Remembering A Spaghetti Westerner

Luis Bacalov, whose work is remembered from Italian crime movies, to spaghetti westerns, and more contemporarily, Quentin Tarantino films, died Nov. 15 at a hospital in Rome at the age of 84.

Bacalov was born near Buenos Aires but spent almost his entire life working in Italy, where he fused his take on the tango into many of his scores including “Il Postino” which would earn him not only an Oscar for best original dramatic score, but a permanent place in the hearts of spaghetti westerners around the world.

Though he was often overshadowed by famed composer and good friend, Ennio Morricone, who famously composed theme of the spaghetti western classic,“The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly” Mr. Bacalov composed some of the most memorable tracks of Italy’s 60s and 70s western boom.

Possibly the best example of his timelessness in composition is the  title song for “Django” (1966), a Franco Nero movie that was so violent that it was banned in England for nearly 30 years. Quentin Tarantino took such a liking to the song that he came to be used it in the title sequence for his smash revisionist history hit, “Django Unchained,” thus joining the pair of Bacalov’s compositions used in the “Kill Bill” series. 

While his name may not be at the forefront of the cinematic world, there is no denying that Bacalov has and will continue to impact the modern movie-goer through his timeless compositions.

We hope you enjoyed learning about one of the most influential spaghetti westerners, Luis Bacalov, and how his compositions changed the Italian cinema and culture. For more Italian culture, be sure to check out our highly rated, fully immersive group and private classes!