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Sergio Leone Preservations - Dollars Trilogy, Fistful of Dynamite, Once Upon a Time in the West (Released)

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Ok I’m new to this hobby, and thanks to ADigitalMan’s fantastic guide, I’ve already created my first rough cut (Just putting the final touchs to it)

This project should be finished in the next week or so:

<span class=“Bold”>For a Few Dollars More - Uncut version (1965)</span>
This was available uncut on VHS for years, then MGM released a cut down version on DVD missing footage from the scene where Clint Eastwood & Lee Van Cleef get beaten up. Then MGM released a SE DVD in most of Europe, which added a little of the footage back but not all. Paramount had the rights in Germany, and released another SE DVD, and restored even more footage, but still not everything. Luckily the missing footage is intact on an Italian DVD, but unfortunately it is in a slightly cropped ratio of 2.05:1.

Here’s a summary of the DVD:

  • Uses the original English Mono track, which is preserved on the German SE
  • Restore Gian Maria Volonte’s laugh after he escapes (extra 2 seconds)
  • Restore Clint Eastwood’s full introduction (extra 6 seconds)
  • Restore the beating scene to it’s full length (extra 30 seconds over the MGM version, 11 seconds over the Paramount)
  • Anamorphic 2.35:1 widescreen PAL (Converting 2.05:1 shots to be pillarboxed to match the 2.35:1 footage)
  • Runtime: 127 minutes

<span class=“Bold”>Future projects:</span>

<span class=“Bold”>The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly - Rome Premiere Cut (1966)</span>
I am going to restore the Rome Premiere cut of this film, using the existing extended DVD. They changed the original signature gun sounds in the 5.1 mix so I will put back the mono mix. I also dislike the new dubbing by Clint Eastwood & Eli Wallach, they sound really old, I will use the Italian audio for those scenes with subtitles.

  • Remove the 5.1 sound mix, and restore the English Mono audio
  • For extended scenes, using the Italian Mono audio with English subtitles
  • Restore the full length Tuco torture sequence (Extra 2 minutes)
  • Anamorphic 2.35:1 widescreen NTSC
  • Runtime: 181 minutes

<span class=“Bold”>Once Upon a Time in the West - Extended Italian Version (1969)</span>
The Italian version of this film is 12 minutes longer, and contains many scene extensions and even extra music cues. I intend to do a English audio version of this, as it is only currently available in Italian.

  • Use Italian mono track for the most part for the music and change the dialogue using the English audio
  • There is at least one extra line dialogue in the Italian version, so will be subtitled
  • Anamorphic 2.35:1 widescreen PAL
  • Runtime: 171 minutes

I also would like to restore <span class=“Bold”>A Fistful of Dynamite</span>, as the MGM SE which is uncut on the Danish DVD has a 5.1 remix but cuts out some music cues and dialogue. I don’t have access to a complete version of the English audio, so can’t at the moment.

As of 6th November 2006:

Completed

<span class=“Bold”>Fistful of Dollars</span>

  • Uncut movie ~ 97 minutes
  • Anamorphic 2.35:1 PAL
  • Option to play film with TV prologue
  • Original English Mono soundtrack
  • Original Italian Mono soundtrack

<span class=“Bold”>For a Few Dollars More: Uncut Version</span>

  • Uncut complete movie ~ 127 minutes
  • Restores Clint’s full intro
  • Restores Gian Maria Volonte’s laugh after he escapes
  • Restores the beating scene to it’s full length
  • Anamorphic 2.35:1 PAL (2:05:1 for some shots)
  • Original English Mono Soundtrack
  • Original Italian Mono Soundtrack

<span class=“Bold”>The Good, The Bad and The Ugly: Rome Premiere Cut</span>

  • Complete Rome Premiere version ~ 181 minutes
  • Restores all the Italian scene extensions and Tuco recruiting the bandits scene
  • Restores full length Tuco beating scene
  • Restores original mono soundtracks with original signature Leone gun sounds
  • Shorter Tuco beating scene is included as extra for comparison (has a couple of alternate shots)
  • Lost Socorro Sequence extra
  • Anamorphic 2.35:1 NTSC
  • Original English Mono Soundtrack (Italian for some scenes with subtitles)
  • Original Italian Mono Soundtrack

