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[LANZETTA]

There is a legit release coming in April (I think) from Koch Media Germany, with original Italian audio and English subs with the full length version of the film. It is the single disc from the rather expensive Sergio Sollima set and apparently some problems with the audio (wouldn't work properly on some players) have been corrected.

Image comparisons of the Koch DVD can be found at:
http://www.sundances.net/spaghetti/biggundownscr.php

This is good news and with it being fully uncut presumably continuity problems such as how LVC loses his badge will become clear.

But i'd be disappointed if there isn't an English audio.

What would be even better news would be if there was a new release of FACE TO FACE on the horizon with a decent English audio unlike the shitty one on the Japanese dvd.

[Paul]

Koch have also released FACE TO FACE too, mate - Tanzi has the disc, maybe he can fill us in, but I think it's supposed to be much better. I have the Japanese disc and it's awful, eh?

[Inspector Tanzi]

But i'd be disappointed if there isn't an English audio.

I may be wrong but i don't think the longer cut of the film exists in English.

[R-T-C Tim]

Koch rarely if ever release their films with English audio. Probably a licensing thing.

[Bogan The Wanderer]

I have the Koch Sollima box with FACE TO FACE and BIG GUNDOWN and like it, but it has a few issues that bug me.  Same as you guys I'd prefer the English tracks (especially on GUNDOWN) and the subs on FACE TO FACE are okay, but I've seen the SBS broadcast of that one and think the Koch ones could be improved a little in translation and even in general speed and synching.  They're still kind of okay though.  The prints on the Koch discs, on the other hand, are awesome.  The Franco Cleef GUNDOWN doesn't look nearly as good as the Koch disc but does have Van Cleef's distinctive voice throughout for most of it.  Someone could use the Franco Cleef soundtrack and dub most of it over the Koch disc, but it would be a pain in the arse to synch and sub everything up.

[LANZETTA]

But i'd be disappointed if there isn't an English audio.

I may be wrong but i don't think the longer cut of the film exists in English.

The Japanese disc is the longer cut,(i think) 105 minutes opposed to my 90 minute
video tape.The audio seems to be particularly bad on the dvds opening scenes and
also its last 20 minutes or so.The video tape audio is fine throughout so surely something can be done about this.

[Inspector Tanzi]

The Japanese disc is the longer cut,(i think)

the Jap disc is definately the shorter version, unless it has come out as one of the new SPO releases with a different version (which is possible)

[LANZETTA]

The Japanese disc is the longer cut,(i think)

the Jap disc is definately the shorter version, unless it has come out as one of the new SPO releases with a different version (which is possible)

Mine is the SPO disc which i've had for about 3 years and on checking its running time is approx 107 minutes which concurs with the uncut running time stated in Howard Hughes book and includes all  the missing footage stated including the duel between Brad and Beau,the shootout between Bennets Raiders and a posse outside the De Wintons mansion,the conversation between Max's sister and Brad,the full woodland shack scene,the full bank heist and all dialogue that was either clipped mid sentence or totally missing in the cut 90 minute version is present and correct.

[Vito Cipriani]

The Japanese disc is the longer cut,(i think)

the Jap disc is definately the shorter version, unless it has come out as one of the new SPO releases with a different version (which is possible)

Mine is the SPO disc which i've had for about 3 years and on checking its running time is approx 107 minutes which concurs with the uncut running time stated in Howard Hughes book and includes all  the missing footage stated including the duel between Brad and Beau,the shootout between Bennets Raiders and a posse outside the De Wintons mansion,the conversation between Max's sister and Brad,the full woodland shack scene,the full bank heist and all dialogue that was either clipped mid sentence or totally missing in the cut 90 minute version is present and correct.

'Lo All 

I've got the SPO disc too, and I can confirm that it's the longer cut. (I've got the shorter cut on video, from its Aktiv release in the 1990s; and I've also got the Koch Media box set.)

I may be wrong, but didn't the BBC's screening of the film, as part of the Moviedrome season, contain yet another slightly different cut of the film? When I bought the Aktiv tape, I taped over my recording of the Moviedrome screening; but when I watched Aktiv's release I thought I noticed some differences between it and Moviedrome's print. These differences were, I think, mostly around the beginning of the film, during the sequence in which Milian and Volonte are hiding out in the forest.

Re: THE BIG GUNDOWN.
Koch's release has a strange anomaly, about an hour into the picture; there's a short fragment of the FACCIA A FACCIA score that plays during a shot in which Tomas Milian rides away from the camera, leaving Van Cleef alone in the desert. I wondered if this anomalous piece of music had been inserted by Koch as a 'watermark' of sorts. Does anyone know for sure?

Koch's DVD certainly looks better than any other release of this film that I've seen. Speaking of which, did anyone else buy the early Spanish DVD release from around 2000/2001? I snagged it up because I was desparate to rewatch the film, having not seen it since its screening on Channel 4 in the early 1990s. The Spanish disc looked absolutely terrible and suffered from some very heavy cropping. I've also got the Italian DVD release kicking about someplace, as well as Franco Cleef's 'reconstruction'--which is my preferred way of viewing the film, thanks to the availability of the English dub.

[Ben Cobb]

I'm keen to pick up Koch Media's Sollima boxset but am slightly hesitant due to some mixed comments about some of the audio quality. Can anyone confirm audio problems on any of the discs? Also, I'm presuming Koch's single disc release of Face to Face is the same as the cut in the boxset... Is this right?

[Paul]

I ahve the Japanese release of FACE TO FACE and the ausio is shockingly bad. Tanzi has the Koch Solima set and was raving about it.

[Andrew Monroe]

I have the Koch Sollima set and didn`t notice any glaring audio problems with Face To Face (or the others). Also, the Ulrich Bruckner book that comes with it is cool as hell, just wish my German was a little better. It`s got some beautiful illustrations too.

[Ben Cobb]

Thanks Andrew and Paul. That's that then... I'll order Koch Media's boxset.

[Andrew Monroe]

Re: THE BIG GUNDOWN.
Koch's release has a strange anomaly, about an hour into the picture; there's a short fragment of the FACCIA A FACCIA score that plays during a shot in which Tomas Milian rides away from the camera, leaving Van Cleef alone in the desert. I wondered if this anomalous piece of music had been inserted by Koch as a 'watermark' of sorts. Does anyone know for sure?

Ben, in reading Vito`s post above, I realized I`d completely forgotten about this. It`s not a big deal, at least to me, but the brief piece of music from Face To Face does play on the Koch Big Gundown disc. Thought I should correct myself, although I`m certain you`ll still be very happy with the set if you pick it up. That`s the only audio glitch in the set that I`m aware of.

[Ben Cobb]

Thanks for pointing that out Andrew. But I don't think that'll be a big deal for me either.