Savage Guns: Four Classic Westerns Vol. 3 (Limited Edition) – Arrow Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: Italy/Spain, 1968 (I Want Him Dead), Italy/Spain, 1969 (El Puro), Italy/Spain, 1970 (Wrath of the Wind), Italy, 1975 (Four of the Apocalypse)
Directors: Paolo Bianchini (I Want Him Dead), Edoardo Mulargia (El Puro), Mario Camus (Wrath of the Wind), Lucio Fulci (Four of the Apocalypse)
Cast: Craig Hill, Lea Massari, José Manuel Martín, Andrea Bosic, Licia Calderón (I Want Him Dead), Robert Woods, Aldo Berti, Marc Fiorini, Mario Brega, Rosalba Neri, Mariangela Giordano, Lisa Seagram (El Puro), Terence Hill, Maria Grazia Buccella, Mario Pardo, Máximo Valverde, Fernando Rey (Wrath of the Wind), Fabio Testi, Lynne Frederick, Michael J. Pollard, Harry Baird, Tomas Milian, Adolfo Lastretti, Bruno Corazzari, Giorgio Trestini, Donald O'Brien (Four of the Apocalypse)

Release Date: December 11th, 2023 (UK), December 19th, 2023 (USA)
Approximate Running Times: 87 Minutes 25 Seconds (I Want Him Dead), 108 Minutes 39 Seconds (El Puro - 108 Minute Version), 98 Minutes 29 Seconds (El Puro - 98 Minute Version), 97 Minutes 49 Seconds (Wrath of the Wind - Theatrical Version), 106 Minutes 16 Seconds (Wrath of the Wind - Extended Version), 104 Minutes 12 Seconds (Four of the Apocalypse)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (I Want Him Dead, Wrath of the Wind, Four of the Apocalypse), 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (El Puro)
Rating: 18 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Italian, LPCM Mono English (All Films), LPCM Mono English/Italian Hybrid (El Puro - 108 Minute Version), LPCM Mono Spanish (Wrath of the Wind - Extended Version)
Subtitles: English, English SDH (All Films)
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £69.99 (UK), $99.95 (USA)

"In Paolo Bianchini's I Want Him Dead (1968), American actor Craig Hill (The Bloodstained Shadow) stars as an ex-Confederate soldier who vows revenge after his sister is raped and murdered, in so doing setting him on a collision course with a dastardly plot to disrupt peace talks between the North and South. Next, in Edoardo Mulargia's El Puro (1969; a.k.a. The Reward's Yours... The Man's Mine), western icon Robert Woods (My Name is Pecos) gives arguably his greatest performance as a legendary gunfighter forced to emerge from hiding after the bounty hunters on his tail murder the tender-hearted barmaid (Rosalba Neri, Smile Before Death) who offered him a new life.

Then, in Mario Camus' Wrath of the Wind (1970), genre superstar Terence Hill (They Call Me Trinity) shows his darker side as an assassin who finds his conscience when he and his brother (Mario Pardo, Knife of Ice) are hired by a ruthless landholder (Fernando Rey, The French Connection) to kill the leaders of a growing labor movement. Finally, Fabio Testi (What Have You Done to Solange?) and Tomas Milian (Don't Torture a Duckling) star in Lucio Fulci's Four of the Apocalypse (1975), in which a quartet of misfits go from sharing the same jail cell to embarking on a savage odyssey that will lead to torture, rape and cannibalism. Preyed upon by a ruthless bandit, the foursome fight for their lives - until the time comes for revenge." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5 (I Want Him Dead, Wrath of the Wind - Theatrical Version, Four of the Apocalypse), 4.25/5 (Wrath of the Wind - Extended Version), 4/5 (El Puro - 98 Minute Version), 3.75/5 (El Puro - 108 Minute Version)

Here’s the information provided about I Want Him Dead's transfer, "The film was restored by Rewind Films from the original camera negatives."

Here’s the information provided about El Puro's transfers, "The original 35mm negative was scanned in 2K resolution at Cinema Communications, Rome. A 35mm print was scanned in 2K resolution for the additional sections needed to complete the long version of the film. Although every effort has been taken to restore these print sections to match the negative sourced footage as closely as possible, this element suffered from severe fading and wear and some instances of picture damage remain."

Here’s the information provided about Wrath of the Wind's and Four of the Apocalypse's transfers, "Wrath of the Wind and Four of the Apocalypse were restored by Intramovies from the original camera negatives. Additional picture restoration was completed by Arrow Films at R3Store Studios, London."

