New details on Paramount’s forthcoming ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST DVD. (1 Viewer)

[Anthony Thorne]

Tantalizing new details have just surfaced about Paramount's forthcoming Region 1 DVD of Sergio Leone's ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST, care of Alex Cox's regular online column at BBC.co.uk. (Cox has been interviewed for the disc and seems aware of at least some of the supplemental features planned for the final release).

The disc - featuring a near three hour cut of the film - will include a newly recorded commentary track with a wide range of participants. Alex Cox, Christopher Frayling, Claudia Cardinale, Gabriele Ferzetti, Bernardo Bertolucci and Dario Argento are confirmed, with others possible. Additionally, the disc should also have newly shot interview footage with many of the above, possibly as part of a new retrospective documentary. (Cox's description of his videotaped interview - in a Soho bar made up to appear as a western saloon - seems too elaborate not to be part of something pleasantly larger). Cox adds that sections of his commentary have been specifically recorded for "scenes which were deleted from the US and UK versions of the film", though whether these are included in the final cut is unclear.

Cox also offers kind words to Paramount for allowing and supporting the creation of these new supplements, and confirms that they are definitely for the forthcoming Region 1 edition of the movie. The full article can be found at the link below:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2003/03/0..._article.shtml

 

[Christian Preischl]

Oh, I'm sooo intrigued!! Thanks for this excellent update.

Chris

 

[Jon Sheedy]

Man....this could turn out to be fantastic and I'm really looking forward to the final product!

Jon

 

[robert galasek]

This sounds fantastic. I saw Alex Cox discuss Leone with Christopher Frayling at the NFT Leone retrospective in London in 2000 and it was terrific.
Last night I watched part of the recent Italian (region 2) 2.35:1 16x9 re-issue of WEST and it looks beautiful. Unfortunately this version has only Italian audio (mono and 5.1) but I assume this re-master will be used for the new US/UK DVD release.
ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST, "an opera in which the arias are not sung, they are stared".

 

[Simon_Lepine]

Thanks for the update..can't wait for this release, this gotta be my most wanted DVD, I remember taping the movie and watching it over and over as a kid

 

[rbirk]

This is my number one unreleased movie. All I have is a P&S VHS. So looking forward to this release and this looks exciting indeed.

 

[oscar_merkx]

wow is all I can say. Bring it on

 

[Steve Christou]

*harmonica plays* Great western, great movie, bring it on I say!
*continues playing tuneless harmonica sounds*

 

[Paul J Anderson]

oh baby, i can't wait for this one! Henry Fonda is so deliciously evil in this film.


people scare easier when they're dying

 

[Jim Rykel]

OMG!!! This is the best DVD news I've heard in quite a while. OUATITW is probably my favorite movie of all time.

Alex Cox's involvement is great news as well. I just picked up The Great Silence and he has an interview on the disc as well as commentary on the alternate "happy ending" Great stuff!

"How can you trust a man who can't even trust his own pants?"

 

[Steve Christou]

*continues playing annoying harmonica sounds* Bit of trivia... Leone originally wanted Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef and Eli Wallach to play the 3 waiting gunmen during the opening credits of OUATIERTQWERTY the three stars of his previous western epic, but it was not to be *harmonica hits sudden dissonant note* oh yeah the opening credits were the longest upto that time 12mins! *inharmonious harmonica continues playing* ... *irate neighbor banging on wall*

 

[oscar_merkx]

okay folks

here is the best news I could find.

http://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/ASI...286169-8779263

releasedate may 8, 2003

downside is German language only

Euro 19,99

 

[Christian R]

It's more than probably that the German DVD will have an English track as well (If it's Paramount - and I think it is - it will). The info on Amazon.de is sketchy at best - so keep you eyes on further news regarding the German release if you can't wait for the R1/UK R2.

 

[Christian Preischl]

Christian,

You're 100% right. The DVD hasn't even been officially announcend in Germany, so I don't know where exactly amazon.de have their info from. To be honest, I don't think the film will be released in May (remember, they also had Simpsons Season 3 down for a February release, now it says September). And regarding the language track: It's standard Amazon.de practice to only write "German" when they have no details about the release.

Chris

 

[oscar_merkx]

Let's hope the producers also asked Charles Bronson to be involved in the documentary

Play has done the same with Once Upon a Time in America dvd in the UK as no official announcement has been made either

 

[oscar_merkx]

from http://www.dvdsoon.com/showtitledetails.xml?uid=48571 comes the news that the possible release date is november 18

 

[Randy Korstick]

Only one word for this:

"Gimme"

 

[rbirk]

If this is true, I guess xmas will be early this year with this and LOTR:TTT in Novemeber.

Ron

 

[LarryDavenport]

Now if we can get MGM/UA to release the deluxe Good, Bad, & Ugly (I totally forgot to watch it on AMC).

 

[Mark Edward Heuck]

MGM's restored THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY has not yet aired, Larry. You're fine. It's not scheduled until late April or May. It will be playing theatrically beginning in June.

It is a safe bet that something has been changed in this upcoming DVD of OUATITW. The film has just been re-rated PG-13 by the MPAA, and that means that Paramount resubmitted the film, a good sign that editing changes have taken place. And seeing how the film had been carrying a PG since the Films Inc reissue of the 165 minute version in the '80's, this could mean long-rumored harsher content.