tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1388554970113771183.post4682417390627863653..comments2024-03-25T12:58:24.299-07:00Comments on TheBad.net - The Lee Van Cleef Blog: Day of Anger - Blu-ray Review (Japan)aaron@theBad.nethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07610876186258437366noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1388554970113771183.post-47252850633972219372013-07-03T11:10:47.457-07:002013-07-03T11:10:47.457-07:00When I saw the film new in a downtown theater in 1...When I saw the film new in a downtown theater in 1969, I was very surprised Giuliano Gemma's name & image appeared on the screen before Lee Van Cleef's!! I had never heard of him before. And the posters in front of the theater ONLY had Lee Van Cleef's name in large letters!<br /><br />I had to do some checking as I became very curious & discovered when I saw the press book with the film that Gemma actually had top billing but National General, who distributed the film in the states, chose to downplay that & promote the film as ONLY starring Lee Van Cleef. After a phone call & further research in 1969, I discovered this film was shot in Spain & Italy in 1967 & was a HUGE box office hit in Italy & Spain. In addition I discovered that Gemma was one of the biggest stars in Italy & several other countries in Europe in the 1960's. National General told me this film was made primarily for release in Italy, Spain & Germany & that Gemma was a bigger star than Lee Van Cleef in those countries. And that they acquired the rights for the United States & had the film dubbed into English with Lee agreeing to provide his own voice for the English version. <br /><br />Then the man told me that since I'm a Lee Van Cleef fan, I would enjoy knowing that Lee Van Cleef is in Spain now finishing a film that National General is behind & it's being shot for the U. S. & U. K. markets primarily as Lee is moving into U. S. films & away from Italian/Spanish films made primarily for Europe. <br /><br />I asked about "Beyond the Law" & a war picture Lee did in 1968 with Jack Kelly..when would these be released in the United States. The man had never heard of them & informed me that many European films are never released in the states. I was beginning to worry I would never see them. And I didn't until the mid 1970's. Beyond the Law & Commandos took the slow boat over to the states.BobOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18271946822465853875noreply@blogger.com