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The Man with No Name Trilogy
Release Date: Available now
Studio: MGM
Packaging/Materials: Three-disc Blu-ray case with slipcover
MSRP: $69.98
Though "The Good the Bad and The Ugly" came out on Blu-ray last year - and appears to be the same disc included in the collection - this marks the first Blu-ray appearance of the earlier installments of the trilogy. At this time there aren't separate releases for each film, meaning those who already own "The Good" will have to double dip and try to sell the first release if they want the complete trilogy. It's a familiar situation, but it doesn't make it any less annoying for buyers. Those who were disappointed with the transfer will probably also find it difficult to pony up the money to buy the release a second time. Nevertheless, the collection offers a respectable technical presentation and thorough set of extras for a trilogy that all collectors should have in their library. Anyone who hasn't taken that step yet, should be pleased with the purchase overall.
Overall score for the collection: 4/5
A Fistful of Dollars
Year: 1964
Rating: R
Running Time: 1:40:00
THE FEATURE | SPECIAL FEATURES | |
Video | 1080p high definition 16x9 2.35:1 | Standard and high definition |
Audio | DTS-HD Master Audio: English 5.1 / Dolby Digital: English Mono, Spanish Mono, French 5.1 | Stereo |
Subtitles | English SDH, Spanish, French | Variable |
The Feature: 4/5
An opportunistic stranger (Clint Eastwood) enters a town controlled by two feuding crime families and works each side for his own financial gain. When the more ruthless of the organizations finds out what he's been doing, he's nearly beaten to death, but manages to escape, eventually returning to exact his revenge.
"A Fistful of Dollars" is a story we've all seen before -- not simply because it's a remake of Akira Kurosawa's "Yojimbo" -- but because it deals so strongly in myth and archetypes. We know where the enigmatic and morally ambiguous hero's journey will lead and end, but it's no less powerful for that familiarity. In fact, if you hold to author Joseph Campbell's writings, it's because of that familiarity - a centuries long narrative blueprint embedded in our culture and civilization - that it has such power. Told in almost purely cinematic terms by Director Sergio Leone, the "Fistful" myth embeds itself in one's memory at the same time that it resonates with something much deeper.
Video Quality: 3.5/5
The film is accurately framed at 2.35:1 and presented in 1080p with the AVC codec. Though showing some degree of white "sparkle" throughout, the image is otherwise free of major blemishes. Contrast is inconsistent, but its varying quality seems tied to production limitations (e.g. the day-for-night scenes weren't done particularly well and look especially drab). Blacks are similarly limited, making even daylight scenes look a little flat. Sharpness is consistent, however, and detail is decent, though heavy grain inherently affects the rendering of fine textures. Though there are some mild edge halos during high contrast scenes, there are no signs of excessive noise or grain reduction measures. While it's understandable to have hoped for a nicer presentation of this seminal film, the limitations of the image suit the film's low budget origins, if not seem true to the source.
Audio Quality: 3/5
The 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track makes minimal use of the surround channels and has a moderately wide soundstage in the front. Voices can sound a little edgy at times, but otherwise seem reasonably clear and detailed. LFE is absent, but the track has decent dynamic range and depth throughout. Seeming true to the source material, there's nothing remarkable about the track, but also not much to complain about.
Special Features: 4/5
The set of extras carries over items from the 2007 DVD release and adds a couple new ones featuring Leone biographer Christopher Frayling.
Commentary by Christopher Frayling: Though some might complain about his tendency towards scene description, it often serves as a lead up to a point or insightful observation and Frayling is a veritable font of information about the production and Leone himself.
The Christopher Frayling Archives (18:40, HD): Frayling shows off his impressive collection of posters and other marketing materials from the film's European release.
A New Kind of Hero (22:54, SD): Produced in 2005, a slightly younger looking Frayling talks about the film's production background, offers some analysis, and discusses the technical components of Leone's filmmaking. Much of the material is covered in the new commentary track, but "A New Kind of Hero" offers a quick and dirty overview for those who don't have the time for it.
