The Spaghetti Western thread

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

And it's a stacked SE!!!!

Release Date: 20th July 2015
Format: Dual Format Blu-ray + DVD
Starring: Michí¨le Mercier, Robert Hossein, Guido Lollobrigida
Directed by: Robert Hossein



Synopsis: YOU BELIEVE IN REVENGE BUT I DON'T… IT NEVER ENDS

Inspired by the international success of the Dollars trilogy, and dedicated to director Sergio Leone, Cemetery Without Crosses offers a Gallic spin on the Spaghetti Western formula thanks to its star and creator, Robert Hossein (best-known to English-speaking audiences for his role in Jules Dassin's Rififi).

After her husband is lynched by bandits, Michí¨le Mercier (Mario Bava's Black Sabbath) seeks revenge and turns to an old friend, played by Hossein, for help. A solitary figure who lives in a ghost town and dons a single black glove before each gunfight, Hossein is initially reluctant but soon infiltrates the widow's enemies to force a showdown.

Cemetery Without Crosses is a darker breed of Western, bleak and melancholy in tone amid the explosive set pieces. It also boasts an outstanding score by composer André Hossein (father of Robert) and the catchiest of themes, sung by cult figure Scott Walker.

SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS:

Brand new 2K restoration of the film from original film elements
High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations
Original Italian and English soundtracks in uncompressed PCM mono audio
Newly translated English subtitles for the Italian soundtrack
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing for the English soundtrack
Remembering Sergio - an all-new interview with star and director Robert Hossein, filmed exclusively for this release
French television news report on the film's making, containing interviews with Hossein, and actors Michí¨le Mercier and Serge Marquand
Archive interview with Hossein
Trailers
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by James Flames
Illustrated collector's booklet containing new writing by Ginette Vincendeau and Rob Young



DETAILS:
Region: A+B/1+2
Rating: TBC
Cat No: FCD1121
Duration: 90 mins
Language: Italian/English
Subtitles: English/English SDH
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Audio: 1.0 PCM
Discs: 2
Colour

[Koukol Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Koukol]

!!!!GREAT SILENCE SPOILERS!!!!


I am having a difficult time wrapping my head around how I feel about THE GREAT SILENCE. I recognize that its one of the better Italian Westerns. The snowy mountain backdrop gives it a unique look and feel that is well captured. There are some excellent performances and many standout scenes. Kinski is at his best and Vonetta McGee has many great moments as well. My struggles obviously come from the bitter ending. I am capable of enjoying films with nihilistic endings because they remind me that the hero doesn't always win. Without them there can't be legitimate tension in films where the good guy ultimately does triumph. That said, I would have preferred for THE GREAT SILENCE to have had more of a FISTFUL OF DOLLARS type ending. I can't get it out of my head that the way Kinski took out the sheriff was convenient to the point that it wasn't believable. Nor do I understand why Silence even showed up for the final confrontation. He didn't have a clever plan and he knew he was no match for Kinski. He had already fulfilled his revenge when he killed Pollicut and had found a woman that loved him and that he could care for in Pauline. It made no sense for him to needlessly sacrifice himself. I'm probably just bummed that the lone Spaghetti Western with that amazing snowy backdrop isn't a delicious popcorn flick like FISTFTUL OF DOLLARS. I would have loved for this to have been a film that I'd revisit every 18 to 24 months but with that bummer ending there's no way.

I'm with you on my ambivalence about this film.
While I do love the location and the character Silencio...SW's are morality tales at heart
Their endings are big payoffs and essential to the genre.

Besides, I find it kind of cheap and easy to create a contrasting end.
Maybe with a few more viewings I may come to love the ending.

[Scyther Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Scyther]

Holy fucking shitballs!!! Arrow's putting out Cemetery Without Crosses on Blu!

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Amazing news! I only have the version of that (quite good) Timeless Media spaghetti set.

[Koukol Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Koukol]

The image of the German For a Few Dollars More is identical to all the MGM discs except it has more print damage. I assume it is the MGM transfer but before any scratch removal and such was done for it (or they just did less than MGM).

Wow...this is news to me.

Is that the 2011 US stand alone release of FOR A FEW or is it only in the boxset?

http://www.amazon.ca/Few-Dollars-Mor...w+dollars+more

[Sundance Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Sundance]

I've got the RHV Italian release of the first film and the German Universum disc of the second. I'm happy with both but I've always liked the look of the Italian Mondo release of FOR A FEW... and would love to see that transfer used for an English-friendly release.

The Italian Mondo is quite soft (but I'm not sure if there is actually any detail missing that can be seen on the MGM disc... the MGM is just way too sharp) and if I remember correctly had a bit too much DNR (for my tastes) at some places.
I think the film did receive a new 4K scan at the same time as the other two films did but MGM only contributed for the GBU and that is probably why they re-released the old discs for the other two films.

Of course the new GBU has those... shitty colors as far as I am concerned. There is no way I will believe Leone wanted all that green in it (the yellow is not a problem).
Here's an actual Italian IB Tech print compared to the new 4K Blu and the older Italian Blu:
http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/110784 Before color correction (2K scan) vs After color correction (4K scan)
http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/110787 IB TECH 35MM (2K scan, no color correction) vs MGM 4K BD
http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/110851 IB TECH 35MM (2K scan, no color correction) vs Mondo 2K BD

So...
color corrected IB Tech http://screenshotcomparison.com/imag...7893421560.png
vs
MGM 4K http://screenshotcomparison.com/imag...1326508947.png


The new 4K AFOD (not on disc anywhere yet) has also had it colors drastically changed... sometimes it's completely yellow, sometimes very green, yet it is very different to the new GBU in my opinion. And RHV claimed (a year ago) that their earlier disc has the original colors... but who really knows.
As far as the new 4K FAFDM... based on the screenshots released it looks just like it always has. So now we have (well we don't but they exist somewhere ;) ) all three films looking completely different to each other.