Here's additional information about these transfers, "2K restorations of all four films from the original 35mm camera negatives, with El Puro newly restored by Arrow Films for this release."

I Want Him Dead comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 42.4 GB

Feature: 24.4 GB

El Puro comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.2 GB

Feature: 33.4 GB

This release uses seamless branching for the two versions.

Wrath of the Wind comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.7 GB

Feature: 20.7 GB (Extended Version), 18.8 GB (Theatrical Version)

Four of the Apocalypse comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 44.9 GB

Feature: 27.9 GB

In most areas, the sources used for these transfers are comparable, and all of these transfers are in great shape; expect El Puro’s 108-minute version, which has some fading and some source damage that remains. That said, when it comes to source debris, the rest of the transfers have been cleaned up. Flesh tones look correct, colors are nicely saturated, contrast, black levels, image clarity, and compression are solid, and all these transfers always look organic. Though most will be very satisfied with the transfers used for these four films, the weakest of these transfers are the ones used for the two versions of El Puro.

Audio: 4.25/5

Each film comes with two audio options, a LPCM mono mix in Italian and a LPCM mono mix in English. Each film comes with removable English subtitles for the Italian language track and removable English SDH for the English language tracks. When watching the 108-minute version of El Puro, there are two audio options, a LPCM mono mix in Italian and a LPCM mono English/Italian hybrid track. A note about the hybrid track subtitles: there is only an English SDH subtitle track and not a second track just for the Italian dialog. The extended version of Wrath of the Wind comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Spanish with removable English subtitles. Also, Four of the Apocalypse’s English language track has some dialog in Italian, and though these moments are subtitled, there is only an English SDH subtitle track and not a second track just for the Italian dialog. All of the tracks are in great shape. Dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced and range wise all of these tracks sound very good. That said, the English language tracks for El Puro have some background hiss.

Extras:

Extras for I Want Him Dead include reversible cover art, an image gallery (26 images - stills/posters/press book), a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 59 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an archival interview with composer Nico Fidenco titled Nico Unchained (21 minutes, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with editor Eugenio Alabiso titled Cut and Shot (17 minutes 32 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with director Paolo Bianchini titled The Man Who Hated Violence (30 minutes 17 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an introduction by journalist and film critic Fabio Melelli titled Dead or Alive (12 minutes 42 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with film critics Adrian J. Smith and David Flint.

Extras for El Puro Include reversible cover art, an appreciation of the soundtrack and its composer, Alessandro Alessandroni, by musician and disc collector Lovely Jon titled More Than Just a Western (35 minutes 37 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Robert Woods titled A Real Italian (28 minutes 11 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an introduction by journalist and film critic Fabio Melelli titled A Zen Western Movie (15 minutes 7 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with film critics Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson.

Extras for Wrath of the Wind include reversible cover art, an image gallery (8 images - stills), alternate "Revenge of Trinity" opening titles (3 minutes 41 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a short film titled They Call It... Red Cemetery! directed by Francisco Lacerda, serving as a love letter to the spaghetti western genre (9 minutes 28 seconds, 2.35:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital stereo Portuguese with removable English subtitles), an interview with camera operator Roberto D'Ettorre Piazzoli titled The Days of Wrath (19 minutes 7 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an introduction by journalist and film critic Fabio Melelli titled Campesinos: Al Puder! (16 minutes 58 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with author and film critic Howard Hughes.

Extras for Four of the Apocalypse include reversible cover art, an image gallery (36 images - poster/stills/press book), a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 45 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an appreciation of the soundtrack and its composers, Franco Bixio, Fabio Frizzi and Vince Tempera, by musician and disc collector Lovely Jon titled The Rhythm Devil’s Play (37 minutes 11 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an appreciation of the film by author, film critic and Lucio Fulci scholar Stephen Thrower titled Do You See How Lucio Shoots? (42 minutes 35 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with production manager Roberto Sbarigia titled It Takes Four (35 minutes 2 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an introduction by journalist and film critic Fabio Melelli titled Apocalypse Now (15 minutes 16 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with author and producer Kat Ellinger.

