The Hellbenders, Sergio Corbucci- from Anchor Bay

[EL_CHUNCHO]

Hi aficionados,

the long wait is over!!!!! Anchor Bay is going to release Corbuccis stunning "I crudeli" starring Joseph Cotton with great artwork.

I'm looking forward!!!!!!!!!!!

Greetings from Austria

http://www.anchorbayentertainment.com/index.asp?p=CatalogDetail&SKU=DV13199&PriCatID=4

[Yodlaf_Peterson]

Hi aficionados,

the long wait is over!!!!! Anchor Bay is going to release Corbuccis stunning "I crudeli" starring Joseph Cotton with great artwork.

I'm looking forward!!!!!!!!!!!

Greetings from Austria

http://www.anchorbayentertainment.com/index.asp?p=CatalogDetail&SKU=DV13199&PriCatID=4

I hope it does surface this time, Anchor bay announced it ages and ages ago

[Admin]

well now they have a page for it, that looks good.
too bad there are hardly any extras and no word yet if uncut and all that. but i am confident. their releases are usually at least decent.
still haven't watched take a hard ride although i already bought it

[kevinbellamy]

march 13th is the release date.

woot woot

[Admin]

i still have their email adress. i will ask for a review sample to let you guys know if it's any good

[ENNIOO]

It will be interesting to see what this release will be like, and exactly what widescreen ratio it will be.

I know sometimes companies say Oh yes it will be in a super widescreen 16 x 9 original widescreen print.

And you put the disc in and the ratio has been cropped, and I think there can be alot of confusion sometimes on what exactly is the correct widescreen ratio.

Some people for example may think there is no difference between a 1.85 ratio and a 2.35 ratio.
This is perhaps more out of the spaghetti field, as I am fully aware spaghetti fans like their widescreen, and of course why not.

I know a lot of people are already happy with there S.P.O version, but granted the Anchor Bay release will be more readily available, and of course at a cheaper price.

But it will be interesting Sebastian, if you manage to get a review copy and wise us all up.

[Bill_san_Antonio]

Finally available on stores. Not much of extras. Informations from Xploitedcinema:

Anamorphic (16:9) Widescreen Version

English audio

Theatrical Trailer

[kevinbellamy]

I scoped out some other sites and they are promoting the DVD with a "biography" & "extra footage". whatever the hell that means.

i'm a bit ticked off though. Anchor Bay has been promising this release for years and look at the shitty treatment it's received. UGH

[ENNIOO]

I know the release says it is in 16 x 9 widescreen.

But is it in:

16 x 9 2.35 widescreen

OR

16 x 9 1.85 widescreen.

Or perhaps somewhere in between these ratio's?

[AvatarDK]

According to post on the Spaghetti Western Board the aspect ratio is 1.75 .... Which I guess is the OAR.

[ENNIOO]

Thanks for that.

So, is the running time the same as the Japanese SPO version then?

[AvatarDK]

The poster says 92 mins. I have the SPO-version registered at 88 mins (!?).

[ENNIOO]

Thanks for that.

I hope the disc runs to 92 mins though!

[ali]

This new release is without a doubt the best transfer I have seen of any spaghetti western, Leone titles included. Parts of it look as good as Casino Royale does on my plasma - particularly the shots where they are standing around near the river before the ambush.

I have to say though that I didn't much like the film. Yes, for a SW it is quite innovative, but the use of dramatic irony just makes it cringe worthy for me. You can also spot the ending at least half an hour before the final scene, which normally wouldn't be a criticism of an SW but the lack of generic SW moments makes this more important. Corbucci is clearly trying to do something a bit different with the genre but never really pulls it off.

Still, if you like the film then you'll love this disc - it makes me ashamed to watch all those near-VHS quality discs I've got sitting on my shelves!

ali

[ENNIOO]

But, what I would like to know is the Anchor Bay version the same running time as the S.P.O version.

I am not on about looking at the different sleeves or looking at various web sources.

I am on about someone who has both versions and knows the ACTUAL running time of each respective disc.

[ali]

including all logos and credit sequences, the Anchor Bay release runs for 92:23, and if you remove the Studio Canal logo it is 92:04.

I seem to remember that the Japanese releases do something strange with the frames per second, in that they are NTSC but actually run at PALs 25fps, whereas I assume that the Anchor Bay release will be an NTSC transfer done from a format neutral master (ie one that runs at 23.97fps).

I don't have the Japanese (Imagica?) release (I was waiting for the Anchor Bay one) so I can't give you a definitive time on it - either way if you don't have it you're not going to be able to get it unless you go the bootleg route as the Final Duel boxset is OOP.

[AvatarDK]

I am on about someone who has both versions and knows the ACTUAL running time of each respective disc.

The exact running time of the Japanese disc is 88:12.... Just checked it myself.

[ali]

The exact running time of the Japanese disc is 88:12.... Just checked it myself.

Which is roughly 4% PAL speed up...

[ENNIOO]

Thanks for the info on this chaps, much aprreciated.

I wonder what is extra in the Anchor Bay one then compared to the Japanese Disc then?

[ali]

well, potentially nothing - I read somewhere that the Japanese release are in NTSC but are sourced from PAL masters and for some reason maintain the 4% PAL speed up (PAL runs at 25fps rather than NTSCs 24fps). It does alter the pitch of the audio and obviously runs the image slightly faster, although few can tell the difference.

can someone confirm that the Japanese discs are authored like this? if so then the Anchor Bay release would not contain any additional footage as it just returns the film to its correct running time, and of course offers a much improved picture.