Kino Lorber 2 - Disc 4K Blu-ray 2017

[cigar joe]

I've said this before and I've tried back then (on this board) to find which review I read it in (I cut clippings and saved the ones that I had bought, out of newspapers, magazines, etc., etc.), and remember, I saw these film upon initial release myself, and yes the skies were always blue.  However one reviewer did mention that the film had a more "golden" mediterranean sun than American Westerns. So there must have been some element of gold in the original presentation. This piss yellow you mention sounds too excessive. Watching these films in a Times Square theater on a huge screen I can assure you they weren't "piss" yellow, but they weren't a perfect match to the looks of a typical American Western either.

[Le Bon]

I don't have the Kino but a friend who does tells me of a music track mistake in the desert scene when Blondie Collapses and Tuco dismounts. The long chord in the Italian print is in the Kino Theatrical cut which it shouldn't be.

I have compared a few versions and found that the chord starts when Tuco dismounts in my Italian TV version and in the 2004 Extended cut it starts on the first close up of Blondie's face. It sounds different as well. The Italian version is more of a drone sound and the 2004 has a higher 'tension' pitch.

[Cusser]

I saw these film upon initial release myself, and yes the skies were always blue. 

I also saw these all on initial US release as teenager; none of us noticed anything off on the color.  In fact, we had no idea at the time that these were actually filmed in Spain, but we did wonder why there were so many Italian actors in them !

[emmo26]

to all the 4k HD Blu Ray TrueHD 3D VR headset fanboys.......

Would rather listen to Rubber Soul on vinyl or on a MP3 player?....



My point being... is you can only brush up a classic so much before it starts losing some of its character 

[uncknown]

The US version is now definitive! Great picture, correct sound mix, no cuts!!!!!!
The only way this could be improved is if the Angel Eyes/Fort scene could be inserted (esp. since it is on the soundtrack album!)

The International cut has unfortunately kept  the Grotto scene. The original mono mix is available. This is how this version should be viewed.
Unfortunately, the oversaturated color scheme is intact. Estupidos! .
Turning down the color level on your set will improve things a bit.

The Tim Lucas commentary is a major disappointment. I hate to dis him because I was a big fan of his fanzine, but he is not an interesting commentator. He relies on what I call "biography as commentary" That is, we get a complete filmography of every actor and technician connected to the film. It is like listening to someone read IMDB. He also makes mistakes about the music (he should have consulted my GBU piece beforehand, as Sir Christopher did   )

There is a deleted scene included that I have never scene which is very cool!

I am looking forward to watching this in Italian, something I have never done before!
Bruce Marshall

[uncknown]

Yes, the English cut had those three titles in English. Each international territory was given virtually the same print with the credit sequence and those titles as separate elements. Interestingly, the length of those titles varies depending on how the distributor decided to splice them in..the Spanish DVD for instance has the longest tuco intro title out of all the cuts, even the Italian. It has about a second more footage at the beginning of the shot resulting in the action of tuco running towards the window being repeated.

Of the "good' things about this new version is that this part doesn't suffer from the graininess of previous versions; caused by optically printing the title into the film.
Bruce

[uncknown]

I just watched the beginning of the "theatrical cut" (until after the second time Blondie shoots Tuco off the noose; approximately 27 minutes in).

I watched with the commentary by Tim Lucas. His commentary is SHIT.

Lucas violates my first rule of commentaries: You better sound like  you are speaking naturally, rather than reading directly off pre-written notes. His voice is not great. Every time an actor appears onscreen for the first time, Lucas proceeds to recite what seems like the actor's entire filmography. Yeah, he spends lotsa time just naming movies. When Angel Eyes goes to Baker's room, Lucas says that on the chair are Union cap and shirt; it's Confederate!
Lucas says that the opening ghost town set was "a village in Tabernas" - I trust Frayling, who says the ghost town was built by Carlo Simi & Co. in a remote area.


One great thing Lucas does: He  read the full text that the executioner reads aloud for Tuco's hanging in the second town – the audience cannot hear the full text, because part of it is drowned out by Angel Eyes's conversation with the half-soldier and the woman in the stagecoach. (Lucas does credit the person who showed him the full text). It is absolutely hilarious.
Oh - he also astutely notes that Stevens is not to be trusted - because he wears both belt and suspenders

Lucas cites Peter Hanley's book - for instance, in  identifying the location of the Stevens farm and citing an interview Hanley did with Chelo Alonso - but he makes no mention of Frayling in the first 27 minutes. I am sure that lots of his info comes from Frayling. For example, he says that Leone insisted his inspiration in casting Wallach as Tuco did NOT come from his role as Calvera in THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN - that is a tidbit Frayling always mentions. Maybe he credits Frayling later on;  I sure as hell won't listen to the rest of this shitty commentary.

