Cemetery Without Crosses – Arrow Video (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: France/Italy/Spain, 1969
Director: Robert Hossein
Writers: Claude Desailly, Robert Hossein
Cast: Michèle Mercier, Robert Hossein, Guido Lollobrigida, Daniele Vargas, Serge Marquand, Pierre Hatet, Philippe Baronnet, Pierre Collet, Ivano Staccioli, Béatrice Altariba, Michel Lemoine, Anne-Marie Balin

Release Date: July 21st, 2015
Approximate running time: 90 Minutes 46 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Mono Italian, LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding:  Region A,B, Region 1,2 NTSC
Retail Price: $39.95

"After her husband is lynched by bandits, Michele Mercier (Mario Bava's Black Sabbath) seeks revenge and turns to an old friend, played by Hossein, for help. A solitary figure who lives in a ghost town and dons a single black glove before each gunfight, Hossein is initially reluctant but soon infiltrates the widow's enemies to force a showdown." – Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 3.5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Cemetery Without Crosses has been exclusively restored in 2K resolution for this release by Arrow Films.

A 35mm internegative was scanned in 2K resolution on a pin-registered Arriscan at Immagine Ritrovata, Bologna. The film was graded on the baselight grading system at Deluxe Restoration, London.

Thousands of instances of dirt, debris and light scratches were removed through a combination of digital restoration tools. Overall image stability was also improved. As the original negative for Cemetery Without Crosses was deemed to be too damaged a state to use as a restoration source and no other intermediary lab elements could be found, efforts were made to attain the highest quality results from the internegative source. Unfortunately this element suffered from occasional damage in the form of density fluctuation, scratches and debris, and instances of this damage, in keeping with the material's condition. This is especially evident in the initial black and white opening sequence, where scratches and dirt are still prominent."

Cemetery Without Crosses comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 29.3 GB

Feature: 26.2 GB

The above information about the source used for this transfer gives you a clear idea of what to expect. The source was not in the best of condition, and Arrow Video did the best with what was available. Image clarity is strong, colors look good, black levels fare well, compression is solid, and grain remains intact.

Audio: 4.5/5 (LPCM Mono Italian, LPCM Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, a LPCM mono mix in Italian and a LPCM mono mix in English. Both audio tracks are in excellent shape. Dialog always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should. Included are removable English subtitles for the Italian language track and removable English SDH for the English language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 51 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Italian with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with actor and director Robert Hossein that was first broadcasted on April 17th, 1968 (2 minutes 27 seconds, Dolby Digital mono French with removable English subtitles), an extract from a French television show that originally aired February 29th, 1968 with comments from Robert Hossein, actor Serge Marquand and actress Michèle Mercier (7 minutes 57 seconds, Dolby Digital mono French with removable English subtitles), an  interview with Robert Hossein titled Remembering Sergio (5 minutes 19 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles).reversible cover art, and a 24-page booklet (limited to first pressing) with cast & crew information, an essay titled Western Without Americans written by Ginette Vincendeau, an essay titled The Movie Going Scott Walker written by Rob Young and information about the restoration.

Included with this release is a DVD that has the same content included on the Blu-Ray included as part of this combo release.

Summary:

Co-written and directed by Robert Hossein, whose notable films as a director include Night is Not for Sleep, The Taste of Violence, and The Secret Killer. Besides directing, Hossein has been in over one hundred films as an actor, with a few of his more notable film performances coming from these films: Rififi, Vice and Virtue, and Don Juan (Or If Don Juan Were a Woman). Other titles that Cemetery Without a Cross is also known under include The Rope and the Colt and Death Valley Gunfighters.

The narrative revolves around a widow who enlists the help of a retired gunfighter to exact vengeance against those who killed her husband.

This French take on the western genre utilizes familiar themes and scenarios that have long since become staples of the western and the spaghetti western genres. Most notably a protagonist who uses both sides equally to get his ultimate goal achieved. And just like the westerns that Cemetery Without Crosses is paying homage to, Cemetery Without Crosses' meticulously constructed narrative has a deliberate pacing that drives the mounting tension. Also to further set the mood is an evocative score that was composed by André Hossein.

Cemetery Without Crosses was clearly inspired by the spaghetti western genre, more specifically by Sergio Leone. The end result is a visual feast for the eyes that captures the essence of those who have inspired Cemetery Without Crosses, instead of just trying to create an exact forgery. A few visual moments that stand out include a scene at a bar where the protagonist's gunfighting skills are finally shown as he saves the life of one of the men that he will eventually kill himself. And of course, the finale, which features one of the most unforgettable endings to ever appear in a western.

Another area where Cemetery Without Crosses excels is its sparse use of dialog. And though this is not exactly a new addition, since this has long since been a staple in the spaghetti western genre, the way that it is employed in Cemetery Without Crosses transcends all other similar-themed films. There literally comes a point in Cemetery Without Crosses when characters communicate via nothing more than their eyes exchanging glances at each other.

When it comes to westerns, there is almost always a clear distinction between good and evil. And though the protagonist is acting on behalf of a widow who feels her husband was wrongfully killed, these two characters walk that fine line between good and evil. From the moment that the widow buries her husband, she is always dressed in black, and every time the protagonist is about to kill someone, he puts on one black glove. Is she just mourning her loss, or does her attire suggest that she is actually a black widow, while his use of only one glove represents that we all have two sides to us, good and evil?

Performance-wise, the entire cast is great in their respective roles. The standout performance came from its director and leading man, Robert Hossein. He creates a character that is equally iconic to the character that Cline Eastwood created for The Man with No Name Trilogy. Another extraordinary performance comes from Michèle Mercier (Black Sabbath) in the role of Maria Caine, the woman who hires the protagonist to avenge her murdered husband. Also, her character is able to draw in the protagonist due to her previous relationship with him. Ultimately, Cemetery Without Crosses is a bleak Euro-western that Spaghetti western should thoroughly enjoy.

Cemetery Without Crosses gets a first-rate release from Arrow Video that comes with the best possible video presentation, a solid audio presentation, and informative extras, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer