Press Release Paramount Presents! Once Upon A Time In The West (1968) (4k UHD) (1 Viewer)

[Winston T. Boogie]

I just don't know if its worth 40 bucks. Seriously?

You know they will also take your first-born child, so you don't have to pay the forty.

 

[SD_Brian]

I expect the final sale price to be around $30.00 plus tax.

Amazon doesn't seem to discount the Paramount Presents line as aggressively as they do other Paramount 4K titles: I've been watching but have yet to see Terms of Endearment, as an example, go lower than $34.74.

 

[dpippel]

It's a really fun picture but you can still smell the pasta sauce as you watch it. I love it, it is a beautiful looking film, maybe Leone's masterpiece. Henry Fonda is wonderfully evil in it. Bronson is iconic. I say it is a can't miss film.

Plus one of the best opening sequences ever put on film.

 

[bujaki]

Plus one of the best opening sequences ever put on film.

As well as the great closing sequence with Morricone's glorious music.

 

[OliverK]

I'm no fan of spaghetti westerns either but I see this has a rating of 8,5 at imdb. Is it that good?

YES

It is also the most "American" of the Leone westerns and dealing with some classic western themes.

 

[johnmcmasters]

Immediately Pre-Ordered! My all time favorite film. Hopefully this edition addresses and/or fixes all of the reported problems from previous releases of the film.

This news brought me to the verge of tears, actually, as it conjured up vivid memories of my first visit to Stu Kaminsky's office at Northwestern University when I had switched majors to become an official Radio-TV-Film college geek. His office was in a very dingy and delapidated building called the Film Annex. I had picked Stu as my advisor, and as I approached his office I could hear the sound of a typewriter clicking away. I knocked on his open door-- and he asked me to wait a few minutes. When entering his tiny office one was immediately aware of the old Royal typewriter that he used, and there above his desk was an oversized poster, huge and splendid, for "Once Upon a Time in the West." I ended up really admiring Stu, his novels (he later told me he was working on his first Toby Peters murder mystery when we had our first meeting), and his critical precision. He knew more about Leone and his films that I could ever absorb into my own paltry brain. His knowledge of film and literature seemed boundless, and he encouraged his students to approach any work with energetic curiousity and, hopefully, no preformed judgments. He would methodically call out any unsupported critical assessments in student papers or during class discussions by asking how those judgments had been reached and how one could be sure they weren't the result of personal bias. But enough about those memories!

This film blew me away the first time I saw it, and it only grows deeper for me on repeat viewings.

 

[haineshisway]

YES! Pre-ordered. Let's hope Paramount didn't screw this one up.

I've seen the new transfer - I bought it from Vudu and it's great and I posted about it ages ago. Unless they author it poorly, it should look even better than Vudu.

 

[haineshisway]

Well I'm not expecting a vast improvement because it is Techniscope but we'll see.

You know, I posted about this new transfer ages ago. It is great and a HUGE improvement over the old Paramount Blu-ray from the year one.

 

[Sultanofcinema]

Immediately Pre-Ordered! My all time favorite film. Hopefully this edition addresses and/or fixes all of the reported problems from previous releases of the film.

This news brought me to the verge of tears, actually, as it conjured up vivid memories of my first visit to Stu Kaminsky's office at Northwestern University when I had switched majors to become an official Radio-TV-Film college geek. His office was in a very dingy and delapidated building called the Film Annex. I had picked Stu as my advisor, and as I approached his office I could hear the sound of a typewriter clicking away. I knocked on his open door-- and he asked me to wait a few minutes. When entering his tiny office one was immediately aware of the old Royal typewriter that he used, and there above his desk was an oversized poster, huge and splendid, for "Once Upon a Time in the West." I ended up really admiring Stu, his novels (he later told me he was working on his first Toby Peters murder mystery when we had our first meeting), and his critical precision. He knew more about Leone and his films that I could ever absorb into my own paltry brain. His knowledge of film and literature seemed boundless, and he encouraged his students to approach any work with energetic curiousity and, hopefully, no preformed judgments. He would methodically call out any unsupported critical assessments in student papers or during class discussions by asking how those judgments had been reached and how one could be sure they weren't the result of personal bias. But enough about those memories!

This film blew me away the first time I saw it, and it only grows deeper for me on repeat viewings.

John,
I had stated earlier that I knew the film was a masterpiece when I saw it in 1969. I didn't have to wait for anyone else's assessment. I don't care and Never have looked at IMDB, Rotten Tomatoes, Maltin, etc. for advice. I KNOW what I like. Everyone is different and we have different life experiences that we bring and take away from film. But your posting reminds me of seeing the film when it was first restored, with some friends at the Film Forum in NYC in 1981. Not only was the screening perfect, but they had an original one sheet under glass outside with the M rating. I had my two friends practically carry me out of the theater and I was in tears.

 

[JohnRice]

I‘m not usually a fanboy about any release, but on this one, I couldn’t care less if the price goes down. I’d pay $40, without hesitation, no problem whatsoever.

 

[Dave H]

Pre-ordered.

 

[Clinton McClure]

I placed my preorder a few minutes ago.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Top post updated with official press release from Paramount with specs

 

[Kevin Antonio (Kev)]

Day one purchase. The best homage to the western genre is this film. You can literally call out multiple moments that leone is taking from other artist(Ford, Stevens,Aldrich) with his own spin. The final duel is nearly 10 minutes but it doest even matter because the set up and pay off is so good. If you have never seen this western give it a try. It's a blend of all the westerns before it but done in a way that was so different and breathtaking from performances all the way down to the music. I still say pekinpah finished the western in a way nobody else could but this film is right next too it.

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

The specs seem confusing, does the included Blu-ray also include the new master of the film? I would think so since it's listed as having a commentary track.

 

[Stefan Andersson]

Re: the restoration -- posts 46 and 57 (see below for link) seems to be still relevant, due for example to the question of the ending music (Cheyenne´s theme or Jill´s theme, which is correct?)

Once Upon a Time in the West 4K UHD

It's all about the color, folks. The Blu-ray is not quite accurate and I want completely accurate. As to the Blu-ray being "director approved" that would be some feat as the director died in 1989. I hear orange and I worry. I don't want to hear orange, I want to hear about the blue skies and Mr...

www.hometheaterforum.com

 

[PMF]

I just don't know if it’s worth 40 bucks. Seriously?

Just for the cinematography in the 4K/UHD format struck from the OCN, alone, you will find my own personal answer to be a resounding YES. Additionally, the Marricone score will also find its new and audibly expansive breath of life, as well. What’s not to like at 40 bucks, for those who marvel at this masterpiece?

 

[Kilgore]

This film is cinematic poetry. Can't wait for the 4k release.

 

[dpippel]

But for the cinematography in the 4K/UHD format struck from the OCN, alone, the answer is a resounding YES. Additionally, the Marricone score will also find its new breath of life, as well. What’s not to like at 40 bucks, for those who marvel at this masterpiece?

As usual, it will be less than MSRP by release day.

 

[Robert Harris]

Well I'm not expecting a vast improvement because it is Techniscope but we'll see.

Please explain the problem with Techniscope. I’ve never found one.