Dario Argento and Sir Christopher Frayling at the Sergio Leone tribute in London.(Photo: Mark Mawston)
In honour of what would have been Sergio Leone’s 80th
birthday, Sir Christopher Frayling, the late director’s internationally
acclaimed biographer, hosted a celebration of the legenary filmmaker’s work at
the Italian Cultural Institute in London on Wednesday evening.
Sir Christopher, who has penned the foreword to Dave
Worrall and Lee Pfeiffer’s upcoming book ‘The Westerns of Clint Eastwood’,
invited Dave, along with Cinema Retro contributors, and authors in their own
right, Matthew Field and Howard Hughes, and photographer Mark Mawston to this
private tribute.
Posters from Sergio Leone’s movies adorned the walls,
providing a fitting backdrop to the evening, which began with a talk on Leone’s
career by Frayling (illustrated with a slideshow) followed by an on-stage
interview with famed Italian director Dario Argento, who collaborated with
Leone on the screenplay for Once Upon A
Time in the West.
Dario Argento and Cinema Retro's Dave Worrall. (Photo: Paul Lawton)
After an entertaining Q&A with an audience that
included actor Robert Rietty (who did voice-over work for Leone) and production
designer Sir Ken Adam, the guests were treated to a live performance of music
from Leone’s movies by Paolo Castelluccia. His arrangements were amazing,
especially as he and his partner were limited to the use of a piano, keyboards
and trumpet, the highlight being from Once
Upon A Time in America, which had the 150+ audience captivated.