Sergio Leone Blu Ray News

[stanton]

You can't be sure that Hitler, Stalin, Lenin, Mao, Pol Pot and the others I mentioned were mass murderers?  Swell fellow you are. Yeah, I'm sure you would have loved to live under their regimes. Not as a dissenter though; that would have gotten you killed or tortured. Maybe you would have been marching in lockstep. Or goose step.

Anyway, if you wanna pretend to be unsure about whether some of the most evil men in history were mass murderers, then you're not worth wasting my breath on, so I will do so no longer, idiot.

Tsk, tsk, tsk, I'm concerned about my afterlife, and you call me an idiot. How disappointing ...

But, come on,  Hitler wasn't that bad a guy. Sure, he shouldn't have killed those 6 mio Jews, but at least he fought the commies. And apart from the commies he knew how to treat e.g. homosexuals, gypsies, jazz musicians and other decadent artists.
Doesn't that make it equal?

[drinkanddestroy]

The Italian RHV release of FOD is vastly superior to the MGM one and, unlike the Mondo releases of FAFDM and GBU, has English audio. Check out the screen caps below and note, even regardless of image quality, how much more actual image you get:

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDCompare10/for_a_few_dollars_more.htm

yeah based on Beaver's screen caps , it looks like the RHV Blue Ray version of FOD has more information on on top and bottom of the image than does the MGM BR version.

Ok, now I have two questions:

1) Is the MGM dvd of FOD missing the same information as is missing on the Blu Ray? or does that have the full image? If the dvd has the full image, then I will just always watch the dvd and never watch the BR.


2) As for the dvd's of FAFDM and FOD: I only own the MGM SE's in "The Sergio Leone Anthology"; I do not own the single discs
(FOD: http://www.amazon.com/A-Fistful-Dollars-Clint-Eastwood/dp/B00000K0DM

FAFDM: http://www.amazon.com/For-Dollars-More-Clint-Eastwood/dp/0792839056/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1338762217&sr=1-1 )

so my question is, Is there any point in me purchasing those single dvd versions of FOD and FAFDM? Do they offer anything at all  -- image quality, image size, audio, etc. -- over the versions in MGM's SE Sergio Leone Anthology?

[drinkanddestroy]

come on guys, nobody knows the answer to my question in the previous message? This is important, I need an answer! 

Based on Beaver's screen cap comparisons of A Fistful of Dollars, http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDCompare10/for_a_few_dollars_more.htm it looks like the MGM Blu ray is significantly cropped; the Italian RHV Blu Ray has more information on all 4 sides of the images.
This is very significant and I want to get the versions of the movie that have the full picture.

So my question is, does the MGM Special Edition DVD of A Fistful of Dollars have the exact same information in the image as the MGM Blu Ray has ? Or does the MGM SE DVD have the full, uncropped image that is available in the RHV BR? (I can't find any screen caps comparing the dvd's; for some reason, Beaver does not have any reviews of the dvd of FOD or FAFDM, only the blu ray).

If the DVD has the full image, then I will always watch that and disregard the BR. However, if the DVD is also cropped, then I need to go and find some way to get a version of the movie with the full image.

Which brings me to that RHV Blu Ray (reviewed separately by Beaver here http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/dvdreviews42/fistful_of_dollars_blu-ray.htm )

If the only way to get the full image is with this blu ray, then I will buy it. Looks really good -- full image, English 1.0 audio, how can you go wrong?

I just have a few questions about it:

It is listed on Amazon as being Region B and in PAL, but according to Beaver, it is region free (though Beaver says that the bonus features are in PAL and in Italian). I have a SAMSUNG blu ray player purchased in America, so while I don't mind not having access to the special features on the disc, I need to be certain that the movie itself will play on my Region A blu ray player. Can I be sure of that? Has anyone with a Region A blu ray player tried playing this disc?

