A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die! – Kino Lorber (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1968
Director: Franco Giraldi
Writers: Louis Garfinkle, Ugo Liberatore, Albert Band
Cast: Alex Cord, Arthur Kennedy, Roy W. Colby, Robert Ryan, Enzo Fiermonte, Renato Romano, Franco Lantieri, Giampiero Albertini, Mario Brega, Nicoletta Machiavelli

Release Date: August 28th, 2018
Approximate running time: 98 Minutes 59 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: R
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: OOP

"Time is running out for the fastest gun in the west! Old habits die fast in this brutal, violent and intensely realistic western about a desperate gunslinger who’s hunted by the law… and haunted by his past!" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, “Brand new 4K remaster of the film struck from the original camera negative”.

A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die! comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 22.7 GB

Feature: 18.8 GB

Though the source used for this transfer looks great, there are still some minor instances of print debris. Flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity and black levels are strong, compression is very good, and there does not appear to be any digital noise reduction.

Audio: 4/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English with removable English subtitles. The audio sounds clean, clear, and balanced.

Extras:

Extras for this release include, the extended international ending for A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die (5 minutes 24 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles, with optional audio commentary with filmmaker Alex Cox) and an audio commentary with Alex Cox.

Other extras include trailers for Navajo Joe, A Fistful of Dollars, The Mercenary, Death Rides a Horse, and A Fistful of Dynamite (Duck, You Sucker).

Summary:

Directed by Franco Giraldi, whose other notable Spaghetti westerns are Seven Guns for the MacGregors, Sugar Colt, and Up the MacGregors.

The narrative revolves around an outlaw with chronic health problems who goes to the town of Tuscosa, Mexico, in hope of obtaining amnesty.

When one discusses the Spaghetti western genre, there is no denying the influence that Sergio Leone had over this genre. And though there have been a handful of films that stand apart from his influence, these films are far and few in between. Case in point: A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die!, a film that actually owes more to Hollywood westerns than it does to Italian westerns.

The protagonist of A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die! is an outlaw and gunslinger named Clay McCord, who has been on the wrong side of the law since a traumatic event from his childhood. Though he has been able to stay one step ahead of the law, a chronic health problem forces him to put his trust in those who have hunted him.

Performance-wise, all are very good in their respective roles. The most memorable performance was by Robert Ryan (The Wild Bunch) in the role of the governor, who is offering outlaw amnesty. The most disappointing performance is by Alex Cord (The Last Grenade) in the role of Clay McCord. Other notable performances include Arthur Kennedy (The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue) in the role of Tuscosa Marshal Roy W. Colby, and Mario Brega (The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly) in the role of Krant, the boss of Escondido, a town where outlaws live.

From a production standpoint, the premise is well executed, and key moments are given an ample amount of time to resonate. The visuals do a superb job of reinforcing the mood. Standout moments visually include the flashback sequences, the scene where Clay is double-crossed while trying to get amnesty from the Marshall, and the scene where outlaws’ who have a vendetta against Clay trap him inside a cabin they have set on fire. Ultimately, A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die! is a solid western that fans of American and Spaghetti westerns should equally enjoy.

A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die! gets a strong audio/video presentation from Kino Lorber, and this release comes with excellent audio commentary by the ever-reliable Alex Cox, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer