The Great Silence

Rating:
Summary: Not Leone
Review: Ok here again is an example of buyer beware. I plunked down about $20 for the Great Silence, mostly through researching different boards and accumulating opinions, and for the most part I picked this film based on that.

Now my tastes in westerns run to stories that are believeable and plausible. Basically, is it a storyline that could have happened? Once you throw in weird stuff and add jugglers and acrobats and hidden guns in banjos (Sabata for example) you loose me. If I want to see that I'd watch re-runs of the Wild Wild West, lol.

The Great Silence was a dark and brooding story it had what at that time was some pretty graffic violence and the juxtaposition of blood and snow was good, it had a good flash back sequence a shocking (for that time ending) and music by Morricone. As a Spaghetti Western at face value it delivered, which at the time was what it was created for.

The back story line of Silence and his motives was good. And the portrayal of the character of Loco was done well by Klaus Kinsky.

But the rest was very far fetched. You have a gang of outlaws some with sickles (looking like medieval grim reapers with their hoods and great coats) with no reason to be there, walking easily over the top of deep snow unaided by snow shoes, while at the same time horses are breaking through and struggling. Its as if it was filmed at a ski resort with packed powder, which it come to think of it probably was, lol.

The town of Snow Hill was way too small and the gang of outlaws and the gand of bounty killers seemed to out number the town.

This like I said was ok, also, must add that except for Klaus Kinsky the dubbing wasn't up to snuff and it was noticeable, but it was very low budget, so get it if you want to see violence more graffic than Leone and very nice western winter snow shots, but check reality at the door.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best spaghetti westerns
Review: Profound, atmospheric, great soundtrack, thoughtfull. Did I mention the ending? There are so many reviews on this movie that the ending is hardly a surprise. But even though you may read about it you have to see it to believe it. Not just a political statement which may reflect on the continuing history of man's cruelty to man as dictated by the powers that be, and the laws of the land, but darn good storytelling and entertainment. -1 star because it does not offer any solutions to it's premise. 5 stars will be given to the American remake that inspires rather than disheartens the soul; that offers some solutions and stirs some positive emotions. You know what they say: If you are not part of the solution ... Maybe a movie with Kevin Costner and Gene Hackman as the good guy and the bad guy. Very original and a must see nevertheless. Hollywood take notes.

Rating:
Summary: Memorable
Review: Sergio Corbucci is primarily responsible for the emergence of the spaghetti western film genre. I know, I know; you are saying to yourself right now that Sergio Leone's movies starring Clint Eastwood define the genre, and you are correct in this assertion. But Corbucci's film "Django" made it possible for people like Leone to make his vast contributions to the genre. "Django," with its gritty atmosphere, grim violence, and delightfully slick conclusion set the stage for everything that came after. Fortunately, director Corbucci didn't quit making films after his initial success; he made several other films including this 1968 classic spag western, "The Great Silence." Starring the always wonderfully warped Klaus Kinski and French actor Jean-Louis Trintignant, Corbucci's film is an intriguing entry in the universe of Italian westerns. For years the only way to acquire a copy of the movie was to shell out big bucks for cruddy looking VHS dupes usually three or four times removed from the original source. Not anymore. Now you can watch Corbucci's film with great sound, a nice picture, and you even get a few extras. It's too bad they don't make films like this one anymore.

Trintignant plays Silence, a brooding, mute gunslinger moving from place to place gunning down bad guys. He's not a bad guy himself, though, because he only kills goons who prey on innocent people. A burning need for personal revenge fuels these vendettas--several men slaughtered Silence's own family when he was a young child, cutting our hero's throat in the bargain. Silence survived the attack and, even as he avenges innocents egregiously wronged, seeks out the evil ones responsible for his own personal tragedy. And find them he will even if it means dying in the process. Things start to heat up when the mute avenger stumbles across a band of rogue Mormons hiding out in the snow covered mountains. A banker in a small town has put a price on these outcasts' heads, leading to a search and destroy mission conducted by every slimy bounty hunter in the land. Leading the charge to bring in these "baddies" is none other than the psychopathic Loco (Kinski), a smirking thug who shoots first and asks questions later. You just know Loco and Silence will have a showdown somewhere along the line.

