A Taste of Death / Quanto costa morire (Sergio Merolle, 1968)

Yes. When I tried to watch it looked so bad to me that I moved on to other flicks and never returned.

Use this one for picture and the Sinister Cinema disc for sound, then. The openings are different, but after some minutes you can get them in sync. Then you can easily keep them in sync for the rest of the film.

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That transfer desperately needs an official release, this is a great spaghetti western and I think that with a good release it would climb up the rankings significantly, much like I think El Puro would.

I know a lot of people don’t like bootlegs ( I don’t mind them, especially if you’re into obscure films like we are) but the Cult Action DVD of this one comes with two discs; one is the version we all have and the other is the Spanish TV print listed above but in widescreen. Recommended if you’re a fan.

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I’m very fond of this one. It is on of those “take no prisoners” movies that is even grimmer than many horror flicks. If you are accustomed to the classical dollar trilogy scheme, it might even shock you how dark the movie is. Actually I can’t think of any other spaghetti western that would be so dark. No irony to be found here and not a single moment that would lighten the ultra-heavy atmosphere. The winter’s snowy weather adds even even more desperation to the already creepy settings. The name of the movie itself, Taste of Death, gives you an idea how the movie feels. Shooting and killing is not fun here, it is the exact opposite. Death is nasty, gruesome and leaves a deep impact and maybe even stress on audience. This fits the very ambitious message it wants to deliver. It is the question that is in the name of the movie as well. (What a terrific names for the movie!) What is the price of death? Is it worth to risk your life for a right thing? Is it better to live in tyrrany but survive or to opposse your opressors even if it should cost you your life? Should we try even when the odds are against us and the situation seems to be hopeless? The cast is excellent and it really clicks between Giordana and Ireland in the main roles. I totally believed the story and relationships between characters. All in all the movie went in to a different direction than its rivals who tried more comedic approach and it unfortunately fell into oblivion which is shame because the movie has high qualities and is also quite memorable.

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Whatch this one yesterday. I found resemblances with Day of the Outlaw by André de Toth. Than it diverge. It could have been a war flick, for sure.

^ I’ve always liked this one. A blu-ray release would be niece if it ever happens, it would make a nice bookend with The Great Silence.

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Is there any English audio VHS of this one?

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Would someone trade me a copy of this one?

I’m not sure whether you mean a physical copy, but you can easily find it online these days:

https://rarelust.com/cost-of-dying-1968/

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Thanks Mickey! I really just want to see the film, however I would be interested in a physical copy aswell

It appears there is only one official release and I think I have it:

https://www.spaghetti-western.net/index.php/Quanto_costa_morire/DVD

The quality of the print is inferior to the TV print available from rarelust, it’s essentially a VHS rip as far as I can tell. I think I might’ve seen a very crisp HDTV release floating around the web some time ago, but it’s probably only available on CG or something to that effect. That rarelust version is probably your best bet for now.

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New in depth review by @davidgregorybell

https://www.spaghetti-western.net/index.php/In_the_Bleak_Midwinter

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My new DVD-R had a really bad image quality but somewhat luckily I found A Taste Of Death also very boring anyhow and with a for me uninteresting story and execution. Andrea Giordana was rather bleak here.

The most interesting part was the main music theme by Francesco de Masi which I recognised as borrowed from the earlier SW Two Crosses At Danger Pass (weak 6/10). A Taste Of Death I rate 4 or 5/10 (contrasting my 7/10 for the two Andrea Giordana SWs Johnny Hamlet and The Dirty Outlaws) and I will therefore not watch it again in the forseeable future.

Yes it’s probably the VHS rip which I think most of us who own this film have.

This is one of my favourites, it falls just outside my top 20 and I think it always will. I love Giordana and Ireland, as well as Corazzari as Scaife, the snowy landscape, the story and I think it’s pretty well made even though it’s the only film the director made. I kind of wish Merolle made at least a couple more.

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There is a DVD copy from sinister cinema that is A Taste of Death. Not the best picture quality . After 15 mins Into this fine flick the frustration of picture quality just leaves your thoughts ,To me this one is that good, Do wish they would come out with a proper release
 This is something i want to happen soon,blue ray would be awesome.

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Great Review.

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Taste of Death 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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There is now a poll for this one on the original post at the top of the page :arrow_up:

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