Rating: Summary: Incredible western epic Review: I remember seeing ads for this movie when they would show it on TV, during those "Movies that Guys Like" marathons. I don't know why, but for some reason I thought it would just be a boring Western shoot-em-up. Now I'm 25 and I just watched all of Sergio Leone's westerns, and I have to admit that I was dead wrong. These aren't just among the greatest westerns of all time, they are some of the greatest movies of all time. "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" and "Once Upon a Time in the West" are Leone's two stunning masterpieces. This film isn't just a shoot-em-up, although it has some of the best gunfighting scenes you will see. It is a mesmerizing epic about the old west, the Civil war, friendship, greed, and revenge. It stars the greatest Western hero of all time, Clint Eastwood, in the role that made him famous. It also stars the great Eli Wallach as "the Ugly" and Lee Van Cleef as "the Bad". Superb characters, good humor, amazing battle scenes, and incendiary cinematography make this a movie well worth buying.
Rating: Summary: Great movie, lousy audio Review: Thoroughly disappointed! The sound is HORRIBLE! It says it's "Dolby Digital" and while I didn't expect 21st century, state of the art 5.1 surround sound, I was shocked to find nothing but a mono center channel. IT'S NOT EVEN IN STEREO! (I was so stunned by the lousy audio that I didn't watch it long enough to see how the video looks.) Great movie, a "psychedelic western", I like to call it, I'm taking it back (I hope the store will take it, it's been opened). Lets hope someone redoes this DVD and at least gives it two channel audio. Sheesh, what the heck were they thinking?
Rating: Summary: The best spagetti I've ever seen! Review: This movie is the best one among the others. The main characters, the music and the plot are excellent. If you want to have an enjoyable 2.5 hours and have enough money, never hesitate to buy it!
Rating: Summary: You Can Call Him "Blondie".....Just Don't Get In His Way! Review: There's $200,000 in gold buried in a secret place.The Man with No Name, or "Blondie" as he is so affectionaly called in this one(Eastwood), "Tuco"(Eli Wallach) and "Angel Eyes"(Lee Van Cleef)are all intent they they will be the one to walk away with it.Not even a little thing like the Civil War will keep them from their quest!This is the third and final film of the "Fistful of Dollars" trilogy. It reunites Eastwood, Van Cleef(as a different character in this one), Director Sergio Leone and Ennio Morricone with another great "Spaghetti" Western and marvelous score to go with it.In this one there is also the addition of Eli Wallach who steals the show as "The Ugly". "Blondie" and "Tuco" are already partners of sorts. They have a scheme going where the "Wanted" Tuco, who has a price on his head that is ever growing, is captured and brought in to hang. Blondie, always at the last second and with his sure shot, shoots the hangman's noose, the two escape and split the rewards.When these two part ways(and are done torturing each other)they each discover the other has a piece of the puzzle needed to find the gold!They must reunite to chase their prize.But Uh-oh... there is a third though who is also real interested in this gold. It is the very "Bad" "Angel Eyes". He discovers their secret, and will use any means neccessary to retrieve the information and secure the loot for himself.So the three form a sort of unholy alliance, make their way through scorching deserts, Civil War battles, and betrayals to get this buried treasure. Who will be the last man standing? Who will get rich? Well You Know....... It's a wonderfully filmed western that has everthing needed to keep you invovled. The camera shots and angles are incredible,Morricone has once again added a score that is a part of the story itself. There is lots of action, some terrific explosions,humor, and a great script.Eastwood, Van Cleef and Wallach will draw you in to their characters and keep you there until the final frame! It's a Western lover's Western! Oh and you will find the answer to the question I left my review of "For a Few Dollars More" with, "Where did Clint get that wonderful pancho?"(This film is actually a prequel) Five stars to the film. It's fabulous. I can't go with that for the entire package though. The DVD(MGM) looks great. The picture is the best I've ever seen it. It is sharp and clear.The "Technicolor"looks good. It is presented in the original theatrical widescreen. You can see all the action in all the edges. I was a bit dissapointed with the sound though.Although, not bad in the Dolby Digital, it did not seem like an improvement on the Vhs. It seemed low and the dubbing was off quite a bit. It just doesn't seem to come up to par with other films (on DVD) of this age in that department. That's my only reason for 4 stars instead of 5.(Sometimes I wish we could add a Half a star)There is some excellent extra footage in the special features sections. It is of deleted scenes that are still in Italian only. I enjoyed viewing those. There are also some production notes, you can view it in French or Spanish and there are also subtitiles if needed. Even with the little problem of the sound, I still love this DVD and hope someday an even better one will come along.If you're a big fan of this trilogy, Eastwood, Leone,or a good western, it's a must have in any form DVD or VHS! So Saddle up with Blondie..he's sooo "GOOD!" and enjoy..Laurie
Rating: Summary: classic Review: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly is Sergio Leone's classic spaghetti western. This is the one everyone remembers. It's shot in Spain, where the terrain looks similar to the American west, but gives it its special feel. The cinematography is a beautiful job. Ennio Morricone's score takes on the aspects of another character in the film, and it has become synonymous with the american west. this is an all time classic. great film, i love the fact that there is no dialogue for the first 10 minutes of the film. really shows what movies are meant to be. the dvd also contains about 15 minutes of footage deleted from the u.s. version (it's in italian). this is just one of those movies everyone loves and everyone should own.
