When a so called better version comes out some people will purchase the film again, and the people releasing the film again will of course not mind.
I agree that it wasnāt a bad idea on paper to bring Eli an Clint back to dub the audio again, but what was bad was how out of place Eliās voice was in the earlier restored scenes, especially the awful Grotto scene which I think Iāve said before should be removed from future releases and left as a deleted scene. I agree with everyone else, itās awkward, out of place and unnecessary, and itās made even worse because Wallachās voice stands out so much. What I find even more annoying is as the film goes on he seems to get more into character and you can barely even notice it in the last few restored scenes and I canāt understand why they didnāt ask him to go back and dub the earlier scenes again, this time being more in character. The whole track wouldāve been so much smoother. They basically did everything wrong (thatās me being nice) and I can see why people have become less enthusiastic about the film since. Iāll still wait for an official or unofficial release of the Italian cut though, but hopefully with an official release people will be won back over.
Some people will, Ennioo, for sure. Not me, though. Not this time. I wonāt be buying a tossmonkey Region āAā locked Kino Lorber version, they can poke it up their log flumes. I couldnāt give a soapy titw@nk if it turns out to be the greatest release of this movie or of any movie ever; any outfit which locks Europeans out of buying European westerns can tongue my plumbags, tbh. A plague on their houses.
Just as well Iām the worldās only genuine fan of the MGM āyellowā version, I guess. 
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Iām not interested in the theatrical cut (my ideal version is Leoneās cut - the āextended versionā minus the grotto scene which I can just skip using my remote) and donāt really mind the MGM yellowish tinge. So Iām not really the target consumer for this new release either.
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Asa, you certainly have a way with wordsā¦
I would think that a movie fan like you last.caress would have gotten a region free or region A player long ago. Region locking really isnāt that big a problem. Get it fixed
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But if I fork out on a cowboyed multiregion player or an imported region A player on which to play only my region As (I think thatās a bloody demented workaround but there you go), then Iāll buy region As to justify the outlay. And once I own region As, Iāll always have to ensure that my hardware is multiregion. Forevermore, jailbroken units from specialist outlets only, usually at three times the going rate for a disc player. Itās bad enough that Iāve got a couple of dozen R1 DVDs and that, as a result, I always have to consider the ease with which any new player can be region unlocked for DVDs if Iām replacing a player. Sod having to worry about region As as well.
Speaking of which: Have you bought a multiregion player yet or are you still just picking up the region As without being able to play them? 
I finally pulled myself together and bought a region A player 
And yes, I now have a region A player and region B player and itās really not that big of a hassle. If either player breaks at some point, which they will, Iāll just purchase another one It really really isnāt a major problem. The cheapest option is buying a region A player so I would go for that one if I were you.
Having seen the film many times before ever seeing the grotto scene, on paper it adds to the continuity, as one of my favorite moments is when theyāre standing quietly outside room 4 and slowly reaching for the door handle. Unfortunately the grotto wasnāt pulled off and stands out like a cheap suit.
I have so many releases of this one already, Iāll pick-up the KL but Iām not sure thereāll ever be a proper and truly satisfactory release.
I wonāt buy it either, the current Blu is sufficient enough. The yellowness in not that big a problem, it even looks good in many scenes, and I turn down the colors a little bit, and then itās fine.
I also prefer the long version (minus grotto), and love some of the new scenes, and would never watch the film again without them.
Still itās already a masterpiece, and all in all the same masterpiece, in the 161 min version, and it was already one on my old fullscreen VHS in Shitoscope with colors not worth mentioning. And everything I watched since is miles better than that old tape.
And at least the yellow blu-ray got the framing correct, unlike the first release which was zoomed in and even used DNR.
Yes, the first Blu was a DNR disaster. I did not buy that either.
I wait until the Stanton cut will be released. 
Yes please, you do that, just in case Iālll pick up on it.
As I havenāt seen it in some years, you had me a little worried there!
So I watched it again the other night. And with me this breathtaking film still holds its ground. Together with Once Upon a Time in the West, imo the greatest work of the SW filone, the highlights as frequent as bullets from a Gatling gun. I agree though that one or two scenes in the extended version does nothing more for it than to slow it down. That should not be a problem, just stick with the release you like!
Well the good news is, I have embraced most of the restored scenes after a recent rewatch
Such as the two Angel Eyes scenes, since heās barely in the film to begin with, I guess those are welcome additions.
Only the first one for me, the 2nd one with Eastwood in a night camp is one I would have cut out. It is just like the grotto scene weaker material, also not necessary for the story, and makes the film drag a bit.
Completely unnecessary is the short scene in which Tuco asks soldiers for the way to the mission.
The scene with LvC in the fort full with wounded confederates makes it for some easier to accept that he suddenly turns up as Sergeant in the prison camp (I always presumed that he wasnāt there by chance), but for me the more important aspect is indeed that LvC is without it too log absent from the film, this scene is good for the filmās inner rhythm.
Iāve always hated the part where Tuco offers Blondie water in the desert. The part where they check the map is okay. The asking for directions to the mission is utterly valueless. And the part where the drunk Captain asks for their names is okay too.
I agree, this scene is necessary for the story. The other added scenes are not, they contribute nothing and only slows the film down.
But I havenāt said that.
It has more story aspects than the other scenes, but I donāt think it has any real importance. Watching the film for 20 years without that scene I was always sure that LvC was in the camp because he expected to find Carson there, so this scene only confirms what I already guessed.
And only the above 2 mentioned scenes are not that good, the others work very well, I want them in the film.
I agree with you on the awkward speech, although the fact that Tuco seemed to have lost his voice during that scene made it distracting.