Now that every film buff's infatuation with Quentin Tarantino has been re-ignited, I thought it worth looking at a couple of his most significant influences. Spaghetti-man Sergio Leone's post-Dollars '68 follow-up, Once Upon a Time in the West, has been released in an exquisite two-disc DVD set. As well as the host of extras, huge satisfaction comes from watching Leone's deliberate and hypnotic pacing, something no attention-deficit-disordered studio would ever forgive today. Henry Fonda's turn as a black-hearted villain is one of the greatest moments of casting against type ever - and then there's Ennio Morricone's typically gorgeous score.

As well, I caught Italian oddball Lucio Fulci's Don't Torture a Duckling (available at Boîte Noire). A town is haunted by a mysterious killer who is knocking off various boys; a confession comes from a local witch - but is she really the killer or just nuts? Fulci's ludicrous style is matched by a fun game you can play while watching the movie: try to figure out what the hell the title is referring to.