Wow...this is news to me.

Is that the 2011 US stand alone release of FOR A FEW or is it only in the boxset?

http://www.amazon.ca/Few-Dollars-Mor...w+dollars+more

As far as I know (but please correct me if I'm wrong) every single MGM Blu-Ray of For a Few Dollars More is the same including the one in the newest boxset. Meaning no original mono (the mono tracks are actually downmixed from the 5.1 track) and the beating scene is cut (and a couple of seconds are missing at other places).

The German disc has the original mono and is completely uncut. But like I said, it looks like the MGM disc except more damage is left in, for example:
http://caps-a-holic.com/hd_vergleich...ess=#vergleich


Oh and this came out:

[Koukol Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Koukol]

The Italian Mondo is quite soft (but I'm not sure if there is actually any detail missing that can be seen on the MGM disc... the MGM is just way too sharp) and if I remember correctly had a bit too much DNR (for my tastes) at some places.
I think the film did receive a new 4K scan at the same time as the other two films did but MGM only contributed for the GBU and that is probably why they re-released the old discs for the other two films.

Of course the new GBU has those... shitty colors as far as I am concerned. There is no way I will believe Leone wanted all that green in it (the yellow is not a problem).
Here's an actual Italian IB Tech print compared to the new 4K Blu and the older Italian Blu:
http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/110784 Before color correction (2K scan) vs After color correction (4K scan)
http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/110787 IB TECH 35MM (2K scan, no color correction) vs MGM 4K BD
http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/110851 IB TECH 35MM (2K scan, no color correction) vs Mondo 2K BD

So...
color corrected IB Tech http://screenshotcomparison.com/imag...7893421560.png
vs
MGM 4K http://screenshotcomparison.com/imag...1326508947.png


The new 4K AFOD (not on disc anywhere yet) has also had it colors drastically changed... sometimes it's completely yellow, sometimes very green, yet it is very different to the new GBU in my opinion. And RHV claimed (a year ago) that their earlier disc has the original colors... but who really knows.
As far as the new 4K FAFDM... based on the screenshots released it looks just like it always has. So now we have (well we don't but they exist somewhere ;) ) all three films looking completely different to each other.



As far as I know (but please correct me if I'm wrong) every single MGM Blu-Ray of For a Few Dollars More is the same including the one in the newest boxset. Meaning no original mono (the mono tracks are actually downmixed from the 5.1 track) and the beating scene is cut (and a couple of seconds are missing at other places).

The German disc has the original mono and is completely uncut. But like I said, it looks like the MGM disc except more damage is left in, for example:
http://caps-a-holic.com/hd_vergleich...ess=#vergleich


Oh and this came out:

Thanks Sundance.

I cleaned up the other day a realized I have both BDs of FOR so I'm covered so far.

[Andrew Monroe Pallid Hands Find all posts View Profile Close Andrew Monroe]

The soundtrack for DJANGO PREPARE A COFFIN uses a bit of uncredited Morricone music, what film is it from?...I used to know this and probably have it written down somewhere but I'll be damned if I can remember right now. I was rewatching I'LL SELL MY SKIN DEARLY last night and the same piece turns up here briefly too! Thought I'd ask here before I hunt through some notebooks. The Morricone piece was not included on the soundtrack CD releases of either film by the way.

And by the by, it sure would be swell if someone would release I'LL SELL MY SKIN DEARLY on BD...I've got 3 or 4 fan versions and they all have jarring jumps on the soundtrack. One of my versions even has an extra - a slightly different ending. Really like this film, heavily influenced by SHANE - right down to the main character's name - even if the ending is a bit of a copout.

[Andrew Monroe Pallid Hands Find all posts View Profile Close Andrew Monroe]

To answer my own question, it's the title theme from BULLETS DON'T ARGUE. A terrific rousing early Morricone piece. Remembered it 5 minutes after posting here.

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

Extras for the Kino Lorber Studio Classics Blu-ray release of Navajo Joe:

• Audio Commentary by Film Historian Gary Palmucci
• Original Theatrical Trailer

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

These are also coming from KL, in August.

[Andrew Monroe Pallid Hands Find all posts View Profile Close Andrew Monroe]

That's most interesting and welcome news! Thanks for the heads-up, first I've heard of this. I still only have FACE TO FACE from the Koch Sollima set (and a dvd-r of the Japanese dvd for the English dub).

[Andrew Monroe Pallid Hands Find all posts View Profile Close Andrew Monroe]

Future Wild East release I spotted at the SWDB forums. Very solid double bill that! I never picked up the Explosive Media release of GARRINGO.

[fatboyslim142 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close fatboyslim142]

Extras for the Kino Lorber Studio Classics Blu-ray release of Navajo Joe:

• Audio Commentary by Film Historian Gary Palmucci
• Original Theatrical Trailer

Will this & any other Kino Spaghetti Western BDs include Original Italian with subs?

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

I'm not sure but these are coming too...

"Coming in October - Two LEE VAN CLEEF Westerns - To Be Released Separately - On BLU-RAY & DVD - From Brand New 2015 HD Masters!

BAD MAN'S RIVER (1971) Starring Lee Van Cleef, James Mason, Gina Lollobrigida, Gianni (John) Garko, Aldo Sambrell. Sergio Fantoni and Jess Hahn - Directed Eugenio Martin - Screenplay by Philip Yordan and Eugenio Martin

CAPTAIN APACHE (1971) Starring Lee Van Cleef, Carroll Baker, Stuart Whitman and Percy Herbert - Directed by Alexander Singer - Screenplay by Philip Yordan and Milton Sperling"

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

Cover art for the Arrow Blu-ray!