For A Few Dollars More - Per Qualche Dollaro In Più

[AnimeOnBlu]

Release by Mondo Entertainment

Specs:

Video: 1080p VC1 2:35:1
Audio: Italian DTS-HD MA 1.0
Subtitles: Italian HoH
BD: BD25
Time: 133mins.
Region: Free
Extras:
*Omaggio a Sergio Leone - Il Restauro

Good PQ. Italian Mono only (very nice track). Good release.

Edit- after viewing the MGM disc, I actually prefer the look of the MGM release over this one. Also, the framing is a bit better on the MGM disc.

[kemalettin]

can you please post some screenshots

[Arkadin]

great release--
if you speak Italian.
I mean there are no English subs or it would be a no brainer.
just a terrible shame, as the Italian "Fistful" not only has English subs but ALSO a mono English dub.
real shame that the other company didn't have the rights to this one also.
both Mondo parts (TGTBATU) have no English subs although they look amazing.

[Blu-is-better]

If you are looking for an English option, this movie and FOD came out in Hong Kong today by MGM.

[retask]

Originally Posted by Blu-is-better

If you are looking for an English option, this movie and FOD came out in Hong Kong today by MGM.

Link?

[Blu-is-better]

http://dddhouse.com/v3/product_detai...roductID=10823

[The Duke]

Originally Posted by Blu-is-better

If you are looking for an English option, this movie and FOD came out in Hong Kong today by MGM.

Well, that will be the same as the MGM Man with No Name Trilogy being released in the US/Canada on June 1. For those of us in North America, it will be cheaper to buy it here. Hopefully MGM does a better job with FOD & Few Dollars More than they did with TGTBTU - the Italian BD is far superior.


EDIT: And as far as MGM doing a better job with Fistful of Dollars & Few Dollars More than they did with TGTBTU, the blu-ray.com review of Hang 'Em High is encouraging.

[kemalettin]

MGM and Mondo restorations completely different

[Revolution9]

So, is anybody willing to post caps? DVDbeaver already made caps of the MGM BD, now we only need the MHE caps to compare...

[Kalekulan]

It's a real disappointment.

For a Few Dollars More:

MGM (Small) Italian (Big)

[El_Burro]

mm are you sure that the left ones are from MGM and the right from MondoEnt?
Because its mgm who used DNR meanwhile MondoHe didnt use any kind of filter...
Also reading few reviews made by users, there is written that grain is present and there is a lot of it

[Kalekulan]

Originally Posted by El_Burro

mm are you sure that the left ones are from MGM and the right from MondoEnt?
Because its mgm who used DNR meanwhile MondoHe didnt use any kind of filter...

I'm 100% sure. Mondo do have used a bit DNR while MGM is maxing the sharpness...

[Arkadin]

this syncs with the caps also posted in the other thread--
the trilogy thread.
it seems that the MGM is clearly better than the Italian version as far as the 2nd film goes.
It is honestly still hard for me to believe that the MGM is so much better than the mondo release.
it's like divine intervention or something.

[AnimeOnBlu]

I just watched the MGM version all the way through, and then went back and watched a handful of scenes from the Italian version to compare. Firstly, the mono audio on the Italian release is much better than the 5.1 track on the MGM disc. The gunshot effects on the Mondo disc are far better done while the MGM sounds muffled by comparison.

I found the colors of the MGM to be more pleasing at times than the Mondo. There was sharpening and DNR present on the MGM disc, but there was also DNR on the Mondo disc at times. I have problems with those screenshots. They exhibit more sharpening and are much darker than what I watched. I looked at those scenes on my PC and HDTV and the sharpening and DNR were not nearly as bad as in those screenshots (although those problems were indeed there).

There was also one scene where there was a massive difference between the Italian and MGM release.

[Show spoiler]After Mortimer opens the safe, and all the bandits were asleep and Monco leaves to go steal the money, the house they are in when Monco wakes up is brighter in the Italian release, but darker in the MGM release. The scene took place at night, so I think the MGM version is more accurate than the Mondo release in that scene.

You can see the screenshots below (Sorry for the crappy quality):

[Show spoiler]
MGM (Left) | Mondo (Right):

There is also a blue push on the Mondo disc. See pics below (Again, sorry for the crappy quality):

[Show spoiler]
MGM (Left) | Mondo (Right)

The framing on the MGM release is better, more of the image is shown and parts of the scene are cut off in the Italian release.