<span class=“Bold”>Duck You Sucker (a.k.a. A Fistful of Dynamite)</span>

  • Uncut restored version ~ 151 minutes (includes horsefalls censored in the UK)
  • Restores original mono soundtrack with missing dialogue reinstated and correct music cues
  • Restores Juan’s final two lines of dialogue from restored version “Johnny” and “What about me?”
  • Uses correct music cue from the Italian version for final flashback and end credits
  • Sorting the Versions extra
  • Anamorphic 2.35:1 PAL
  • Original English Mono Soundtrack
  • Italian Stereo Soundtrack (Not the original soundtrack)

<span class=“Bold”>Once Upon a Time in the West: Extended Italian Version</span>

  • Extended Italian version ~ 171 minutes
  • Restores all the extra scene extensions from the Italian version
  • Restores unique shots from shorter International version
  • Featurette highlighting differences between the versions, including alternate angles and shots used in the International version
  • Anamorphic 2.35:1 PAL
  • Original English Mono Soundtrack (for dialogue, utilising Italian for extra music etc, one line of dialogue is subbed)
  • Original Italian Mono Soundtrack

Star Wars 1977-1983

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This sounds really cool. Good job there.
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Gold edition:

complete uncut movie: 171 min (includinjg full torture scene) languages german, english, french 5.1
audio commentary by Richard Schickel
19 min documentary "Leone's Westerns"
23 min documentary "the Leone style"
14 min documentary "the man who lost the civil war" background info about civil war between northern and southern states of America
11 min featurette "reconstructing the good the bad and the ugly"
the Socorro sequence: animated gallery of missing scenes (3 min)
7 min featurette "the master" comments to the score
12 min featurette about Morricone's music
french trailer (featuring scenes never in any other trailer nor in the final movie)
poster gallery

Nothing about fanediting is easy.

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Interesting that German release of TGTBATU reinstates the full torture scene. Cheers for the information
Is this correct or just a deleted scene in the extras like other editions?

My proposed cut would make it 173 minutes at PAL speeds. I will be doing a NTSC version running about 181 minutes total.
Doesn't affect what I want to do, as I want to put back the original mono soundtrack anyway.

Star Wars 1977-1983

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The restoration of GBU was a major project for one of the leading TV stations in Germany. That is why it was reinstated and the picture reworked and the audio synced, etc. Very ambitious project. But it looks as it is close to the extended edition of GBU on NTSC. But keep up your project nevertheless, this movie is always worth to be preserved... some time ago I was thinking about shortening the movie, so it would be fun to watch nowadays. But it won't happen the movie is perfect with its lengthes (although my wife never looks westerns with me, which is truly a pity).

Nothing about fanediting is easy.

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The original Italian dvd of "For a Few Dollars More" is kinda rare nowdays (and, if I recall correctly, the aspect ratio is cropped to 1.85:1), it has been replaced by a new one with the original aspect ratio but it's missing the bit of dialogue in the beating scene (also leaving a big plot hole). Apparently a new company now owns the rights for the Leone films, and a few months ago they published a new edition of A Fistful of Dollars which included an English audio track and restored the original opening/ending credits; if another dvd of "For a Few Dollars More" comes out it will probably include that cut scene in the original aspect ratio.
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Originally posted by: boon23
The restoration of GBU was a major project for one of the leading TV stations in Germany. That is why it was reinstated and the picture reworked and the audio synced, etc. Very ambitious project. But it looks as it is close to the extended edition of GBU on NTSC. But keep up your project nevertheless, this movie is always worth to be preserved... some time ago I was thinking about shortening the movie, so it would be fun to watch nowadays. But it won't happen the movie is perfect with its lengthes (although my wife never looks westerns with me, which is truly a pity).


I did debate whether to remove the Tuco recruiting the bandits in the cave scene as I dislike it, but thought recreating the Premiere cut was more interesting. I prefer the shorter original non-Italian version in many respects because I grew up with it, but already have an adequate DVD of this version. Anyway more Leone is good thing

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Originally posted by: Kakyoin
The original Italian dvd of "For a Few Dollars More" is kinda rare nowdays (and, if I recall correctly, the aspect ratio is cropped to 1.85:1), it has been replaced by a new one with the original aspect ratio but it's missing the bit of dialogue in the beating scene (also leaving a big plot hole). Apparently a new company now owns the rights for the Leone films, and a few months ago they published a new edition of A Fistful of Dollars which included an English audio track and restored the original opening/ending credits; if another dvd of "For a Few Dollars More" comes out it will probably include that cut scene in the original aspect ratio.


