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Posted: |
Jul 26, 2015 - 5:00 AM
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By: |
Richard-W
(Member)
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Kino Lorber is about to release a new hi-def transfer of Sergio Sollima's epic FACCIA A FACCIA (1967), one of a handful of spaghetti "westerns" that rises above the witless comedy and mindless nihilism of the genre. Although set in Texas, it is filmed in Almeria, Spain. Like all spags, it uses the trappings and iconography of the American western, which it also quickly discards as needs be. Naturally there is plenty of bounty hunting and sadistic killings. Whereas nearly all spags operate on a thin premise and fail to develop a plot, FACCIA A FACCIA is complicated, with enough plot for several films. The story is about an intellectual school teacher who heads west for his health, only to fall into the hands of a ruthless bandit and his gang of peasants. The teacher must learn how to play along and talk fast to prevent them from killing him. Fascinated by their way of life, the teacher eventually takes over the gang with a ruthlessness that surpasses that of the bandit who had been learning more peaceful ways by observing the teacher. The director stated in an interview that he wanted to tell a story in which a bad man and a good man gradually reverse roles. The psychological depth of the characters (imagine that: a spag with psychological depth!) and the committed performances of Gian Maria Volonte and Thomas Milian would make this an interesting film in any genre.
DVDbeaver is the first to post screen captures. Look them over:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film5/blu-ray_reviews_68/face_to_face_blu-ray.htm
Instead of using Ureka's transfer of the longer Italian version for the Masters of Cinema DVD in the U.K., Kino-Lorber made a new hi-def scan of the shorter English dubbed version for blu-ray because the elements were in better shape, and included a new transfer of the Italian version in standard definition. I haven't seen the blu-ray yet (it's on pre-order) but going by the screen caps, to my eye, the hi-def scan is deficient in black level. The standard def has a black level closer to where the hi-def should be. Whether this is because of poor grading or a flaw in the elements, I don't know, but I'm inclined to think Kino-Lorber dropped the ball on the grading. Sure, the image is sharper but the deficient black level compromises Emilio Foriscot's and Rafael Pacheco's superb photography.
Maybe I'll change my mind when the blu-ray gets here.
In any case, this is an excellent film and I recommend checking it out even if you're not a spag fan. And yes, the score is by Ennoi Morricone.
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Posted: |
Jul 26, 2015 - 1:14 PM
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By: |
riotengine
(Member)
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Kino Lorber is about to release a new hi-def transfer of Sergio Sollima's epic FACCIA A FACCIA (1967), one of a handful of spaghetti "westerns" that rises above the witless comedy and mindless nihilism of the genre. Although set in Texas, it is filmed in Almeria, Spain. Like all spags, it uses the trappings and iconography of the American western, which it also quickly discards as needs be. Naturally there is plenty of bounty hunting and sadistic killings. Whereas nearly all spags operate on a thin premise and fail to develop a plot, FACCIA A FACCIA is complicated, with enough plot for several films. The story is about an intellectual school teacher who heads west for his health, only to fall into the hands of a ruthless bandit and his gang of peasants. The teacher must learn how to play along and talk fast to prevent them from killing him. Fascinated by their way of life, the teacher eventually takes over the gang with a ruthlessness that surpasses that of the bandit who had been learning more peaceful ways by observing the teacher. The director stated in an interview that he wanted to tell a story in which a bad man and a good man gradually reverse roles. The psychological depth of the characters (imagine that: a spag with psychological depth!) and the committed performances of Gian Maria Volonte and Thomas Milian would make this an interesting film in any genre.
DVDbeaver is the first to post screen captures. Look them over:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film5/blu-ray_reviews_68/face_to_face_blu-ray.htm
Instead of using Ureka's transfer of the longer Italian version for the Masters of Cinema DVD in the U.K., Kino-Lorber made a new hi-def scan of the shorter English dubbed version for blu-ray because the elements were in better shape, and included a new transfer of the Italian version in standard definition. I haven't seen the blu-ray yet (it's on pre-order) but going by the screen caps, to my eye, the hi-def scan is deficient in black level. The standard def has a black level closer to where the hi-def should be. Whether this is because of poor grading or a flaw in the elements, I don't know, but I'm inclined to think Kino-Lorber dropped the ball on the grading. Sure, the image is sharper but the deficient black level compromises Emilio Foriscot's and Rafael Pacheco's superb photography.
Maybe I'll change my mind when the blu-ray gets here.
In any case, this is an excellent film and I recommend checking it out even if you're not a spag fan. And yes, the score is by Ennoi Morricone.
Richard. I posted about this a few weeks ago. It's a head scratcher that the longer version wasn't in hi-def. I brought up the issue on the Home Theater Forum.
http://www.filmscoremonthly.com/board/posts.cfm?threadID=72689&forumID=1&archive=0
Greg Espinoza
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Posted: |
Jul 26, 2015 - 2:08 PM
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By: |
riotengine
(Member)
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I posted about this a few weeks ago. It's a head scratcher that the longer version wasn't in hi-def. I brought up the issue on the Home Theater Forum.
http://www.filmscoremonthly.com/board/posts.cfm?threadID=72689&forumID=1&archive=0
Greg Espinoza
Bottom line, please, Greg - I have the score to Face to Face, which is great. Is this western worth having, as a western? I don't really get on with a lot of American westerns, those white hat/black hat or cowboys and indians ones fill me with ennui. My favourites are the Leone westerns, but I've also got the bluray of The Big Gundown, so how does this western compare with that one?
Cheers
TG
It's a political western from Sergio Sollima, who also did The Big Gundown. I think it's worth having as I think it's a really smart movie that says something about the rise of fascism. Gian Maria Volonte and Tomas Milian are both really good, as well.
Greg Espinoza
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Posted: |
Jul 26, 2015 - 2:48 PM
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By: |
Tall Guy
(Member)
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I posted about this a few weeks ago. It's a head scratcher that the longer version wasn't in hi-def. I brought up the issue on the Home Theater Forum.
http://www.filmscoremonthly.com/board/posts.cfm?threadID=72689&forumID=1&archive=0
Greg Espinoza
Bottom line, please, Greg - I have the score to Face to Face, which is great. Is this western worth having, as a western? I don't really get on with a lot of American westerns, those white hat/black hat or cowboys and indians ones fill me with ennui. My favourites are the Leone westerns, but I've also got the bluray of The Big Gundown, so how does this western compare with that one?
Cheers
TG
It's a political western from Sergio Sollima, who also did The Big Gundown. I think it's worth having as I think it's a really smart movie that says something about the rise of fascism. Gian Maria Volonte and Tomas Milian are both really good, as well.
Greg Espinoza
Thanks for that - I do enjoy a political western. Even Fistful of Dynamite, which barely touches on the Irish issues, is enhanced by it.
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Yes they fill me with ennui too, Tg.
Alsui features Brunio nicolaui and his hal 9000 organ.
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