A Few Words About A few words about...™ Fistful of Dollars -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Scott Merryfield]

I picked up the Kino Fistful of Dollars, quite disappointed in this transfer. Moving on to For a Few Dollars More I see recommendations for good releases but I'm not sure where I can pick one up. Any kind soul point me in the right direction?

tx

I bought the Fistful of Dollars & For a Few Dollars More double feature BD from Amazon's German site. The first film is the Ripley version and looks quite nice, while FAFDM also looked quite good. For under $20 shipped, it's an excellent deal. I'm not even bothering with the Kino releases of these two films.

 

[Osato]

I bought the Fistful of Dollars & For a Few Dollars More double feature BD from Amazon's German site. The first film is the Ripley version and looks quite nice, while FAFDM also looked quite good. For under $20 shipped, it's an excellent deal. I'm not even bothering with the Kino releases of these two films.

It’s too bad that the transfers on these films are so inconsistent.

I’ve held off on purchasing and will continue to do so until possibly a UHd release.

 

[DavidJ]

I bought the Fistful of Dollars & For a Few Dollars More double feature BD from Amazon's German site. The first film is the Ripley version and looks quite nice, while FAFDM also looked quite good. For under $20 shipped, it's an excellent deal. I'm not even bothering with the Kino releases of these two films.

Thanks for the report. I may be doing the same thing.

 

[Robert Harris]

Do none of the colorists working on these films reference approved dye transfer?

This is not brain surgery.

 

[MarkantonyII]

Do none of the colorists working on these films reference approved dye transfer?

This is not brain surgery.

Apparrantly they don't!

I would imagine the situation is compounded by a lack of relevant living creative personnel & questionable quality of elements, with at least 2 of the 3 being independently owned and stored.

I'm also sure I read that the availability of worthwhile reference materials is limited at best. But it does sound as if the team involved in the late 2000's digital restoration of the first two managed to surmount these issues as compared to those doing the 4K.

 

[Robert Harris]

Apparrantly they don't!

I would imagine the situation is compounded by a lack of relevant living creative personnel & questionable quality of elements, with at least 2 of the 3 being independently owned and stored.

I'm also sure I read that the availability of worthwhile reference materials is limited at best. But it does sound as if the team involved in the late 2000's digital restoration of the first two managed to surmount these issues as compared to those doing the 4K.

reference is not a problem.

first try:

https://cinema.library.ucla.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?searchId=15&recCount=50&recPointer=2&bibId=38561

 

[MarkantonyII]

Even less of an excuse then, poor show.

M

 

[Howardsternisbatman]

I bought the Fistful of Dollars & For a Few Dollars More double feature BD from Amazon's German site. The first film is the Ripley version and looks quite nice, while FAFDM also looked quite good. For under $20 shipped, it's an excellent deal. I'm not even bothering with the Kino releases of these two films.

Thank you! years ago I figured this all out for DVD's but for Blu-rays I am not sure...do I need a region free player for the German versions?

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Thank you! years ago I figured this all out for DVD's but for Blu-rays I am not sure...do I need a region free player for the German versions?

The German release is region-free. The disc played fine on my stock Sony X-800 UHD player.

 

[Howardsternisbatman]

The German release is region-free. The disc played fine on my stock Sony X-800 UHD player.

Thank you!

 

[Kyrsten Brad]

I bought the Fistful of Dollars & For a Few Dollars More double feature BD from Amazon's German site. The first film is the Ripley version and looks quite nice, while FAFDM also looked quite good. For under $20 shipped, it's an excellent deal. I'm not even bothering with the Kino releases of these two films.

Wish I’d known about these before I bought the Kino Blus.
Drat, Drat and it’s Double Drat!

 

[Howardsternisbatman]

Just ordered the double feature off Amazon.de... 16 USD shipped! Incredible. Tx again folks.

 

[CRW]

Just ordered the double feature off Amazon.de... 16 USD shipped! Incredible. Tx again folks.

Hello. I've read this thread - some great info, btw - and I'm looking to buy the best versions of Leone's "Man with No Name" blu-ray. If I've read everything correctly the RHV version of FOD is the best, followed by the German version. As for FAFDM, again the German version. Is the German uncut version worth getting or should I stick with the theatrical cut. (And did RHV ever do it's version of FAFDM?) And which edition of GBU is worth getting - other than staying far away from the Kino restorations? I've read the Mondo version while not perfect, is the best of the bunch. Barring getting your hands on an LD copy. Thanks in advance for the advice.

