Well I finally got back to Almeria and visited the location site for
A Fistful of Dollars, amongst many other movies. This is the one that used to be called "Mini Hollywood", but has since had a name change and is now marketed as "OASIS: Theme Park of the Tabernas-Almeria desert".
I was very disappointed, and somewhat disenchanted by the experience. I could tell it was going to be commercialised, and at 18 euros to get in, you have to be keen, but it was far more tacky theme parky than I imagined. The change of branding may reflect a change of strategy; I don't know what it was like before, but it is not really a western movie location anymore. It's basically a cheesy, tacky kids-orientated theme park, with the western town being part of it. And it isn't even very good at being that.
I'm amazed they didn't make more of the Eastwood/Leone connection specifically. I've read that the owners couldn't resist repeatedly reminding you that it was the location for
A Fistful of Dollars, but in my experience it was barely mentioned. It was just westerns generally. Although there was Morricone music piped throughout the "town" and the car park (another 2 euros for that!). It really is a place for families, to entertain the kids, and not for movie buffs or Leone fans.
The original set buildings are there, but there is nothing saying which films they were in, or mentioning the filmmakers. It's only worth the money if you make it a day out with the kids, taking in the other incongruous features - the swimming pool and animal park (which fill as much if not more space than the western sets). Even then it's tacky and half-hearted, and everything seems another way of getting money off you - pose with a dodgy fake Indian for a photo, another several euros.
The most interesting bits for me, other than knowing you were
there, were the "Museum of Cinema" (rather grand name for a collection of movie cameras and other bits, but still interesting, and lots of western posters) and the carriage museum, with real carriages from the West, but again without explanation about which films, if any, they had been in.
The saddest part I think, is that many of the set buildings have been decorated to fit in with the western theme town, in obviously cheesy ways, and not kept in or restored to the way they looked in the films. Most of them have been violated with drinks machines, video games, shops, and other ways of fleecing people. The site is an opportunity for a homage to Leone and Eastwood, and spaghetti westerns generally, but that is almost completely overlooked. I guess they decided there is more money to be made in attracting families on holiday with bored kids, than serious movie fans. (And they are probably right - there were plenty of families parting with cash and looking happy, but I can't imagine a true fan being satisfied). Some would no doubt spend a day, but I was round and out within an hour. There are shows three times a day, "re-enacting" western scenes, but not from the films (thank goodness!), but you even have to pay again for those! I didn't see one.
Sad and expensive. Of course if you are there you have to do it, but I wouldn't get your expectations too high. It should be said that there are two other movie set places to visit within a kilometre of the main one. "Texas Hollywood" has "Fort Bravo" and an "Indian village", and "Western Leone" other similar stuff (it was used in
Once Upon A Time in The West). I went close but not into both, and they are apparently less commercialised, but still similar prices to get in, and I doubt you'd see much more of substance. (They may be better for seeing particular movie pieces though, I'm not sure.)
I guess the real pleasure of being in Almeria is that you can enjoy the dramatic landscape, and get a feel for the general area. It does feel like you are in an Eastwood/Leone movie, and there will be other places you could visit if you researched locations for specific scenes. (I remember seeing a site linked here once with "now and then" photos, I think it was going to become a book.)
When my film is developed I'll post pics of "Oasis" as it is now. For now, here are scans of the leaflet you get upon entering. It makes it look a lot better than it is, but you can probably discern the tone of the place. It's folded so the order isn't as you'd see it.
These are quite big images so that the text is readable, so I'll just post thumbnails linked to the full size.
These four just show portions of the "map" showing what's there. It's a lot smaller than it seems.
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