‘Death Rides A Horse’ (Special Edition) Blu-Ray Review – Lee Van Cleef Anchors Sturdy Spaghetti Western

A Bona Fide Spaghetti Western Classic! Fifteen years after four bandits massacred his family while executing a $200,000 robbery, a young man (John Phillip Law, Danger: Diabolik) seeks revenge. The men responsible for the murders all hold positions of power in the new west, but now a bandit (Lee Van Cleef, Sabata, Return of Sabata) they had framed for the murders is due to be released from prison… he’s ready to exact bloody reprisals and decides to form an unholy alliance with the vengeance-seeking young man. This stylish revenge tales directed by Giilio Petroni (Tepepa) and written by Luciano Vincenzoni (The Mercenary) featured a strong supporting cast that includes Mario Brega (A Fistful of Dollars), Luigi Pistilli (For a Few Dollars More) and Anthony Dawson (Dial M for Murder) with a haunting and rousing score by legendary maestro Ennio Morricone (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly).

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Video Quality

This new Blu-Ray from Kino Classics gives Death Rides A Horse an AVC-encoded 1080p transfer in its original aspect ratio that holds up pretty well. The film was released on Blu-Ray back in 2017 by the label, and this appears to be the exact same disc with a new slipcover for the case. While we would not be opposed to a new restoration, this older master holds up pretty well and even fixes some framing issues that popped up when it was first released overseas. The feature has a steady grain structure that retains the filmic look of the picture and only shows fleeting signs of source limitations. 

The transfer showcases some welcome details in the costumes, production design, and landscapes. The classic Western setting delivers a fetching image with warm colors saturated consistently. Black levels could be more impressive, but they provide a fine amount of depth to the image even with some crush present. There are no unforgivable instances of damage to be found in this presentation, but you will find lingering specks and scratches throughout. Kino Classics has kept a good release in print until someone sees fit to give it a more thorough presentation. 

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio stereo track in English and Italian. Fans of the genre will be familiar with the process of post-looping dialogue as no sound was recorded on set, so there is no “correct” version to choose from. That being said, a majority of the cast was speaking in English, so that was our primary viewing option. Dialogue comes through pretty well as it balances with environmental noises and other competing elements. A few instances are a bit on the weak side, but you never hear significant damage or distortion. Age-related wear and tear is present without being too distracting. The fantastic score from Ennio Morricone maintains lovely fidelity and does not overshadow the dialogue or other important information. The audio track holds up well even if there is room for improvement. There are optional English SDH subtitles included for the feature film. 

Special Features

• Audio Commentary: Filmmaker Alex Cox provides a commentary track in which he discusses the production of the film, how this fits into the careers of the creative figures, the background of the performers, how this stacks up to other spaghetti westerns, the critical reception, and more that is worth exploring. 

• Trailers: The minute-and-a-half-long trailer for Death Rides A Horse is provided here. There are also trailers for For A Few Dollars More, Barquero, Return of Sabata, The Mercenary, Valdez Is Coming, and Navajo Joe. 

Final Thoughts

Death Rides A Horse is a very good entry into the Spaghetti Western genre even if it does not boast as many marquee names as other projects. Lee Van Cleef steals the show quite handily throughout, but the rest of the ensemble puts forth good work, as well. The film is brutal without being too reprehensible in any of its portrayals. If you are a fan of the genre, this should have a place in your collection. Kino Classics has delivered a Blu-Ray release that shows off a good A/V presentation and a cool commentary track. Recommended 

Death Rides A Horse (Special Edition) is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray. 

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Kino Classics has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.