1977 Italian film
| Sahara Cross | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Tonino Valerii |
| Screenplay by |
|
| Story by | Adriano Belli |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Franco Di Giacomo |
| Edited by | Mario Siciliano |
| Music by | Riz Ortolani |
| Production company | Cine Vera s.p.a. |
| Distributed by | Variety Distribution |
| Release date |
|
| Running time | 105 minutes |
| Country | Italy |
| Box office | ₤706.96 million |
Sahara Cross is a 1977 Italian action film directed by Tonino Valerii. It is the first Italian film to use steadicam.
Plot
 | This article needs a plot summary. Please add one in your own words. (October 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Cast
- Franco Nero as Jean Bellard
- Michel Constantin as Carl Mank
- Pamela Villoresi as Nicole
- Mauro Barabani as Hamid
- Antonio Cantafora as Georges (as Michael Coby)
- Nazzareno Zamperla as Captain Zaft
- Geoffrey Copleston as Colonel Brown
- Pietro Valsecchi as Arab terrorist
Production
The film was originally very different than the completed film. Valerii stated that the film was originally titled Arissa Ballerina and written by Adriano Belli. Valerii commented that "In short, everything was the opposite of what Hitchcock recommended, that is, that characters must ignore what the viewer knows. I told the producers I would make a film out of that script, because it just made no sense!" Gastaldi and Valerii re-wrote the script, but struggled as the Tunisian co-production signed on to Belli's script. Gastaldi's contribution added new motivations for characters and included a few new scenes such as the battle between two bulldozers. Valerii wasn't initially happy with casting Pamela Villoresi, stating that "Sometimes you have to make do with compromises or economical limitations, Villoresi is a very good actress, but I wouldn't cast her as a terrorist, if it weren't for a pre-signed agreement."
The film was shot in nine weeks. It was shot at Cinecitta with exteriors shot in Tunisia. Valerii used a steadicam for the desert shots. As it was a very first model, director of photography Franco Di Giacomo and cameraman Gianfranco Transunto were sent for special training in Vienna to use it.
Release
Sahara Cross was released in Italy on 7 September 1977 where it was distributed by F.A.R. The film grossed a total of 706,960,000 Italian lira on its theatrical run.
Footnotes
- ^ Curti 2013, p. 230.
- Roberto Curti, Il mio nome è Nessuno. Lo spaghetti western secondo Tonino Valerii, Unmondoaparte, Roma 2008, p. 77. ISBN 978-88-89481-17-2
- David Ballerini, Steadicam. Una rivoluzione nel modo di fare cinema, Falsopiano, Alessandria 1999, p. 70.
- ^ Curti 2013, p. 231.
References
- Curti, Roberto (2013). Italian Crime Filmography, 1968-1980. McFarland. ISBN 978-0786469765.
External links
| Films directed by Tonino Valerii | |
|---|---|
|
 | This article related to an Italian film of the 1970s is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it. |
 | This article about a 1970s action film is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it. |