Other extras include a slipcover, a fold-out double-sided poster, and a 52-page booklet with cast & crew information for each film, an essay titled Savage Guns: Frontier Violence, Spaghetti Western-Style written by Howard Hughes, the four sections are titled Boot Hill: Paolo Bianchini’sI Want Him Dead, I Don’t Exactly Love Life: Edoardo Mulargia’s El Puro, The Price of Freedom: Mario Camus’ Wrath of the Wind, and Death Trip: Lucio Fulci’s Four of the Apocalypse, and information about the restorations. 

Summary:

I Want Him Dead: Directed by Paolo Bianchini, who also directed these spaghetti westerns, God Made Them, I Kill Them, Gatling Gun, and Hey Amigo! A Toast to Your Death.

The narrative revolves around an ex-confederate soldier who seeks revenge against the men who raped and murdered his sister.

Though there are only so many scenarios when it comes to the spaghetti western genre, the most exploited are revenge and greed. This does not lessen the quality of a film covering such well-covered terrain. In fact, the spaghetti western's most durable asset is how well most of these films stretch premises that are similar. Case in point: I Want Him Dead, a film that veers into the realm of revenge.

Set in the familiar setting of the Civil War, the first half of the narrative building up its characters, notably its protagonist, and the second half of the narrative is where the protagonist unleashes his vengeance. With everything coming to a head in a solid ending, it provides a perfect coda to the events that preceded.

The cast is good in their roles, especially Craig Hill (The Bloodstained Butterfly) in the role of Clayton, an ex-confederate soldier whose sister is raped and murdered. For a leading man, he does a very good job of carrying I Want Him Dead. Another performance of note is Lea Massari (The Colossus of Rhodes) in the role of Aloma, a servant of the bad guy who befriends Clayton. Though female characters in spaghetti westerns tend to be background fodder, her character is one of the more fleshed-out.

When it comes to spaghetti westerns, there are two elements that the most celebrated films from this genre have in spades: stylish cinematography and killer scores, which heighten the mood. In the case of the latter, I Want Him Dead has a phenomenal score from Nico Fidenco, who is most known for his score for the Black Emanuelle films.

From a production standpoint, I Want Him Dead is a film that fully exploits its resources. The narrative is well executed, and the pacing is very good. And though not shot in 2.35:1 scope, I Want Him Dead still retains many of the traits that spaghetti western film visuals are known for, notably extreme closeups. Also, when it comes to violence, I Want Him Dead is on the brutal end of the spectrum; there are multiple times where the protagonist is tortured, and not to be overlooked is the violence towards female women.

The spaghetti western was a prolific genre in which hundreds of films were made per year during the height of its popularity. And though there are far too many low-budget affairs, they are frankly not very good. That cannot be said about I Want Him Dead, a film that holds up well and never loses its potency with repeat viewings.

El Puro: Directed by Edoardo Mulargia, whose other notable films are Viva! Django and Tropic of Cancer.

The narrative revolves around a group of killers looking to collect a $10,000 reward on a wanted gunman named El Puro.

One of the staples of the spaghetti western genre is the pre-credits sequences, and El Puro opens with an excellent pre-credits sequence that does a great job setting the stage for what follows. Without giving away too much about this pre-credits sequence, there is a criminal holed up in a house, and two men are waiting for him outside.

Greed is the theme that drives El Puro. The narrative focuses on a protagonist named El Puro, who has a price on his head, and the many men trying to collect that bounty. Whereas a lot of spaghetti western films have characters driven by personal grievances, the men who seek El Puro are cold-blooded criminals only motivated by money.

When it comes to performances, they are best described as service. With Robert Woods (My Name Is Pecos) in the role of El Puro, delivering a bland one-note performance. At least when it comes to bad guys, the actors deliver enthusiastic performances. Notable cast members are Rosalba Neri (Lady Frankenstein), Mariangela Giordano (Burial Ground), and Mario Brega (The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly).

From a production standpoint, El Puro has as many strengths as it does shortcomings. And no shortcoming is more glaring than a poorly paced narrative where little happens. Another area where the narrative comes up short is not enough action and too much talking. And though the finale does feature a well-executed three-verse shootout, it is too late by this point. Ultimately, El Puro is a bottom-tier spaghetti western that even diehard fans of this genre will find a chore to get through.

Wrath of the Wind: Directed by Mario Camus, whose other notable films are Young Sánchez, The Holy Innocents, and The Color of the Clouds. Wrath of the Wind was also released under the alternate title Trinity Sees Red. Terence Hill, the star of Wrath of the Wind, would become one of the biggest box office draws in 1970s Italian cinema because of They Call Me Trinity and Trinity Is Still My Name.

