NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Arrow Blu-ray (May 2019): The new Arrow Blu-ray transfer of Keoma is described as from a 'new 2K restoration from the original 35mm camera negative'. It has many superiorities over the Millcreek BD from 2012. Both are 1080P, but the Arrow has richer colors and black levels, it offers both Italian and English versions (despite the slight disparities - titles and credits), show more information in the frame, and it offers a plethora of new supplements. 

It appears to be from different sources (judging my the above title capture). The Arrow's skin-tones warm and it looks far more stable in-motion with tighter lines but I'd say the richness and depth of the contrast and colors are the most notable difference on initial inspection. The Arrow more suits the film's tone with a darker look.

On their Blu-ray, Arrow use a linear PCM mono tracks (24-bit) in the Italian or English language. Even though the Millcreek is also 24-bit (via a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel mono) the Arrow is another advancement - notable in the film's western-related effects (horses, gun etc.) and pasta-esque score by Guido and Maurizio de Angelis (Torso, A Blade in the Dark, 2019 After the Fall of New York, The Mountain of the Cannibal God) - this includes the Keoma 'theme' and In Front of My Desperation - both performed by 'Sibyl Amarilli Mostert' and Cesare De Natale (as Sybil & Guy) - which is suitable to the genre and sounds clean in the uncompressed carrying some depth. The Arrow BD offers optional English or English (SDH) from different translations (see below) subtitles on their Region 'A'-locked Blu-ray.

Phew! - Arrow load this excellent western up with a mass of new extras. Included is a new audio commentary by spaghetti western experts C. Courtney Joyner and Henry C. Parke who work wel together in exporting details of Franco Nero, the director, genre, it's initial theatrical reaction and much more. It is fairly casual but engaging. There are five new interviews; The Ballad of Keoma spends 22-minutes with legendary star Franco Nero who starts my stating that Keoma is his favorite western. Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust is a new 1/2 hour interview with director Enzo G. Castellari - and his remembrances on the production. Writing Keoma is a new interview with actor and writer Luigi Montefiori AKA George Eastman who shares the evolution of the story for over 1/4 hour. Parallel Actions is a new 22-minute interview with editor Gianfranco Amicucci ('politische' - Italian crime films on his resume). The Flying Thug is a new 24-minute interview with actor Massimo Vanni (in many of Castellari's other genre films.) Play as an Actor is a new 1/2 interview with actor Volfango Soldati (Keoma his first acting credit), I thoroughly enjoyed Keoma and the Twilight of the Spaghetti Western, a newly filmed 19-minute video appreciation by the academic Austin Fisher (author of Radical Frontiers in the Spaghetti Western : Politics, Violence and Popular Italian Cinema). There is a 5-minute archival introduction to Keoma by Alex Cox who extols it. We also have original Italian and international theatrical trailers and four galleries including original promotional images from the Mike Siegel Archive. The package has a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sean Phillips and a collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by Simon Abrams and Howard Hughes.

Keoma is one of the best of the 'Spaghetti western' genre. The Arrow is, obviously, the finer presentation and their multitude of supplements, including commentary, interviews and video appreciation, only enhance it further as a classic. Just to see it - I would even recommend the Millcreek (presently less than $5) but I would suggest after you see the film - you want it in the best Blu-ray edition possible - that is the Arrow. Don't miss this film!

Gary Tooze