Euro-Western Double Feature: ...If You Meet Sartana Pray for Your Death (1968) / I Am Sartana, Trade Your Guns for a Coffin (1970)

The bounty hunter Sartana is one of the most unforgettable characters in Italian "spaghetti western" cinema of the 60s and 70s. He first appeared as a villain in 1967's $1000 on the Black, portrayed by John (Gianni) Garko. The success of that movie, and its subsequent release as simply Sartana in Germany, convinced producers that he could carry his own series. Sartana was not so much a criminal as an "Angel of Death"; imposingly attired all in black, he seemed a supernatural force of nature dispensing justice to those who deserved it. His arsenal of tricks and penchant for appearing out of nowhere was inspired equally by James Bond and Mandrake the Magician. Known for their grandiose titles and byzantine plotlines, the Sartana films inspired a slew of unauthorized imitators. This DVD contains both the first film, ...If You Meet Sartana Pray For Death (1968) and the third, I Am Sartana, Trade Your Guns For a Coffin (1970), in which Garko was replaced by George Hilton.

...IF YOU MEET SARTANA PRAY FOR DEATH. (1968): A stagecoach is ambushed by the drug-addled Lasky and his gang. They steal a strongbox filled with gold, leaving none of the passengers alive. Deciding to keep the ill-gotten gains for himself, Lasky turns on his own men, machine gunning them to death. Once in town, he threatens to expose the seemingly respectable banker who hired him to steal the gold. Neither realizes that the enigmatic Sartana is watching from the sidelines, setting an elaborate trap to ensure that both men destroy each other.

I AM SARTANA, TRADE YOUR GUNS FOR A COFFIN (1970): Sartana is hired to kill a man escorting a shipment of gold. A gang of Mexican banditos raid the stagecoach, upsetting his plans. Discovering the sacks of gold were filled with sand, Sartana realizes he's been set up. Sabbath, a rival bounty hunter, is trying to draw him out into the open. Joining forces with the banditos, Sartana rides into town to have a final showdown with his competitor -- once and for all.

• western