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From Amazon.co.uk
Once Upon a Time in America has a chequered history, having been chopped from its original 229-minute director's cut to 139 minutes for its theatrical release. The longer edition presented here benefits from having the complete story (the short version has huge gaps) about turn-of-the-century Jewish immigrants in America finding their way into lives of crime, as told in flashback by an ageing Jewish gangster named Noodles (Robert De Niro). On the other hand, it's almost four hours long, and this sometimes-indulgent Sergio Leone film is no Godfather. Still, it is notable for the contrast between Leone's elegiac take on the gangster film and his occasional explosive action, as well as for the mix of the stoic, inexpressive De Niro and the hyperactive James Woods as his lifelong friend and rival. --Marshall Fine
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
25 of 25 people found the following review helpful
By S MacLeod
Format:Blu-ray
This film is one of my 10 favourites of all time. It is utterly brilliant. There are plenty of other five-star reviews on this site that you can read for details of why it is so brilliant. I'm not going to repeat what other reviewers have said, so I will just offer one VERY IMPORTANT piece of advice:
Make sure you buy the longest version you can find.
A European lab is currently (May, 2011) restoring the original 269 minute version, which is likely to premiere at Cannes in 2012.
Leone's European version ran 229 minutes, and it appears that this Blu-ray product is that version. The 229 minute European version is the one that is currently considered to be a classic. I've seen it two or three times, and I love every minute of it.
When this film was released in the United States, distributors insisted that it be cut further. The film was slashed to 139 incomprehensible minutes, and the numerous flashback scenes were shifted into chronological order. The result was a disaster, and this is why there are still some poor reviews for the film floating around the 'net (all from American critics). I saw this version once myself, and it was indeed rubbish.
So there you are. Buy this version - which is the best currently available - and you will not be disappointed.
Make sure you buy the longest version you can find.
A European lab is currently (May, 2011) restoring the original 269 minute version, which is likely to premiere at Cannes in 2012.
Leone's European version ran 229 minutes, and it appears that this Blu-ray product is that version. The 229 minute European version is the one that is currently considered to be a classic. I've seen it two or three times, and I love every minute of it.
When this film was released in the United States, distributors insisted that it be cut further. The film was slashed to 139 incomprehensible minutes, and the numerous flashback scenes were shifted into chronological order. The result was a disaster, and this is why there are still some poor reviews for the film floating around the 'net (all from American critics). I saw this version once myself, and it was indeed rubbish.
So there you are. Buy this version - which is the best currently available - and you will not be disappointed.
66 of 69 people found the following review helpful
By alek
Format:Blu-ray
THE FILM
There's not much to say that hasn't been said already. 'Once Upon a Time in America' is without a doubt one of the best films of all time. A grand tale of nostalgia and regret directed by a legendary filmmaker. Robert De Niro, James Woods and the rest of the cast all give great performances. Ennio Morricone's score is simply beautiful.
No film buff should miss it.
THE DISC
The transfer looks quite good. There are no distracting compression artifacts or other anomalies. There is no excessive DNR and the image looks natural. It might not be a demo-worthy material but it is truthful to the original look of the film and a significant improvement over the DVD release.
The DTS-HD Master Audio track, while not spectacular, is very clear and precise. There's not much happening in the surround channels but it is an accurate representation of the original, almost 30-year-old soundtrack.
All in all, this Blu-ray release is the best the film has ever looked on home video and truthful to the original theatrical presentation.
Highly recommended.
Available audio tracks: English (DTS-MA), Spanish, Czech, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Polish (all DD 5.1)
Available subtitles: English, Brazilian Portuguese, Bulgarian, Spanish, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Korean, Latin Spanish, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Swedish, Thai, Turkish
There's not much to say that hasn't been said already. 'Once Upon a Time in America' is without a doubt one of the best films of all time. A grand tale of nostalgia and regret directed by a legendary filmmaker. Robert De Niro, James Woods and the rest of the cast all give great performances. Ennio Morricone's score is simply beautiful.
No film buff should miss it.
THE DISC
The transfer looks quite good. There are no distracting compression artifacts or other anomalies. There is no excessive DNR and the image looks natural. It might not be a demo-worthy material but it is truthful to the original look of the film and a significant improvement over the DVD release.
