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    • WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

    Good, The Bad And The Ugly, The
    Genre:Western

    Reviewed In Issue 31 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
    Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, Aldo Giuffre, Eli Wallach.

    WSR Review Scores
    Picture Rating: 2
    Sound Rating: 2
    Download WSR Review
    Reference Systems
    Critics' Composite Score:
    Internet Links

    Supplementals
    Both versions include the theatrical trailer, as well as seven deleted scenes with the original Italian dialogue from the international release.

    DVD General Information
    (Studio/Distributor): MGM Home Entertainment
    (Catalog Number): ML106729
    (MPAA Rating): R
    (Retail Price): $49.98
    (Running Time In Minutes): 162
    (Color Type): Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): Yes
    (Theatrical Release): 1966
    (LD Release Date): 11/98
    (THX® Digitally Mastered): No

    Credits Information
    (Director): Sergio Leone
    (Screenplay/Written By): Age-Scarpelli, Luciano Vincenzoni & Sergio Leone
    (Story): Luciano Vincenzoni & Sergio Leone
    (Music): Ennio Morricone
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer): Carlo Simi
    (Visual Effects): NA
    (Costume Designer): NA
    (Editor): Nino Baragli & Eugenio Alabiso
    (Supervising Sound Editors): NA
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers): NA
    (Co-Producers): NA
    (Producers): Alberto Grimaldi

    DVD Picture Information
    (Principal Photography): Techniscope
    (Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 2.35:1
    (Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 2.10:1

    DVD Sound Information
    (DVD Soundtrack): Mono Sound
    (Theatrical Sound): Optical Mono
    (Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
    (Remastered Dolby Digital): No
    (Remastered DTS Digital Surround): No
    (Additional Languages):

    WSR Narrative Review
    Story Synopsis:
    In this, the third and last in the series of “Man With No Name” sagas, The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly, Clint Eastwood reluctantly teams up with not one, but two bounty hunters (Lee Van Cleef and Eli Wallach) to claim a cache of $200,000 in stolen gold.

    LaserDisc Picture:
    The LaserDisc picture is extremely soft and hazy. Though dated, color fidelity is generally natural with brownish fleshtones. Noise and artifacts are apparent and distracting, but the picture will most likely still thrill fans of this Eastwood classic.

    LaserDisc Soundtrack:
    The soundtrack is undistinguished monaural that sounds thin, compressed, strident and distorted, and dubbed. At times, there is a slight hum, and the Italian soundtrack in the deleted scenes is incredibly harsh and strident.
    (Surround Bass Below 50Hz): No
    (Aggressive System Surround): No
    (Intense 25Hz Bass): No
    (Deep Bass Challenging): No
    (Aggressive 0.1 LFE):
    (Holosonic Soundfield): No
    (Aggressive Split Surround): No
    (Center Back Surround Imaging): No
    (Directionalized Dialogue): No
    Superb Sound Effects Recording Quality:
    Superb Music Score Recording Quality:
    		 No
    Superb Special Visual Effects Quality:
    		 No
    Superb Color Fidelity:
    		 No
    Superb Cinematography:
    		 -
    Reference LaserDisc:
    Collector Edition:
    DVD To LaserDisc Comparison:
    The DVD is framed at 2.30:1, in both the letterbox and anamorphic formats. The LaserDisc appears to be the same transfer as the LaserDisc reviewed in Issue 7’s “The Clint Eastwood Trilogy.” Both LaserDisc pictures are extremely soft and hazy when compared to the dual layered, anamorphically enhanced DVD. Though dated, color fidelity is generally natural with brownish fleshtones. The DVD’s colors are more refined with nicely rendered fleshtones, rich colors and deep, solid blacks. Images are solid, with better clarity and texture compared to the LaserDiscs. The previously reviewed LaserDisc exhibits richer and more vibrant colors, though appearing plugged-up and not as natural. Noise and artifacts are still apparent on the DVD, just not as distracting as the LaserDiscs, for a mediocre experience that will most likely still thrill fans of this Eastwood classic which has never looked better on home video. The soundtrack is undistinguished monaural that sounds thin, compressed, strident and distorted, and dubbed. The latest LaserDisc PCM soundtrack at times has slight hum, while the Dolby® Digital encoded 1.0 soundtrack is dramatically quieter and is preferred. While the Italian soundtrack in the deleted scenes is incredibly harsh and strident on the LaserDisc, the DVD version is slightly easier on the ears.