Search - Once Upon a Time in the West on DVD

MPAA Rating: PG-13 Content Advisory: Graphic Violence, Adult Situations, Not For Children, Adult Language, Western Violence Movie Release: 1968 DVD Release: 11/18/2003 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV - Closed Captioned Edition: Restored/Remastered Audio Tracks: English, French Subtitles: English, French SwapaDVD Credits: 2 Number of Discs: 2 Run Time: 2 hrs 45 mins Studio: Paramount Total Copies: 13 Genres: Western, Spaghetti Western, Epic Western, Revisionist Western, Ensemble Film See Also: Once Upon a Time in the West [Circuit City Exclusive] [Checkpoint]

In Sergio Leone's epic Western, shot partly in Monument Valley, a revenge story becomes an epic contemplation of the Western past. To get his hands on prime railroad land in Sweetwater, crippled railroad baron Morton (Gabriele Ferzetti) hires killers, led by blue-eyed sadist Frank (Henry Fonda), who wipe out property owner Brett McBain (Frank Wolff) and his family. McBain's newly arrived bride, Jill (Claudia Cardinale), however, inherits it instead. Both outlaw Cheyenne (Jason Robards) and lethally mysterious Harmonica (Charles Bronson) take it upon themselves to look after Jill and thwart Frank's plans to seize her land. As alliances and betrayals mutate, it soon becomes clear that Harmonica wants to get Frank for another reason -- it has "something to do with death." As in his "Dollars" trilogy, Leone transforms the standard Western plot through the visual impact of widescreen landscapes and the figures therein. At its full length, Once Upon a Time in the West is Leone's operatic masterwork, worthy of its legend-making title. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide

Charles Bronson - Harmonica
Claudia Cardinale - Jill
Henry Fonda - Frank
Jason Robards, Jr. - Cheyenne
Gabriele Ferzetti - Morton

Director Sergio Leone's sublime spaghetti Western has been a long time coming on DVD, and now fans who have never seen the film in glorious widescreen will finally have the opportunity to do so thanks to this fine Paramount Pictures release. Presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen, Once Upon a Time in the West has simply never looked this good on the small screen. The film's blistering landscapes, as well as Leone's trademark close-ups, all look near flawless thanks to a clean print that shows little signs of digital artifacting or debris. Leone's films have always suffered due to small-screen pan-and-scan practices, and it's great to see this film get the treatment it so deserves. The sound as presented on this release is also a treat for fans of the film. In addition to including an original mono track (available in both French and English), Paramount has also seen fit to include a remastered Dolby Digital 5.1 track that fills the room with the ominous sounds of harmonicas and ear-splitting gunshots. When the train rips through the screen following Henry Fonda's legendary introduction, viewers will feel it deep in their bones. Both English tracks are closed-captioned in addition to the optional English subtitles offered on the disc. Since Leone himself could not record a commentary track, the producers of this disc did the next best thing. Featuring contributions by such noted Leone fans as John Carpenter, John Milius, Alex Cox, Sir Christopher Frayling (Leone's biographer), Dr. Sheldon Hall, and various members of the cast and crew, the fragmented commentary track is always interesting, despite being a bit dry from time to time. Highlights include Carpenter's discussion of Leone's stylistic choices and star Claudia Cardinale's amusing recollection of her love scene with Fonda.

Once Upon a Time in the West is a film that not only made cinematic history, but has also been constructed from a substantial amount of history (both cinematic and otherwise), a fact that makes the inclusion of three informative featurettes a welcome addition. In ''Opera of Violence," interviewees (including Leone himself) discuss everything from the director's childhood to his interpretation of American Western standards. "Wages of Sin" discusses the allure of Monument Valley and shooting conditions, and "Something to Do With Death" addresses Leone and composer Ennio Morricone's enduring collaboration, the use of sound in the film, original reactions to the film, and comments on how it has aged. Rounding out the featurettes, "Railroad: Revolutionizing the West" discusses the film's depiction of westward expansion via railroad by delving into the history of the subject. As for galleries, Locations Then and Now juxtaposes contemporary images of the film's locations with pictures taken during the production, and production stills are nicely presented in black-and-white. Cast profiles and a theatrical trailer round out the extra features, making this disc well worth the money for anyone considering purchasing it. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide