ADDITION: Blu-ray - Kino - March 2021: Kino's new Blu-ray transfer of Bring Me The Head of Alfredo Garcia is described as being from a "2017 HD Master from a 4K Scan of the Original Camera Negative ". So that would make us presume it was the same restored source as the Arrow, but it looks a lot more like the Twilight Time - although marginally brighter. It's very hard for me to make definitive statements on the colors of the  Bring Me The Head of Alfredo Garcia. Suffice to say, the Kino is dual-layered with a max'ed out bitrate of a 4K restoration. It looks excellent. While I think few might make issues with the minor disparity between the last two produced 1080P releases - some may prefer the Arrow, others the Kino. It looks great on my system. The dusty, earthy rural shots in Mexico carry such wonderful texture - more so than the Arrow. It's great to have this film looking so film-like in HD and I expect, and hope, that the next upgrade with be to 4K UHD.

NOTE: We have added 6 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

Audio, Kino go 16-bit lossless again, losing to the Arrow and Twilight Time Blu-rays.... but only marginally. the Jerry Fielding's (The Wild Bunch, Straw Dogs, The Killer Elite, The Mechanic, Kolchak: The Night Stalker and The Getaway) score is one of his best carrying moods of deception and intensity throughout. There are other musical interludes; Bennie's Song by Isela Vega, A Donde Ir by Javier Vega, Bad Blood Baby by Sam Peckinpah and J.F. by Arturo Castro. Kino add optional English (SDH) for the English language and standard English translations - both in a white font - for the brief Spanish. The Kino Blu-ray is Region 'A'-locked.

For extras Kino repeat the two commentaries with co-writer/co-producer Gordon Dawson, moderated by Nick Redman and the second with Peckinpah bio-authors; Paul Seydor (The Authentic Death and Contentious Afterlife of Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid: The Untold Story of Peckinpah's Last Western Film), Garner Simmons (Peckinpah: A Portrait in Montage - The Definitive Edition: 50 Years After "The Wild Bunch" from the Writer Who Knew Him Best), David Weddle ("If They Move . . . Kill 'Em!": The Life and Times of Sam Peckinpah) and, again, with the late Nick Redman. Both are revealing and generous with their praise. There is also an episode of Trailers From Hell with Josh Olson, a TV Spot, image gallery and theatrical trailer, plus the package has a slipcase and reversible art (see below.)

With its girth of supplements the Arrow seems to still be champion here. If Region 'A'ers own the Twilight Time Encore Blu-ray edition from 2016, there is only an upgrade in the video and new slipcase and reversible art with the Kino. If Region 'A'-locked audiences you don't own either Twilight Time Blu-ray - which are out-of-print - then this seems like a must-own. The Kino offers a rich HD presentation for this iconic film, and fabulous commentaries as extras. Now, let's get this out in 4K UHD!

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ADDITION: Blu-ray - Arrow - February 2017: Arrow's new Blu-ray transfer of Bring Me The Head of Alfredo Garcia is cited as a "Brand new 4K restoration from the original camera negative produced by Arrow Films exclusively for this release" and it does look different than the other 1080P transfers. The image is much brighter (and clearer), skin tones cool, the image looks 'cleaner'. It is technically more robust than the other Blu-rays with a max'ed out bitrate and shows more information in the frame (right edge). Not knowing how the film looked originally, I can only say I preferred Arrow's image to the others - it produces an entirely different film experience. Grain is less-clunky and the brighter image gives the impression of higher detail. Whites are brighter and less yellow than on the other HD transfers.

NOTE: Arrow's presentation starts with an older United Artists logo and does not show a title - only a few credits at the beginning and the majority at the end.

Arrow have gone very authentic with a mono linear PCM track - 24-bit but flat and carrying some depth in the extensive aggression in the film. It sounds excellent to my ears - expertly supporting Jerry Fielding's (The Wild Bunch, Straw Dogs, The Killer Elite, The Mechanic, Kolchak: The Night Stalker and The Getaway) score. Arrow include optional English (SDH) subtitles and their Blu-ray discs are region 'B'-locked.

Arrow have two commentary tracks - a brand new one by Stephen Prince, author of Savage Cinema: Sam Peckinpah and the Rise of Ultraviolent Movies, recorded exclusively for this release as well as the older one with Peckinpah scholars Paul Seydor, Garner Simmons and David Weddle, moderated by Nick Redman. Also on the first Blu-ray is the 1.5 hour Sam Peckinpah: Man of Iron, Paul Joyce's feature-length 1993 documentary featuring interviews with James Coburn, Kris Kristofferson, Monte Hellman, Ali MacGraw, James Robards and others, available on home video in the UK for the first time ever. We also get the 3/4 hour John Player Lecture: Sam Peckinpah, audio recording of the director's on-stage appearance at the National Film Theatre. I was pretty keen on this. There are four songs by Kris Kristofferson, filmed during the making of Man of Iron as well as a theatrical trailer.