A Few Weeks in Spain (8:33, SD) Culled from 2003 interviews (much of which was used for the documentaries on the DVD release of "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly"), Eastwood talks about how he became involved in the film and his experiences during production.
Tre Voci (11:12, SD): Three of Leone's friends - Producer Alberto Grimaldi, Screenwriter Sergio Donati, and actor Mickey Knox - talk about working with Leone and their part in making Spaghetti Westerns.
Not Ready for Prime Time (6:20, SD): When the film premiered on TV in 1977, standards and practices required a moral justification for the main character's actions. Consequently a prologue was shot to provide that bit of morality. Monte Hellman, the director who was hired to shoot the piece, talks about the experience, including how he cast actor Harry Dean Stanton in the lead role.
The Network Prologue (7:44, SD): The full version of the prologue and the interesting story behind how collector Howard Fridkin managed to record it.
Location Comparison: Then to Now (5:22, SD): Compares archival stills and clips from the film to video shot in 2004 at the original location, Almeria, Spain.
10 Radio Spots (6:00): Presented in 224 kbps Dolby Digital stereo.
Double Bill Trailer (2:03, SD): For "A Fistful of Dollars" and "For A Few Dollars More."
Theatrical Trailer (2:26, HD)
Recap
The Feature: 4/5
Video Quality: 3.5/5
Audio Quality: 3/5
Special Features: 4/5
Overall Score (not an average): 4/5
MGM turns in a respectable presentation of the seminal "Man with No Name" film, seeming true to the source material in both sound and picture. Extras include material from the previous DVD release as well as a couple worthwhile additions.
For A Few Dollars More
Year: 1965
Rating: R
Running Time: 2:12:00
THE FEATURE | SPECIAL FEATURES | |
Video | 1080p high definition 16x9 2.35:1 | Standard and high definition |
Audio | DTS-HD Master Audio: English 5.1 / Dolby Digital: English Mono, Spanish Mono | Stereo |
Subtitles | English SDH, Spanish | Variable |
The Feature: 4.5/5
Two bounty hunters vie for the reward money from the dead-or-alive capture of psychopathic miscreant Indio (Gian Maria Volonté) and his gang. Though the nameless hunter (Clint Eastwood) has purely monetary ambitions, Colonel Mortimer (Lee Van Cleef) has more personal motivations, and a common memento from his and Indio's past hints at the enormity of their connection.
"For A Few Dollars More" shifts from mythic tones of "A Fistful of Dollars" and becomes operatic, aided in large part by Ennio Morricone's beautiful film score but also upping the ante in story and character development. Eastwood's nameless one remains an enigma, but has a looseness about him that exudes a different, more relaxed, confidence. More intriguing, however, is Mortimer, depicted with steely intensity by Van Cleef. Though his back story and connection to the villain only gets revealed in the final moments of the film, it's a testament to the value of having a sympathetic character for the audience to latch onto, even if it's just a simple tale of retribution. Even more significant, however, is the relationship between the two men - that there is a relationship at all - a master-student dynamic that makes the film notably different from the others in the trilogy. Though each film has its distinctive themes, this is the only one where the Man with No Name forges something deeper with another person. It ultimately makes the film the most poignant -- and my favorite -- of the three.
Video Quality: 3.5/5
The film is accurately framed at 2.35:1 and presented in 1080p with the AVC codec. The increased production budget shows with an improved overall look to the image. Blacks are deeper and contrast more consistent, though the picture is still subject to occasional edge halos and has a general noisiness that some may find off-putting. It's the latter that had me wondering if the image was over-sharpened, but ultimately it was hard to decide whether I was seeing natural film grain or a byproduct of the transfer process. Nevertheless, most will find the picture quality superior to the first film's and most likely the third's, generally looking the most film-like of the trilogy.
Audio Quality: 3/5
The 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track makes more aggressive use of the surround channels compared to the previous installment, but comes off as a bit over-manipulated or blunt in its execution. Specifically, directional pans and placement of dialogue after perspective shifts can sound jarring, and ultimately kind of gimmicky. Consequently some viewers may prefer the mono track, even though it's in the lossy Dolby Digital format. However the lossless track exhibits greater dynamic range, detail and clarity, ultimately making it the more satisfying of the options.
