Good, The Bad and The Ugly, The (UK)

9 / 10
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For three men the civil war wasn`t hell. It was practice!
Certificate: 18
Running Time: 154 mins
Retail Price: £19.99
Release Date:

Synopsis:
By far the most ambitious, unflinchingly graphic and stylistically influential western ever mounted, `The Good, the Bad and the Ugly` is an engrossing actioner shot through with a volatile mix of myth and realism.

Clint Eastwood returns for a final appearance as the invincible Man With No Name, this time teaming with two gunslingers (Eli Wallach and Lee Van Cleef) 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 closeups, exceptional camera work captures the beauty and cruelty of the barren landscape and the hardened characters who stride unwaveringly through it.

Forging a vibrant and yet detached style of action that had not been seen before, and has never been matched since, `The Good, the Bad and the Ugly` shatters the western in true Clint Eastwood style. The complex plot of bloodshed and betrayal winds its way through the American Civil War, filmed to resemble the French battlefields of WW1, to end in a climactic Dance of Death. Arguably the quintessential Italian Western, this 1966 film boasts a fine Ennio Morricone score, featuring a main theme that reached No.1 in the world`s pop charts.

Special Features:
Interactive Menus
Scene Access
Theatrical trailer
Eight-page Booklet
Behind the scenes trivia
Still pictures
Plus 14 minutes of unreleased extra footage!

Video Tracks:
Widescreen Anamorphic 2.35:1

Audio Tracks:
Dolby Digital Mono English

Subtitle Tracks:
English
CC: English
Dutch

Directed By:
Sergio Leone

Written By:





Starring:
Lee Van Cleef
Eli Wallach
Clint Eastwood

Soundtrack By:
Ennio Morricone

Director of Photography:
Tonino Delli Colli

Editor:
Nino Baragli
Eugenio Alabiso

Production Designer:
Carlo Simi
Carlo Simi

Producer:
Federico Tofi
Carlo Bartolini
Alberto Grimaldi

Distributor:
Warner Bros

Your Opinions and Comments

9 / 10
I pretty much agree with the site reviewer.

This is an excellent western (probably Leone`s best).

The picture does have a few white specks & scratches, but is very sharp and full of detail with vivid colours.

In fact considering this film is 35 years old, the picture quality is amazing (far better than the James Bond DVDs that everybody raves about). I`ve seen DVDs of films made 5 or 6 years ago that don`t have this good a picture.

It`s disappointing that the soundtrack is in mono, but 10 minutes into the film, you bearly notice it and the soundtrack still sounds great.

In summary, if you`re a fan of Clint Eastwood or spaghetti westerns then this is well worth buying.
posted by I. Merriman on 28/12/2000 19:23
8 / 10
Man this film rocks.

Content:- A genuine classic. Several timeless moments that I never grow tired of seeing (such as the finale and the bridge going up). It just plain rocks dammit.

Video:- Fricking brilliant transfer. Best copy I have ever seen of it. There are still some bits of dirt and grain but it is surprisingly clear and clean. Clours all look great and everything too.

Audio:- Only mono (then again I only watched it on a mono TV) but seems fine. The E. Morricone soundtrack still hits the spot though. Man that guy rocks.

Features:- The extra footage is not that interesting and the trailer is a little stupid. The trailer calls Lee Van Cleef "The Ugly" and Eli Wallach as "The Bad" (this is wrong!).

Overall:- The film is perfect, the video is perfect, the audio is fine (But could be DD5.1) and the features are so-so (better than nothing).
posted by Blazingmonga on 29/1/2001 22:28
9 / 10
This is more less taken from the same master print that was cleaned and released on video a couple of years ago. DVD technology enhances the visuals though. The colours look brighter, there seems less grain. The sound is more or less the same as the VHS copy though.

Anyway not the Greatest Sphgetti western, those would go to `The Big Silence` 1967 Sergio Corbucci, `A bullet for the General` 1966 Damiano Damiani and `Once Upon a Time in the West` 1969, which was by the director of this film, Sergio Leone.

A Worthy Addition to your Collection
posted by Richard73 on 7/2/2001 21:03
9 / 10
This along with the "Wild Bunch" has to be one of the best westerns ever.

Clint Eastwood in this movie proves his greatness.
posted by dobar on 27/3/2003 12:17