Sergio Leone

I recently rewatched Once Upon a Time in the West. Here's what I said:

Man, fuck How the West was Won, THIS is how you make a Western epic. It's not about having the most expensive cameras or the largest time span, it's about the vision of the director. Sergio Leone was certainly a man of vision, and with Once Upon a Time in the West, Leone crafted a film which both mythifies the American West while deconstructing it. Leone's intense close-ups, unorthodox angles, moving camera, large characters, and grand gun fights (all set to Ennio Morricone's epic music) are all at play here and as good as ever and it's awesome.

However Leone is also able to step back and take a more honest look at the time in American history. The characters are morally ambiguous and the depiction of violenc is also unique. While the violence is very intense, it's also quick, lasting only for a few seconds. What Leone does is to linger on the long moments of silence both before, and after the violence that defined the era and presents it in a different light. Take the scene in the bar where Cheyenne and Harmonica meet for the first time. The threat of violence lingers throughout and the patrons wait in silence. When the threat finally dissipates, everyone goes back to business as if nothing as happened. The message is clear; violence is a central and unavoidable aspect of life in the West. The film also paints an interesting picture of the end of the Wild West and the coming of the modern world.

This is an immaculately well-constructed film which is viscerally thrilling and thematically thoughtful. The only question left is where Once Upon a Time in the West ranks in Sergio Leone's filmography; specifically how it compares to The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. It's a difficult comparison. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is probably the more entertaining film and might have more memorable scenes/moments, but I think Once Upon a Time in the West is more thoughtful. It's observations on the end of the declining era of the West are on point and handled with nuance. I suppose it just comes down to what the viewer is working for. In any event, each film is extremely well-made and I'm comfortable calling both Leone's masterpieces.

A+

Yup.

I've been a fan since high school. Encore Western aired the movie A LOT back then.

My Name is Nobody is another overlooked one.

Sergio is responsible for half of the greatest film scene of all time. Most the rest is Ennio Morricone.

First Sgt. Pepper and now this?! My wallet gonna take a beating!

Kino Lorber have confirmed that they are preparing a brand new 50th Anniversary Blu-ray edition of director Sergio Leone's classic western The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966), starring Eli Wallach, Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, Aldo Giuffrè, and Luigi Pistilli. The two-disc set will arrive on the market this summer.

Special Features and Technical Specs:

DISC ONE
4K transfer of the Original U.S. Theatrical Cut
New Audio Commentary by Film Historian Tim Lucas
"Trailers From Hell" with Ernest Dickerson
Newly Restored 2.0 Mono Audio
M.O.S. Deleted Scene of Blondie in the desert finding skeletons
Trailers for Sergio Leone Westerns
Italian Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
English DTS-HD MA 5.1 Audio
AND MORE – to be announced

DISC TWO
4K transfer of the Extended Cut
Newly Restored 2.0 Mono Audio
Audio Commentary By Acclaimed Film Historian Richard Schickel
Audio Commentary By Noted Cultural Historian Christopher Frayling
Leone's West: Making Of Documentary
The Leone Style: On Sergio Leone Featurette
The Man Who Lost The Civil War: Civil War Documentary
Reconstruction The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
II Maestro: Ennio Morricone and The Good, The Bad And The Ugly Featurette
Deleted Scenes
Original U.S. Theatrical Trailer
Original French Theatrical Trailer
English DTS-HD MA 5.1 Audio
Italian Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono

Fifth for me.

2-Tape VHS
Original Cut DVD
2-Disc Extended Cut DVD
Extended Cut Blu-Ray

Only buying it so I can get the original cut on Blu-Ray. Tired of MGM forcing the Extended Cut on people. Almost as annoying as George Lucas.

I have the one in the white box, with an Ebert foreword. I think it's from around 2000 or so.

And yeah, Dooms, the additions are jarring, especially in the Civil War scenes.

The version you watched, was it 3 hours or 2 hours and 45 minutes?

Yes, sir.

Went to Walmart, and as I often do, peeked through the bin. Guess what I see. Once Upon a Time in America: Extended Director's Edition on Blu-Ray. Part of me was insulted. This masterpiece shouldn't be in the fucking bin with the likes of Howard the Duck. The other part was glad to get the movie for 5 bucks.

Goodfellas was also in the bin, but it's the one with the shitty cover that eliminates Joe Pesci. It should have been in the dumpster.

Speaking of shitty covers, every time I go to the store, I see a new edition of Edward Scissorhands with a new shitty cover. Why is Fox struggling so much? They got it right 17 years ago.

Been raining all day. Stayed home and streamed PlutoTV. Watched some random Brady Bunch episodes. Pretty sure Carol Brady didn’t wear a bra in one of them. Then I caught the latter half of Duck You Sucker. Man, what a great movie. Love that it has a different flavor to Leone’s trademark western. It’s grittier. It’s aesthetically unique. The zooms and pans are a nice touch. Characters feel more grounded and have more emotional weight to them, but still retain the heightened nature of Leone’s work. The movie is totally worthy of a PG Cooper video essay, but we’ll never get one.