The GREAT SILENCE (1968) DVD (1 Viewer)

Jim_K · Nov 23, 2003

I wanted to pick up The Great Silence on DVD & just my luck it's OOP. :frowning:

Is the Fantoma/Image release worth seeking out?

Any word on a reissue?

There's also a much cheaper Brazilian release (I'm assuming it's not a boot) floating around. If anyone's seen it how is the A/V quality?

any help would be great

Bob Graham · Nov 23, 2003

The Fantoma/Image release is ok, but it's not anamorphic and the supplements (such as they are) are unexciting. I would definitely rebuy if a new edition is announced.

Alistair_M · Nov 24, 2003

Over at dvdsoon.com they have a re-issue due on 3 feb 2004.
I notice the price is more agreeable than before - only approx 22 canadian dollars (£10.10)

John Hodson · Nov 24, 2003

I believe there's a superb French release...but no English track or subtitles.

Deepdiscount have it out as a January 2004 re-release, at $14.98, now distributed by Rykodisc here .

---
So many films, so little time...

Jim_K · Nov 24, 2003

Thanks John

Never heard of Rykodisc. I'm not up for shelling out the big bucks for the Fantoma release so I think I'll hold out and see how this re-release pans out.

thanks to all for the feedback

WillardK · Nov 24, 2003

Some new deal must have been struck between Rykodisc and Fantoma. It looks like a number of back catalog items are being reissued at reduced prices and newer issues are being offered for even less. I just received a new installment of Educational Archives. Other than the lower price it bears the same cover/label/markings of the previous releases in the series. Hopefully this also means they will speed up production (and finally give us the Fassbinder and Anger sets).

Their revamped website is supposed to be unveiled by the end of the month.

Mark Zimmer · Nov 25, 2003

Yes, fantoma just changed distributors from Image to Rykodisc, as did Blue Underground.

My review of Great Silence is up at dOc:

http://www.digitallyobsessed.com/sho...w.php3?ID=1764

It's nonanamorphic 1.66:1 but it's not bad at all, considering.

MarcoBiscotti · Apr 14, 2005

Any updates on the DVD status of this film?

Was the previous OOP release an anamorphic transfer or is the the Fantoma version the exact same as the Ryko rerelease (I suspect it is).

Also, can anyone please confirm if the DVD is packaged in a snapper or keepcase?

The current Ryko edition is selling pretty high at most online retailers, ~ $17+ US and I was just wondering if there was a good chance of a newer updated edition coming out anytime soon.

PS - Was there also an Image release of this movie, I thought I saw it listed on Amazon. If so, how do the transfers compare, if at all?

Thanks!

Jim_K · Apr 14, 2005

I assumed they were the same. Don't own the original OOP so I can't confirm or help.

But I can confirm that the Ryko disc I bought came in a keepcase.

Anthony Thorne · Apr 14, 2005

There's a UK release of it too. Still non-anamorphic, but DVDTimes (I think) compares the US and UK discs and says that the UK has ever-so-slightly better picture quality.

Damin J Toell · Apr 14, 2005

Fantoma simply changed distributors, so the identical disc is now distributed by Ryko.

DJ

MarcoBiscotti · Apr 14, 2005

Merci!

Gordon McMurphy · Apr 14, 2005

DVD Beaver: Fantoma R1 vs. Kinowelt German R2

The UK edition contains the Italian track and English subtitles.

The French edition is anamorphic, but it only contains French and Italian audio and French subs.

Excellent, unconventional Western - essential for fans. I have the Fantoma edition, which is well worth owning until a full SE comes out, although that could be a long wait.

MarcoBiscotti · Apr 14, 2005

Thanks for those review links, I can't believe Fantoma wouldn't have included the original Italian mono track!

I generally don't mind optional English dubbed soundtracks on foreign film releases but not having the choice of the original language soundtrack is a huge washout. I'm gonna pass and wait for something better to hopefully surface in the future. Unless the Italian mono track with optional English subs is offered along with the English dub track, I'm really not interested. Too bad this great film can't find it's way into a more able studio who might offer a proper anamorphic remastering complete with extras, commentary and original audio tracks. BU should try and license this.

Gordon McMurphy · Apr 15, 2005

Marco, you misunderstand: The Great Silence wasn't 'shot' in any particular language. During takes, Kinski would have speaking his lines in German (or perhaps English; could he speak Italian in 1968?), Frank Wolff could speak Italian, however. Still, I'd love to hear the Italian track.

Wolff was a great actor, but he sadly he killed himself in the Hilton Hotel in Rome in 1971. Time of Vultures (1967), a practically unknown and vastly underrated Western, features an extraordinary performance by Wolff; I really want to see it again - a DVD is badly needed. Death Occurred Last Night (1970) a brilliant kidnap-thriller, has also been grossly overlooked over the years and, once again, Wolff delivers a memorable performance.

Mark Zimmer · Apr 15, 2005

That's pretty typical of Italian films of the period, especially with international stars like Kinski. The on-set languages would be whatever the stars spoke, and if it was recorded at all, it would generally only be used as a reference track for the dubbing. The Italian track would be just as inauthentic as the English one, frankly. Having the stars available to dub in any language was a pretty hit-or-miss affair. Tim Lucas has written extensively about this in Video Watchdog.

Anthony Thorne · Apr 15, 2005

I remember enjoying the Italian-dubbed variant when it screened (subtitled) on SBS TV down here. I haven't seen TIME OF VULTURES but will seek it out now - I'm working on a small booklet about spaghetti westerns and want to cover some of the more obscure ones. I've always liked Wolff's performances and was saddened to read that he passed away under those circumstances just a couple of weeks before I was born. Eurocult actor Brett Halsey (he's in some Fulci movies and I think also GODFATHER III) wrote a novel that purportedly covers Wolff, his death and the life he and other actors led down in Rome throughout that period - the names are changed but some folks on the Spaghetti Western Web Board found it of interest.

Home Theater

Entertainment & Streaming Content

Physical Media

Home Theater Equipment and Hardware

Other Diversions

Bargains and Classifieds

Home Theater Forum

Archives

The GREAT SILENCE (1968) DVD (1 Viewer)

Supporting Actor

Second Unit

Second Unit

Supporting Actor

Supporting Actor

Similar threads

Users who are viewing this thread

Sign up for our newsletter

and receive essential news, curated deals, and much more

Similar Threads

Forum statistics