Chino / Valdez, il mezzosangue (John Sturges, Duilio Coletti, 1973)

Never thought of Chino as a U.S or Euro western in feel, but some where in the middle of these two.

That kind of scenes you find easily also in older US westerns, and is surely no unique Spag feature. For example in other westerns written by screenplay-writer Clair Huffaker like The Comancheros (1961) and Rio Conchos (1964).

I can’t remember any single thing in Chino which is done in a typical SW fashion.

That’s true.

Here are some old photos that I found online from the town scene in Chino…

Unfortunately, all that is left of this site is rubble…

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There is a new BluRay coming from Koch Films

Was this shot open matte? For some reason Koch sent me only the full frame version and now I am not sure if I even want to see that…
Edit: Looking at the way the pictures are framed, it may as well be the open matte version… but still, not the way I prefer a movie to look ike.

Yes

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I think that it was shown in 1,66:1 at least in European Cinemas.
With the Zoom Option on TV you can watch the BD in 1,78:1 which is close to the Cinema aspect ratio.
In the Extras of the disc there is also a WS version.
The whole issue is similiar to Bruckners BD of “Vivi o, preferibilmente, morti”.
I can confirm that the 35mm copies (I have one avalaible) where open matte 1,37:1 but in Cinema shown in 1,66:1

EDIT: The WS Version is on a separate disc (Bonus) and from a different source. Seems to be a HD Scan of a 35mm copy…grindhouse :wink:
I prefer that version.

Yes one in each disc that’s why it sucks I only got the 4:3 one :slight_smile:

Unfortuantely neither my TV nor my BD give me that option in a way that the result looks alright, so I am swallowing my pride, watching it now in 4:3 and afterwards will never speek of this humiliating incident ever again :stuck_out_tongue:

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If it wasn’t for this being produced by Dino De Laurentiis, I’m not sure I’d be giving it a pass as a Spag. Nevertheless I’m glad I finally checked it out. Bronson was solid as ever, and the score is very nice, like many have mentioned.