Overall, I think the MGM release is a bit better (not a knockout). They both have problems, but I give the nod to the MGM disc.

I imagine if Paramount Germany releases their version, it will be the definitive version.

[Leterface]

AnimeOnBlu, have Paramount Germany ever released a exclusive title in Germany (ie title that not exist elsewere than in Germany)?


Now these caps again shows that the MGM seems to have much more detail than the Mondo. It looks like the Mondo would be out of focus compared to MGM. That said, IMO Mondo has nicer "old western look". But about the colors I'm not so sure, eg: in few caps the MGM seems to have better colors, but in one cap the Mondo has better. I would for sure buy the MGM version.


But as far as the sound quality, I'm sure the Mondo is better, as told in the previous post.

[BaseGR]

Originally Posted by Arkadin

this syncs with the caps also posted in the other thread--
the trilogy thread.
it seems that the MGM is clearly better than the Italian version as far as the 2nd film goes.
It is honestly still hard for me to believe that the MGM is so much better than the mondo release.
it's like divine intervention or something.

First post, but it's quite needed to clear up some things regarding this release.

The video on the MGM version, is with exception of the framing, in no way superior to the Italian version. If you prefer an accurate representation of the film, the Mondo disc is the way to go.

For the Italian blu-ray, a new master (about a year and a half ago) was created by the Cinetecca Bologna, using the original negatives. Some intensive colour correction and damage removal was used to restore the print as close to the way it originally looked. What remains as the final product, is an optically soft, yet pleasing film-like image with accurate colours and a fine layer of grain. There is however a slight boost in the contrast.

The MGM blu-ray is an entirely different story. It is quite clear that this release makes use of a master created by MGM in 2004, for the release of the Special Edition DVD in 2005. This particular master (although created from a relatively good source) exhibits a strong degree of sharpening, rendering the picture artificially 'sharp' - also strengthening the visibility of grain. In terms of colour this master is quite similar to the masters used for the release of 'A Fistful of Dollars' and ' The Good, The Bad and the Ugly'. The MGM release of these films were characterized by a rather desaturated/cold look in comparison to other releases worldwide. The blu-ray replicates this look. About 20 seconds of FaFDM still remain cut.

I have compared these discs side-by-side and my fears regarding the MGM version were confirmed. The disc has a consistently artificially sharpened look throughout the film. This might be pleasing to some, as more detail seems to be present - but this is definitely not the case. In fact, as an experiment, I popped in my Italian blu-ray and turned the sharpening on my TV-set up to about 80%. Not surprisingly, the Mondo release suddenly looked almost identical to the MGM release.

[AnimeOnBlu]

Originally Posted by Leterface

AnimeOnBlu, have Paramount Germany ever released a exclusive title in Germany (ie title that not exist elsewere than in Germany)?

I don't think so.

[Arkadin]

thanks for all this info.
It seems unfortunately that different people who have seen both versions of the second film have differing views.
in the post right above yours, a person who has both gives the nod to the MGM version.
I don't have either release, but I would have already ordered both Mondo discs if they had English subs.
I don't speak Italian, and would venture to say that 99% of the members of this forum don't either so the Italian discs no matter how good they are just a non-starter without English subs.
I already have the Italian release of the first film that does have English subs as well as an English dub.
why this company got to include subs and Mondo did not is a real mystery, and a tragic shame.
In the end, my set will be the MGM version plus the first film from Italy.
and unfortunately it looks like that will be the best combination released for English speaking members.

[Kalekulan]

I definitely prefer the italian version. Sure it has some DNR but the colors are correct and it looks fantastic. The MGM release has too much sharpening and the colors aren't right. The only good thing with the MGM release is that the grain is intact.

[Revolution9]

Wow, neither of these look that hot, judging by the caps! I guess that if I had to make a choice I'd call the MGM one, because a) it has more image info in the frame and b) I'm less annoyed by sharpening than the DNR. I strongly suspect that the Mondo version is cleaner (i.e. less artefacts) and I'm also certain that it includes the footage missing from the MGM so it almost evens the score for me. I do hope Paramount Germany will release a version with the best of both worlds.