And finally, I see these two listed on Amazon's American site: 1) http://www.amazon.com/Per-Pugno-Dollari-Versione-Restaurata/dp/B0041KW6E8/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1339930877&sr=1-2-fkmr0&keywords=pur+un+pugno+di+dollari+blu+ray

and

2) http://www.amazon.com/Per-Un-Pugno-Di-Dollari/dp/B00416RQLA/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1339930877&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=pur+un+pugno+di+dollari+blu+ray

I assume that the one I am looking for is #1, correct? It is much more expensive than #2; does anyone know what the difference is? Most importantly, I need to know whether the main feature is the same picture; if the only difference is in the bonus features then I will get the cheaper one, since I can't watch the bonus features anyway since they are in PAL).

At this price (more than $40 for the disc, plus international shipping costs) I will need to be absolutely certain that I am getting the right thing, so I greatly appreciate your help! 

[Novecento]

It is listed on Amazon as being Region B and in PAL, but according to Beaver, it is region free (though Beaver says that the bonus features are in PAL and in Italian). I have a SAMSUNG blu ray player purchased in America, so while I don't mind not having access to the special features on the disc, I need to be certain that the movie itself will play on my Region A blu ray player. Can I be sure of that? Has anyone with a Region A blu ray player tried playing this disc?

The film is region free and in HD so it will play on any BD player. I have an American region A/1(NTSC) Pioneer BD player that has been modified to be multi-region and the disc plays whether I power up in region A or B.

Some of the extras are in SD so are PAL encoded and also sometimes lack English subtitles. I can watch these when I boot up in region A with NTSC because my player has a built-in PAL-NTSC converter, however I assume that your one does not have this. However, I prefer to boot up in region B with PAL because then no conversion is necessary so the image is better quality on my screen (I have a Vizio TV which is one of the few US manufacturers that actually support both PAL and NTSC signals on some of their HDTVs).

I assume that the one I am looking for is #1, correct? It is much more expensive than #2; does anyone know what the difference is? Most importantly, I need to know whether the main feature is the same picture; if the only difference is in the bonus features then I will get the cheaper one, since I can't watch the bonus features anyway since they are in PAL).

I have this one - it will probably be cheaper for you to buy from Italy directly:

http://www.amazon.it/Per-Un-Pugno-Di-Dollari/dp/B00416RQLA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1339943189&sr=8-2

I believe that this is the re-release of the red box one (be careful as the DVD version and the BD version have the same box) without all the supplementary stuff in the box that I don't care for anyway.

[Paulo]

I have this one - it will probably be cheaper for you to buy from Italy directly:

http://www.amazon.it/Per-Un-Pugno-Di-Dollari/dp/B00416RQLA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1339943189&sr=8-2

I believe that this is the re-release of the red box one (be careful as the DVD version and the BD version have the same box) without all the supplementary stuff in the box that I don't care for anyway.

Novecento, does that one have the English Mono soundtrack? I have the red box DVD and want to get the Blu-ray without re-buying the box. Although both are Ripley's Home Video, I'm not sure the single-disc Blu-ray has the English mono track. Thanks 

[Novecento]

According to the box, it has Italian and English 1.0 and Italian 5.1. I have only ever listened to the English mono myself. I doubt it would be different from the DVD.

[drinkanddestroy]

so are you saying that those two links I posted from Amazon have the same version of the movie, and the only difference is the bonus features?
so on both discs, the movie has the same uncropped picture, will play with any blu ray player, and have English 1.0 audio? and the only difference is that the red one has the bonus features (which I have no need for cuz they are in PAL and Italian anyway)? that's great,  I'll just buy the cheaper one!

can you please confirm that the above is correct? Thanks  

[Lil Brutto]

so are you saying that those two links I posted from Amazon have the same version of the movie, and the only difference is the bonus features?
so on both discs, the movie has the same uncropped picture, will play with any blu ray player, and have English 1.0 audio? and the only difference is that the red one has the bonus features (which I have no need for cuz they are in PAL and Italian anyway)? that's great,  I'll just buy the cheaper one!

can you please confirm that the above is correct? Thanks  

I have the same BD posted by Novocento. It is the "no frills" version (i.e. no fancy red box with poster mini-replicas included, etc) but includes all the extra features on the disc. It has the mono English soundtrack. It's what you're looking for.

