Spaghetti Western classic The Big Gundown in October from Grindhouse Releasing! (1 Viewer)

[bujaki]

Richard,
I'd be interested in a list of your favorites and why you favor them over the others in your collection.

 

[Richard--W]

Jose, I have a short stack here of 8 spaghetti westerns I haven't watched yet. When I've done that I'll answer your question.

The Big Gundown (1966) is one of the absolute best. Of that I'm sure.

 

[haineshisway]

So just to be sure - this is the exact same package and transfer as the German Blu-ray, which I own?

 

[Jari K]

Grindhouse has also the US version of the film, audio commentary and probably also some other extras. German release has "only" DD 2.0 mono, so perhaps Grindhouse will add lossless audio (not sure about that).I would say that the Grindhouse release will be the best package for the fans.

 

[Yorkshire]

From this delayed release date (October moved to December), I'm guessing we won't now be seeing The Swimmer until next year.

I don't mind, I can wait.

Steve W

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I watched the U.S. cut of The Big Gundown last night. This was my first time seeing the film. I thought the transfer looked great -- though it had a cleaner look that what I usually envision for this genre. While I wouldn't rank this up there with my favorite Leone Spaghetti westerns, it certainly compares favorably to others I enjoy, such as Django or A Bullet for the General.

So, for those who are familiar with the two cuts of this film, what is added in the international cut, which is about 16 minutes longer? It felt like there were a few gaps in the story with the U.S. cut, so does the international version fill in some of those gaps?

 

[Grubert]

I will never watch again a cut version of TBG, so I don't understand why they release the film on 2 discs and why the uncut version does not contain the English audio.

Actually I watched it the last times in Italian with subs, and that's the best way to watch it.

But even if the uncut version is the preferred one for me, I have to state that TBG suffers from being to long. I don't like this much too long part on the ranch (about 20 min) in the middle of the film cause it hurts the film's rhythm. It distracts too long from the main story.
Unfortunately this ranch part is not one missing in the English version, but maybe it is slightly shortened.

 

[haineshisway]

I will never watch again a cut version of TBG, so I don't understand why they release the film on 2 discs and why the uncut version does not contain the English audio.

Actually I watched it the last times in Italian with subs, and that's the best way to watch it.

But even if the uncut version is the preferred one for me, I have to state that TBG suffers from being to long. I don't like this much too long part on the ranch (about 20 min) in the middle of the film cause it hurts the film's rhythm. It distracts too long from the main story.
Unfortunately this ranch part is not one missing in the English version, but maybe it is slightly shortened.

Not sure why anyone would want to watch this in Italian with English subtitles, as Mr. Van Cleef is an American actor and dubs his own voice - I think Mr. Milian dubs his own, as well, and these films were primarily made for the English market after the Dollars films became such a big hit. And the shorter version in English on this new Blu-ray is such a stellar transfer and so much better than the German Blu in that regard that I can't imagine watching any other transfer at any other length.

 

[Bob Cashill]

The shorter version shortchanges the movie, however; compare/contrast the opening sequence, which does its best to turn the film into a typical shoot-first oater.

 

[haineshisway]

The shorter version shortchanges the movie, however; compare/contrast the opening sequence, which does its best to turn the film into a typical shoot-first oater.

I've seen both versions and I have no problem with the shorter version - it would be lovely to have the longer version in an all-English transfer that looks as good as the short version, but I gather that won't ever happen.

I notice on page on of this thread that Richard W proclaims that this is the exact same package as the German release. Of course, it isn't, not in any way, actually. The transfer here on the short version is fantastic and much better than the German transfer of the long version. The long version here is basically the German transfer but only in Italian with English subtitles. So, if you want that longer version in 90% English then you have to have the German Blu-ray. But I was thrilled with the new transfer of the shorter version and that's really the one I'll watch from now on.

 

[Grubert]

Not sure why anyone would want to watch this in Italian with English subtitles, as Mr. Van Cleef is an American actor and dubs his own voice - I think Mr. Milian dubs his own, as well, and these films were primarily made for the English market after the Dollars films became such a big hit. And the shorter version in English on this new Blu-ray is such a stellar transfer and so much better than the German Blu in that regard that I can't imagine watching any other transfer at any other length.

1. I don't think that longer versions are always better versions, but the uncut version of TBG is a big improvement over the shorter versions. Especially as this long middle part on the ranch (which I don't like) is even more prominent in the cut versions.
But generally I would never watch a cut version if an uncut one is available.

2. English is not my native language and I'm used to watch Italian westerns in Italian with subs.
Nearly all of them were shot without any sound, but still the Italian dub is the original version of all Italian westerns. Also for Once upon a Time in the West.

3. The Italian westerns were mainly made for the Italian market. Comparatively they were much more successful in Europe than in the USA. If the box office figures I have read are correct not even Leone's Dollar trilogy was a big success in the USA. Compared to US westerns of the late 60s it is quite disappointing, at least far from impressive what they earned there. Eastwoods not even half as spectacular Hang 'em High made more money than The Good the Bad the Ugly.
Still the US market was a point for the higher budgeted spaghetti westerns.
On the other hand compared to what UA paid for the worldwide rights (except Italy) for the Dollar trilogy they were highly profitable in the USA alone.

 

[Jari K]

Italian dub is not always the "original version". In most cases they're all dubs (English, Italian, Spanish etc) so it kinda depends on the actors (are they from the US, are they dubbing their own voices, etc).In the case of TBG, it's a bit difficult to ignore the fact that Van Cleef is dubbing his own voice in the US version. Very important in a film like this one.But at the end of the day we should be just happy that both versions are included. No matter what the "original version" is, we have now both.