The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly Coming to 4K UHD in April

Here we go!  The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly is coming to 4k UHD in April by Kino Lorber.  Their 50th anniversary blu-ray was controversial with it wonky colors.  It all comes down to the source material they were provided.  If it is the yellow scan from MGM, I'm not sure how much they can fix it with their "Over 30 Hours of Extensive Shot-by-Shot Color Grading", but we will wait and see!

Updated post 1/23/21 - Discs will be Theatrical Version only now.

Press release below-

Coming April 27th on 4KUHD!

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY (1967)

• Limited Edition O-Card Slipcase (5000)

• Reversible Art

 

4KUHD DISC 1:

• 162-Minute Theatrical Cut (Over 30 Hours of Extensive Shot-by-Shot Color Grading)

• English DTS-HD MA 5.1 Surround / 2.0 Stereo / 2.0 Mono

• Dual-Layered UHD100 Disc

• Optional English Subtitles

 

BLU-RAY DISC 2:

• 162-Minute Theatrical Cut (2017 Color Correction or as Disc 1?)

• Audio Commentary by Film Historian Tim Lucas

• Leone's West: Making of Documentary

• Il Maestro: Ennio Morricone and GBU Featurette Part 1

• Il Maestro: Ennio Morricone and GBU Featurette Part 2

• The Leone Style: On Sergio Leone Featurette

• The Man Who Lost the Civil War: Civil War Documentary

• Reconstruction GBU

• Deleted Scene 1: Extended Tuco Torture scene

• Deleted Scene 2: The Socorro Sequence - A Reconstruction

• Deleted Scene 3: Skeletons in the Desert

• Deleted Scene 4: Extended Torture Scene

• Vignette 1: Uno, Due, Tre

• Vignette 2: Italian Lunch

• Vignette 3: New York Accent

• Vignette 4: Gun in Holster

• Alternate Scene: The Optical Flip

• TRAILERS FROM HELL with Ernest Dickerson

• GBU on the Set – Image Gallery

• Promoting GBU – Image Gallery

• Original U.S. Theatrical Trailer

• Original French Theatrical Trailer

• A Fistful of Dollars – Trailer

• For a Few Dollars More – Trailer 1

• For a Few Dollars More – Trailer 2

• A Fistful of Dollars / For a Few Dollars More – Burning at Both Ends Trailer

• A Fistful of Dollars / For a Few Dollars More – Burning at Both Ends Radio Spot

• English DTS-HD MA 5.1 Surround | 2.0 Mono

• Dual-Layered BD50 Disc

• Optional English Subtitles

 

Color 162 Minutes 2.35:1 Rated R

For three men the Civil War wasn’t hell… it was practice! By far the most ambitious, unflinchingly graphic and stylistically influential western ever made, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is a classic actioner shot through with a volatile mix of myth and realism. Screen legend Clint Eastwood (A Fistful of Dollars) returns as “The Man with No Name,” this time teaming with two gunslingers to pursue a cache of $200,000 and letting no one, not even warring factions in a civil war, stand in their way. From sun-drenched panoramas to bold hard close-ups, exceptional camerawork captures the beauty and cruelty of the barren landscape and the hardened characters who stride unwaveringly through it. Hailed as “the best directed movie of all time” by Quentin Tarantino, this epic masterpiece was directed by the great Sergio Leone (Once Upon a Time in the West) and co-stars Lee Van Cleef (For a Few Dollars More) as Angel Eyes and Eli Wallach (The Magnificent Seven) in the role of Tuco. Music by legendary composer Ennio Morricone (Death Rides a Horse).

 

Podcast: Fred Williamson on Take a Hard Ride

Jim Conlan speaks to iconic actor Fred Williamson to relieve his role as Tyree in the 1975 cult classic western movie "Take a Hard Ride" Jim Conlan hears Fred's memories of the movie and working alongside Jim Brown (Pike), Lee Van Cleef (Kiefer), Catherine Spaak (Catherine), Jim Kelly (Kashtok), and Barry Sullivan (Kane) while filming the movie in Spain.

