Review by Gary Tooze

Production:

Disc:

Video (same):

Audio:

• Django Kill and the evolution of Tomas Milian (18:14)
• Original Se Sei Vivo Spara Trailer (2:14)
• Reversible Sleeve with alternative artwork

Bitrate:

Description: Tomas Milian stars as a half-breed bandit double-crossed and left for dead who rises from the grave to seek his revenge. But when his quest leads to a bizarre town called 'The Unhappy Place,' he is plunged into an odyssey of gruesome torture, graphic violence and relentless sexual depravity. This is the landmark movie that fans and critics still consider to be the strangest - and most controversial - 'Spaghetti Western' ever made.

***

In this spaghetti western, a cowboy rides into a town that two gangs have taken over. One of the gangs wears black leather... and rides white horses. The other gang belongs to a storekeeper. The stranger and the two Indians who assist him manage to survive a massacre between the two rival gangs.

***

Director Giulio Questi (DEATH LAID AN EGG) and Co-Writer/Editor Franco Arcalli (co-writer of ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA and LAST TANGO IN PARIS) shocked the world with this hallucinatory tale of greed, corruption, perversion and beyond. Also known as SE SEI VIVO SPARA (IF YOU LIVE, SHOOT!), this definitive presentation of DJANGO KILL! has been created from the original Italian negative with all its infamous scenes of savagery and slaughter now fully restored in stunning High Definition!

 

 

The Film:

Excerpt from Timeout Film Guide located HERE

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

Django Kill... If You Live, Shoot! looks very positive on Blu-ray from Blue Underground. The image quality shows some grit and minor grain. Detail is quite impressive.  This is dual-layered with a high bitrate and the visuals benefit from the robust 1080P transfer. There is a touch of gloss and contrast exhibits healthy, rich black levels. Daylight scenes are more impressive but nothing is overly dark with no intrusive noise. This Blu-ray handles the many close-ups well looking excellent throughout with a minor waxy look occasionally and I would have liked more grain. Even if there is some minor tinkering - the overall image is rendered at a high level producing a better-than-expected presentation. Thumbs up!

The 88 Films transfer is exactly the same (see bitrate graphs) - both audio and video - as the Blue Underground from over 5 years ago. Same source - same dual-layering and high bitrate. No differences.

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

1) Blue Underground (English for English subtitle translation) - Region FREE  - Blu-ray TOP 2) Blue Underground (English for Italian subtitle translation) - Region FREE  - Blu-ray MIDDLE 3) 88 Films - Region 'B'  - Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) Blue Underground - Region FREE  - Blu-ray TOP 2) 88 Films - Region 'B'  - Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) Blue Underground - Region FREE  - Blu-ray TOP 2) 88 Films - Region 'B'  - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We get the option of both the English and Italian tracks rendered in DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel at 1712 kbps (with optional subtitles provided for both - see sample). The Italian definitely sounds the rougher. Effects, like gunfire, are pretty crisp and punchy exporting some depth. The DUB issues naturally exist but I think the lossless track does its job authentically as can be expected. My Momitsu has identified it as being a region FREE disc playable on Blu-ray machines worldwide.

The exact same technical transfer - linear PCM - for both Italian and English tracks. The 88 Films doesn't subtitle the English version and the Italian version on the 88 Films release appears to have the same translation as the Blue Undergound but in a white font. The 88 Films Blu-ray is Region 'B'-locked.

Extras :

 

 

88 Films - Region 'B'  - Blu-ray

 

 

BOTTOM LINE:
Django Kill... If You Live, Shoot! has plenty of the Spaghetti western genre appeal. There is some pretty crude violence - and I'm unsure that this adds to the story. I wouldn't say this is a classic but it certainly has entertainment value. The Blu-ray is another example of Blue Underground's fine production and for those keen enough - we can recommend!

Extremely similar Blu-rays with the duplicate presentation with minor variances (Blue Underground has optional subtitles for the English version and 88 Films uses a white font) and different, but mostly equal, extras although the US may win with the video supplement but the UK wins with the physical packaging. It looks like the, upcoming, 88 Films package is a bit cheaper at the writing of this comparison. No need to double dip but still a cracker of a pasta-western with a gang of homosexual cowboys, a priest and a half-breed bandit fighting over stolen gold. Cool!

Gary Tooze

June 23rd, 2012

August 18th, 2017