In the meantime, several subplots help move the film along: a black woman widowed when Loco gunned down her husband hires Silence to avenge his memory, a new sheriff who refuses to go along blindly with Loco's violent ways arrives in town, and the banker funding most of the mayhem carries an intriguing secret of great interest to Silence. The tension slowly builds as Loco and Silence head towards their final, fatal showdown (not giving anything away here--all of these films have a final, fatal showdown). Will the new sheriff manage to remove Loco and his fellow thugs from the equation before the bullets start to fly? Will the banker manage to eradicate Silence and the sheriff by employing the wily Loco? Will Silence avenge the horrors visited upon his family years before? All of these questions, and many others, find some resolution by the end of the movie. By the way, the conclusion to "The Great Silence" is not at all what you would expect from a movie in this genre. I think the end alone qualifies this movie as a must see for the spag western fan. It's unique in its grimness.

"The Great Silence" is really a fairly standard revenge film of the type often seen in the spaghetti western canon. What sets Corbucci's picture apart is the distinctive atmosphere, the unusual backdrop against which the characters play out their fates. Most low budget Italian western films take place in blasted, desert like landscapes full of wind, dust, and tumbleweeds. The sun beats down on the characters in these films with an unrelenting intenseness, throwing off shadows that stretch for miles, turning faces into dry leather masks, and drenching every living being in a constant sheen of sweat. "The Great Silence" definitely doesn't take place in a desert. Instead, Corbucci opted for snow-covered mountains, ice covered lakes and rivers, and a town with streets mired in deep mud. The freezing cold of winter in the "The Great Silence" acts as a metaphor of sorts, an external symbol of the icy detachment of a speechless gunslinger as he methodically and ruthlessly tracks down his enemies. Throw in a pounding score from veteran Italian master Ennio Morricone and you have all the elements of a great western. I've seen films in the genre that are better than "The Great Silence," but not very many.

A few extras on the DVD version of the film are noteworthy. There's an alternate ending for the film, a "happier" ending without any audio that employs a standard "last minute save" technique seen in dozens of other films. Corbucci apparently shot this conclusion in case audiences rejected his downbeat original idea. I think the film works great with the original ending if for no other reason than it is more realistic. You'll want to pick up Corbucci's movie if you like westerns. The picture quality is quite good, there are extras, and it's just plain fun to watch. Pick up "Django" while you're at it and make it a double feature.

Rating:
Summary: A True Classic Spaghetti
Review: The Great Silence is truly one of the greatest westerns ever made. This spaghetti western turns all the cliches on their sides. Based in the snow bound town of Snow Hill, the Great Silence tells the story of a ruthless bounty hunter who hunts down a starving bunch of outlaws trapped in the mountains. A woman in the town hires a gunman who has a deep hatred for bounty killers to protect them.

This is a classic in every sense of the word. Instead of the usual desert setting, the story is based in a mountainous winter setting. Klaus Kinski gives his all-time best performance as Loco, the racist bounty hunter who does everything "according to the law." Jean-Louis Trintignant gives a moving performance as the mute gunfighter, Silence, bent on getting revenge. Also giving good performances are Vonetta McGee in her first role, Luigi Pistilli, Mario Brega, and Frank Wolff.

The movie overall is great with Ennio Morricone giving us another haunting soundtrack just as he did with the Dollars trilogy and Once Upon a Time in the West. The DVD gives a good if not excellent presentation of the movie with a theatrical trailer and alternate "happy ending" added on. The downbeat ending is completely opposite of what most western fans have come to expect. For any fans of spaghettis or westerns in general, The Great Silence is not one to be missed.