Fred addresses LVC around the 8 minute mark.

The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly Expanded 3 Disc Soundtrack Available

Quartet Records is releasing a 3 disc expanded edition of Ennio Morricone's legendary soundtrack to The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly!  Description and track list from their website below-

Quartet Records, in collaboration with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Capitol Records and Universal Music Enterprises, is proud to present a mammoth 3-CD expanded edition of Ennio Morricone’s iconic score for the no-less iconic 1966 epic western by Sergio Leone: THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY, starring Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef and Eli Wallach.

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY features what is probably the most instantly recognizable and famous of Morricone’s themes. But there is much more to admire in this score, such as the inventive motifs, formation of thematic material and adroit orchestrations (which the Maestro considered possibly even more important than the act of composition). The composer created his own genre and utilized the recording studio as an instrument in achieving his vision by layering trumpets and varying echo to create a sense of depth.

This score is a kaleidoscope of nature call-and-response symbols, agonized shouts, grunting male chorus, epic wordless female voice, haunting harmonica, spiritual bugling trumpets, tolling chimes, vivid surf-rock Fender guitar, and sounds imitating gunfire. It is stylized yet cinematic. It is avant-garde yet embraces traditional film scoring—with some cues scored reverently for trumpet, harmonica, strings and chorus.

The original 34-minute album has seen countless releases on LP and CD since 1966. An expanded 55-minute CD edition was released in 2001, but it was still far from including all the material that Morricone had conceived for the film. For this new Quartet release we have included all this material thanks to newly discovered original recording sessions vaulted in mono at MGM, which also include a large number of alternates, revised cues and music that was ultimately not included in the film. The original album has been included on Disc 3 for its historical value, although it has been remastered for the first time from the first-generation stereo master tapes.

The entire collection has been painstakingly restored and mastered by Chris Malone. The package includes a richly illustrated 24-page booklet with liner notes by Tim Greiving, who offers a detailed analysis of the film and score, including quotes from an exclusive interview with Clint Eastwood given especially for this release. This album is a loving tribute to the memory and impressive legacy of one of the greatest geniuses in film music history: Maestro Ennio Morricone.

DISC 1. The Film Score

1. Prologo / Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo (titoli) (2:47)

2. Il brutto / Il tramonto (1:21)

3. Morte di Stevens (0:55)

4. Morte di Baker / Il cattivo (0:27)

5. Una taglia sulla testa / Un angelo biondo (0:52)

6. Fuga a cavallo (0:45)

7. Il buono / Il biondo abbandona Tuco nel deserto (0:37)

8. La confessione di Maria (1:14)

9. Il ponte di corde (0:50)

10. Tuco fa la colletta (1:05)

11. Suspense (1:14)

12. I tre desperados / Una cannonata provvindenziale (1:10)

13. Il forte (2:21)

14. All’inseguimento del biondo (2:25)

15. Il deserto (5:16)

16. Il deserto secondo (2:39)

17. Lo stivale (0:59)

18. La carrozza dei fantasmi (2:07)

19. Biondo… non morire! (0:56)

20. La missione di San Antonio / Il mio miglior nemico veglia su di me (2:23)

21. Incontro con Padre Ramirez / Perdonami fratello / Ti aiuterà a difenderti (2:38)

22. Il Canyon dei Morti / Dio è con noi (0:26)

23. Marcetta prima / Marcetta seconda (2:45)

24. Il campo di prigionia di Betterville (1:25)

25. La storia di un soldato (5:34)

26. Un treno per la forca / Partenza del treno militare (1:56)

27. Tuco e Wallace (La storia di un soldato) (3:52)

28. Tuco scappa / Arrivo nella cittadina / Fine di una spia (1:16)

29. Il bandito monco (2:52)

30. Inseguilo! (0:56)

31. Il bagnoschiuma di Tuco (0:46)

32. Due contro cinque / Verso duecentomilla dollari (4:06)

DISC 2. The Film Score (Cont.)

