John the Bastard / John il bastardo (Armando Crispino, 1967)

Yep. It seems the same site on cultcine.com cannot be viewed twice.
But the site still exists, as the checkout always works.
Iā€™d like to watch John il bastardo as well, but this situation makes me confusedā€¦ :-\

Watched this movie and liked it a lot. I agree with Phil that the main character is a bit of an aā€¦hole, but I donā€™t think this is overdone, in fact I found the approach rewarding. This is more or less the ā€˜Barry Lyndon of SWā€™ (I know the character is supposed to be based on Don Juan/Don Giovanni)

I watched a fandub of a Italian TV screening, running 1:40:51
Other versions available have approximately the same running time and I read that Giusti wasnā€™t able to find a longer version (the directorā€™s son gave him the Greek subtitled, fullscreen version which runs, if Iā€™m not mistaken, 1h39m). So apparently an uncut version no longer exists. A pity. Even in this cut, and rather choppy version I found the movie intriguing and I could imagine that an uncut version would make my Top 20.

Thatā€™s it. Iā€™m sold, I need to see this film!

Barry Lyndon does have alot of admirers, but I am not one of them. Very tedious film for me.

Here are Screenshots from this version:
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[url]http://www.directupload.net

Looks good, but these ones from page 3 look even better:

edit: hmmm, maybe not

The last two are probably from the Spanish version that popped up on cinemageddon a while ago (after I received the English dubbed composite version from I-W-F)

Iā€™m still thinking about downloading this Spanish version. It runs one minute or so shorter than the other version, but the print looks sharper and there might be other scenes in it. The composite version looks really choppy.
Would be great to see an uncut version.

Only more or less the greek vhs for years in English, then a rush of fandubsā€¦

I do not know if there is a better copy of the. Iā€™ve tried, and no one with a not yet discovered. PM me if you do not get a better offer - quality or closer to home.

The Italian TV version runs 98:33 Min in Pal (the closing credits are cut off). The Greek tape runs 100:43.

The main difference apart from the Titanus logo at the beginning and a few sec of music over a black screen at the end is a 2 min scene which comes directly after the credits and shows the bride and her friends on the way to the farm where the wedding shall take place.

Jonathan, do you have any informations if a 116 min version ever was released in Italy.

According to page 3 of this thread the Spanish version runs 99:42 min. Anyone here who has compared this version with one of the others?

At present I have only the French version entitled Johnny le batard, running time 100:50 min without the Titanus logo and with the same few sec of music over a black screen at the end.

As usual thereā€™s discordant information:

  • Old Anica website, Italian page on Wikipedia, IMDb 116min

  • Cinematografo.it, Dizionario del Western allā€™Italiana 110min
    (according to Marco Giustiā€™s book there is also a slightly shorter 108m version)

  • Massimo Moscati, Il grande dizionario dei film apparsi in Italia dal 1930 ad oggi 105min

For the moment I know nothing else.

In any case since 1949 a copy of each Italian production or co-production must be delivered to the National Film Archive (Cineteca Nazionale) by law, so the original versions, no matter how unreachable today, ā€œsurviveā€.

The Cineteca includes also International productions, short films and documentaries for a total of about 60.000 titles.

Then, letā€™s hope they know how to store them properly to preserve their once good condition.

I enjoy John the Bastard as a nice change of pace from the usual SW story. Hell, Don Juan adapted as a western (all the way through to a unique take on the ā€œdeath by statueā€ ending) is no less nonsensical than Hamlet as an SW in Johnny Hamlet. (ā€œRancho El Senorā€ Love it!)

The ugly behavior of the lead character reminds me of the British antihero Harry Flashman!

To reduce the rating from the original VM18 to VM14 there were cuts in five scenes: the pre-credits sequence (all the bloodiest moments), the battle at the river, the massacre of the Mormons, Johnā€™s wounded leg and Ilarioā€™s death.

The Committee had requested cuts in 15 scenes (!), including the suicide and the almost complete elimination of the prologue, but luckily the production refused.

VM18 = 114 minutes
VM14 = 112 minutes
All ages admitted (September 2009) = additional cuts, unknown film length

Probably an Italian or Spanish TV rip with the English from the Greek VHS.

I digested this movie yesterday night with a couple of beers in the couch and was gladly surprised. Might be the best SW Iā€™ve seen in a long while (Iā€™ve been knee high in low budget SWs lately). The main character isnā€™t very likable but after a while I feel challenged to have at least some sympathy for him. John Richardson does a good job all the way. Gordon Mitchellā€™s mysterious character suits him like a glove and adds to the coolness.

Itā€™s a shame thereā€™s no other release than the Greek Key Video VHS, I have a couple of Key VHS and some of them have a very acceptable video quality but John the Bastard is not one of them unfortunately.

There is a much better version sourced from the Italian TV, in about an 1,95:1 aspect ratio, but I donā€™t know if an englishfriendly version of this has been prepared.

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There sure is one.

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Ha ha, yes I should have written: Iā€™m sure one was prepared ā€¦

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