Hello all, I am part of the group currently scanning and restoring a unique 1966 Italian technicolor print of “the Good the Bad and the Ugly”.
In addition to that ongoing project, we have been offered a chance to purchase a 35mm German technicolor print of “Once Upon a Time in the West”. The reason we think it would be worthwhile scanning this print is because we could use the 4k scans to finally reconstruct the international cut opening as intended.
The current blu ray attempts to recreate the international cut but is actually missing some shots from the opening (that would be included in this print), the blu ray cut also includes a scene that should NOT be present (Harmonica rising from the platform after being shot), and has incorrect music over the closing shot of the film. The 35mm print would be useful in verifying the rising scene should not be included and confirming the music placement at the end. Also it would a wonderful colour reference as the blu ray is too red/magenta overall.
To clarify there are at least 5 different edits of this movie :
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Original 166 min 1968 italian cut (the content of which is unknown unless it can be researched via the oldest italian VHS)
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Original 145 min 1969 American cut (heavily edited)
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Original 165 min 1969 International cut (the version present on this print which we hope to restore)
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1990’s 177 min italian dvd “director’s cut” (although this being a true “director’s cut” remains a controversy, the extra footage is mostly “padding” out existing scenes
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2011 165 min Blu Ray “Scorsese restoration” (although it restores some of the shots in the opening featured in the international cut , it does not restore all of them.)
There is a long and crazy history to the edits/versions of this film and we firmly believe (and have research to back it up) that the version currently available to the public is incorrect and we’d like to rectify that. Using the BR as a starting point we’d fill in the gaps/amend the differences with the 35mm german cut scans.
edit print has been acquired and we are hoping for some crowdfunding/financial support in order to help pay for scanning it in the U.S.
Feel free to ask any questions you’d like or P.M. me.
there is a very long and very detailed thread on this film and the different versions posted here:
http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=10219.0