UHD Review A Few Words About A few words about...™ - Once Upon a Time in the West -- in 4k UHD (2 Viewers)

[mskaye]

FYI: Vista Theater Hollywood A gorgeous 35mm print of Sergio Leone's ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST (1968) opens this Friday, May 17th, for a special week-long run! https://www.vistatheaterhollywood.com/

I am headed to LA and plan to see this !

 

[Wayne Klein]

The film is really just a homage to a genre and never intended to be more. Leone never even wanted to make another western; to make " Once upon a time in America " he had to make two more westerns for Paramount. With that said he gives us a beautiful film that highlights one of the defining genres of film. The 4k version on vudu looks really good with HDR.

I’d also point out that it plays with the tropes of the genre to a degree as well and inverts some of them. I don’t think it has any more of a slim storyline than other Leone movies. It’s what does in telling the story as much as the story itself in these instances. The characters are, largely, complex As well and that features into the story. Leone wanted to an epic western. That’s what he did. I agree with much of what you wrote here but disagree with the guy you were responding to.

 

[mskaye]

I’d also point out that it plays with the tropes of the genre to a degree as well and inverts some of them. I don’t think it has any more of a slim storyline than other Leone movies. It’s what does in telling the story as much as the story itself in these instances. The characters are, largely, complex As well and that features into the story. Leone wanted to an epic western. That’s what he did. I agree with much of what you wrote here but disagree with the guy you were responding to.

He's not only playing with the basic "tropes of the genre" in ONCE. More importantly, in ONCE he's now playing with the tropes of the Sergio Leone approach to the genre. I think that accounts for a lot of what makes it special.

 

[Wayne Klein]

He's not only playing with the basic "tropes of the genre" in ONCE. More importantly, in ONCE he's now playing with the tropes of the Sergio Leone approach to the genre. I think that accounts for a lot of what makes it special.

Indeed. He did much the same thing with “Duck You Sucker” but it’s much more effective here. Perhaps that’s because Leone didn’t originally intend to direct “Sucker”.

 

[Robert Harris]

I am headed to LA and plan to see this !

What precisely is “this?“ An original dye transfer print. Or a new dupe derived 35?

 

[Stephen_J_H]

What precisely is “this?“ An original dye transfer print. Or a new dupe derived 35?

Enquiring minds want to know.

 

[Jonathan Perregaux]

I have my copy in hand. I look forward to watching this with the interpretation of Harmonica possibly being a "pseudo-ghost" and see how that hangs.

 

[Kevin Antonio (Kev)]

I’d also point out that it plays with the tropes of the genre to a degree as well and inverts some of them. I don’t think it has any more of a slim storyline than other Leone movies. It’s what does in telling the story as much as the story itself in these instances. The characters are, largely, complex As well and that features into the story. Leone wanted to an epic western. That’s what he did. I agree with much of what you wrote here but disagree with the guy you were responding to.

There is a deeper story in the story but Leone chose to go the route of style over substance for most of the film but some of the subplots could have been there own film. The precursor to frank and Harmonica dueling is the basis for how men like them ended up the way they were or would be after the west is won. And in one scene we practically understand both sides with about a page or two of dialouge

Frank: Morton told me one time I could never be a business man like himself. Now I see why.. I'm just a man

Harmonica: a ancient race..... other Mortons will come along and kill it off

Frank: it does matter to us though. Not the money, the land, or the women. I'm here to see you....

Anybody else would have devoted a lot of time to showing the viewer what was explicitly stated in a few sentences.

 

[Dave H]

Are you using a ATV4K unit? You can use the Fandango at Home app that will playback on iTunes/Apple TV+.

I recently bought Apple TV - haven't hooked it up.

What is the best way for me to watch (rent) the 4K stream of the film? I have not done a lot of streaming.

 

[Sultanofcinema]

I was very lucky to have rented the uncut 16MM print back in 1981 from Films Inc for a whopping 32.50. I still have that rental catalogue and their print was available flat or scope. Print was a stunner and loved the full version of the film. I have heard that they struck 3 16mm prints and I was very happy to have it for several days, running it many times.

 

[Peter Neski]

This disc is great,but yet another Paramount disc with no resume play

 

[Doug Wallen]

Received my copy Tuesday from Amazon and I intended to wait until the weekend to view. I wanted to sample the opening, big mistake. I was pulled into the story by the stunning look of this disc.

One of my favorite westerns. Glad to have this one on my shelves.

 

[Robert Crawford]

My 4K/UHD is supposed to be delivered today. I'm looking forward to watching the movie in its entirety again. Once that's done, I'll try some comparisons to the Vudu 4K digital which I thought looked great on my OLEDs.

Well my copy made it to my city but was an hour late to be delivered today.

UPS early delivered my 4K/UHD this morning, so I'll see you guys later in the day.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I recently bought Apple TV - haven't hooked it up.

What is the best way for me to watch (rent) the 4K stream of the film? I have not done a lot of streaming.

If you have an ATV4K unit then you can rent it for $3.99 from Apple TV+. You can also purchase it from Apple TV+. It doesn't work that way when using the following apps on your ATV4K unit. The Vudu/Fandango at Home app is the same as the Movies Anywhere app in which you can't purchase or rent any movies using that app on your ATV4K unit. However, you could watch the movies on those apps if you already purchased them.

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

I was very lucky to have rented the uncut 16MM print back in 1981 from Films Inc for a whopping 32.50. I still have that rental catalogue and their print was available flat or scope. Print was a stunner and loved the full version of the film. I have heard that they struck 3 16mm prints and I was very happy to have it for several days, running it many times.

If I remember it correctly, didn't they first send a flat print of the short version?

 

[Grubert]

I was very lucky to have rented the uncut 16MM print back in 1981 from Films Inc for a whopping 32.50. I still have that rental catalogue and their print was available flat or scope. Print was a stunner and loved the full version of the film. I have heard that they struck 3 16mm prints and I was very happy to have it for several days, running it many times.

Do you remember if that Rising scene was in this full version?

 

[SwatDB]

Image – 10 (Dolby Vision)

I am under the Impression that this release has grown a considerable amount of criticism, Thanks to Paramount's 4K remastering...

 

[Robert Crawford]

I am under the Impression that this release has grown a considerable amount of criticism, Thanks to Paramount's 4K remastering...

A vocal minority. Most people that actually watched the 4K/UHD have a positive opinion about it even with a few reservations.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

I am under the Impression that this release has grown a considerable amount of criticism, Thanks to Paramount's 4K remastering...

It's not the remaster that's in issue; it's the compression and encoding. There are those who think a BD100 should have been used instead of a BD66, relying on the larger Kaleidescape file to support that argument.

 

[Sultanofcinema]

If I remember it correctly, didn't they first send a flat print of the short version?

That's correct Pete. As soon as I got the print, I unspooled the first reel and saw flat frames. Sent it back and Films Inc responded with our uncut version, which contained the correct ending and the "rising scene".