Fuiano) has been restored and mastered by Chris Malone; the package includes an essay by Jeff Bond.

This soundtrack remains an essential chapter in the history of the Italian western and a shining example of Riz Ortolani’s extraordinary legacy as one of Europe’s greatest film composers.

ORDER HERE
https://quartetrecords.com/product/day-of-anger-2-cd/

 

Tracklist-

DISC 1. 

THE ORIGINAL ALBUM (STEREO)

1. I Giorni Dell’Ira 3:07

2. Senza Pietà 2:21

3. Una notte serena 2:49

4. L’arma del killer 1:29

5. Fino all’ultimo colpo 2:56

6. I Giorni Dell’Ira (#2) 1:21

7. Fino all’ultimo colpo (#2) 3:00

8. Violenza, odio 1:34

9. Una notte serena (#2) 3:34

10. Un uomo forte 2:28

11. Fino all’ultimo colpo (#3) 1:26

THE ORIGINAL ALBUM (MONO)

12. I Giorni Dell’Ira 3:07

13. Senza pietà 2:21

14. Una notte serena 2:49

15. L’arma del killer 1:29

16. Fino all’ultimo colpo 2:56

17. I Giorni Dell’Ira (#2) 1:21

18. Fino all’ultimo colpo (#2) 3:00

19. Violenza, odio 1:34

20. Una notte serena (#2) 3:34

21. Un uomo forte 2:28

22. Fino all’ultimo colpo (#3) 1:26

Total Disc Time: 52:02

DISC 2. THE FILM SCORE (STEREO)

1. I Giorni Dell’Ira (#3) (Original Main Titles) 3:08

2. Una notte serena (#3) 2:50

3. L’arma del Killer (#2) 1:30

4. I Giorni Dell’Ira (#4 Saloon) 1:46

5. I Giorni Dell’Ira (#5) 1:49

6. Violenza, odio (#2) 1:28

7. Fino all’ultimo colpo (#4) 2:56

8. I Giorni Dell’Ira (#6) 1:22

9. I Giorni Dell’Ira (#7) 1:21

10. I Giorni Dell’Ira (#8 Saloon) 1:20

11. Violenza, odio (#3) 1:14

12. Una notte serena (#4) 2:05

13. Senza pietà (#2) 1:19

14. Un uomo forte (#2) 2:30

15. Violenza, odio (#4) 0:51

16. Fino all’ultimo colpo (#5) 3:01

17. I Giorni Dell’Ira (#9) 1:56

18. Una notte serena (#5 Harmonica) 1:28

19. I Giorni Dell’Ira (#10) 1:25

20. Violenza, odio (#5) 1:40

21. Fino all’ultimo colpo (#6) 1:25

22. Una Notte Serena (#6) 2:52

23. L’arma del killer (#3) 1:49

24. Una notte serena (#7 Harmonica) 1:16

25. I Giorni Dell’Ira (#11) 1:51

26. I Giorni Dell’Ira (#12) 1:56

27. Una notte serena (#8) 1:50

28. I Giorni Dell’Ira (#13) 1:04

29. I Giorni Dell’Ira (#14 Demo Song) 2:11

Total Disc Time: 53:12

Total 2-CD Time: 105:14

Behind the Scenes of Armed Response (1986)

When Armed Response hit the shelves of video rental stores in 1986, it was a crucial piece of the late-career puzzle for legendary screen icon Lee Van Cleef. Released just three years before his passing, this gritty action-thriller by cult-favorite director Fred Olen Ray served as one of the ultimate showcases for Van Cleef’s enduring, steely presence.

A Return to Form

By 1986, Lee Van Cleef’s health was in a noticeable decline. Yet, as the production for Armed Response kicked off, his commitment to his craft—and specifically his ability to effortlessly convey an immense amount of gravity with minimal dialogue—was stronger than ever.

He was cast as Burt Roth, a sophisticated but deadly patriarch running a high-stakes crime syndicate. This role allowed him to tap into the calculating, intelligent breed of menace he had perfected over decades in cinema, pivoting away from the pure "gunslinger" archetype to something more complex.

• Veterans Supporting Veterans: Van Cleef was joined by other film giants, including David Carradine (as his son) and Mako. 

Behind the Lens: Fred Olen Ray’s Production Logic

Director Fred Olen Ray, known for his ability to maximize a budget and deliver visceral action, saw Van Cleef not just as a name on the poster, but as a central element of the film’s visual strategy.

• The Low-Angle Intensity: Ray utilized extreme low angles to framing Van Cleef. This served multiple purposes: it helped compensate for his lack of mobility by emphasizing his commanding presence over other actors, and it immediately triggered the visual legacy that made Van Cleef a star (reminding audiences of those unforgettable face-offs in For a Few Dollars More).

• The Power of the Profile: The cinematographers focused on Van Cleef’s profile and silhouette. The signature hat remained, but the context shifted to shadows and high-contrast night shots in industrial LA. The lighting design was often prioritized to make those piercing, "Angel Eyes" the focal point of entire sequences.

• Grit and Dynamite: Armed Response emphasized practical, dangerous-looking pyrotechnics. Behind-the-scenes accounts from stunt performers involved noted that the explosions involving cars and trucking rigs in this film were often significantly larger—and closer to the actors—than typical Hollywood safety standards would allow. This sense of danger translated into the raw energy of the final cut.

The Final Bow

Armed Response remains a fascinating look at the sunset years of a cinematic legend. While his body may have been frailer, Lee Van Cleef’s presence was undiminished. He didn't just play a role; he haunted it. For those studying 80s action cinema, the film is a masterclass in how to build tension around the pure image of an icon.