Special Features: 4/5
The set of extras carries over items from the 2007 DVD release and adds a couple new ones featuring Leone biographer Christopher Frayling.
Commentary by Christopher Frayling: Though some might complain about his tendency towards scene description, it often serves as a lead up to a point or insightful observation and Frayling is a veritable font of information about the production and Leone himself.
The Christopher Frayling Archives (19:02, HD): Frayling shows off his impressive collection of posters and other marketing materials from the film's European release.
A New Standard (22:54, SD): Produced in 2005, a slightly younger looking Frayling talks about the film's production background, offers some analysis, and discusses the technical components of Leone's filmmaking. Much of the material is covered in the new commentary track, but "A New Standard" offers a quick and dirty overview for those who don't have the time for it.
Back for More (7:08, SD) Culled from 2003 interviews (much of which was used for the documentaries on the DVD release of "The Good the Bad and the Ugly"), Eastwood shares mores experiences from production.
Tre Voci (11:05, SD): Three of Leone's friends - Producer Alberto Grimaldi, Screenwriter Sergio Donati, and actor Mickey Knox - talk about working with Leone and their part in making Spaghetti Westerns.
The Original American Release Version (5:18, SD): Includes three scenes trimmed by United Artists for the North American release. The first reveals that Eastwood's character did have a name, the second is an extended version of Indio's maniacal laughing episode, and the the third an extended version of the fireside beating scene.
Location Comparison: Then to Now (12:16, SD): Compares archival stills and clips from the film to video shot in 2004 at the original production locations.
12 Radio Spots (7:36): Presented in 224 kbps Dolby Digital stereo.
Theatrical Trailer 1 (2:29, HD)
Theatrical Trailer 2 (3:44, HD)
Recap
The Feature: 4.5/5
Video Quality: 3.5/5
Audio Quality: 3/5
Special Features: 4/5
Overall Score (not an average): 4.5/5
MGM turns in another respectable presentation of the second "Man with No Name" film, and one some will find the most film-like in appearance. Extras include material from the previous DVD release as well as a couple worthwhile additions.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Year: 1966
Rating: NR
Running Time: 2:59:00
THE FEATURE | SPECIAL FEATURES | |
Video | 1080p high definition 16x9 2.35:1 | Standard and high definition |
Audio | DTS-HD Master Audio: English 5.1 / Dolby Digital: English Mono, Original Italian Mono, French 5.1, Spanish 5.1, Portuguese 5.1 / DTS: German 5.1 | Stereo |
Subtitles | English SDH, Spanish, Portuguese, Korean, Chinese, Thai | Variable |
The Feature: 4.5/5
Three men are on the hunt for a fortune in gold and will do anything - even work with each other - to get a piece of it. Angel Eyes (Lee Van Cleef) has been looking for it the longest, but only catches a break when he inadvertently crosses paths with the criminal Tuco (Eli Wallach) and a man without a name (Clint Eastwood), each of whom holds separate clues to finding the treasure. Getting to it would otherwise be simple, but with war ripping apart the country, sometimes the best they can do is to stay alive.
With the Civil War as its backdrop, "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" is significantly more epic in scope compared to the previous films, incorporating hundreds of extras and some grand action set pieces. The narrative is also more complex, with multiple character threads interweaving at different points in the film. Leone handles the increased demands with aplomb; watching the films in sequence its intriguing to see the progressive advancement of both the budget and storytelling. Leone, Morricone and Eastwood are truly at the height of their powers in this final installment, making the film's enduring popularity unsurprising. Though the second film is the most poignant, "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" stands as the most accomplished, leaving no doubt that its legacy will continue as long as there are people to watch it.