Rating:
Summary: A True Classic Spaghetti
Review: The Great Silence is truly one of the greatest westerns ever made. This spaghetti western turns all the cliches on their sides. Based in the snow bound town of Snow Hill, the Great Silence tells the story of a ruthless bounty hunter who hunts down a starving bunch of outlaws trapped in the mountains. A woman in the town hires a gunman who has a deep hatred for bounty killers to protect them.

This is a classic in every sense of the word. Instead of the usual desert setting, the story is based in a mountainous winter setting. Klaus Kinski gives his all-time best performance as Loco, the racist bounty hunter who does everything "according to the law." Jean-Louis Trintignant gives a moving performance as the mute gunfighter, Silence, bent on getting revenge. Also giving good performances are Vonetta McGee in her first role, Luigi Pistilli, Mario Brega, and Frank Wolff.

The movie overall is great with Ennio Morricone giving us another haunting soundtrack just as he did with the Dollars trilogy and Once Upon a Time in the West. The DVD gives a good if not excellent presentation of the movie with a theatrical trailer and alternate "happy ending" added on. The downbeat ending is completely opposite of what most western fans have come to expect. For any fans of spaghettis or westerns in general, The Great Silence is not one to be missed.

Rating:
Summary: Death in a Cold Climate
Review: This amazing film has an impact altogether greater than the sum of its parts. If you take it scene by scene, you may find yourself distracted by the atrocious dubbing, skimpy plot or sloppy editing. But the impact of the movie as a whole is just tremendous. There's the stark originality of the snowbound setting, the unprecedented radicalism of the story, and the shattering conclusion that's designed to enrage you against injustice. Corbucci's attention to gothic detail is as striking as ever, though the gunfights have a strangely "half-cocked" feel compared to the ferociously crisp exchanges in DJANGO. There are some flabby passages, and you almost get the feeling that this is a recovered "lost" western that was never quite completed (although of course it was a successful mainstream release in Europe).

The DVD is great value - a superb new print from the master negative. It's great to be able to see the legendary "happy ending" at last (also in fine condition, though without sound and exhibiting Corbucci's deliberate "spoiler" technique of too-fast filming to prevent it from being used!). It's good to see Alex Cox introducing the film - it was he and the BBC's Nick Freand-Jones who gave the movie its English language premiere, since when its cult status has been assured.

