Color treatment (BD releases)

The whole color timing argument is very interesting, but also very complicated as I have mentioned before. I am used to be very throughout about this, but when there's a lack of direct input from filmmakers or transfer based on that, everything is speculation. However, some things must be considered:

- First, I would say that, despite what we look when it comes to texture elements (that analog feel characteristic from the film stock or even the digital noise from digital captures), a natural look is not exactly something very considered in terms of coloration. I can vouch for that and say that I don't recall seeing a movie with a very natural color palette.

For example: sci-fi movies are used to have a cold color timing, usually with a blue or green tone. Comedy and adventure have colors more vibrant/rich/saturated. Horror/thriller movies are darker, exacly the opposite - they offer sometimes a cold aspect, no saturation and more pastel colors, in general, in case of those with a more visceral/brutal approach. Strong dramas are also that way with opaque colors in order to help building a depressive feeling.

That means the whole coloration used is always helping the creative process required for those movies. That's why all of them have this color timing correction, otherwise it would be too easy, just shoot the movie and it's all done.

It's also used to correct discrepancies in the way the light from the cameras is used on some scenes, but it doesn't escape from being another manipulation where they disregard the natural look from the movie in order to achieve a specific visual for the audience.

That's why it became a standard the mastering/calibration in the D6,5K process, in a way that the different visual styles will be always achieved, no matter how individual the display characteristics are. Otherwise it would be a lot more confusing.

- Despite of being a parameter, old versions in rare exceptions, are a precise reference. That's because the telecine quality and the process used to transfer those movies in the age of VHS/LD/and many times DVD, was too deficient, and after that, the own color space from each one of those formats was inferior compared to the next, and still those elements being used in conditions far from being ideal.

The transfer quality is one of aspects that evolved so much in the last years, not only in terms of technology but also it's now very sensitive/careful even about that. In other words, a while ago, the mastering process was simply bad compared to what we have today.

- It's obvious there's still revisionism as well and some directors are more prone to the fact (Lucas being a classic example). Matrix was reviewed to be adapted to the logic from the sequels (with different colors in/outside the Matrix).

But the general rule in the new works was exactly the involvement from some of the original filmmakers (directors, producers, editors, cinematography crew), or even specialists/film historians (in some cases the movie is too old and the people involved are no longer alive), with the objective to restore the original intentions that sometimes were not even seen in home-video or even most of theaters, considering the deterioration/bad quality from some copies and many exhibitions.

All things considered, in my opinion, in the A Fistfull of Dollars case, the new presentation in BD format it's really better than the DVD if you compare the color timing, for different reasons:

- First, the DVD is not anamorphic, it was released many years ago and the master used was awful. For me the colors used are far from being natural, it's exactly the opposite, I think it's clear that it comes from a old and dark film stock, and really suffering in terms of coloration. There's even a green cast (?), looking stale.

- Second reason: from what I heard, the restoration had the involvement from some of the original filmmakers, not the director, obviously.

- Lastly, compared to all western movies I saw on BD - new ones (3:10 To Yuma, The Proposition, Appaloosa) or restored (The Professionals, The Searchers, Rio Bravo, The Cowboys) I would say the visual from this "A Firstfull of Dollars" (BD) really makes sense with all those other presentations. All of them are depicting a dry, with a very hot sun, western, which naturally gives the cast this red skin tone (indians were called that way).

The DVD version is too dark, it seems the sky is cloud, and if I had to judge both of them and say who's more natural, I'd say the BD is much closer to the vision of hot and arid American west.

Even "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly", with all the DNR applied, features a very similar coloration compared to "A Fistfull.." in BD.

Regarding the audio, the preservation and inclusion of those original tracks are something that I always fought for, even on lossless format, that apart from Criterion releases, are not being used on BDs from other studios). And even in some cases (from the inevitable remixes), I am always looking for simplicity and fidelity compared to the original mixing, avoiding gimmicks, like new foleys and spiffy sound effects.