[drinkanddestroy]

I have the same BD posted by Novocento. It is the "no frills" version (i.e. no fancy red box with poster mini-replicas included, etc) but includes all the extra features on the disc. It has the mono English soundtrack. It's what you're looking for.

Is it worthwhile to get the more expensive one? I assume all the written materials are in Italian, which I don't understand.

Thanks!

[dave jenkins]

Dollars Trilogy on Blu for US$ 24.99: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003EYEF2S/

UPDATE: Now it's 19.99!

[drinkanddestroy]

I have the same BD posted by Novocento. It is the "no frills" version (i.e. no fancy red box with poster mini-replicas included, etc) but includes all the extra features on the disc. It has the mono English soundtrack. It's what you're looking for.

According to Beaver, the movie is region free (although the special features are only in PAL and Italian audio). Can you confirm this? Did you play the movie in a Region A Blu Ray player?

[Lil Brutto]

I have a region 1 BD player. Main feature plays just fine. Of the 6 extras only the restored Italian HD trailer plays.

[drinkanddestroy]

okay, I ordered this one http://www.amazon.com/Per-Un-Pugno-Di-Dollari/dp/B00416RQLA/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1339930877&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=pur+un+pugno+di+dollari+blu+ray used from a guy in Italy, for a total of less than $31 USD, including shipping.

Thanks to y'all for your help! I greatly appreciate it 

Now I have two more questions:

1) Since the menus are in Italian and I won't understand them, can someone please tell me how to navigate the menu so that I can select the English audio, and then play the movie?

2) I bought this disc for the simple reason that there is more information in the image than there is on the American versions (it is noticeable, on all 4 sides). I want to see the image as Leone intended we see it, without anything cut out of it! This seems to be THE CORRECT version of FOD. So I need to know what the deal is with Leone's other movies:
Do the Italian BR discs/ dvd's of any of Leone's other movies show more information in the image than the American version does? And if so, are those movie(s) region-free with English audio as well?
 
Specifically, I was looking at this Mondo Blu ray disc of FAFDM on Amazon. (Unlike the aforementioned FOD Blu ray, this one is not reviewed on Beaver, so I am gonna need your help).
A) Is there more information in the image than there is on the American dvd/BR? (Even if the information in then image is identical, I may buy this version if the image quality is superior to the American versions, and items B) and C) are satisfied
B) Is the movie region-free? (I know the description on Amazon says it is Region B, but Amazon also officially says that the FOD BR disc is Region B, when in fact only the bonus features are Region B & PAL; the movie itself is region-free.  So I'm wondering if it's the same deal with this FAFDM BR disc?
C) Is the English audio available?

[Lil Brutto]

1) Since the menus are in Italian and I won't understand them, can someone please tell me how to navigate the menu so that I can select the English audio, and then play the movie?

Pretty self explanatory once you load the disc and the menu pops up.

Although this is the best version available and the PQ is stunning and includes an English track. it's not perfect...it lacks lossless English audio. Oh well.

2) Do the Italian BR discs/ dvd's of any of Leone's other movies show more information in the image than the American version does? And if so, are those movie(s) region-free with English audio as well?

As for FAFDM, the Mondo image is cropped slightly but overall a more natural image. Most importantly, it includes the full length beating scene (actually, it is missing approx. 1 sec of footage).  Region free. No English audio.

More info here:

http://www.forafewdollarsmore.net/
http://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=564548
http://caps-a-holic.com/hd_vergleiche/comparison.php?cID=666#auswahl

[drinkanddestroy]

Pretty self explanatory once you load the disc and the menu pops up.

Although this is the best version available and the PQ is stunning and includes an English track. it's not perfect...it lacks lossless English audio. Oh well.

As for FAFDM, the Mondo image is cropped slightly but overall a more natural image. Most importantly, it includes the full length beating scene (actually, it is missing approx. 1 sec of footage).  Region free. No English audio.

More info here:

http://www.forafewdollarsmore.net/
http://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=564548
http://caps-a-holic.com/hd_vergleiche/comparison.php?cID=666#auswahl

excuse my ignorance, what is "lossless audio"? (i've heard that expression many times).