Arrow include a second Blu-ray disc with Sam Peckinpah: Man of Iron The Director's Cut - a brand-new, extended version of Paul Joyce's documentary, containing more than 10 hours of previously unseen interview footage, featuring actors RG Armstrong, James Coburn, LQ Jones, Kris Kristofferson, Ali MacGraw and Jason Robards, director Monte Hellman, producers Michael Deeley and Daniel Melnick, writers Alan Sharp and Jim Silke, writer-producer Gordon Dawson, assistant Katherine Haber, editor Garth Craven, satirist Mort Sahl, property master Bob Visciglia, bar owner Tom Runyon and cousin Bob Peckinpah, plus newly-shot interviews with Joyce, Haber and actor David Warner. Wow.

The package itself has a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Peter Strain plus an extensive collector's booklet containing new writing by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and numerous reprints including interviews and more [Limited Edition exclusive].

It's hard to deny Arrow's 4K restored, double Blu-ray edition with extensive extras, a new, and old, commentary and limited collector's booklet as anything but the definitive digital edition for Peckinpah's dynamic film. It covers so much and looks fabulous. Probably the most complete package of the year. Our highest recommendation!

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ADDITION: Blu-rays - Twilight Time (Encore Edition) October 2016: These two Twilight Time Blu-ray transfers are, pretty much, identical - slightly less technically robust but the image looks the same with only a few shifted pixels. It has the same DTS-HD Master audio (24-bit) - well indistinguishable to my ears - and the same supplements but it adds a new, and interesting, audio commentary with assistant to the director Katy Haber, and Film Historians Paul Seydor and Nick Redman. It's existence is to give those who missed out on the March 2014 Twilight Time Blu-ray (still fetching silly prices.) So, all-in-all, it's even a better release and if you want - you should act before, it too, goes out of print. Other differences include the menu screens (see below), the transparent case and it has twice as many chapter stops. That's all folks. It's a fabulous release.

NOTE: Arrow Films in the UK will be coming out with their Blu-ray edition in January 2017.

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ADDITION: Blu-rays - March 2014: These two Blu-ray transfers look to be from the same source but the Twilight Time has been given a more robust rendering. The 2012 French Filmedia Blu-ray is 1080i and running in PAL speed. It has imposed French subtitles when the original English track is chosen.  Just for that alone it should be avoided. We should note that neither release shows the title screen (it is the same image as at the top of this review but no text).

The Twilight Time visuals are a shade crisper and show more information in the frame (generally on all four sides). It is a solid dual-layered transfer with a max'ed out bitrate. Textures are evident and colors occasionally bold and rich. It looks about as good as the film will ever look on digital.

Twilight Time go with an authentic DTS-HD Master 1.0 mono track. It sounds flat but aggression has a punch. Jerry Fielding's (The Wild Bunch, Straw Dogs, The Killer Elite, The Mechanic, Kolchak: The Night Stalker and The Getaway) score is available in an isolated track - also in lossless. There are optional English subtitles (white for the English and yellow - imposed, for the, brief, Spanish - see sample below) and the Blu-ray disc is region FREE.

Aside from the isolated score, Twilight Time thoroughly stack the disc including two audio commentaries. The one that is found on the 2005 MGM DVD (film historians Paul Seydor, Garner Simmons, David Weddle, and Nick Redman) and another with writer-producer Gordon Dawson and Nick Redman (again). I haven't had the chance to indulge but snippets promise it to be rewarding and informative. We also get the, almost hour-long, Passion & Poetry: Sam's Favorite Film and the 25-minute "A Writer's Journey: Garner Simmons with Sam Peckinpah in Mexico". There is also shorter pieces on the marketing (posters etc.) of the film entitled Promoting Alfredo Garcia running 6-minutes, 6 TV Spots, a trailer and the package has some liner notes by Julie Kirgo.

My advice would be to get your hands on this Blu-ray. It is limited to 3.000 copies - and, like many Twilight Time BDs, will be selling for significantly more in months to come. This is a great release. Highly recommended! 

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ON THE DVDs: Hmmm... have we been 'hornswaggled'? Looks like the same transfer... or about as close as 'Dammit' is to swearing. Different menus - the new MGM has a commentary. If I was forced to choose totally on basis of image - hmmm... I don't think I can. The Korean Spectrum (MGM licensed?) may be the smallest degree sharper or is it just slightly brighter. Of course we recommend the MGM, it has a commentary and is darn cheap at $10 US.

 - Gary Tooze

1) Filmedia - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - LEFT

2) Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray - RIGHT