Video Quality: 3/5
The film is accurately framed at 2.35:1 and presented in 1080p with the AVC codec. Out on Blu-ray for over a year, most everyone has already heard the bad news about the use of noise reduction on the image. Indeed, detail is often lacking in facial textures and only in the Leone's most extreme close ups do things start to look acceptable. Another indicator is the lack of detail and general haziness in wide shots, scenes that would have been perfect for showing off the format's high resolution capabilities.
DNR issues aside, contrast is good and blacks are suitably deep. Colors - though consisting mostly of earth tones - also show good depth and fidelity. Edge haloing is visible from time to time and there's some sparkle and physical artifacts in the image, but nothing to the point of distraction. Though the noise reduction is an obvious issue in the transfer, some may find it less objectionable than others, especially in light of the transfer's strengths. It's just unfortunate that the overall experience could not be uniformly excellent for everyone.
Audio Quality: 3.5/5
Though sporting a 5.1 mix to give a "bigger sound" to match the scope of its visuals, the track has little in the way of gimmickry. That's not to say there aren't instances when placement of sound effects in the rear channels seems a little unnatural, but those times are fairly infrequent, those channels being used most often for emphasis in the score and general atmosphere. Though some might prefer the mono track, which is available in the lossy Dolby Digital format, the lossless track bests it in dynamic range and overall detail, qualities that become more appreciated in the latter part of the film when characters are dodging cannon fire or when Morricone's score soars to operatic heights.
Special Features: 4/5
The set of extras carries over items from the 2007 DVD release and adds a commentary featuring Leone biographer Christopher Frayling. Since the disc is merely a re-packaging of last year's Blu-ray release, there isn't anything truly new to the package.
Commentary by Richard Schickel: Multiple reviewers (including our own Matt Hough) have pointed out the deadly dull qualities of Schickel's commentary, due mostly to his voice. I didn't sample this one myself, but given the option I would choose Frayling's engaging commentary first.
Commentary by Christopher Frayling: Though some might complain about his tendency towards scene description, it often serves as a lead up to a point or insightful observation and Frayling is a veritable font of information about the production and Leone himself.
Leone's West (19:55, SD): Provides background on the film's production, and includes interviews with Eastwood and Wallach, among others. Much of the Eastwood interview material was re-purposed for the previous two films' special features.
Leone's Style (23:48, SD): Describes the signature components of the director's filmmaking methods.
The Man Who Lost the Civil War (14:24, SD) Recounts a pivotal battle in the Sibley Campaign, which took place in the same area as depicted in the film.
Reconstructing the Good, the Bad and the Ugly (11:09, SD): Describes the effort to restore the film to the original cut that first premiered in Italy.
Il Maestro: Ennio Morricone and the Good, the Bad and the Ugly Part One (7:48, SD): Music professor and writer for Daily Variety Jon Burlingame talks about Morricone's career, techniques and approach to composition.
Il Maestro: Ennio Morricone and the Good, the Bad and the Ugly Part Two (12:26, SD): Burlingame talks about musical themes used in key scenes in this standalone audio commentary. Though interesting, it would have been better if samples from the score were included for reference.
Deleted Scenes (10:49, SD): Includes an extended version of the Tuco torture scene, which was deemed too problematic to re-incorporate into the film, and a scene reconstruction (using stills and text), where Tuco begins his search for Blondie in the town of Socorro.
Original Theatrical Trailer (3:21, HD)
French Theatrical Trailer 2 (3:44, HD)
Recap
The Feature: 4.5/5
Video Quality: 3/5
Audio Quality: 3.5/5
Special Features: 4/5
Overall Score (not an average): 4/5
Though DNR issues are known to bother some more than others, it's disappointing that it exists at all for the most popular film in the "Man with No Name" trilogy. While the image is certainly watchable, that's not the highest of compliments either. The film ultimately deserves better, but given limited time and budgets, the transfer it should have will not be forthcoming for some time to come (if at all). Though it's disappointing, ultimately I wouldn't let it be the deciding factor in whether to add the trilogy to your collection, since I would rather enjoy the films in their limited form than not have them at all. But of course that comes with the usual "your mileage may vary" qualifier.