The Film Movement Classics division of peerless purveyor of domestic and international art house fare Film Movement hits a new hit with the separate June 5, 2018 Blu-ray and DVD releases of the highly stylized 1968 spaghetti western "The Great Silence."
The biggest picture regarding "Silence" is that it joins a long list of films and television shows that prove that westerns have more depth and entertainment value than saloon fights and cattle stampedes. The second biggest picture is that Classics once again makes an exceptional film about which most of us have not heard very accessible.
This also is another case in which opting for Blu-ray is a no-brainer to the extent that one wonders why Classics opt for a DVD alternative. The opening scenes of a showdown in pure white snow that soon becomes drenched in bright-red blood alone proves that Blu-ray is the only true option. This scene further establishes the strong Quentin Tarantino vibe of "Silence."
Another production note is that Classics offers both the Italian and the English language versions of the film; the latter is very well produced and lacks the absurd dubbing of lesser movies.
The following YouTube clip of the Movement trailer for this release provides several teasing glimpses of the greatness of "Silence."
This Sergio Corbucci (of "Django" fame) joint centers around the titular mute gunslinger (Jean-Louis Trintignant) with no tongue. The life mission of this lone ranger is protecting the draft dodger like outlaws who have a miserable existence hiding in the mountains that surround a small town. His Dark Knight style power includes his mere presence being adequately terrifying to cause foes to pee their pants.
The wanted men essentially are sitting ducks for the genuinely ruthless bounty killers whom Loco (Klaus Kinski) rules with an iron gun. These mercenaries pick off the fugitives and bring enough of the remains back to "civilization" to collect their fee.
A highly effective flashback establishes both how a "cat" comes to get the tongue of Silence and why that man is devoted to protecting the literal outcasts. It does not address his code of honor regarding the shooting of bounty killers.
The other part of the story is that the plight of the outlaws is a political issue to the extent of the local governor campaigning on a policy of advocating amnesty for these military veterans.
The other major player is Sheriff Gideon Burnett. His main motive is doing his job in the manner that best serves justice and allows him to keep breathing. His first highly memorable scene finds him paying a high price for being a fool; his next one involves an even higher price for being a decent human being.
All of this leads to the inevitable showdown between Silence and Loco; one difference this time is that the potential collateral damage is much higher than usual. The official conclusion to this confrontation also breaks the mold. The alternate endings that are bonus features surprise even more by showing how radically different things might have turned out.
The scroll (which requires turning on subtitles to read in English) that comprises the final images provide both the biggest surprise in the entire film and an end that is very much in line with the film.
The copious bonus features in addition to the alternate endings include "Cox on Corbucci," which has titular film director Alex Cox ("Repo Man") pay tribute to "the maestro." We also get the 1968 documentary "Western, Italian Style" and a booklet with an essay by film critic Simon Abrams. This article focuses on the alternate endings.
Anyone with questions or comments regarding "Silence" is abundantly encouraged to email me; you alternatively can connect on Twitter via @tvdvdguy.
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