It's an Italian DVD of For a Few Dollars More I own, it isn't 1.85:1 but around 2:05:1 & non-anamorphic (The cover lies though saying 2.35:1 anamorphic!). I've had to put black bars down the side of the picture to match the 2.35:1 footage, looks pretty seamless so far and not too distracting.

If a better Italian DVD comes along with the scenes I need in 2.35:1 I will re-do this particular project but I'm making do for now

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Is it the one that has English opening credits?
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Originally posted by: Kakyoin
Is it the one that has English opening credits?


My Italian DVD has Italian titles I think, I need to check. If I recall correctly, when doing a side by side comparison, there was an extra credit for someone else, and is also missing the text about Bounty Hunters before cutting to Lee Van Cleef holding a bible. However my edition will use the English titles

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Thanks for the offer, but I already have this DVD


Have now completed For a Few Dollars More

I haven't got any dual-layer discs to try it out on yet, but did shrink it for one layer and it looks pretty good on my 40" screen and no problems with sync either !!

It's great having a complete version of this film again, having put up with jarring edits in various DVD versions...

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i love these films and would like to see these versions.

Join the dark side… and get a free cookie!

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I'd like to see complete, uncut versions of FISTFUL, FAFDM, and TGTBATU in original Italian with English subtitles (preferably the Italian titles/credits as well) in NTSC - does anyone have anything like this? It seems like most of these projects are using other foreign dubs besides the "original" Italian.
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Originally posted by: ChainsawAsh
I'd like to see complete, uncut versions of FISTFUL, FAFDM, and TGTBATU in original Italian with English subtitles (preferably the Italian titles/credits as well) in NTSC - does anyone have anything like this? It seems like most of these projects are using other foreign dubs besides the "original" Italian.



Actually, every version is dubbed. The trend at the time was to not record sound in order to save time and all the actors would be re-recorded later. Which is why Clint Eastwood is very clearly speaking english, even though the sync is slightly off much of the time. So really, there is no "original language."
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exactly, zombie. But it would be fun to listen to the original voices of everyone in the moive... italian, english and lots and lots of spanish.

Nothing about fanediting is easy.

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Originally posted by: boon23
exactly, zombie. But it would be fun to listen to the original voices of everyone in the moive... italian, english and lots and lots of spanish.


I suppose that would be kind of neat. That might be the closest to an "original language" presentation as you could get--english, italian and spanish. Of course it might even be switching within the scene, which would be either neat or annoying. But even then, its still a post-production dub--someone should make a "Production Audio" release of the films with all of the voices removed!
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Well, yes, I knew that. I'd just like to see it in its original Italian iteration - basically as close to the theatrical version as possible. I never watch my TGTBATU SE DVD in English, I always watch it in Italian with English subs. I just prefer it that way for some reason.
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I might include the original Italian mono mix on my DVDs.
I'll have problems synching For a Few Dollars More though as there are odd frames missing/added in various places.

Started on GBU last night, restoring the mono mix back to the film, had all sorts of synch problems. There are added shots in at least two scenes present in both versions.

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BTW, here's a nice list of some of the ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST differences:

http://207.136.67.23/film/dvdcompare/onceuponatimeintheest/ouatitw-ext.txt

Cashiers du Cinemart - The Only Magazine That Matters
http://www.cashiersducinemart.com

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how come your not doing a fistfull of dollars? that is my favorite out of all three clint is truly a badass in that movie, and yes I know it was a knock of of yojimbo by kurosawa.

“Always loved Vader’s wordless self sacrifice. Another shitty, clueless, revision like Greedo and young Anakin’s ghost. What a fucking shame.” -Simon Pegg.

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Originally posted by: cashiers
BTW, here's a nice list of some of the ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST differences:

http://207.136.67.23/film/dvdcompare/onceuponatimeintheest/ouatitw-ext.txt


Thanks I have seen the list before, might be a while before I get round to this project
I'm struggling to find time to do stuff at the moment.

The extended Tuco torture sequence is more complicated that I had thought, some shots have print damage, and I would like to replace with goods shots from the restored version, but they don't fit very easily with extra seconds and odd frames added here and there.
I'm also having problems audio wise with an extended scene with the Yankee captain, some music from the Italian audio gets abruptly stopped by the English mono soundtrack.

Star Wars 1977-1983

Star Trek 1966-1991

LeoneNut's Edits

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