Perth Voice Interactive

I ALWAYS maintain the humble matinee cost me a first class degree in history.

At uni, my mate and I would bunk off lectures to see an afternoon movie at the cinema, then stumble out into the daylight and wonder why we knew nothing about the American Civil War (we did know lots about Eddie Murphy though).  

So I felt slightly nostalgic when I bought tickets for the classic Sunday matinee – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly – at The Windsor in Nedlands. On a glorious sunny day, the cinema’s Art Deco facade looked fantastic and the 1937 heritage-listed building was a pleasant antidote to the bland, corporate multiplex. 

Beside the foyer there was a kitsch lounge that looked like my granny’s house in the 1970s with old chairs and retro wooden tables.

It added to the yesteryear vibe and I could almost picture my gran in her rollers watching Coronation Street with a cup of Nambarrie tea.

The cinema was licensed with a decent range of beer and wine, and there was some classic snacks like choc bombs. 

I was there with two mates who had embraced the western theme – Jambo was wearing leather chaps and Alex was sporting a pink, fluffy stetson.

Being an old-school cinema, I was expecting the seats to be uncomfortable and have the same leg room as an AirAsia flight, but The Windsor had luxurious reclining seats with plenty of space.

Spoiled by the humungous screens at Hoyts and my big telly at home, I was slightly disappointed at the size of The Windsor’s screen.

The sound was a bit quiet too, and you could literally hear the seats creaking and pensioner’s false teeth clacking in the row in front.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly has one of the most iconic soundtracks of all time and most of the audience were over 65 and hard of hearing, so crank up the volume, Windsor!

Accustomed to a quick-fire world where everything is reduced to soundbites and short, catchy videos on TikTok, it took a while to adjust to the glacial pace of the 1966 film, especially the opening, where there is no dialogue for several minutes.

But once you let the movie wash over you, it felt normal to watch someone take five minutes to eat a bowl of Mexican stew or utter a sentence.

Clint Eastwood’s “Blondie” is the epitome of cool with a fantastic look and some great one-liners, but it’s the character of Tuco “The Ugly” that does all the heavy lifting.

I forgot how much screen time he had and it’s a fantastic, visceral performance by Eli Wallach, who transforms the vulgar clown into a loveable rogue with emotional depth and pathos (apparently Wallach nearly died three times during the chaotic shooting of the movie).

We watched the remastered version and it was pin sharp and crystal clear (it’s amazing how many movies from the 1960s have a soft print or terrible sound).

The film’s director, Sergio Leone, was ahead of his time with his innovative use of close-ups, sound effects, and pithy one-liners they went on to become a whole industry in 1980s action movies.

Many directors plundered his tool box; especially Quentin Tarantino, who blatantly stole things hook, line and sinker for Kill Bill.

At one minute shy of three hours, the extended cut of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is an epic and I was getting saddle sores by the end.

I’ve always had problems with the scene near the end where they encounter the yankee and confederate armies fighting over a bridge.

While it explores the futility of war and expands the scope of the film, it sacrifices momentum and goes on for too long, yanking you out of the main storyline.

And what can we say about Ennio Morricone’s score – a rollicking masterpiece that can do no wrong.

I enjoyed my nostalgic, Sunday afternoon matinee and apart from the sound being a bit quiet, everything was spot on.

The Windsor’s classic matinees are on every Sunday until October 13 with the line-up including Giant, Cabaret, Apocalypse Now, Days of Heaven, and Lawrence of Arabia. For more details see lunapalace.com.au.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK