ADDITION: Kino 4K UHD (May 2022): Kino have released Sergio Leone's "A Fistful of Dollars" to 4K UHD. Like Kino's The Apartment, In the Heat of the Night and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly 4K UHD releases, this does not have HDR applied (no HDR10, HDR10+, or Dolby Vision.)  For both the 4K UHD transfer and the included second disc Blu-ray it is stated that "Over 24 hours of extensive shot-by-shot color grading of the logarithmic restored 4K files provided by L’Immagine Ritrovata." I can confirm that the 4K UHD disc is also "Triple-Layered UHD100" as described. We've done some comparison captures to the Italian RHV Ripleys Blu-ray that came out in 2008 (reviewed HERE), the 2010 MGM ('No Name' Trilogy Edition) Blu-ray (reviewed HERE) as well as the included Kino Blu-ray with this 4K UHD package. NOTE: the latter has 2022 file dates so we presume a new transfer from Kino's 2018 4K restoration. Certainly the first two (2008 + 2010) export very different images from this new transfer. L’Immagine Ritrovata doesn't always represent the highest quality standard for some home theatre fans often showing an invasive green cast. The colors here are much bolder with decidedly warm skin tones (not always - see Clint with the white building background.) The blue of the sky and green shrubbery on the mountainside are remarkably richer. There is heavy grain textures but also some awkward softness - noted only a few times. It has minor depth and is overall an improvement in-motion over any digital editions I have seen to date. This higher resolution advances the presentation. The color debate will initiate.    

NOTE: 94 more more full resolution (3840 X 2160) 4K UHD captures, in lossless PNG format, for Patrons are available HERE

We have reviewed the following 4K UHD packages to date: In the Heat of the Night (no HDR), Jack Reacher (software uniformly simulated HDR), Death Wish II (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Apartment (no HDR), The Proposition (software uniformly simulated HDR), Nightmare Alley (2021) (software uniformly simulated HDR), Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Godfather (software uniformly simulated HDR), Le Crecle Rouge (software uniformly simulated HDR), An American Werewolf in London (software uniformly simulated HDR), A Hard Day's Night (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Piano (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Great Escape (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Red Shoes (software uniformly simulated HDR), Citizen Kane (software uniformly simulated HDR), Unbreakable (software uniformly simulated HDR), Mulholland Dr. (software uniformly simulated HDR), Invasion of the Body Snatchers (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Hills Have Eyes (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Servant (software uniformly simulated HDR), Anatomy of a Murder (software uniformly simulated HDR), Taxi Driver  (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Wolf Man (1941) (software uniformly simulated HDR), Frankenstein (1931) (software uniformly simulated HDR),  Deep Red (software uniformly simulated HDR),  Misery (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Silence of the Lambs (software uniformly simulated HDR), John Carpenter's "The Thing" (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Cat' o'Nine Tails (software uniformly simulated HDR),  The Bird With the Crystal Plumage (software uniformly simulated HDR),  Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (software uniformly simulated HDR), Perdita Durango (software uniformly simulated HDR),  Django (software uniformly simulated HDR),  Fanny Lye Deliver'd (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, (NO HDR applied to disc),  Rollerball (software uniformly simulated HDR),  Chernobyl  (software uniformly simulated HDR), Daughters of Darkness (software uniformly simulated HDR), Vigilante (software uniformly simulated HDR), Tremors (software uniformly simulated HDR), Cinema Paradiso (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Bourne Legacy (software uniformly simulated HDR), Full Metal Jacket (software uniformly simulated HDR),  Psycho (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Birds (software uniformly simulated HDR), Rear Window (software uniformly simulated HDR), Vertigo (software uniformly simulated HDR),  Spartacus (software uniformly simulated HDR), Jaws (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Invisible Man, (software uniformly simulated HDR), Steven Spielberg's War of the Worlds (software uniformly simulated HDR), Lucio Fulci's 1979 Zombie  (software uniformly simulated HDR),, 2004's Van Helsing (software uniformly simulated HDR),  The Shallows (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Bridge on the River Kwai (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Deer Hunter (software uniformly simulated HDR),  The Elephant Man (software uniformly simulated HDR), A Quiet Place (software uniformly simulated HDR), Easy Rider (software uniformly simulated HDR), Suspiria (software uniformly simulated HDR), Pan's Labyrinth (software uniformly simulated HDR),  The Wizard of Oz, (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Shining, (software uniformly simulated HDR), Batman Returns (software uniformly simulated HDR), Don't Look Now (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Man Who Killed Killed and then The Bigfoot  (software uniformly simulated HDR),,  Bram Stoker's Dracula (software uniformly simulated HDR), Lucy (software uniformly simulated HDR), They Live (software uniformly simulated HDR), Shutter Island (software uniformly simulated HDR),  The Matrix (software uniformly simulated HDR), Alien (software uniformly simulated HDR), Toy Story (software uniformly simulated HDR),  A Few Good Men (software uniformly simulated HDR),  2001: A Space Odyssey (HDR caps udated), Schindler's List (simulated HDR), The Neon Demon (No HDR), Dawn of the Dead (No HDR), Saving Private Ryan (simulated HDR and 'raw' captures), Suspiria (No HDR), The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (No HDR), The Big Lebowski, and I Am Legend (simulated and 'raw' HDR captures).

