Okay, so I’m trying to build my DVD collection and am looking for great releases which I might want to own. I just splurged some cash on some Koch releases, but what are the best DVDs which everyone should own?
I’m really looking for region 2 DVDs, but feel free to post your opinions regardless. Also, I need at the very least English subtitles, but ideally an English dub. For some reasons I hate dubbing on all genres apart from spaghetti westerns, where it’s my preference.
Thanks for your help!
Anything by Koch Media is essential for Region 2.
Their boxsets are excellent the two I own are Django Italo-Western box and Halleluja Italo-Western box.
I also have Django: Unbarmherzig wie die sonne (Death Sentence) as well which is an excellent release.
non-Koch Media I own worth getting:
MGM UK’s Death Rides A Horse (single disc)
MGM UK’s A Fistful of Dollars 2 disc
MGM UK’s For A Few Dollars More 2 disc (I used to have this but got the R1 release)
Blue-underground’s box set including Django, Django Kill!, Run man Run and Mannaja. Really essential, this should be region free box if I remember correctly. Of course there’s lots of other releases of these films too but boxed sets are just so nice.
Strangely, the only Leone film I own on DVD is Fistful Of Dynamite. I have the others on VHS and I guess I have watched them so many times I haven’t felt an overwhelming urge to rebuy them.
I have all the Argent spaghetti western releases and really like them (including Django and Django Kill!). I’m surprised they don’t get more love on here, since they’re obviously put together with love by fans.
I was very much in the same position as that at one point.
Digital Classics UK PAL Region 2 “The Great Silence” would be my suggestion if you haven’t already got it.
Available for about £8 on Amazon UK, and as a bonus the DVD menu screen plays the main theme in it’s entirety, great track.
Also check out the fairly recent UK releases on the Optimum Home Entertainment label.
DVD info can be found in the SWDB, there are sponsored links too.
[quote=“Provvidenza, post:6, topic:2528”]Digital Classics UK PAL Region 2 “The Great Silence” would be my suggestion if you haven’t already got it.
Available for about £8 on Amazon UK, and as a bonus the DVD menu screen plays the main theme in it’s entirety, great track.[/quote]
That’s the one I have. Great DVD. I have to admit, I do like an Alex Cox interview/commentary as well… reminds me of watching Moviedrome back when it was on BBC2.
the Leone SEs are absolutely a must, so is Navajo Joe, A Professional Gun, The Great Silence, all the Blue Underground stuff…
I do like the Argent discs, but their menu system with an overly long movie clip is a little annoying, so I usually end up watching the other DVDs I have of those films.
Also nearly forgot, the Japanese SPO DVD of 傷だらけの用心棒 Cemetery Without Crosses has been re-released by Japanese label ANEC (as mentioned elsewhere on this forum). A really terrific film, and the new disc is the only readily available legit way to get to see it. Can be purchased from Yes Asia for under £20 all in (including postage and tax worldwide).
Sounds like you have a pretty cool Spaghetti Western DVD collection already TheBigSmokedown 
Thanks, it isn’t bad. To be honest, I’m slowly realising that there simply isn’t a legit way for me to watch a lot of spaghetti westerns. However, I prefer to support the market and encourage producers to publish more high quality DVDs, so I’m buying what I can. Kind of sucks how, especially in the UK, there isn’t much of an audience for these films.
I used to have the Argent release of Django. Just about the most I’ve ever paid for a DVD too. But I ditched it in favour of the Blue Underground release because it only had the English audio track and Django is far, far better in Italian with subs. Flicked the Argent release off on ebay as a result to try and recoup some of my cash. As for Django Kill!, it was cheaper to buy the BU release and have it shipped from the states than to buy the Argent release locally. That is just crazy pricing in my opinion and probably is the reason those releases were not so popular. You could maybe get away with it a few years ago before the internet was so well established but these days the whole world is your shopping mall and companies need to be more aware when fixing their prices. Which, I believe, is happening more now. The Argent releases used to retail at £20 but I think you can get them new for half that now.