How does one review a western that has become as much of a classic as “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” has? Well, you don’t. All you can really do is remind those who have seen it over the years that it is almost a perfect representation of what an American western should be, told through the eyes of an Italian filmmaker. It is a virtual cinematic feast bordering on visual overload. Every scene meticulously set up and beautifully shot, so that even some of the more blatant mistakes can be forgiven (utility poles in the desert anyone?), and the incessantly poorly dubbed dialogue overlooked. What was even more important however than director Sergio Leone’s style was that it was evident in all of his films that his ultimate goal was to entertain. There were no lessons to learn, and in many cases, even the storylines were so simplified as to take a back seat to the action. In most movies this would be disdained, but in Leone’s world of the so-called ‘spaghetti western’ it is celebrated.

“The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” marked the third film in a trilogy about the mythological ‘man with no name’, portrayed with stoic abandon by Clint Eastwood. All three films are superb, but it is this one that most people are familiar with, and admittedly it’s the best of the three. So ingrained into the American culture is this move, that even those unfortunate enough to have not seen it are instantly familiar with Ennio Morricone’s recognizable theme. I cannot reproduce it here, but trust me if you heard it, the light would go on.

I’ve always hoped that I‘d be able to find these three films on DVD, and though they are available, this is the first to get the ‘Collector’s Edition’ treatment. MGM has gone all-out to deliver a set that fulfills the list of any Sergio Leone fan. First off, they not only took the time to deliver an extremely nice-looking transfer (hampered only by the film’s low budget status and a ‘hair’ that show up for a little bit, which I assume was in the camera during the original shoot), but have restored a full 18 minutes of footage that wasn’t in the original theatrical release. I don’t want to give away anything, but I can compare the addition of this footage to be similar to that of the added footage in the “Lord of the Rings” DVD releases. The footage enhances the overall film, it doesn’t just make it longer.

This 2-disc release includes a commentary by film historian Richard Schickel, which kind of rides the fence as far as being a good commentary. Shickel has an almost encyclopedic knowledge of film, and the information he has to share about “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” is often priceless, but there are some really huge gaps where he doesn’t say anything at all. This is followed up by a series of featurettes sure to excite Leone fans. “The Leone Style” runs about 20 minutes and takes a look at ‘spaghetti western’ and touches upon how Leone’s films in particular made an impact in America. There are interviews with Schickel, producer Alberto Grimaldi and Clint Eastwood.

“The Man Who Lost the Civil War” is a 15 minute featurette on the Sibley campaign. It’s a bit historical in nature and gives a little bit of information utilizing re-enactments. Getting back to the subject of the film itself is the very informative “Reconstructing The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”, which focuses heavily on how this particular extended version of the film was created. There is also a look at the work of composer Ennio Morricone, which only runs about 8 minutes but is well put together.

Once you’ve made your way through all these features, you can check out some deleted scenes which, because of the extensive damage and deterioration, are presented with text, production stills and what film footage could be salvaged. Finally, there are some trailers and a poster gallery.

The DVD set itself is housed in an awesome embossed box. When you lift off the lid, one disc is held in the box, while the other is in the lid. Inside you’ll find a booklet with a lengthy write-up about the film by critic Roger Ebert, as well as collection of mini-cards featuring foreign versions of the film’s posters. The print work and card stock used on these posters is unusually nice. Most people might dismiss these little extras, but fans of the film will certainly enjoy them.

This new MGM release of “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” is a first rate addition to my ‘must-have’ list of 2004.

Directed by: Sergio Leone
Starring: Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, Eli Wallach
Extras: Commentary by Film Historian Richard Schickel, Newly Restored, Extended Three-Hour Version, "Leone's West" Making-of Documentary, "The Leone Style" Documentary, "The Man Who Lost the Civil War" Documentary, "Reconstructing The Good, the Bad & the Ugly": Documentary on the Audio Rerecording, "Il Maestro: Ennio Morricone and The Good, the Bad & the Ugly": Featurette on the Composer, Deleted Scenes, Collectible Theatrical Mini-Posters from Around the World
Specifications: Widescreen, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Studio: MGM
Release Date: 5/18/2004
Region 1
MPAA Rating:
Website

We'll give The Good, the Bad and the Ugly an A.