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The Good, the Bad & the Ugly (Extended Version Collector's Set)

The Good, the Bad & the Ugly (Extended Version Collector's Set)

List Price: $29.98
Your Price: $23.98
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I am the 101th reviewer!
Review: Surely, it deserves more than 5 stars. I just love this movie. When I was little, I watched this several times but because I was so young, it had been all mixed up with the 'A few dollars more'. It's only recently that I got both and now I know which is which. The 'A few dollars more' is another great movie but I think the Good~ is a real masterpiece. It is one if my all time favorite 5 moves (This and 'chinese ghost story I' are always there, while the other three seats tend to be changed frequently). What can i say more. A masterpiece

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Review: Terrible. Director Leone amuses himself while showing the audience a self indulgent unbelieveable mess albiet beautifully photographed.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Classic Ultimate in Westerns!
Review: I've been a fan of Westerns since a young girl in the late 1970s. It was The Good, The Bad and The Ugly which first peak my interest in Westerns and even today, there's nothing like a western to end a perfect evening. The trio of Eastwood (Blondie), Wallach (Tuco) and Van Cleef (Angel Eyes) makes this western a true classic and one of the must see westerns of all time. It's brilliantly written, acted and loaded with suspense. If you want to see one of the best, I consider The Good, The Bad and The Ugly on the top of my list.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The greatest western ever...
Review: By far the most classic, ambitious, and entertaining western ever put to film. Every aspect of the movie is truly amazing (from the development of the love-hate relationship between Blondie and Tuco, to the epic stand off).It provides plenty of action, and while nearly three hours, never seems to have a dull moment. The music (while cliche and a bit cheesy)makes The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly all the more enjoyable. I highly reccomend the DVD, as it has 14 minutes of deleted scenes from the original Italian classic!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A different perspective of the Civil War
Review: I'm not really a fan of Sergio Leone or the Western genre, but as a CW buff I find this film to be very impressive.

I've read that this movie was adapted from a short film Luciano Vincenzoni made about a group of guys stuck between the lines during WWI, Vincenzoni and Leone decided to adapt the story to the American Civil War and set it in the Far West. You may think that the film's Civil War background is just a composite of generic vignettes, but the writers did base the film on an actual event from the Civil War.

The event is Sibley's New Mexico Campaign of 1861-1862, when a brigade of about 3,000 Confederates under the command of Henry Hopkins Sibley invaded the Union Territory of New Mexico from Texas. The Confederates clashed with Union troops on several occasions, finally losing most of their supply wagons at the battle of La Glorietta Pass, which compelled the grey troops to retreat back to Texas, in a ragged, starving condition, closely pursued by the Federal forces under Col. Canby.

TGTBATU correctly portrays the seesawing nature of the campaign control of the territory passed between the two forces. The setting in Spain also matches the landscapes of New Mexico and northwestern Texas. The artillery, however, was borrowed from a Spanish museum and is not accurate to the period nor are the rear-loading versions of the Colt 1851 Navy revolvers. Also, there were no railroads in New Mexico at the time.

Another error is made in the uniforms of the Confederate soldiers. The film correctly reproduces the regulation jackets which are trimmed in yellow for cavalry, blue for infantry and red for artillery (however, it can be seen that all of the coats have plain brass buttons, unlike the originals which would have had insignia), but coats with the expensive trim were rarely seen even on the more important Eastern battlefields and the Confederate troops who fought with Sibley were probably equipped with little uniform clothing. Also the regiments that fought with Sibley were all organized as mounted troops.

Another thing that impressed me about the film was the image of a group of individuals living in the "No-Man's Land" between the two armies. Throughout the Civil War a motley collection of dispossessed civilians, prostitutes, escaped slaves, army deserters, spies, guerrillas and bandits prowled on the edges of the field armies. These groups receive relatively little coverage in either history or fiction seeing as so little was recorded about them.

I found the presentation of a hypothetical group of these individuals as seen in TGTBATU to be highly intriguing. The premise is that a national army is the supreme manifestation of LAW, and that when two armies, essentially two opposing forms of law are present, there will be a vacuum of lawlessness that fills the void between the two bodies- an ideal place for three men to be ruled by only their base instincts, be they Good, Bad or Ugly.