The DTS-HD Master Audio track, while not spectacular, is very clear and precise. There's not much happening in the surround channels but it is an accurate representation of the original, almost 30-year-old soundtrack.
All in all, this Blu-ray release is the best the film has ever looked on home video and truthful to the original theatrical presentation.
Highly recommended.
Available audio tracks: English (DTS-MA), Spanish, Czech, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Polish (all DD 5.1)
Available subtitles: English, Brazilian Portuguese, Bulgarian, Spanish, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Korean, Latin Spanish, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Swedish, Thai, Turkish
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By David Bowers
Format:DVD
This is Sergio Leone's last and perhaps best film. Epic in length, scope and cinematography "Once upon a time in America" follows a group of kids and their rise to fully fledged gangsters.
Running at almost 4 hours and including an interval the story covers childhood, their 20's/30's and Noodles (De Niro) 70's.
The story is plays with time, cutting between 3 periods in cleverely crafted arcs. When originally released in the US the distributor re-arranged the whole film chronologically, destroying the suspense of the story. Here it is shown in it's proper, full length edit.
This really is cinema at it's best. Yes it's long and may take a couple of sittings, but once finished you know you've seen a film and a great one at that.
[Spoiler]
The final shot is a perfect ending to the film and Leones career. Noodles smiling in the opium den indicating that some, if not all of what you'd seen was infact a 'pipe dream' or hallucination. So perhaps the whole thing was fake, a story, but in the end you're there to watch a story being told, which is what Sergio did best.
Running at almost 4 hours and including an interval the story covers childhood, their 20's/30's and Noodles (De Niro) 70's.
The story is plays with time, cutting between 3 periods in cleverely crafted arcs. When originally released in the US the distributor re-arranged the whole film chronologically, destroying the suspense of the story. Here it is shown in it's proper, full length edit.
This really is cinema at it's best. Yes it's long and may take a couple of sittings, but once finished you know you've seen a film and a great one at that.
[Spoiler]
The final shot is a perfect ending to the film and Leones career. Noodles smiling in the opium den indicating that some, if not all of what you'd seen was infact a 'pipe dream' or hallucination. So perhaps the whole thing was fake, a story, but in the end you're there to watch a story being told, which is what Sergio did best.
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4.3 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good Film
bought this as we had watched the Godfather trillogy, a brilliant film, would highly recommend, a good duvet day movie
Published 7 days ago by D A Baldwin
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent gangster genre movie.
If you like a bit of history, and also a bit of bang and crash, this is the film to see. Almost a documentry of early gangs and their methods, great viewing and lots of what it was... Read more
Published 12 days ago by Derek Stocker. D.C. Stocker
5.0 out of 5 stars
Loved it great buy
Loved it great buy film good brought back good times five star would recommend it to a friend liked the film
Published 13 days ago by George Inch
3.0 out of 5 stars
rfc
i agree with every criticism i've read about this movie. it is a good movie, and maby it was the first of its kind ???. Read more
Published 19 days ago by Andy
4.0 out of 5 stars
Classic
I remember the first time i watched it on television many years ago, that i enjoyed watching. Not long after i watched, i bought the DVD. Read more
Published 1 month ago by LoBo
5.0 out of 5 stars
classic de niro
long but very good film , de niro at his best , then he always is , this is the long cut of the film , there were a few cuts made but this is original movie ,excellent .
Published 1 month ago by dave
5.0 out of 5 stars
terrific film,
Blue-ray enhances the realism and grit of this film, the film is a new classic and a must for the collection of Mafia Movie fans.
Published 2 months ago by Jay Dee
3.0 out of 5 stars
disappointing in spite of the hype about the longer version
The theatrical version of this film was a mess: inconsistencies and unexplained incidents, odd scenes that drag on, a story that failed to hang together emotionally. Read more
Published 2 months ago by rob crawford
5.0 out of 5 stars
Arrived on time, great condition
Very good, enjoyed the film immensly, Arrived in pristine condition. Movie left me wanting to watch more de niro films
Published 2 months ago by sheila differ
5.0 out of 5 stars
Once upon a time in America
I bought this having watched it on TV. I was so impressed with the cinematography, the photographic work and the cast - this is a masterpiece and I don't know why it isn't on the... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Rpa De-layen Vian
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