1. Il capitano nordista (3:12)

2. Due assalti al giorno (2:08)

3. Il capitano e’ ferito (1:20)

4. Marcetta senza speranza (1:51)

5. L’ esplosione del ponte (0:48)

6. Morte di un soldato (3:17)

7. L’estasi dell’oro (3:23)

8. In due scaverete più presto! / Il triello (2:50)

9. Il triello seconda parte (2:20)

10. Non e’ uno scherzo, e’una corda / Nella linea del mirino / Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo (0:56)

11. Finale (2:01)

Bonus Tracks

12. Titoli (Versione film con cannonata) (2:46)

13. La storia di un soldato (Orchestral Version) (2:54)

14. Il tramonto (Alternate) (0:58)

15. Morte di Stevens (Alternate) (0:54)

16. Fuga a cavallo (Film Version) (0:45)

17. Intermezzo musicale (0:23)

18. Il forte (Alternate) (0:56)

19. Marcetta (Alternate) (2:44)

20. Organo (0:16)

21. Organo secondo (1:33)

22. L’estasi dell’oro (Mono Album Mix) (3:23)

23. Il triello (Alternate) (3:15)

24. Il triello / Il triello seconda parte (Extended Version) (7:13)

25. La storia di un soldato (Alternate) (3:56)

26. Lo stivale (Extended Sustain) (2:17)

27. Uahuah & effetti (2:04)

28. La storia di un soldato (Extended Stereo Version) (7:29)

29. Il triello (Alternate – Stereo Mix) (3:15)

30. La storia di un soldato (Extended Version) (3:55)

31. Titoli (Versione film con cannonata – Stereo Mix) (2:47)

DISC 3. Original Soundtrack Album

1. Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo (2:42)

2. Il tramonto (1:16)

3. Il forte (2:23)

4. Il deserto (5:18)

5. La carrozza dei fantasmi (2:08)

6. Marcetta (2:50)

7. La storia di un soldato (3:54)

8. Marcetta senza speranza (1:52)

9. Morte di un soldato (3:10)

10. L’estasi dell’oro (3:24)

11. Il triello (4:57)

https://quartetrecords.com/product/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-3-cd/

Podcast: Once Upon a Time in Spaghetti Westerns #25 - A Tribute To Lee Van Cleef

Jay Jennings, Tom Betts, and LVC biographer Mike Malloy, take a look back at the career of LVC.  Clocking in at almost 2 hours!  Enjoy!

VHS Flashback: Captain Apache

Before streaming, blu-ray, and DVD, most LVC films were only available on home video cassette tapes, usually VHS (but also Betamax).  Many of us discovered these films for the first time in these formats (usually cropped and edited).


Often times due to rights issues, these films were given new titles (some similar to the original, some not).  Often the cover image of LVC was not from the actual film!

Here is a look back at the old VHS LVC video covers for Captain Apache!

Marianna Hill on El Condor

In this excerpt from a fantastic in depth interview with Marianna Hill, she describes her involvement in the film, El Condor-

After "Medium Cool," Hill was next cast as the female lead in the big-budget Western "El Condor," (1970) starring Lee Van Cleef, Jim Brown, Patrick O'Neal and directed by John Guillerman. Hill played the sultry mistress of the officer in charge of El Condor, a Mexican fortress that Van Cleef and Brown's characters are planning to raid in order to steal its treasures. Even though the film was relatively successful, and remains a favorite of Western fans, Hill has mixed feelings about the experience. She recalls that she became involved with the film when, "My agent Walter said, 'Oh, Marianna, they'll fly you over there to Spain!' I said, 'What do you mean?' And he said, 'They cast a girl and she didn't work out.' Prior to 'El Condor,' there had been a film made over there with a similar cast. It was with Jim Brown and they had a different leading lady and there were *terrible* rumors coming out of Spain about that production. This was like a follow-up to the prior movie which was called 'Rifles' or '100 Rifles' and there was just cruel stuff coming out of Spain. So what happened is that the girl that had the lead in the new movie, the next leading lady, got in a *big* row with everybody. It was one of those knock-down things and she walked off the set. Anyway, Walter said, 'Oh, Marianna, you've got to go to Spain!' and I went, 'Well, no, I heard some bad stuff about that film, Walter, like people getting beat up and drunk. Are you sure about this?' So, despite my misgivings, I accepted the role and showed up in Spain. I was like a babe in the woods, with all of this stuff going on because of prior histories between the individuals due to their personality issues."

