A Bullet for Sandoval: 4k Restoration – VCI Entertainment (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Spain/Italy, 1969
Director: Julio Buchs
Writers: Julio Buchs, Federico De Urrutia, Ugo Guerra, José Luis Martínez Mollá
Cast: George Hilton, Ernest Borgnine, Alberto de Mendoza, Leo Anchóriz, Annabella Incontrera, Antonio Pica, José Manuel Martín, Manuel de Blas, Manuel Miranda, Gustavo Rojo, Andrea Aureli, Mary Paz Pondal, Andrés Mejuto, José Guardiola, George Rigaud

Release Date: November 7th, 2023
Approximate Running Time: 101 Minutes 15 seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Mono English, LPCM Mono Spanish
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.95

"John Warner (George Hilton) is a rebel soldier who deserts his outfit on the eve of battle and goes over the border into Mexico to be with his girlfriend when she gives birth to their child. When he arrives, Warner finds that his fiancée has died in childbirth and her father, played by Ernest Borgnine, lusts only to kill him." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.75/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "produced from new 4K-Scans of the 35mm negatives."

A Bullet for Sandoval comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 32.4 GB

Feature: 30.6 GB

Though the source used for this transfer is in very good shape, most of the source imperfections have been cleaned up. There are some instances of source-related damage throughout that are, fortunately, not distracting. Though colors generally look very good, there is some color fluctuation. The same goes for flesh tones, which look better in some moments than others. Image clarity and black levels are strong, and compression is very good.

Audio: 3.5/5 (LPCM Mono English), 4/5 (LPCM Mono Spanish)

This release comes with two audio options, an LPCM mono mix in English and an LPCM mono mix in Spanish. Though the Spanish language track fares better than the English language track, the lack of subtitles that translate this track is unfortunate, and it negates all viewers who are not fluent in Spanish. The English language track is in good shape; dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. Range-wise, this track is satisfactory. It should be noted that some of the scenes that were not in VCI’s previous release have been newly dubbed by them for this release. These moments are noticeable since the voices clearly do not match. Included are removable English SDHs for the English language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a US theatrical trailer (3 minutes 18 seconds, LPCM mono English, no subtitles), Spanish opening credits sequence (2 minutes 28 seconds, LPCM mono Spanish, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with Alex Cox, actor, director, writer and expert on Spaghetti Westerns.

Summary:

Directed by Julio Buchs, whose other notable films are Django Does Not Forgive, I'll Kill Him, Return Alone, and Murder by Music.

The narrative revolves around a confederate deserter whose girlfriend dies in childbirth, and her family makes him take his newborn son despite being on the run. When his son dies because no one will help, he vows vengeance against all who have done him wrong.

Though A Bullet for Sandoval is set in a familiar Civil War setting, the result is a grim film that does not have the operatic, violent set pieces that other Civil War spaghetti westerns do. In its opening moments, a man is seen robbing the recently deceased of all of their valuables, only to end up dead in the process. This opening setup does a phenomenal job of laying the foundation and setting the tone for the events that follow.

Also, despite being set during the Civil War, A Bullet for Sandoval is best described as a family drama that only uses the Civil War as a backdrop. The main focus is revenge, with the protagonist starting off as someone with good intentions only to become more jaded as the narrative progresses. When he hears that the woman he loves is gravely ill, he rushes to her side, and when he finally arrives, he is met with hostility from her family. Though not confrontational at first, it is the latter's actions that push him over the edge.

A Bullet for Sandoval has a solid cast that features many recognizable faces for anyone familiar with spaghetti westerns or eurocult cinema of the 1960s and 1970s. And as great as the entire cast is in their roles, it stars George Hilton (Massacre Time) in the role of a confederate deserter named John Warner and Ernest Borgnine (The Wild Bunch) in the role of Don Pedro Sandoval. Their performances are the heart and soul of A Bullet for Sandoval. Their characters' disdain for each other drives the narrative.

Though not as action-packed as other 1960s spaghetti westerns, when it comes to action sequences, it does feature a few striking moments. Like a duel in the pouring rain and a knife fight duel that ends with one character being mauled to death by a bull. Also, when it comes to the ending, it is arguably one of spaghetti western cinema’s bleakest.

From a production standpoint, A Bullet for Sandoval is a film that holds up well and often exceeds expectations. And though some might find the deliberate pacing too slow, the final payoff makes the events that precede all the more potent. Other strengths are Julio Buchs’ rock-solid direction and Gianni Ferrio’s (Death Walks at Midnight) exceptional score. Ultimately, A Bullet for Sandoval is a solid spaghetti western that is a must-see if you're a fan of this genre.

A Bullet for Sandoval gets a strong release from VCI Entertainment that comes with a good audio/video presentation and an informative audio commentary, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer