Once Upon A Time In The West (Collector's Edition) (DVD)

...this is also evident in Once Upon a Time in the West. Bronson plays the part of "Harmonica", a mysterious harmonica-playing stranger with a long-held lust for revenge in his heart, a lust which is sated at the climax of the film in an unexpected plot twist. Befriending Jill, he helps her to obtain retribution against Frank and Morton, but for reasons of his own as much as for her sake. Although I do not intend to quote huge passages of script, I ...
...running through the soundtrack to Once Upon a Time in the West is minimalism: as the film is characterized by arid, empty landscapes, long silences and little dialogue, so the soundtrack matches this in its bleak, austere feel. Most tracks are very simple with few instruments the and include the disturbing, discordant "Man with a Harmonica" with the same few notes played over again on a harmonica, the melancholy, wordless female vocal of the opening ...

cladach29 05.10.2006 · Read full review
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Review of Once Upon A Time In The West (Collector's Edition) (DVD)

...here for inspiration, too. Once Upon A Time In The West has been released on various DVD formats. Sadly, I only have the privilege of having seen it as a film only production, but I'm likely to go and buy the film in all its glory and plethora of extras. Rarely am I bothered by extras, but this may just be the one exception. ...

pmcds 08.04.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Once Upon A Time In The West (Collector's Edition) (DVD)

...Fonda! Once Upon A Time in the West, is the best "western" of all time, only Eastwood's 1992 "Unforgiven", comes close. Even if you're not keen on westerns you really should take a look at this, if only for the music & the pure majesty of the camera's eye!! ...

dreamstar70 27.01.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Once Upon A Time In The West (Collector's Edition) (DVD)

...The set detail in Once Upon a Time is just as prolific as Jeunet's films: The deco of Morton's train carriage reeks of dirty money and western whims - plush, brushed red and gold velvets hanging in an abundance of decadent glory. Mac Bain's homestead is a finely detailed replica of a recent immigrant - memories of home, cluttered with childish things and sprinkled with tenderness at the thought of the arriving new bride. Outside of the sets, the ...
...little thing I enjoy in Once Upon a Time, is the bizarre theme tunes that introduce us to the character - and then let us know when that character is lurking around the corner. The unforgettable wailing harmonica tune (and all its crescendos and descents) are thanks to Leone's partnership with Ennio Morricone - I love the music from this film sooo much, I bought a Western themes compilation tape (what the hell am I admitting to this for?). *Other ...

peel.rebekah 12.10.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Once Upon A Time In The West (Collector's Edition) (DVD)

***BACKGROUND*** When Sergio Leone launched his now famous 'Dollars' trilogy in 1964 with 'A Fist Full of Dollars' he started a cult which spawned over 200 of the so called Spaghetti Westerns. However, Leone remained the man and, in most critics eyes, remained the master of the genre. The first 'Dollars' film was quickly followed by 'For a Few Dollars More' in 1965 and 'The Good, The Bad and The Ugly' in 1966, effectively launching the career of ...
...After the success of 'The Good, The Bad and The Ugly' and Eastwood's decision to begin directing his own films, Leone moved away from the Old West and ventured into other areas such as the gang wars of the 1920s with 'Once Upon a Time in America'. But the film world and the cinema goers wanted more Westerns from Leone and, in 1967, he reluctantly agreed to produce just one more. Leone turned to Sergio Donati for the screenplay, who had, uncredited, ...

richkw 12.07.2005 · Read full review
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Review of Once Upon A Time In The West (Collector's Edition) (DVD)

THIS HAS BEEN UP-DATED AS IT WAS ONE OF MY "POOR" FIRST REVIEWS.... "Once Upon A Time In The West" - Collectors Edition DVD During my time at High School and at University, I seemed to blank out from my memory that I thoroughly enjoyed Westerns as a young child, until I re-discovered some culture in my mid-20's! This DVD is a must own for all fans of the Western and was the final curtain call for the genre, as was the intention of world acclaimed ...
...move on from making Westerns to making gangster films, but felt he needed to make one final movie drawing upon all aspects of the Western, which he has embodied within this masterpiece, and given it one final lasting mark and tribute. The film captures terrific period performances from Charles Bronson as "Harmonica", Claudia Cardinale as the strong willed "Damsel" in distress, Henry Fonda as the ultimate "baddy" Frank, and Jason Robardia as rogue ...

newty1977 19.01.2006 (08.04.2006) · Read full review
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Review of Once Upon A Time In The West (Collector's Edition) (DVD)

****Contains Spoilers*** Right, where do I start? On the back of the DVD case is written 'From start to finish, a dance of death'. That's exactly where we will begin. The whole movie is similar to one big Mexican standoff. From the tension, to the quick and brutal violence that the director Sergio Leone had introduced so well by this time in the commonly called 'Spaghetti Westerns'. The story is all about three men. As the tag-line reads, 'One man ...
...one man to kill her'. That's basically a short sum up of the story. Charles Bronson plays Harmonica (Labeled this because he has no name, much like Clint Eastwood in the dollars series) a 'Good Guy' role as he tries to protect Jill. Jill played by Claudia Cardinale is a ex whore who agreed to marry a man called McBain. However her new family are brutally murdered and she is left alone, with the killer wanting to kill her. The opening scene (Similar ...

Ste300 07.09.2006 · Read full review
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Review of Once Upon A Time In The West (Collector's Edition) (DVD)

Sergio Leones' Greatest film conveys all the viciousness, and harsh reality of the old west but still manages to be an almost ghostly poem. The story of a hired assassin (Henry Fonda) targeting a beautiful landowner (Claudia Cardinale) is as simple as his previous Dollars trilogy yet has much more depth. The photography is typically stunning - you can barely take your eyes off the screen, it has a classic score by Ennio Morricone and it has one of ...

JSpencer 14.07.2000 · Read full review
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Review of Once Upon A Time In The West (Collector's Edition) (DVD)

If you are a lover of Spaghetti Westerns you cannot help but be impressed by this film. Sergo Leone's first part of an incomplete trilogy (the third was to be on the Russian Revolution but sadly he died before it could be completed) encompasses all that we know and love in his films. This film differs somewhat in that the characters are less 'black and white' than they are for instance in the 'Dollars' films. For example, his choice of Henry Fonda ...

slooth 20.07.2000 · Read full review
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Review of Once Upon A Time In The West (Collector's Edition) (DVD)

Having a disabled wife who is a western film fanatic as kept me busy surfing for suitable sites to fuel her interest. I have now found a site which has hundreds of western films listed and reviewed. The site, www.us.imdb.com/sections/genre/western features just about every western film ever made. On reaching the site the front page contains the alphabet and, after selecting the letter of your choice, all film titles beginning with that letter are ...
...and you have lots of details displayed. As early as pre first world war up to the latest releases are listed and write ups are given on each film along with cast details, director and all the other stuff related to films. The posters of most of these films are displayed and can be enlarged. Without a doubt this is the most comprehensive site available for the western film fan. ...

yorkie2 05.06.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Once Upon A Time In The West (Collector's Edition) (DVD)