For A Few Dollars More - Special Edition
Not only is this film more elaborate than A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS but it was also Sergio Leone’s first epic masterpiece. The film is bigger not only in terms of story but it also in terms of its overall cinematic mastery. The cinematography is as good as it gets, the sound design, especially in this new 5.1 mix, is at times hypnotic and in my opinion it is the best example of Ennio Morricone’s work,
Not only is this film more elaborate than A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS but it was also Sergio Leone’s first epic masterpiece. The film is bigger not only in terms of story but it also in terms of its overall cinematic mastery. The cinematography is as good as it gets, the sound design, especially in this new 5.1 mix, is at times hypnotic and in my opinion it is the best example of Ennio Morricone’s work, even better than his score for BATTLE OF ALGIERS and THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY. The scene where everyone is getting ready for the bank robbery is one of the best blendings of sound and image yet recorded on film and should serve as an example to all the worlds’ potential filmmakers that you really do create your own rules. What’s more is that this version of the film is as close to the original Italian release as was possible, due we are told, to this films Producer Alberto Grimaldi helping out at the Italian end of the restoration. There are also a few short extended scenes, specifically one where we hear Eastwood’s character referred to as Manco. The film quality is again probably as close at is has ever been to the original intentions of the filmmakers. All in all that is enough information to make this DVD a must own. However, I haven’t even mentioned the 2nd extras disc yet, or the accompanying film commentary by Christopher Frayling.
DISC 1
As just mentioned, the quality of the picture and sound for this film is probably as good as it will ever be. Again the 5.1 sound was problematic for the restorers, as they only had access to one complete mono soundtrack. It is clear in some parts that something is not quite right but then again I was overly concentrating on it for the purposes of this review. However, once the film is in full swing it never becomes an issue and the music and gun shots soon start penetrating you from behind. They have also decided to alternate whether particular dialogue comes from the front or back speakers, dependent upon where the camera is placed. This part is also very successful in placing you at the heart of the story.
Commentary by Christopher Frayling
Once again Frayling proves his overall knowledge of a Leone film. He breaks the film down into all its component parts, providing factual, historical and anecdotal information that supports his points. He tells us that the film went into production just a year after A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS and was put together very fast. He also tells us that Leone never used storyboards on any of his films and that his script evolved from describing the story to his friends after dinner parties. Due to this, Leone new every detail of the film before he started shooting and thus never required any storyboards. Quite remarkable really, considering the films length and intricate story. He also provides much information about the story you are watching as well, breaking it down into 2 segments, the one concerning Eastwood and Van Cleef’s child like bounty hunter friendship and the revenge story between Volonte and Van Cleef that is held together by the pocket watch, as well as illuminating on how he manages to tie them both together with a seeming minimum of effort. He also tells us how most of the Mexican bandits were Andaluscian gypsies, who for years to come would all come from miles around when they heard Leone was making a film. This was due to Leone’s talent for casting faces that looked the part, weathered and rugged. He also notes how the casting sessions could often break out into knife fights when certain gypsies were refused parts, especially on one particular occasion when the casting director ended up getting knifed. Interestingly, he also notes why Leone’s westerns are all so detailed in terms of their settings and props. It was because Leone was an antiques collector, so had a huge knowledge of different periods and their details. This is again one of the better commentaries available and well worth setting aside the best part of an afternoon to relax, listen and absorb.
Disc 2
This disc is divided into 3 sections.
SECTION 1 – EXCLUSIVE DOCUMENTARIES AND NEW FOOTAGE
A NEW STANDARD (19mins 30 secs)
This, like on the FISTFUL OF DOLLARS DVD is Frayling discussing this film, its relevance, its breakthroughs and why it really is a masterpiece. He explains many things including how this film was the first mainstream film to have a leading actor smoking a joint. Not very successfully in his opinion because it was clear that none of the filmmakers had ever smoked any. This can be seen by the way that these scenes are filmed, with the strange music and red screens that accompany these moments, as well as the look on Indio’s face. He comments as well on the humour elements being more confident, the mocking of religious symbols and the cultural context of the films release and its target audience. Again, a great little segment, well worthy of a listening to.