Bottom line: Anytime I want to watch the movie with commentary, it'll be Frayling's.

And, once again, the overall bottom line: We're still waiting for a great BRD version of GBU.

He does credit Frayling later on.
ANd yes, kudos for his Tuco crime report. Very good.

I could do a commentary on this film with no notes, nor prep.
Spontaneous.
But, no one has ever asked
BRM

[Dirty Rat]

The US version is now definitive! Great picture, correct sound mix, no cuts!!!!!!
The only way this could be improved is if the Angel Eyes/Fort scene could be inserted (esp. since it is on the soundtrack album!)

The International cut has wisely deleted the Grotto scene. The original mono mix is available. This is how this version should be viewed.
Unfortunately, the oversaturated color scheme is intact. Estupidos! .
Turning down the color level on your set will improve things a bit.

The Tim Lucas commentary is a major disappointment. I hate to dis him because I was a big fan of his fanzine, but he is not an interesting commentator. He relies on what I call "biography as commentary" That is, we get a complete filmography of every actor and technician connected to the film. It is like listening to someone read IMDB. He also makes mistakes about the music (he should have consulted my GBU piece beforehand, as Sir Christopher did   )

There is a deleted scene included that I have never scene which is very cool!

I am looking forward to watching this in Italian, something I have never done before!
Bruce Marshall

What is the deleted scene that you have never seen before?

[dave jenkins]

The US version is now definitive! Great picture, correct sound mix, no cuts!!!!!!

Bruce Marshall

So, the US version has different colors from the longer cut?

[Jordan Krug]

The US version is now definitive! Great picture, correct sound mix, no cuts!!!!!!
The only way this could be improved is if the Angel Eyes/Fort scene could be inserted (esp. since it is on the soundtrack album!)

The International cut has wisely deleted the Grotto scene. The original mono mix is available. This is how this version should be viewed.
Unfortunately, the oversaturated color scheme is intact. Estupidos! .
Turning down the color level on your set will improve things a bit.

The Tim Lucas commentary is a major disappointment. I hate to dis him because I was a big fan of his fanzine, but he is not an interesting commentator. He relies on what I call "biography as commentary" That is, we get a complete filmography of every actor and technician connected to the film. It is like listening to someone read IMDB. He also makes mistakes about the music (he should have consulted my GBU piece beforehand, as Sir Christopher did   )

There is a deleted scene included that I have never scene which is very cool!

I am looking forward to watching this in Italian, something I have never done before!
Bruce Marshall

The U. S. version is not definitive and it has cuts and an entire scene re-ordered.

All the info here:
http://theeditroomfloor.blogspot.ca/2017/08/the-gbu-kino-disc-has-arrived.html?m=1

[uncknown]

to all the 4k HD Blu Ray TrueHD 3D VR headset fanboys.......

Would rather listen to Rubber Soul on vinyl or on a MP3 player?....



My point being... is you can only brush up a classic so much before it starts losing some of its character 

This film is magnificent in any of the available versions.
Future generations will recognize this as the classic we all know it to be.
I am not going to waste any more of my time obsessing over trivial technical details.
I am going to watch and enjoy.

I suggest you all do the same you sons of a thousand whores

[uncknown]

So, the US version has different colors from the longer cut?

Red faces.
Ughhh.
Brucr

[Jordan Krug]

This film is magnificent in any of the available versions.
Future generations will recognize this as the classic we all know it to be.
I am not going to waste any more of my time obsessing over trivial technical details.
I am going to watch and enjoy.

I suggest you all do the same you sons of a thousand whores

I love the movie as much as you. Just don't call the Kino definitive as it doesn't have either of Sergio's cuts! Any hd home video release with his actual cuts would be definitive, unfortunately it doesn't exist. Future generations will be watching the wrong cuts.

[uncknown]

In a paragraph,  what's the problem with the U.S. version?
Bruce

[Le Bon]

In a paragraph,  what's the problem with the U.S. version?
Bruce

Are you talking in general about the US version or the Kino release and the old MGM DVD?