A Fistful Of Dynamite (Special Edition) [DVD]

'A fistfull of Dynamite', or 'Duck You Sucker!' as it may be better known as elsewhere ranks among one of Sergio Leone's best pieces of filmaking and as one of the best spaghetti westerns of all time!!!
James Coburn and Rod Steiger provide great onscreen characters whos personalities and backgrounds are beautifully explored in detail set in the backdrop of the Mexican revolution and in particular Coburn's character is explored deeply, enhanced by Leone's supurb use of flashbacks to tell us his story!
With enhanced picture and sound, which is fantastic with explosions abound, this DVD as with Leone's other westerns are worth their weight in gold!
Another great score by Morricone as usual, tops the film off as fantastic!!!
Highly recommended to Spaghetti western and Leone fans!!!

Each of the four Sergio Leone films I have seen so far are all fantastic and have great depth yet are all drastically different.
Fistful Of Dollars bacause of the stirring soundtrack and opening sequence, strong use of colours, cast and non-stop excitment from beginning to middle to end (plus heaps more!)
For A Few Dollars More incorperates all of these things and yet is extremly atmospheric in all it's scenes in a way that differs from it's predeccesor in a way hard to explain but is very apparent; noteable, to me in a majority for it's set design.
Once Upon A Time In The West has four superb performancs from each of it's main pro/antagonists and is notorious for it's slow paced run time that holds the viewer through out, therefore the viewer endures the movie along with the characters. It also has a beautiful and moving score.
A Fistful Of Dynamite (or Duck You Sucker or Once Upon A Time...The Revolution-it's most fitting title) is by far the most quirky, innovative, political and is very extrovertly idiosyncratic.
The performances by the two main leads are fantastic, sympathy switching from one to the other as you learn more about their characters (The DVD "origional" version helps with this, and the story) and there are definitly some controversial touches throughout.
Rife with comedy, pathos and action and quite a bit different to the Dollars, foremost because of the time it is set: 1913 (even a primitive motorbike turns up) so no tumbleweed settings and lonley terraced sallon border-towns with ten-pace shoot outs.
But definitly explosive and realistic with a great sense of fantasy as a foyle for the realism.
I could write for ages about Leone's movies and have a lot more to say about this one.
But to end, I would say that the DVD features are perfect; the usual and thoroughly enjoyable interview with Sir. Christopher Frayling and the absolutly essential "Sorting out the Versions" featurette which helps more than words can say.
I recommend this DVD to everyone. The swearing is unusually funny and moving at times as well.
The last Spagetti Western.
Perfect!

Sergio Leone is arguably my favourite director and I regularly re-watch his films... except for A Fistful of Dynamite (or Once Upon a Time... the Revolution, OUTR, as I prefer to think of it). Indeed it's been so long, the last time was on VHS!

The reason for this is that it never quite feels like a Leone film for me. It is neither a western nor does it hit the heights of Once Upon a Time in America; instead it feels like a confused hybrid. All his western trademarks are there - the sweaty FBCUs, wind-hissing wild track, bank robberies, bridges blown-up, Almeria setting, Morricone score etc - but somehow they seemed half-hearted as if Leone was just going through the motions. Things like pace and tension are, in my opinion, sorely missing.

These problems are compound by the plot. I've always been impressed by how Leone made his narratives appear simple while they are actually convoluted and complex. But with OUTR the plot lacks coherence. In many ways it's a series of picaresque set-pieces with tenuous connecting strands - most notably when we move from the carriage/motorcycle opening sequence to the bit when Juan blows up the church. How have we got here? What's going on? I still don't understand. Similarly [spoiler coming next] the scene where's Juan's family is killed. There's no foreshadowing - we just lurch into it. One could argue this is demonstration of Leon's audacity as a director (ie effectively to play the punchline of the scene backwards) but I find it emotionally unsatisfying.

On top of the plot issues are the characters. It's difficult to understand what motivates them. Juan is simpler, but Sean remains an enigma. Why, for instance, does he abandon Juan as the train passes... but waits for him at Mesa Verde? The explanations seem thin and unconvincing. Complex motivation may be lacking in Leone's Dollars Trilogy but that's because the characters are driven by money; their motive is so intrinsic to their characters that it becomes invisible. In OUTR the motivation feels self-conscious - either in explanation or absence of. I also think that Steiger and Coburn (in this picture at least) lack presence and chemistry. They are like a watered down version of Tuco and Blondi with none of the latter pair's outrageous wit or duplicitous energy. One thing I love best about Leone is how he can take minor characters (think of the innkeeper and his wife in Few Dollars More) or even non-speaking extras and make them so vibrant and arresting. Again, in comparison, OUTR seems much blander.

Talking of bland I'm not much impressed with Morricone's score here. It's almost `effeminate', too soft and trilling for the harsh setting of the Mexican Revolution. Perhaps this reflects the softness of the characters. I can't imagine a theme like Harmonica's working for Juan or Sean. As for the `Sean, Sean, Sean' song - maybe I'm missing some subtle point but I think it is unintentionally and inappropriately funny (when it's not being annoying). In fact the score often seems at odds with the action - think again of the scene when Juan finds his family slaughtered.

Having said all the above there are still some wonderful Leone touches: the scene where Juan rips through the eyes of the poster; the look on his face as he opens the bank vaults; the chicken `stroking' scene. The mass execution tracking shot on the roof tops is one of the most powerful in his oeuvre. There are also some fantastic explosions - keep your eye out for the one as Sean blows up the carriage and walks away as a ball of flame rises behind him. Leone is having his most fun with the picture here! I pity the poor camera man though...

All of which brings me to the `packaging' of this version. The film transfer is decent enough, though in places the dialogue track is poor; I assumer this is a problem with the master reel or it may have to do with the post-synching (something discussed in the commentary - more of which in a second). There are also some decent featurettes on the second disc, including a particularly interesting one about the different versions.

The standout highlight though is Christopher Frayling's commentary. This is worth the price of the DVD alone. It is erudite, engaging and will definitely make you look at the film anew. For this reason alone I would recommend you buy a copy.

In conclusion I'm left with very mixed feelings. Leone is undoubtedly a genius but I find this a confused and unsatisfactory film... though I will happily admit to being in the minority, so maybe I've got it wrong; Frayling is certainly a big fan! Part of my problem is that it's impossible to view it without comparing it to his previous - and in my opinion - vastly superior westerns. Nevertheless I would recommend anyone with a passing interesting in the spaghetti western or Leone to buy this version, listen to what Frayling has to say and make up your own mind. 4 stars: more for the overall package than the movie itself.