BACK FOR MORE (7mins)
This is an Eastwood interview from 2003 that shows his complete response for this film. He comments on how funny Leone was on set and how he always had every one in stitches, how Leone influenced his own directing career and the reason why he didn’t make ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST. Although brief, this segment is a again worth checking out, even if minus clips and credits it totals no more that just under 5 mins.
TRE VOCI / THREE VOICES (10mins 30secs)
Again, we have Grimaldi, Donati and Mickey Knox discussing little details of this film. Grimaldi tells us how Morricone had written the soundtrack to this film before they had started shooting and that it was played on set to help Leone with the visual orchestration. Donati Tells us that he mainly rewrote the dialogues for this film and how he focused on ‘indirect’ dialogue where he could find some humour. He gives the example of the last scene where Eastwood is counting the dead at the end, so that he can collect the rewards for the men just killed. Instead of using the men’s names, Donati had Eastwood counting the financial figure that he will be collecting for each man. When he encounters a problem and the figure doesn’t add up to the total it should be, we see that one of the bandits is not yet dead. This is the reason for Eastwood’s numerical discrepancy. Eastwood shoots him dead, then Van Cleef turns round and asks “Got a problem boy” to which Eastwood says “No old man. I thought I had a problem with my adding but it’s ok now”. Indirect dialogue at its best and probably one of the best last lines in film history. It hits just the right spot and leaves fans with just the right note of humour at the film’s end. Interestingly as well, Frayling tells us that this last line also gave rise to Eastwood’s trademark dry one liners, like “Go ahead punk, make my day” etc etc.
RESTORATION ITALIAN STYLE (4mins 30secs)
This has John Kirk again explaining what and how things have been restored for this film. He notes how this films Producer, Grimaldi, was a complete help, just like he was for the most remarkable restoration job of the trilogy for THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY. He says how Grimaldi found a negative that they could make a beautiful interpositive from, so they could restore it for DVD. He also explains the problems with the sound, the extra small scenes (and they are small) and the expert work done by the restoration team at Triage, the company responsible for this restoration. Again, worth watching before you start the film itself, so you are forearmed with the information.
THE AMERICAN RELEASE VERSION – EXTENDED SCENES (5mins)
This section is told with title cards that explain clips from 3 scenes (the original and new versions playing one after the other) where material is now different to the original American release. One is the aforementioned naming of Eastwood scene that has been restored. The next is (cut for this new version) an extended laughing sequence for Indio. And the final one a shorter version of the beating Eastwood and Van Cleef get, which interestingly has extra dialogue (again cut from the new version). This segment is of obvious interest.
LOCATION COMPARISONS (12 mins)
This is a really detailed look at the locations used for FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE. The segment makers, Donald Bruie and Marla Johnson have done a quite fantastic job here. Not as boring as it may seem, the photos are accompanied by the best of the music from the film, so sit back, turn up the sound and dream about how sad progress can be.
SECTION 2 - ORIGINAL PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL
1. 12 RADIO SPOTS (7 mins)
2. THEATRICAL TRAILER (3mins 30secs) - At last a trailer worth watching. Check it out, you will be smiling as soon as it starts.
3. DOUBLE BILL TRAILER
SECTION 3 - COLLECTORS GALLERY (2mins)
This has 39 stills from the filming, including some of Leone and an amusing one of Klaus Kinski and Gian Volonte sat together. Considering Kinski’s life, as shown by Werner Herzog in MY BEST FIEND, and Volonte’s negative presence on the set of this film, this picture speaks a thousand words.
So again, this is a DVD that is a must own for anyone who loves these films. Even if another release appears in the future there will be no need to sell this one. The film is one of Cinema’s masterpieces, never failing to amuse, intrigue and thrill. The picture is fantastic, the sound is as good as it has ever been and the extras are all fantastic. Maybe people will be disappointed that it doesn’t have the extended scenes that THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY has, or extras that are as in depth as that film but please don’t worry about that. I can guarantee that you will find few DVD’s this good. THE GODFATHER TRILOGY and the American release of the Polish/ French THREE COLOURS TRILOGY by Kieslowski are both great packs but this one you got to own.
It’s so good it is worth quitting that crack addiction for.
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