'West' blu ray May 31

[dave jenkins]

You don't have a BD player anyway, right?

[Novecento]

I'll definitely be getting this. I can't wait to see the Scorsese restoration.

[Lil Brutto]

Me too. Really looking forward to this release.

[Novecento]

The rather excessive German 'Limited Premium Edition'

http://www.amazon.de/Limited-Premium-exklusiv-Amazon-Blu-ray/dp/B004UJM78U/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1302381236&sr=8-7

[dave jenkins]

So excessive, I guess, they don't dare tell us what it costs!

[Groggy]

You don't have a BD player anyway, right?

That's why I'm passing.

[T.H.]

So there are two transfers to choose from? The theatrical hack job isn't going to be remastered?

That would be so great.

[The Peacemaker]

I just ordered mine.   

[dave jenkins]

First review I've seen is up at thedigitalbits. Here's the meat:

As much as we love the film, our fears were that it was unlikely to reach Blu-ray anytime soon. Paramount has been cautious with their classics, and Once Upon a Time in the West didn't seem the most likely candidate for catalog release in HD. Fortunately, someone at the studio championed this title and took a risk, so a Blu-ray is now in hand. (And from all of us at The Bits, a BIG thank you!) Even more remarkably, the film looks and sounds EVERY bit as good as we would have hoped.

Flat out, this film looks as good as we've ever seen it, even in the best theatrical projections. Paramount has just done beautiful remastering work on this title. These are some of the deepest, most rock-solid blacks we've ever seen, with abundant shadow detailing. Textures are nuanced and gritty, with just the right amount of print grain visible to preserve the film's original look. Leone's direction is such that you're often seeing extreme close-ups of the actors - every wrinkle, blemish and bit of stubble is accentuated - and you'll miss none of it in this transfer. Colors are accurate and warm, as originally intended. This Blu-ray just offers a big, glorious, ultra-widescreen film image that's sublimely easy to get lost in.

If the Blu-ray's picture is good, the English 5.1 DTS-HD MA audio mix is even better. (Note that you also get restored English, French and Spanish mono in Dolby Digital format, along with English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.) The soundfield is big and wide, matching every inch of the on-screen vistas, and the clarity is exceptional. The mix is subtle and atmospheric in quiet scenes, easily rendering the squeak of a windmill and or whispering wind, and absolutely thunderous during moments of explosive gun-play. Just as critically, composer Ennio Morricone iconic score is perfectly layered in the mix.

You should know, at this point, that the Blu-ray includes BOTH the original, 165-minute American theatrical release AND the restored, 166-minute European version of the film. (The latter cut alone was included on the previous DVD release.) The European version features an added scene where we're first introduced to the character of Cheyenne at a way-side livery and inn, along with a brief scene at the end of the film involving the same character.

Paramount went the extra mile with the supplements on the original special collector's edition DVD. Thankfully, ALL of that content has carried over to the Blu-ray. The original SD features are here in anamorphic widescreen and the film's theatrical trailer has been upgraded to full HD.

[stanton]

If it contains the cut theatrical version, the runtime ot this one must be wrong.

[dave jenkins]

That's what I'm thinking . . .

[Novecento]

Film foundation restoration is 165min as opposed to the 166min version we all have on DVD:

http://www.film-foundation.org/common/movies/film_details_v2.cfm?QID=815&clientID=11004&sid=2&ssid=7

I can't see why they would include the old butchered US theatrical release, but that review sure does have me worried 

[stanton]

My dream is a set with the original version (without the Harmonica rising scene), as it was released in Germany and which is most likely the same as released in France, Italy etc.
Which is the DC imo.

And a 2nd disc with the longer version (which includes the Rising scene and a lot of smaller snippets).

I don't see much reason to release the heavily cut version, nor to re-release the current DVD version.

And I'm glad they will add the mono audio.

[dave jenkins]

Film foundation restoration is 165min as opposed to the 166min version we all have on DVD:

http://www.film-foundation.org/common/movies/film_details_v2.cfm?QID=815&clientID=11004&sid=2&ssid=7

I can't see why they would include the old butchered US theatrical release, but that review sure does have me worried 

I can't either, but stupider things have been done. As you say, that review has created cause for worry.

[Novecento]

It seems we are getting the 166min Scorcese restoration along with the 165min one  .

http://forum.blu-ray.com/blu-ray-movies-north-america/167266-once-upon-time-west-may-31-2011-a-10.html

If you scroll down, you will see the BD cover confirming the lengths. According to one post there, Harmonica apparently rises from the dead in both versions.