A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die

[OceanBlue]

Apologies if there is already an existing Germany sub-forum discussion thread (or a German label thread where the film has been posted about) about western A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die. I don't recall having checked out this film before (whose cast includes Alex Cord and Robert Ryan).

Does anyone here have this German release, and can they comment on the transfers and extras please. Also, I've looked at the slipcover rear artwork (on the Blu-ray.com listing page for the German release), and I'm wondering if there are exclusive extras on this release compared to the Kino Lorber release. Any help would be appreciated.

[drush9999]

One thing to note is the Kino release is the much shorter version, the German release has the full 118min cut. I hadn't realised this German release had come out, I'd been avoiding the Kino because of the cut version.

[OceanBlue]

Originally Posted by drush9999

One thing to note is the Kino release is the much shorter version, the German release has the full 118min cut. I hadn't realised this German release had come out, I'd been avoiding the Kino because of the cut version.

I've been finding that with some labels it's a bit tricky to ask how a release outside the States compares to a Kino Lorber release. Which is why I've found it tricky how to word a question forming a thread I've started in the Germany sub-forum.

Appreciate the helpful reply (didn't know that the German release has the full cut). Might put this German release with some other German titles I want to get.

[Shigerua]

Our pastor once mentioned this movie in a sermon, and I was interested and hoped to see it. I was expecting it to be something religious, but I was wrong. However, I liked the movie, although I`m not a fan of old movies and have seen only one western in my life that I didn't enjoy. Btw, we have meetings at https://firstchurchlove.com when we discuss movies. I know it's not typical for any church, but we don't have a typical pastor! Anyway, I don't know if I watched the full version or if it was an abridged one, but the quality of the shooting is pretty bad, even for those times. And yeah - I never thought Italians made westerns

[moviemaker]

Originally Posted by drush9999

One thing to note is the Kino release is the much shorter version, the German release has the full 118min cut. I hadn't realised this German release had come out, I'd been avoiding the Kino because of the cut version.

I have the German release but I noticed the Kino release includes the extended International Ending. Is it that different a cut or is it just the ending that's different? And how does the transfers compare, if anyone owns both editions?

[moviemaker]

Originally Posted by moviemaker

I have the German release but I noticed the Kino release includes the extended International Ending. Is it that different a cut or is it just the ending that's different? And how do the transfers compare, if anyone owns both editions?

I just realized I'm getting this confused with the other Escondido directed by Franco Rossetti also on a German Blu-ray (also known as Dirty Outlaws).

So I would love to know how the Kino compares to the German version of More Dead Than Alive. From Amazon.de it looks like the German Blu did a rescan of the print partially restoring the 118-minute version, if I'm reading teh reviews correctly.

[SpaceBlackKnight]

A co-production with Documento Film and ABC/Selmur Pictures, Columbia had distribution rights in Europe and for a limited time in the US. AFAIK there exists 4 versions:

Original Italian cut (140 mins)

English export cut/1967 US premiere cut (title: A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die; 138 mins)

Columbia Pictures "Dead or Alive" US wide release cut (118 mins)

16mm TV version based on the export cut (106 mins approx.)

The original Italian cut, which was also released in various overseas countries by Columbia subject to dubbing and localized censor adjustments. Then for the English export version it had its ending recut in addition to various shot trims for graphic violence and pacing reasons. Cinerama/Selmur released the English export cut in the US in 1967 for limited runs, then Columbia put out the same cut in the UK and Australia.

Cinerama sold US rights to Columbia for a wider 1968 release, but had to cut it down further to appease the newly formed MPAA. This resulted in the "Dead or Alive" cut which trimmed several scenes and sections of the plot for pacing reasons, in addition to graphic violence shots and various bits of nudity. Despite this cut never getting release on home video, it explains where the 118 min R/T on US video releases featuring the export cut comes from.

Apparently the OCN was sent over to Selmur/ABC and was permanently confirmed to the English export cut, as most video releases everywhere are derived from this version. Kino's BD is a scan of the export version OCN. Disney only owns US distribution rights as overseas seem to be with an Italian company called Colosseo Film.

The German BD is not the same transfer as the Kino. The Italians didn't have access to the OCN held by Disney so they used an interneg and 2 release prints from Germany and France respectively, to reconstruct the longest available version at 119 mins. Its still missing some brief shots that were in the Italian cut, but definitely has the original ending sourced from other film elements.

I think the English track on the German BD is incomplete as some sections switch to Italian, even for the ending which Kino's extra has the full audio on.

[moviemaker]

Originally Posted by SpaceBlackKnight

A co-production with Documento Film and ABC/Selmur Pictures, Columbia had distribution rights in Europe and for a limited time in the US. AFAIK there exists 4 versions:

Original Italian cut (140 mins)

English export cut/1967 US premiere cut (title: A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die; 138 mins)

Columbia Pictures "Dead or Alive" US wide release cut (118 mins)

16mm TV version based on the export cut (106 mins approx.)

The original Italian cut, which was also released in various overseas countries by Columbia subject to dubbing and localized censor adjustments. Then for the English export version it had its ending recut in addition to various shot trims for graphic violence and pacing reasons. Cinerama/Selmur released the English export cut in the US in 1967 for limited runs, then Columbia put out the same cut in the UK and Australia.

Cinerama sold US rights to Columbia for a wider 1968 release, but had to cut it down further to appease the newly formed MPAA. This resulted in the "Dead or Alive" cut which trimmed several scenes and sections of the plot for pacing reasons, in addition to graphic violence shots and various bits of nudity. Despite this cut never getting release on home video, it explains where the 118 min R/T on US video releases featuring the export cut comes from.

Apparently the OCN was sent over to Selmur/ABC and was permanently confirmed to the English export cut, as most video releases everywhere are derived from this version. Kino's BD is a scan of the export version OCN. Disney only owns US distribution rights as overseas seem to be with an Italian company called Colosseo Film.

The German BD is not the same transfer as the Kino. The Italians didn't have access to the OCN held by Disney so they used an interneg and 2 release prints from Germany and France respectively, to reconstruct the longest available version at 119 mins. Its still missing some brief shots that were in the Italian cut, but definitely has the original ending sourced from other film elements.

I think the English track on the German BD is incomplete as some sections switch to Italian, even for the ending which Kino's extra has the full audio on.

From what you're saying, even if one has the German BD, it would still be good to obtain the Kino BD. Thank you for clarifying.

Included pix of the German BD for those interested: