ZORRO (1974) with Alain Delon (1 Viewer)

I've seen this foreign Zorro film out in various budget DVD editions. Different running times are given.

Has anyone seen it?
Is there a definitive edition in the correct aspect ratio and at the proper length?

I'm not familiar with any of the DVDs so I can't answer your question.

I did see the movie, however, during its US theatrical release in the summer of (I think) 1976. It was on a double bill with another G-rated picture that I cannot remember anything about. I was a child at the time, and although I haven't seen "Zorro" in the thirty years since, I still can't get that blasted theme song out of my head.

My memory of the movie is that it was fun, colorful and energetic. It was one of the last films that Stanley Baker made before his death from cancer.

Now that I think about it, I believe the film was projected at 1.85:1. Since it's a European film, it may have been shot at 1.66:1 though. Don't know the running time, but it carried a G rating from the MPAA, and may have been trimmed for violence.

Alain Delon made ZORRO for his young son, and I understand that it was quite unlike any of his other films (LE SAMOURAI, PURPLE NOON), but I'd love to see his other films out on dvd. Kino released three of his films (from something called "The Alain Delon Collection") last years and I e-mailed them last year asking them if they'd release any more (e.g., THE SICILLIAN CLAN, BORSOLINO) and their response wasn't too encouraging.
Delon was/is a fascinating guy, who was involved in a sex-drugs-political-gangster-murder scandal in 1968. There is remarkably little info about it even on the internet. I was reminded about it when I saw -- of all things -- "The Dick Cavett Show: Rock Icons" dvd (Disc 3, August 11, 1970). Delon's cologne ("Le SAmourai") is pretty good, but I'd love to see more of his stuff on dvd.

Bump after a year has passed.

Does anyone know the answer to my questions?

Last year, the uncut version was finally released by MGM in France (R2/PAL) but for some reason in full screen rather than the OAR.

Since I can't find proper specs from this movie, can you tell how many editions are out there and the difference between them? How's the AR? Any cuts? How's the image?

I was able to find a video on the internet with only Italian track and the lenght was 125 min. The image was pretty good, and was widescreen with AR similar to 1.85:1, as you can see from the image bellow:



(Don't mind the lack of colors, it's from the capture).

I was hoping to purchase the R1 edition but with the following conditions:

- OAR (no foolscreen, please!);
- No speedup;
- No cuts, which means the same 125 minutes above.
- IMDB says the movie tracks were both english and italian. Can someone explain that?

Notes:
The only review I was able to find until now:
Zorro (1974)

Some IMDB comments:

What about The Black Tulip? Is was promoted as being 'In Cinerama' in the UK - The Black Tulip . 70mm Cinerama I know but, a widescreen version would be nice.

The only edition I know of is here

La tulipe noire (Collector): Amazon.fr: Alain Delon, Virna Lisi, Francis Blanche, Christian-Jaque: DVD

it says in CinemaScope, no indication of English subtitles.

This European version of Zorro might be a good film, an interesting film, but it's hard to tell from the butchered version released in the USA. It's one of those frustrating titles that doesn't seem to have a decent DVD release.

I'm not sure, but I think the poster is referring to MGM's French edition:

ZORRO: Amazon.fr: Alain Delon, Stanley Baker, Ottavia Piccolo, Duccio Tessari: DVD

Amazon.france rarely indicates if a DVD is widescreen or if it has an English language / subtitle option, and sometimes when it does indicate such, the information is wrong. The only way to find out definitively is to spend your money. I'll probably take a risk and buy the DVD one of these days soon.

Maybe it was only released there?

I have widescreen version, 125 min. copy of movie in avi format. Really good quality and matching Eng. subtitles. Unfortunatelly audio is in Italian.
I think that it could be a rip of Japanese DVD version of the movie. I believe, W/S version with 120+ min. running time was published only in Japan.
YESASIA is selling Japanese DVD of Zorro (3w.yesasia.com). Info on the page doesn't say much about format, running time... I'll try to get more specs over the e-mail.


English繁體中文简体中文日本語한국어
Product Title: ZORRO Digitally Remastered (Japan Version) 黑俠梭羅 Digitally Remastered (日本版) ZORRO Digitally Remastered (Japan Version) アラン・ドロンのゾロ （生産完了） ZORRO Digitally Remastered (Japan Version) Artist Name(s): Alain Delon 阿倫狄龍 阿伦狄龙 アラン・ドロン | スタンリー・ベイカー | オッタヴィア・ピッコロ | ジャンカルロ・アルベルティーニ Alain Delon Director: ドゥッチオ・テッサリ Release Date: 2005-10-22
Publisher Product Code: KKDS-259
Country of Origin: Japan, France, Italy
Disc Format(s): DVD Region Code: 2 - Japan, Europe, South Africa, Greenland and the Middle East (including Egypt) What is it? Publisher: Imagica Entertainment
Shipment Unit: 1 What is it? YesAsia Catalog No.: 1004060184

I have been trying for years to get an un-seided version of what I think is a great "Zorro" movie. I just do not understand what possesed them to cut it..Anyway, I see various indications that an unedited version is available from Amazon.com R2..If anyone has the details on how to order it I would appreciate it..When you get to the site, it is written in French or something, and I have no idea what is there, or what to order..Thanks everyone. Merry Christmas. Dan

Just buy it from amazonFrance using the one-click Buy It Now settings and it will arrive: http://www.amazon.fr/Zorro-Alain-Delon/dp/B003LT2LGI/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1323705495&sr=1-1 Sign in to your American amazon page and then duplicate that when go to the French page. It will know you. Evidently the uncut version is available in most European countries. Spain and France made a number of Zorro movies in the 1950s and 1960s. So did Mexico. I think the first Mexican Zorro was in 1941, It would be fun to see them in region 1 / A. Martin Campbell's recent Zorro films, with their overblown budgets, bad history and politically corrected characters are the most obtuse and the least interesting Zorro films ever made. I wish he'd kept his hands off the franchise.

Running time of the French DVD is 118 minutes - does that take into account the PAL speed-up of a film transfered at 25fps rather than 24fps or is it edited?

DeWilson said:

Running time of the French DVD is 118 minutes - does that take into account the PAL speed-up of a film transfered at 25fps rather than 24fps or is it edited?

Click to expand...

Just add 4% to the PAL time. So 118min. at PAL's 25fps equals about 123 minutes at 24fps.

klasika, mnogo dobar film, naistina e strahoten, shte e super da go gledame na DVD

Petyr:


Any chance you know English? Welcome to the forum!