 

[haineshisway]

The Mondo Good, Bad, Ugly is a brown joke and anyone who tells you that is the best knowns NOTHING about these films. I am constantly baffled by all of this stuff. I have almost zero problems with the one everyone hates - the latest (not the Kino, which is horrible), the one everyone says is "soaked in urine yellow" which is ridiculous as a comment. Yes, the "caps" are, but the actual viewing of the disc shows nothing that looks like the caps EVER.

 

[Jordan Krug]

Hello. I've read this thread - some great info, btw - and I'm looking to buy the best versions of Leone's "Man with No Name" blu-ray. If I've read everything correctly the RHV version of FOD is the best, followed by the German version. As for FAFDM, again the German version. Is the German uncut version worth getting or should I stick with the theatrical cut. (And did RHV ever do it's version of FAFDM?) And which edition of GBU is worth getting - other than staying far away from the Kino restorations? I've read the Mondo version while not perfect, is the best of the bunch. Barring getting your hands on an LD copy. Thanks in advance for the advice.

FOD - Italian RHV yes. Harder to find than the German and the difference is not huge...

FAFDM - the only uncut version is the German, but it doesn't use the Eng 1967 mono mix, it uses a mix based off the 1997 MGM restoration which has issues with sync and some music recutting. The new Kino looks great (better than German and Italian blu's) but is still cut by around a minute. The mono option on the Kino is still the 1997 mono mix with the same issues.

GBU - I guess the 2014 MGM? It's only the extended cut (an odd hybrid of both of Leone's approved cuts with an extra scene tossed in) but other than the yellow cast and crushed blacks of the image, it's a very nice transfer. Even though the Kino attempted a U.S./international cut, they referenced a DVD instead of film prints and made mistakes. The Kino color is all over the map as they attempted to fix the yellow cast and black crush but didn't really succeed.

Hope that helps.

 

[CRW]

FOD - Italian RHV yes. Harder to find than the German and the difference is not huge...

FAFDM - the only uncut version is the German, but it doesn't use the Eng 1967 mono mix, it uses a mix based off the 1997 MGM restoration which has issues with sync and some music recutting. The new Kino looks great (better than German and Italian blu's) but is still cut by around a minute. The mono option on the Kino is still the 1997 mono mix with the same issues.

GBU - I guess the 2014 MGM? It's only the extended cut (an odd hybrid of both of Leone's approved cuts with an extra scene tossed in) but other than the yellow cast and crushed blacks of the image, it's a very nice transfer. Even though the Kino attempted a U.S./international cut, they referenced a DVD instead of film prints and made mistakes. The Kino color is all over the map as they attempted to fix the yellow cast and black crush but didn't really succeed.

Hope that helps.

Thank you.

 

[FoxyMulder]

Watched both the German release editions of A Fistful of Dollars and For a Few a Dollars More last night, very pleased with A Fistful of Dollars, less pleased with the sequel which unfortunately contains too much sharpening, edge halos are a pet hate of mine and whenever you have dark outfits, hats set against light backgrounds you can see them in this German release, it also has that ‘edgy unnatural’ look that sharpening brings with when viewed on a bigger projection screen.

I cannot help thinking that if Sony or Warner had the rights to these titles they would have been done right by now.

 

[haineshisway]

Um, try the Kino For a Few Dollars More - you do know that exists, right, and that it's pretty terrific, right?

 

[Osato]

All it takes is a small to moderate budget. Not a huge deal.

“It’s only a matter of going”

As popular as these films are I would think it would happen eventually.

I read that kind was unable to do 4k for the first 2 films. Due to the film elements.

 

[Richard Gallagher]

I just watched the German Blu-ray of Fistful of Dollars and am happy with it. I noticed that Sergio Leone is properly credited (not as "Bob Robertson"), but Ennio Morricone is credited as "Leo Nichols" rather than "Dan Savio." I haven't watched the German BD of FAFDM yet.

My first home video release of Fistful of Dollars was a CBS/Fox VHS or Beta tape (I forget which, I had both players) and the scene where Clint is roughed up by Rojas and his men was missing. I noticed it right away because I had seen the film in a theater in 1967.