The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly DVD/Blu-ray question

Is the best home release version of the film that preserves the original 1966 gunshot sound effects still the 1998 DVD? If so does anyone know if a fan restoration has been made in the tradition of Harmy Star Wars that allows TGTBATU to be viewed in high definition but with original audio?

I can't watch this movie ever since the extended/ restored version has become the only one available. All the added scenes are unnecessary, slow down the movie and the voices of old Eastwood and Wallach are grating and always pull me out of the movie. Is there an hd version of the theatrical release available anywhere?

I still rock the original dvd pressings. The restored looks fantastic, but I just can't watch it because of the jarring replaced gun sound fx.

Khev said:

Is the best home release version of the film that preserves the original 1966 gunshot sound effects still the 1998 DVD? If so does anyone know if a fan restoration has been made in the tradition of Harmy Star Wars that allows TGTBATU to be viewed in high definition but with original audio?

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Dunno about fan restorations but the '98 DVD is still the only option for the original gunshots.

Why did they bother to change something like gunshot sound effects?

And, am I understanding the comment correctly that they had Clint Eastwood and Eli Wallach rerecord their lines for the film years later?

Don't really understand why these studios screw around with the original films so often.

rushmore223 said:

Why did they bother to change something like gunshot sound effects?

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To appease idiots who want Spaghetti Westerns from the 60's to sound like Die Hard. They did the same with the iconic gunshot sound effects of the original Terminator and I'm not happy about that either.

And, am I understanding the comment correctly that they had Clint Eastwood and Eli Wallach rerecord their lines for the film years later?

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Correct. Obviously the original films were largely dubbed so they figured that if the actors redid certain lines as old men that no one would notice. Probably got the idea from James Earl Jones' new dialogue in the SW SE's.

Don't really understand why these studios screw around with the original films so often.

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Me neither. Or at the very least if you muck with them at LEAST keep the original versions intact for those who wish to view it that way.

To be fair, the movie was released with several different lengths according to countries. The scenes they dubbed and reincorporated were in the original Italian release I think. The length got cut down for the international screenings. So, somehow, this is how the movie was supposed to be.

That's kind of the "George Lucas" mentality though. To many, and I would imagine most even, the US theatrical/international cut *is* the "truest" version of the movie.

**16k** said:

To be fair, the movie was released with several different lengths according to countries. The scenes they dubbed and reincorporated were in the original Italian release I think. The length got cut down for the international screenings. So, somehow, this is how the movie was supposed to be.

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Pretty much. The blu ray version is beautiful to look at but I still have the original dvd to go back to. The re-recording of dialogue and gunshots does bother me too. Would be nice if the dvd version was on a new blu ray.

rushmore223 said:

Why did they bother to change something like gunshot sound effects?

And, am I understanding the comment correctly that they had Clint Eastwood and Eli Wallach rerecord their lines for the film years later?

Don't really understand why these studios screw around with the original films so often.

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The re-recorded lines were for scenes that were originally cut out and the dialogue was lost for. It's for a scene with Blonde and Tuco on a stagecoach. It doesn't really add anything for the movie.

I think this was one of the few examples where the producers were right to cut stuff out. That chicken scene with Tuco is god damn awful. In the end it wouldn't be a problem if the theatrical version was also included.

EVILFACE said:

The re-recorded lines were for scenes that were originally cut out and the dialogue was lost for. It's for a scene with Blonde and Tuco on a stagecoach. It doesn't really add anything for the movie.

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Yeah that was the impression I was under. Were other lines rerecorded?

EVILFACE said:

The re-recorded lines were for scenes that were originally cut out and the dialogue was lost for. It's for a scene with Blonde and Tuco on a stagecoach. It doesn't really add anything for the movie.

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They never had any sound recording for those scenes as they were cut before ADR commenced, they had Clint and Eli come into the studio and record the ADR, the original on location soundtrack had deteriorated and was unusable. What's strange is that Tuco sounds just about right but you'd get a better sounding Blondie from a Clint impersonator, may be he was just trying to hard to get his voice to sound like it did in the 1960's.

There's quite a bit of extra footage and all of it featuring Lee Van Cleef as Angel Eyes adds brilliantly to the narrative Sergio is trying to give, the scenes where Tuco torments Clint actually have more meaning now...such as where does the bucket come from and why has Tuco removed his boot. The scenes at the bridge with the drunken Union Captain carry more weight and give him far more depth and reason for Blondie and Tuco's actions in blowing up the bridge, in the original cut they blow up the bridge solely to get the armies to go and fight elsewhere. Now you see Blondie and Tuco's disgust at the slaughter, giving Blondie's line 'what a waste' far more depth.

50th anniversary blu-ray coming out with original audio restored!!!!

www.thedigitalbits.com/columns/my-two-cents/030917-1630

I saw that! Can't wait!

All over that one when it hits

You know I'm getting this!

Yeah buddy

good deal about the new release. I'm in for that for sure. I'm lucky to have the original dvd release, but I did get the blu ray and yeah I like the original mono audio, much like my original Terminator dvd from the late 90's which has 'the good' audio track is what I prefer.

Interesting.

Would rather it be "For a few dollars more...."