The 4K UHD disc's audio is offered with the option of a dual-mono track (24-bit) or a, less robust, 5.1 surround bump (16-bit) - both in lossless DTS-HD Master and in English. As most are aware, there is plenty of heavy violence in "A Fistful of Dollars" which include severe beatings, indiscriminant echoing gun shots and a raging fire. The surround carries a few remarkable separations but many purists will opt for the dual-mono which usually carries hollow bass depth. Notable is the score credited to a 'Dan Savio' better known to you as the iconic Ennio Morricone (Violent City, Grand Slam Revolver, The Great Silence, Who Saw Her Die?, The Black Belly of the Tarantula, The Fifth Cord, Luna, Danger Diabolik, Two Mules For Sister Sara, A Bullet for the General, Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!, Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion, The French Conspiracy, U Turn, Stay As You Are etc. etc.) Variations on a theme reoccur with pieces like "Tortura", "Alla Ricerca Dell'Evasco" and "Senza Pieta" but they are more atypical Morriconne, eventually becoming recognizable with bells, whip-cracks in the opening to the trumpet of Michele Lacerenza and the strong whistling of Alessandro Alessandroni. His style would evolve considerable with the larger budgeted sequel For a Few Dollars More. Some will recall Clint Eastwood doing Sweet Betsy from Pike. All 4K UHD discs are Region 'Free' and this offers optional, bolder, white, English (SDH) subtitles - see sample below. The included Blu-ray is region 'A'-locked.

The Blu-ray has the feature in 1080P and both optional commentaries as well as all the vintage MGM extras of the past including an interview with lovely actress Marianne Koch, video pieces from Frayling, 'Tre Voci: Three Friends Remember Sergio Leone'; with segments by Alberto Grimaldi, Sergio Donati and actor Mickey Knox. We get Monte Hellman (The Shooting, Ride In the Whirlwind etc.) discussing the Television Broadcast, location comparisons, a 'Trailers From Hell' episode with John Badham, galleries, Outtakes, radio spots and a trailer. Nothing new that I can see but close to a couple of hours worth of supplements.

Sergio Leone's 1964 "A Fistful of Dollars" was obviously based on the Japanese wandering samurai classic Yojimbo by director Akira Kurosawa. Leone felt the Italian western was "stale, overly preachy and not believable". Henry Fonda, Charles Bronson, Steve Reeves and James Coburn were offered the lead before TV star Clint Eastwood. History was made initiating the iconic 'Man with No Name', poncho-wearing, anti-hero. Kino's 4K UHD release of "A Fistful of Dollars" has the extensive restoration of a highly important film - transferred in 2160P resolution, commentaries, a second disc Blu-ray and a host of extras. An absolute keeper for me. Certainly recommend! I'm anxious to cover their For a Few Dollars More 4K.

Gary Tooze