A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die / Una ragione per vivere e una per morire (Tonino Valerii, 1972)

Another review resurrected

https://www.spaghetti-western.net/index.php/A_Reason_to_Live,_a_Reason_to_Die_review_by_JD

It seems I might be in the minority, but personally I loved this movie. Certain scenes like Eli Sampson (Bud Spencer) getting the crew out of trouble through pretending the war was over were incredibly clever. Not every part is as strong as that scene, and it’s clearly a weaker movie than The Dirty Dozen (which it borrows its premise from) but I still think it’s worth a watch.

So, I only ever had a DVDr of this one, and its a pretty good widescreen version, but it is the (roughly) 1hr 30 cut. Which is still a fine movie imo, and has James Coburn’s voice - as others had previously mentioned - but I was always intrigued to watch the (roughly) 2hr version and could not find a suitable DVD of it until I recently came across this one from Korea. It is, however, letterboxed and has someone else providing the Coburn dub, but once you get over that its fine, and I was very happy to have gotten this.

Put it in and immediately saw the opening 20mins of scenes with Bud in the desolated town that I had previously not seen on the cut version. While it does not add a lot to the film overall, and I can see why they may have been cut, I was still happy to see these additional scenes in here and thought it was a better decision for the film on a whole to run the extra time because of it.

Also, I don’t think this release is included in the database either @Admin

I would love to see a full length blu ray release where Coburn’s original voice recording is featured, and the alternative dub is inserted for the scenes that Coburn did not provide his voice for. I think that would provide the best experience.

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This one definitely deserves an un-cut Blu-ray release. Do you hear me Arrow? :face_with_raised_eyebrow:

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I liked it before but I think I appreciated it more this time around. It would be a great candidate to provide an uncut release of, for sure. (I do hope someone from one of these companies glances over this forum). I think there needs to be an attempt to use as much of Coburn’s voice as possible though, to really do it justice.

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Can you provide some more details on the disc, I will put it into the database. Will also try to see if it can be found anywhere online.
Just so I am clear I understand: there are two complete English dubs of this, or is it just the at some point deleted scenes where Coburn is dubbed by someone else?

Edit: found it at https://www.aladin.co.kr/shop/wproduct.aspx?ItemId=270589086

It would be wonderful if a complete ‘Coburn’ dub was discovered … but the problem with a restoration with the elements currently available means jumping back and forth from his wonderfully distinctive low growl to the vapid re-dub … this was done as a fan dubbing project a few years back, but as good as the re-syncing was, it becomes very distracting, making the viewer more conscious that they’re watching a film with technical issues, rather than slipping into the ‘suspension of disbelief’ mode, and enjoying the film as intended by it’s makers.

BTW, @QuickDraw , how was the picture quality on the release you watched? I have seen the Wild East version … which is as usual for them rather soft and blurry - The Scandinavian version is the same cut and dub, which maybe a smidge better, however that maybe my imagined thoughts, as it’s a NTSC release from a PAL territory … which suggests it may just be the ‘WE’ version with different menus.

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The image quality was fine, but like I said it was letterboxed so not amazing. I prefer the widescreen on the cut version and Coburn’s voice. Haven’t seen the Wild East or Scandinavian ones to comment on - they’re hard to track down.

As for the jumping back and forth between Coburn and the other guy, I’m not sure it would be too off because, unless I’m wrong, there is really only the opening 20mins with Bud in which Coburn does not speak too much, and maybe a couple of others, that were not in the cut version. Nothing else really stood out to me as something I had not seen before, unless there are other pieces missing??

Language: English (Dolby 5.1)
Subtitles: Korean / English / None
Runtime: 113min
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1 (Letterboxed) Dolby Digital Plus
Company: Janus Film
Release year: 2021
Region: 0 - ALL
Format: DVD

Don’t know if this helps @Admin
Also, I found it on ebay. Came from Korea with a waiting time of about three weeks. Band new.

Edit: Its NTSC btw

sounds like the rights holder, but not the DVD publisher/label. Any other companies on there?

Not that I can see, everything else on the case is in Korean. And the film just starts without any company logos ect.

It’s a while since I watched it … but the main back and forth I remember was in the Major’s office, when Coburn (Pembroke) tells his story and convinces the officer to allow him the condemned men for the mission.

I have a feeling that James Coburn must have dubbed all his scenes, (why would he not, if he was in Rome for interior scenes and post production?) but they were cut when the film was released in 1974 to the USA and UK by K-TEL … yes, that K-TEL, a budget record company dabbling in film distribution :face_with_spiral_eyes: This was exactly 2 years after it’s Italian premier - So, it would be highly impractical and expensive to bring back the actor to voice his part after that time period … so I’m suggesting those elements did exist at one time.

PS: It probably only got an international release because Telly Savalas had become a huge star thanks to the popularity of ‘Kojak’ on TV … so all his duff work in Europe started to surface … ‘Sonny and Jed’, ‘Redneck’, ‘Violent City’ etc

Perhaps someone else on the forum knows about this?

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oh yeah actually the janus film logo is even on the spine

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Yeah its all I could see on the box.

Yeah, you’re right. Would be great it someone had it.

Is this one of your favourites? I smiled when the shot of your avatar came up at the gallows scene.

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It was one that I was very eager to see, but it was a bit disappointing when I eventually watched it.

I remember feeling a similar way when I first saw it, too.

Maybe it needs bumping up the list on the old poll schedule :thinking:

A Reason To Live, A Reason To Die has been updated to the new layout (3.0). Let us know if you can add anything: pictures, posters, trivia, facts, figures, links, etc…

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A lot of knowledge from this thread regarding the cuts and the dubbing is not sufficiently reflected on the page yet

Does anyone know where I can get the Korean dvd?