When asked to describe her experience of working with Lee Van Cleef, Jim Brown and director John Guillerman, Hill candidly opines, "They were highly disparate individuals. It was like oil and water. They were just very, very, very different kind of characters. I don't want to get into it because I cannot say stuff about people who are dead, but it was very chaotic because of everything that was going on. John Huston was working there on another picture right next door, and I think it was the times down there in Spain because there was a lot of--not on our picture--but there were fistfights going on with his picture. There was violence going on around us outside of our production and it was kind of like the same, sad people on our picture thought, 'Oh, what's going to happen to us here?' I don't want to say anything bad about Lee Van Cleef and any of those other people because they were just working to the best of their abilities, like we all were. There was just something strange in the atmosphere." 

As Hill reflects further on the experience, she pauses, then continues, "You know what? I'd really like to not talk anymore about 'El Condor.' I'm really sorry I don't want to be evasive, but the whole experience was so strange. All I can say is John Guillerman is dead, Lee Van Cleef is dead, who else?...so is Patrick O'Neal. These people are all gone and they were each completely different. They were so diverse in their characters and personalities that there's no way I can put words to the experience. They were all talented people, but when I left I thought 'I'm glad this one's done and I am out of here!' because there was something in the atmosphere down there. I just don't have the intelligence to put into words about that experience in Spain, not that it was terrible, but it was chaotic. I was confused all of the time, as everybody was. And I don't drink, I never touch the stuff, but there was a lot of drinking going on down there and so that affected the Karma on the set. I just couldn't figure out what was going on. I'd show up and ask, 'What's going on today? I don't know what's happening with the script, I don't know what to do with this character,' because it was changed constantly! So what can I say? That's all I can tell you."

You can read the entire interview here
http://hillplace.blogspot.nl/2016/12/medium-cool-marianna-hill-interview.html

For a Few Dollars More - Rare Photos (part 3)

Click to enlarge!

LVC Rawhide Contract

Below is the 1964 contract for an episode of "Rawhide" which LVC guest starred in.  The date of August 1964 would indicate this episode would have filmed shortly after Clint Eastwood returned from filming A Fistful of Dollars.  They would both famously collaborate the next year in For A Few Dollars More.

Click to enlarge!

http://www.devonautographs.com/store/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21_35&products_id=934

VHS Flashback: El Condor

Before streaming, blu-ray, and DVD, most LVC films were only available on home video cassette tapes, usually VHS (but also Betamax).  Many of us discovered these films for the first time in these formats (usually cropped and edited).


Often times due to rights issues, these films were given new titles (some similar to the original, some not).  Often the cover image of LVC was not from the actual film!

Here is a look back at the old VHS LVC video covers for El Condor!

For a Few Dollars More - Japanese Lobby Cards

Click to enlarge!

Killing Machine - Spanish Pressbook

Click to enlarge!

Commandos - Foreign Posters

Click to enlarge

VHS Flashback: Death Rides a Horse

Before streaming, blu-ray, and DVD, most LVC films were only available on home video cassette tapes, usually VHS (but also Betamax).  Many of us discovered these films for the first time in these formats (usually cropped and edited).


Often times due to rights issues, these films were given new titles (some similar to the original, some not).  Often the cover image of LVC was not from the actual film!

Here is a look back at the old VHS LVC video covers for Death Rides a Horse!

The Master - "A Place to Call Home" Episode Photos

Courtesy of the Getty Images, below are some photos from the final episode of the LVC 1984 NBC series; The Master.

Click to enlarge!