The narrative revolves around two gun-for-hire brothers who are hired by a landowner to assassinate the leader of a labor movement who is causing an uprising with his workers.

Wrath of the Wind opens with a solid pre-credits opening sequence that does a superb job setting the tone and laying the foundation for what follows. And though no words are spoken by the two assassins, this sequence provides you with all you need to know about them. They are killers for hire and are only motivated by money.

Though there are many elements that are staples of the spaghetti western genre in Wrath of the Wind, it is best described as a Spanish-made western that is just on the fringe of the genre. Despite being set in the old west and the main protagonist being a cold-blooded gunman, the main theme of workers being exploited could have worked just as well in a modern setting.

As good as the entire cast is, the main attraction is Terence Hill (My Name is Nobody) in the role of Marcos, a killer for hire who's been hired by a wealthy landowner to kill a man who has been organizing his workers. Though I have not seen all of Terence Hill’s films, I have seen most of them, and he mostly gets cast as a lighthearted character in which he gets to show off his comedic side. In Wrath of the Wind, he’s given a chance to portray a darker side of the spectrum that is the polar opposite of the type of characters he’s known for.

Director Mario Camus had a career that spanned five decades, and he directed 31 theatrical films. Most of them were dramas or comedies; his only foray into the western genre was Wrath of the Wind. And though there are an ample number of stylish moments, the real strength of the visuals is how they let the characters take center stage. That said, he does a phenomenal job for a filmmaker working in a genre for the first and only time.

After its tense pre-credit sequence, the narrative spends the next 30 minutes where not much happens—a calm before the storm. From there, the backstory fills in who all the main players are and what their motivations are. And though it is not as action-heavy or violent as one would expect from a spaghetti western film, that is not to say that it does not do a superb job of building tension. That said, despite its shortcomings, a bleak ending makes the journey all the more potent.

Four of the Apocalypse: Directed by Lucio Fulci, a filmmaker who is most synonymous with the horror genre. Other spaghetti westerns he directed are Massacre Time and Silver Saddle. Though he only directed three spaghetti westerns, they are three of the most diverse offerings from this genre that you will ever come across.

The narrative revolves around four outcasts who go on a surreal journey in which they encounter torture, rape, and cannibalism.

If ever there was a spaghetti western in which the phrase don't judge a book by its cover was used, that film would be Four of the Apocalypse. Its opening pre-credit sequence that carries on into the opening credits is a bloodbath of carnage that has all the elements that one associates with spaghetti western cinema. And yet this scene is the only thing in Four of the Apocalypse that resembles spaghetti western cinema, with any other elements that come close being distorted versions of themselves through Lucio Fulci’s cinematic viewpoint. That said, there is a noticeable tonal shift after the pre-credits/opening credits sequence. What starts off as a straightforward spaghetti western goes into uncharted territory, which is best described as a strange, surreal journey.

Despite being set in the old west, the story that unfolds could have been set in modern times. Instead of being a western, the story could have easily been made into a road trip movie set in modern times. That said, the tone of the film would be drastically different in modern times than in the old west, an era that offers scenarios like cannibalism that would not be as convincing in a modern setting.

When it comes to the performances, the entire cast fully immerses themselves in character, especially Tomas Milian (Almost Human) in the role of Chaco, a sadistic wanderer who crosses paths with the four outcasts. This is the type of role that Tomas Milan perfected; time and again, he would do a phenomenal job portraying these types of characters. Another notable performance is by Michael J. Pollard (Bonnie and Clyde) in the role of an alcoholic named Clem. The only performance that does not hold up as well as the others is by Fabio Testi (Revolver) in the role of Stubby Preston, a professional gambler.

From a production standpoint, Lucio Fulci once again delivers well beyond the means he is given to work with. The surreal narrative does a good job keeping things interesting and moving forward, and a solid ending brings the events that preceded to a satisfying conclusion. The visuals are without a doubt Four of the Apocalypse’s greatest strengths; they are filled with visually arresting moments and stylized moments of carnage and sadism. Ultimately, Four of the Apocalypse is a relentless film that's overflowing with nihilism, and it is a must-see if you're a fan of Lucio Fulci.

Savage Guns: Four Classic Westerns Vol. 3 is another excellent release from Arrow Video that gives all four films strong audio/video presentations and a wealth of informative extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer