Media

Home Theater Movie Renter's Guide - September, 2011

"For a Few Dollars More" (Blu-ray) - Reviewed by Jim Clements

Synopsis

This is the second of three "Man With No Name" Westerns that were directed by Sergio Leone, star Clint Eastwood and with music by Ennio Morricone.  In this installment, Eastwood plays Manco, a bounty hunter who is determined to track down and kill "El Indio" and collect the reward placed on his head.  Manco soon crosses paths with Colonel Mortimer (Van Cleef) who is also a bounty hunter pursuing the reward on El Indio.  Because the outlaw El Indio has a large group of criminals at his side, Manco and Colonel Mortimer decide to join forces so they might take out the entire band in hopes gaining a much larger reward.  In the end, we find that two of the main characters' lives are deeply intertwined and this connection motivates one man in his exhaustive quest for revenge.

Commentary

Even though Eastwood as Manco gets top billing in this film, the real protagonist of the story is Van Cleef's character, Colonel Douglas Mortimer.  He is a slick-dressed retired military man with a very unique arsenal of weapons.  Manco, on the other hand, is unkempt sporting his trademerk pancho and half-burned cigar. They wind up making a good team with complementary skills and personality.  They have a nice on-screen chemistry to boot. 

Col. Mortimer, Manco and El Indio are the most accomplished gunmen in the movie and it is this trait that propels much of the plot elements.  All told, this is an action-packed Western thriller of the highest order.

Technical

Unlike its predecessor, A Fistful of Dollars, this movie's sets are representative of a more lucrative populace. The buildings are newer with better interiors and furnishings. Also, the night scenes are much more convincing than in the previous movie. The picture over all has much better detail with improved color saturation.

The audio is muted at the frquency extremes again, but the special effects are just a bit better than on Fistful with a little better impact and harmonic structure.  I did not like the way voices were panned into the rear channels as the camera's perspective changed.  Please keep the dialog in the center channel!

This disc contains a substantial collection high quality extras:  The Christopher Frayling Archives - "For A Few Dollars More"; Commentary by Film Historian Christopher Frayling; A New Standard - Frayling on "For A Few Dollars More"; Back for More - Clint Eastwood Remembers "For A Few Dollars More"; Tre Voci: "For A Few Dollars More"; "For A Few Dollars More": The Original American Release Version; Location Comparisons; 12 Radio Spots and 2 Trailers.

3 D

Blu ray Players