Blood Money: Four Classic Westerns Vol. 2 Limited Edition (Arrow) 24 July, 2023

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Release Date: 24 July 2023
Blood Money: Four Classic Westerns Vol. 2 Limited Edition

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In the mid-1960s, the runaway success of Sergio Leone's "Dollars" trilogy gave rise to an explosion of similar productions. Filmmakers by the dozen sought to capitalize on this new, uniquely Italian take on the western, which was characterized by their deeply cynical outlook, morally compromised antiheroes and unflinching depictions savage violence. This specially curated selection gathers together four outstanding examples of the genre from the height of its popularity, all centered around the theme of blood money.

In Romolo Guerrieri's $10,000 Blood Money (1967; a.k.a. $10,000 for a Massacre), Gianni Garko - best known for his portrayal of supernatural gunslinger Sartana - takes on the part of another beloved western antihero, Django, who is on the trail of bandit Manuel Vasquez (Claudio Camaso, A Bay of Blood). But what started as a job for hire soon turns personal, with Django swearing vengeance against the unscrupulous outlaw. Then, in the film's spiritual successor, Giovanni Fago's Vengeance is Mine (1967; a.k.a. $100,000 for a Killing), Garko and Camaso once again lead the cast, this time as estranged half-brothers - one a Confederate soldier now riding with renegade outlaws, the other a bounty hunter tasked with bringing him in alive.

Next, in Giuliano Carnimeo's Find a Place to Die (1968), Jeffrey Hunter (The Searchers) plays Joe Collins, a disgraced former soldier who assembles a ragtag band of scoundrels. They are lured into helping a woman (Pascale Petit, A Queen for Caesar) to rescue her prospector husband, who is trapped at their gold mine cave-in - though in reality, they have designs on the gold strike themselves. Finally, in Cesare Canevari's psychedelic Matalo! (Kill Him) (1970), double- and triple-crosses abound as a band of outlaws, having holed up in an isolated ghost town, set about terrorizing travelers Ray (Lou Castel, Orgasmo) and Bridget (Ana María Mendoza, 7 Women for the MacGregors) - only to get more than they bargained for when Ray fights back, armed only with his weapon of choice: a bag full of boomerangs.

Featuring a wealth of key Euro-cult talent both behind and in front of the camera, Arrow Films is proud to present these four classic westerns in sparkling High Definition restorations produced specially for this release, alongside a plethora of brand new bonus materials.

High Definition Blu-ray™ (1080p) presentations of all four films
Brand new 2K restorations of all four films from the original 35mm camera negatives by Arrow Films
Original Italian and English front and end titles
Restored lossless original Italian and English soundtracks
English subtitles for the Italian soundtracks
English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing for the English soundtracks
Brand new introductions to each film by journalist and critic Fabio Melelli
Galleries for all four films
Illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing by author and critic Howard Hughes
Fold-out double-sided poster featuring newly commissioned artwork by Gilles Vranckx
Limited edition packaging with reversible sleeves featuring original artwork and a slipcover featuring newly commissioned artwork by Gilles Vranckx
DISC 1 - $10,000 BLOOD MONEY

Brand new audio commentary by author and film historian Lee Broughton
Tears of Django - newly edited featurette with archival interviews with director Romolo Guerrieri and actor Gianni Garko
The Producer Who Didn't Like Western Movies - brand new interview with producer Mino Loy
How the West Was Won - brand new interview with screenwriter Ernesto Gastaldi
Theatrical trailer
DISC 2 - VENGEANCE IS MINE

Brand new audio commentary by critics Adrian J. Smith and David Flint
Cain and Abel - newly edited featurette with archival interviews with actor Gianni Garko and screenwriter Ernesto Gastaldi
In Conversation with Nora Orlandi - newly edited archival interview with the film's iconic composer
Movie After Movie - brand new interview with producer Mino Loy
Theatrical trailer
DISC 3 - FIND A PLACE TO DIE

Brand new audio commentary by author and critic Howard Hughes
Sons of Leone - newly edited archival interview with director Giuliano Carnimeo
Traditional Figure - brand new, in-depth appreciation of the soundtrack and its composer, Gianni Ferrio, by musician and disc collector Lovely Jon
DISC 4 - MATALO! (KILL HIM)

Brand new audio commentary by critics Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson
A Milanese Story - brand new, in-depth interview with filmmaker Davide Pulici, discussing the career of Matalo! director Cesare Canevari
Untold Icon - brand new, in-depth appreciation of the soundtrack and its composer, Mario Migliardi, by musician and disc collector Lovely Jon
Theatrical trailer