Rating:
Summary: Good but not great
Review: This is an interesting but flawed movie with brilliant characters and scenery but a ridiculous plot. First of all I extend my congratulations to the cast and crew for filming this thing largely in the snow. It must have been hell to work in these conditions. The outdoor scenery of the mountains, forests, etc. is spectacular. This is one of Klaus Kinski's best performances as the vicious bounty hunter who leads a gang of ruthless killers. I personally think that they should have used his own voice rather than the dubbed in one. He speaks English, although with a heavy foreign accent. I don't see a problem with that since America had plenty of immigrants then just like today. However, the producers chose to dub in an American voice. If they had used his own I think it would have made him even creepier and perhaps even as good as Lee Van Cleef in Good, Bad, and Ugly. This is a gunfighter movie but the gunfights are generally poorly staged and choreographed. Unlike Sergio Leone who has them almost like a ballet set to bullfight music or Sam Peckinpah who almost has a movie set around gunfight scenes. Other westerns like the Magnificent Seven, Gunfight at the OK Corral, even the recent Kevin Costner movie Open Range have very well thought out and performed gunfight scenes, but not this movie. That is a big minus. I have noticed this phenomenon in other so-called Euro westerns so that I begin to wonder if it is a deliberate attempt to mock American westerns. There is an old Alan Arkin movie parody of Sherlock Holmes called the Seven Per Cent Solution where Holmes and Watson take their trusty bloodhound Toby and follow a trail which leads to a train station so they get on a train and it leads to a seaport so they get on a boat and so on until it becomes completely ridiculous. The thought crosses my mind that perhaps some of these Euro directors are mocking our gunfights the same way. Anyway, the governor of the Utah territory or whatever decides to cleanup the boonies so he sends a new sheriff. Yeah, right, like Wyatt Earp is gonna go all by himself to clean up Dodge City or Tombstone Arizona and fight at the OK Corral. He should have sent a company of rangers to back him up, don't you think? This new sheriff runs into a mob of fugitives and finds that his gun won't shoot because it is frozen. Yet later Klaus Kinski retrieves a gun that he had stashed days earlier in a snowbank and is able to blast away. Why wasn't that gun frozen? In the Clint Eastwood man with no name trilogy Clint played a bounty hunter. In this movie the hero is a bounty hunter killer. Is that some kind of statement in itself? The mob of fugitives who live in the hills supposedly were once good people who only turned to a life of crime out of poverty, desperation, and want, yet they pay the gunman to murder the bounty hunters? Where did they get the money? The hero supposedly humanely spares some individuals but shoots off their thumbs to prevent them from ever using a gun again. This is humane? What if they need to defend themselves or their families in the future? How are they supposed to hold tools etc.? In the Sergio Leone classic western Once Upon a Time in the West Jason Robards tells Charles Bronson to hope that when he finally gets shot that the shooter knows where to shoot you to kill you quick and clean rather than slow and messy. I think that this illustrates the difference between the American and European mind. To an American it is more humane to give a guy a quick and relatively painless death while a European thinks that it is more humane to spare your life to live on as a cripple. Thanks for nothing. (I know that Sergio Leone is Italian but his movie nevertheless expresses the American view in my opinion). I actually thought that the massacre at the end was the best part of the movie but that the hero was a damned fool. The alternate ending was silly. The idea that the hero was mute and the rationale for it was pointless. It could have been done better with a hero who talks only a little like Clint Eastwood. And he could have had some other type of scar, etc. Charles Bronson in Once Upon a Time in the West had a similar motive of revenge and it worked better.

Rating:
Summary: A Brilliant Anti-Western !
Review: This is easily one of the best and most disturbing spaghetti westerns ever made. At the risk of giving away the ending, the movie basically turns all the western cliches on their head. The gorgeously shot snowy landscape, the lush but unobtrusive Morricone score, Klaus Kinski in the role of his life and the unusual casting of Jean Louis Trintignant in the lead role all combine to give the audience a truly original experience. The quality of the transfer to DVD is also excellent and the inclusion of the alternate ending is very informative. Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Slight correction to Ryan's review
Review: While I agree with everything Ryan said about the film, I would like to point out that the DVD was released by Fantoma Films, not Anchor Bay

Rating:
Summary: ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE SNOW
Review: You can not go wrong with Sergio Corbucci's THE GREAT SILENCE. The movie is simply one of the best spaghetti westerns ever directed and belongs to the priceless category of cult movies. If you consider that, apart of the haunting musical score of Ennio Morricone, Klaus Kinski is one of the main characters of the film, nothing, except maybe the bad quality of the sound, can prevent you now from ordering this Image DVD.

You'll find in THE GREAT SILENCE moments of anthology such as a love scene between a mute and a black woman (I remind you that the scene is happening in 1998 in the Utah mountains) with a violin concert as musical background. You'll suffer with the hero -Jean-Louis Trintignant- who is mute and has to face the fiendish Klaus Kinski with a burnt hand, and bullets in the shoulder AND in the other hand. I hardly mention that it is snowing during the entire movie and that the final scene of the GREAT SILENCE is so pessimistic that the movie's producer asked Sergio Corbucci to shoot an alternative ending you will find as bonus feature.

Other bonus features include a trailer and an interview of SID AND NANCY'S director Alex Cox. Images are average and the sound, as I mentioned it before, poor.

A DVD zone your library.