Some more behind-the-scenes shots on CineArchive

[Paulo]

The fantastic CineArchive site has just posted these on-location shots - I've not seen some of these, intrigued by the first one clearly showing a microphone recording sound (maybe they were recording sound on-set at that point?)













See http://cinearchive.org/ and http://mabellonghetti.tumblr.com/post/144126307907/henry-fonda-claudia-cardinale-charles-bronson for more. Also http://mabellonghetti.tumblr.com/tagged/sergio-leone 

[drinkanddestroy]

Wow, great shot of the microphone.

I definitely read in STDWD that they recorded some direct sound in DYS and OUATIA; don't remember about OUATITW.

[Cusser]

"Now that you've called me by name" shot !!!  Maybe Leone wanted to make sure the lips matched the voice for such a close up.

[noodles_leone]

Wow, great shot of the microphone.

I definitely read in STDWD that they recorded some direct sound in DYS and OUATIA; don't remember about OUATITW.

The fact that they didn't use direct sound has little to do with the fact that they recorded it or not. Apart from inserts and shots where sound really isn't relevent, you almost always record sound on a set. In french we call it "son témoin" (literal translation because i don't know the right one: witness sound). It's used in post to have a reference so the editor doesn't become crazy trying to read lips when editing dialogues.

Great pictures 

[drinkanddestroy]

The fact that they didn't use direct sound has little to do with the fact that they recorded it or not. Apart from inserts and shots where sound really isn't relevent, you almost always record sound on a set. In french we call it "son témoin" (literal translation because i don't know the right one: witness sound). It's used in post to have a reference so the editor doesn't become crazy trying to read lips when editing dialogues.

Great pictures 

Frayling says that Eastwood said that before making FOD - a very cheap production, his first Italian production - someone warned him to hold onto his script, that they'll probably lose the script by the time the dubbing session rolls around and have to make up the dialogue. And that's what happened: Eastwood held onto his script, and that's why he had the English dialogue to dub, the same dialogue he spoke in the movie rather than a new made-up dialogue.

In Peter's new GBU book, there is a nice pic on the set of someone holding a little recording device to record dialogue.

[mike siegel]

You can't film close up's of of Academy Award winning actors without recording sound.  If you want to keep their respect.

[drinkanddestroy]

You can't film close up's of of Academy Award winning actors without recording sound.  If you want to keep their respect.

Which actor won an Academy Award by the time he acted in a Leone movie? I can only think of two: Rod Steiger and Robert De Niro.

[noodles_leone]

Frayling says that Eastwood said that before making FOD - a very cheap production, his first Italian production - someone warned him to hold onto his script, that they'll probably lose the script by the time the dubbing session rolls around and have to make up the dialogue. And that's what happened: Eastwood held onto his script, and that's why he had the English dialogue to dub, the same dialogue he spoke in the movie rather than a new made-up dialogue.

Hum, I'm sure he's amplifying reality. Editing dialogue without sound is a pain in digital. I cannot imagine how it would be on film.

Nowadays, the sound guys are VERY touchy about recording sound and they often insist to do so even when I tell them I know for a fact there won't be any sound on that particular insert. They're funny.

[mike siegel]

Funny, just yesterday I finished the dialogue script for PENDECHOS!, which was shot silent on Super 16 in 1997. The new version I edited for visuals and we now wrote new dialogue over the lip movements etc. THAT is a real pain and takes weeks. But it was rather common back in the 60s in Italy (and Asia) and everybody knows the Fellini stories about him letting some of his actors just count numbers. They almost never taped reference sound (wouldn't help much anyway, with 3 - 5 different languages on the set), once US companies were involved it changed a little bit - it helped the dubbing and it also made certain projects more serious: For actors their voice is a big part of their job, especially english speaking actors who loath dubbing. With Italians it was different since even THEY were dubbed in Italy by actors who spoke with no accent.

[drinkanddestroy]

Yeah, since everyone is speaking their own language anyway, even if they keep the original dialogue script, the lip movements will only match for that language. So, by making sure he kept the original dialogue, Eastwood could make sure that HIS lip movements match his spoken dialogue, but it doesn't affect the rest of the cast, who spoke different languages - their lip movements won't match the English dialogue anyway.

[mike siegel]

Precisely.
In Germany / Italy... they perfected the process of dubbing over all those years and are really good with that. But in the US it is not common, hence the english voices (even when they match) don't sound that great. Not the greatest talents they used most of the time, they sound cheap, unfortunately. A better example is GOLDFINGER, so good that for years we thought "Gert Fröbe speaks English quite well!"

[Paulo]

Just noticed in Peter Hanley's GBU book there's a still from the Sad Hill cemetery scene where  a crew member is holding a microphone too.

[Dust Devil]

The fact that they didn't use direct sound has little to do with the fact that they recorded it or not.

Life's funnier than sh*t.

[noodles_leone]

Life's funnier than sh*t.

Watch Horace & Pete and you may change your mind.

[Dust Devil]

Watch Horace & Pete and you may change your mind.

Watched some clips on YT: seems okay.