The+Good,+The+Bad,+and+The+Ugly

The film mostly takes place outdoors, with sunlight being the primary source of lighting in most scenes. Special care was taken in setting the shooting schedule in either the afternoon or early morning, as apparent by the low key lighting from the sunlight on the faces of each character. In scenes where sunlight is inconveniently right above the characters' heads (such as the iconic final shootout), hats are cleverly angled and used to create low key lighting, used to portray the conflict between the good and bad side of characters.
 * 1. Natural lighting from the sun during the "Magic Hour"**

The film, like many of Leone's films, is set in a romanticized version of the old American west; instantly recognizable as some place in the American west but having a distant and almost alien feel due to the wide expanse of barren and empty desert and mountains. Everything on set was designed and created with period accuracy and authenticity, from the costumes the characters are wearing to the architecture and buildings of the time. The setting evokes a desolate and dangerous, yet authentic feeling and atmosphere to the story.
 * 2. Setting and Elaborate set designs**

Emphasis was placed on the weapon of choice of each central character, as each weapon can be used to characterize each central character. The Man with no name, or The Good, or Blondie, or whatever name he prefers to go by, is shown with an unique pistol with a white cobra on its walnut-wood handle. The snake on his gun evokes a sense of danger and mysteriousness to the him, and serves to indicate his amazing skill with a firearm. Tuco's (The Ugly) weapon symbolizes his pragmatism and versatility. It is a mess of a gun, consisting of different parts from many different guns crudely assembled together, and instead of using a holster, he hangs the gun around his neck like a amulet. Tuco does not care about looks and image, he only cares about whatever works best for himself, hence the laughable gun.
 * 3. Props: guns**

Extreme closeups and closeups are used extensively throughout the film, with particular focus on the faces of each character. Faces of each character are framed very tightly with close proximity to the camera, creating an intrusive, unpleasant, and dangerous feeling. The closeups juxtapose and work with wide shots to create a feeling of disjunction between mythical America and the real America.
 * 4. Close-ups and Extreme close-ups of faces**

Wide shots are also used extensively throughout this film and most of Leone's other films. Wide shots are used to establish the setting and create a desolate and barren, yet mystical (due to the beauty of the scenery) mood. The wide shot also juxtaposes with the extreme close-up .o create a disjunction between mythical America and the real America (beautiful landscape juxtaposed with rough faces)/
 * 5. Wide shots and Wide screen photography**

The lone, mysterious, and deadly gunman once again makes an appearance in this film, once again played by Clint Eastwood. In this film he is portrayed as "the good", although like previous versions of his character in other Leone films, The man with no name has both a good and a bad side to him. Initially, the man with no name is driven by greed and monetary rewards, and only cares about his own gains. However, as the film progresses, a nicer and much more heroic and just side of him is revealed.
 * 6. The Man With No Name played by Clint Eastwood**

The non-diegetical film score, once again composed by Ennio Morricone, sets the explosive and deranged mood and tone of the film and builds the action. In scenes where non-diegetic music is heard, it is always played in synchronization with the action playing on screen (for example, the beat of drums and chants are in sync with the hooves of a horse galloping across plains).
 * 7. Incorporation of Ennio Morricone's score**

The characters have relatively few lines of dialogue, and so there is very few spoken exposition. Yet despite the sparse amount of dialogue, the characters are able to "talk" or communicate with audiences via their facial expression, eyes, and through match cuts. The sparse dialogue serves the purpose of "showing, not telling", which is a method often used in creative writing to strengthen the descriptive nature of a narrative.
 * 8. Sparse Dialogue**

This highly iconic Leone trademark is often seen during shootout scenes. The moments leading up to the explosive gunfight are usually very quiet (after the non-diegetic music ends) and very slow, with wind noises in the background. Match cuts between the characters are numerous and evenly distributed. This slow and almost ritual-like buildup to death and action serves to heighten tension and drama leading up to the explosive action sequence.
 * 9. Ritualistic build-up to action/death**

Like all Leone's films, The Good The Bad and The Ugly opens with an opening credit accompanied by the film score, and then opens into a long, opening scene. The long opening scene is used to reveal and identify a character and his specialty, like in all of Leone's Westerns. In this case, the opening scene introduces all three central characters and presents them in their respective roles of the good, the bad, and the ugly.
 * 10. Long Opening Scene**