Sahara Cross

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}} {{Infobox film | name = Sahara Cross | image = Sahara-cross-poster.jpg | alt = | caption = | native_name =  | director = Tonino Valerii | producer = {{plainlist|*Donatella Senatore *Giorgio Cardelli{{sfn|Curti|2013|p=230}}}} | writer = | screenplay = {{plainlist|*Ernesto Gastaldi *Adriano Belli *Tonino Valerii{{sfn|Curti|2013|p=230}}}} | story = Adriano Belli{{sfn|Curti|2013|p=230}} | based_on =  | starring = {{plainlist|*Franco Nero *Michel Constantin *Pamela Villoresi}} | narrator = | music = Riz Ortolani{{sfn|Curti|2013|p=230}} | cinematography = Franco Di Giacomo | editing = Mario Siciliano{{sfn|Curti|2013|p=230}} | studio = Cine Vera s.p.a.{{sfn|Curti|2013|p=230}} | distributor = Variety Distribution | released = {{Film date|1977|9|7|Italy|df=y}} | runtime = 105 minutes{{sfn|Curti|2013|p=230}} | country = Italy{{sfn|Curti|2013|p=230}} | language = | budget = | gross = ₤706.96 million }} '''''Sahara Cross''''' is a 1977 Italian action film directed by Tonino Valerii. It is the first Italian film to use steadicam.<ref>Roberto Curti, ''Il mio nome è Nessuno. Lo spaghetti western secondo Tonino Valerii'', Unmondoaparte, Roma 2008, p. 77. {{ISBN|978-88-89481-17-2}}</ref><ref>David Ballerini, ''Steadicam. Una rivoluzione nel modo di fare cinema'', Falsopiano, Alessandria 1999, p. 70.</ref>

==Plot == {{no plot|date=October 2016}}

== 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.{{sfn|Curti|2013|p=231}} Valerii stated that the film was originally titled ''Arissa Ballerina'' and written by Adriano Belli.{{sfn|Curti|2013|p=231}} 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!"{{sfn|Curti|2013|p=231}} 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.{{sfn|Curti|2013|p=231}} 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."{{sfn|Curti|2013|p=231}}

The film was shot in nine weeks.{{sfn|Curti|2013|p=231}} It was shot at Cinecitta with exteriors shot in Tunisia.{{sfn|Curti|2013|p=230}} Valerii used a steadicam for the desert shots.{{sfn|Curti|2013|p=231}} 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.{{sfn|Curti|2013|p=231}}

==Release== ''Sahara Cross'' was released in Italy on 7 September 1977 where it was distributed by F.A.R.{{sfn|Curti|2013|p=230}} The film grossed a total of 706,960,000 Italian lira on its theatrical run.{{sfn|Curti|2013|p=230}}

==Footnotes== {{Reflist}}

===References=== {{Refbegin}} * {{cite book |last=Curti |first=Roberto |title=Italian Crime Filmography, 1968-1980 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-0786469765 |year=2013 }} {{Refend}}

==External links== *{{IMDb title|0076653}} *[https://www.varietydistribution.it/en/catalogue/sahara-cross/ ''Sahara Cross''] at Variety Distribution

Category:1977 films Category:Italian action films Category:1977 action films Category:Films set in Tunisia Category:Films shot in Tunisia Category:Films about terrorism Category:Films scored by Riz Ortolani Category:Films set in deserts Category:Films directed by Tonino Valerii Category:Films with screenplays by Ernesto Gastaldi Category:1977 Italian films