Rating: Summary: Wonderful classic western Review: My review is neither professional or amateur, but I know good movies when I see them. I have seen this movie on VHS before and loved it , but on DVD we see all the vivid colors as intended in the theater. I can watch this movie and every time it never fails to amaze me with it's rough vision of the civil war days. Sergio Leone is quite possibly the best foreign filmmaker of all time. The movie's simplicity and rough style is perfect for westerns period. The movie just has great character with an unforgettable soundtrack to boot. Watch this one when you feel like watching a real western.
Rating: Summary: The funniest, but not the best Review: OK we have three good characters, great cinematography, a unique, quirky, and sometimes powerful score, the first ten minutes, and the last ten minutes of the movie that are all pretty decent...but then there's all that nonsnense in between! Apparently, after 'A Few Dollars More' somebody convinced Leone he was a great maker of cinema(rhymes with enema). The Civil War in New Mexico makes a nice premise but everything drags and drags and drags. Each scene develops on an excruciating timeline. Boom boom, drag the dead, eyes, teeth , fingers, more teeth, pistols, twitching fingers, more eyes-jeez get on with it. Sorry, this is nothing but a parody. Not only is this not the "greatest" of all time, it ain't even in the top 25 IMHO. I will give the director his due for a number of innovations that have been roundly lauded here, and I even thought the Confederate Pep Band at the prison camp was a cute idea-silly as it was. They really needed a tuba though and the woodwind section was sorely in need of beefing up, but other than that? This thing is at least an hour too long but as a satire of the western genre I can live with it. I can't however live with this "best ever" tag which is an insult to the genre and to the myth, which is a myth to begin with. 3 shell casings, but only for making me laugh.
Rating: Summary: An absolute thriller!!! Review: TGTBATU (title of the film) is a brilliant piece of work.I saw the movie 3 days ago for the first time and I was amazed.The music by Ennio Morricone and the directing by Sergio Leone was stupendous (dont mind the spelling).This movie contains one of the best movie sequences I have ever seen.The final showdown between the good,the bad and the ugly was a beautiful sight to see.Go watch it and prepare to be entertained to the max!!!
Rating: Summary: The Music, The Story, The Scenery, The Dialogue, The Eyes Review: Near the end of the movie is the scene where the three men face each other, and the camera looks at each man's eyes, their determination, their fear. Another scene, just as Blondie/Man Without a Name/Eastwood shoots the rope which would've hung his friend, capturing the incredible concentration in the midst of confidence Blondie must have to get the job done. "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" packs in so many great scenes such as these, that it has become one of those films directors are insprired by. The theme song, that hauntingly familiar hushed whistle-like tune, ranks in my book as one of the perfect songs for a movie. Ennio Morricone's score integrates well overall, as he draws from the theme throughout. Some movies need to be on the big screen. It is a shame no one re-releases this sort of movie into the theaters, where the panoramic vistas and so-close-you-can-smell-the-sweat closeups would shine. It is a big movie. Clint Eastwood plays his role with such convincing demeanor, I'm amazed when I see him play in other roles as deftly. I can't imagine another man as Blondie, chewing on an unlit cigarette/cigar, unshaven, sweating and dirty, and the gravely voice. The DVD aspect is lacking, I'm afraid, in extras. There are a few extra scenes, but out of context, they simply don't add much to my experience. I'm not sure what might've been appropriate, as, in so many ways, the movie is enough. Significant clips from other Eastwood flicks, especially his westerns, might've been nice. I fully recommend "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly." Anthony Trendl
Rating: Summary: One of Clint's best. Review: Not being a big fan of westerns, this movie is an exception. Granted it can drag out a little for those with the short attention span, and the musical score goes a bit overboard. But its got some great memorable characters and the music adds to the suspense, especially in the final scene.
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