The DVD quality is good, and includes previously unreleased (in the US) scenes deleted from the original version of the film. The dialogue in these scenes is in Italian (with English subtitles) and presents not only a few more bits of interest in understanding the central characters, but also a few more Civil War vignettes such as a shattered Confederate fort and hospital, as well as a Confederate camp.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A masterpiece!
Review: This is the third and the best of the Clint Eastwood "gunfighter with no name" movies. In "A Fistful of Dollars" Clint acted alone. In "For a Few Dollars More" he teamed up with a second gunfighter, Lee Van Cleef. In this one there are three of them, including Eli Wallach. Lee Van Cleef is much better in this one because he is SO evil. The production values are the highest in this one and it shows in many big scenes. Many reviewers say that this is the best western ever made. There are so many outstanding westerns, but this one is certainly up there with the best of them and is on everybody's short list of favorites. Thank you.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The best of the series.
Review: With every entry into the "Man With No Name" trilogy, Sergio Leone became more and more comfortable with his overwhelming sense of style. And "The Good, The Bad And The Ugly" is the pinnacle of his talent. Nothing less than a stylistic masterpiece. It would be nice to see movies today take the risks that this one does.
The cinematography is nothing less than amazing. Leone could have almost been a director of silent movies. So much is carried in the images. Much more so than in the lines these characters deliver. So much has been mentioned of his striking use of close-ups and staging of action set pieces, but that merely scratches the surface of a deep tapestry.
Aiding this mastery is Ennio Morricone's legendary score. Though his over-dramatic tone during the civil war elements is curious, it doesn't fault the film. There is more here to appreciate than can be heard in one viewing.
The acting here is also top notch. Eastwood is again dominating. Lee Van Cleef, (who played a different character in "For A Few Dollars More") makes an intimidating villian. And Eli Wallach pretty much steals the movie as the "Ugly" part of the equation. Their grizzled faces seem absolutely mythical in Leone's vision.
Overall this is the best in the series and one of the finest westerns ever made. It manages to be considerably more thoughtful than it's predecessors. Yet taken together they seem to tower over most other westerns. And as someone who admires a man's willingness to fully engage his creative vision, this film stands out as a milestone of visual technique. In the final showdown all the tension is created through the carefully crafted score and every intricate image. Amazing considering that we are simply watching men staring at each other. Yet it is mind bogglingly riveting. With this film Leone finally let go of all restraint. And "The Good The Bad And The Ugly" is so much the better for it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The art of the western
Review: In a world where true humanty is caged with rules of conduct, Clint, Sergio, Wallach and Angel Eyes are the doormen to the stark reality of human nature. Anarchy thrives in a place where man is shown in his true form - where "...life is nasty, brutish and short." Reality is suspended when the "Good" is a thief, the "Bad" is an officer, and the "Ugly" is truly a lovable ruffian. I love this movie for it's hammer of subtlety and it's brave conviction of the baser side of humanity.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great western
Review: This 1967 film is nearly three hours long- Clint, Lee van Cleef and Eli Wallach all turn in unforgettable performances sparked by greed. The music soundtrack is classic also, and adds atmosphere to the story.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of the Most Beautiful Movies of All Time
Review: The director/composer team of Sergio Leone and Ennio Morricone is perhaps the greatest, most creative team in movie history, and this is perhaps their greatest collaborative work of art. Far from being simply a "shoot-em-up" or an Eastwood vehicle, "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" depicts a ruthless world of violence and greed, then couches touching moments of genuine tenderness amist all the chaos. The effect is a surprising sort of affirmation of life lived in peril, and of unlikely friendship.
Consider the moment when Tuco climbs aboard the wagon with Blondie after having argued with his brother, the priest. These two men are mortal enemies, but Clint obviously realizes how hurt Tuco really is. In one of the most nuanced scenes of all time, Tuco says (if I remember correctly),
"Still, I know that there's a brother out there that never denyed me a bowl of soup."
To which Blondie responds,
"Yeah...and after a big meal, there's nothing like a good cigar." At which point Blondie passes his cigar to Tuco, one of those classic Morricone cues comes sweeping in, and Tuco smiles as the duo rides off together to take on the world. Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. If you enjoy this picture (and how could you not!), I highly recommend Morricone/Leone's OTHER greatest movie, "Once Upon A Time In The West," with Hendry Fonda. If anything, THIS is more the sister film to "..The Ugly" than either of the "Dollars" movies. Not yet available on DVD, unfortunately.


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