Maniacal outlaws thirsting for blood! Corrupt capitalists profiting from the suffering of the common folk! Desperate people pushed to violent revenge! The Italian western has never been grittier than in this quartet of later-period cult classics, in which the trademark cynicism of the genre escalates into the radical pessimism of the late 1960s / early 1970s world. In Paolo Bianchini’s I Want Him Dead, American actor Craig Hill stars as an ex-Confederate soldier who vows revenge after his sister is raped and murdered, in so doing setting him on a collision course with a dastardly plot to disrupt peace talks between the North and South. Next, in Edoardo Mulargia’s El Puro, western icon Robert Woods gives arguably his greatest performance as a legendary gunfighter forced to emerge from hiding after the bounty hunters on his tail murder the tender-hearted barmaid who offered him a new life. Then, in Mario Camus’ Wrath of the Wind, genre superstar Terence Hill shows his darker side as an assassin who finds his conscience when he and his brother are hired by a ruthless landholder to kill the leaders of a growing labor movement. Finally, Fabio Testi and Tomas Milian star in Lucio Fulci’s Four of the Apocalypse, in which a quartet of misfits go from sharing the same jail cell to embarking on a savage odyssey that will lead to torture, rape and cannibalism. Preyed upon by a ruthless bandit, the foursome fight for their lives – until the time comes for revenge. Four of the Italian western’s hardest, cruelest, bloodiest classics erupt from the screen in this feature-packed box set from Arrow Films. Featuring dazzling High Definition restorations and a wealth of brand new bonus materials produced specially for this release, Savage Guns delivers – from both barrels!
For thoughts on Savage Guns: Four Classic Westerns, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
Video Quality
The four films in the Savage Guns box set make their domestic Blu-Ray debut thanks to Arrow Video with brand new 1080p masters in their original aspect ratios. Each of these films has been restored from their original camera negatives with a 2K restoration. Arrow Video handled the restoration work of El Puro themselves, while I Want Him Dead was restored by Rewind Films, and Wrath of the Wind and Four of the Apocalypse were restored by Intramovies with additional work completed by Arrow. By and large, these four releases are very similar to one another and will be discussed as a group with any meaningful differences pointed out.
Arrow Video continues to lead the charge for the curation of European cinema with some fetching presentations that showcase the care they put into each release. The sumptuous photography which captures the desolate, dry expanses shines in high definition with natural grain intact and nicely resolved. There is an extended version of El Puro that utilized a 35mm print scanned in 2K to integrate the additional footage, and due to this source, there is some unavoidable damage and weakness that keeps that footage from looking as good as the rest of the set. The occasional blemish remains throughout the other films, but these transfers have cleaned up things to very impressive levels. The new transfers show off a great amount of depth and enhanced detail with the close-up shots especially holding great nuance and texture.
Throughout these four films, there is a surprising amount of detail present with facets of the clothing and production design showing great prominence. Four of the Apocalypse may provide the most consistent transfer, but none of the films are lacking in any substantial way. Black levels are deep with no hint of black crush or compression artifacts. Some very minor color temperature fluctuations give certain scenes a more earthy appearance, but for the most part, this is not an issue. The contrast is firmly defined for a consistent appearance. Arrow Video has done a commendable job with all of these transfers and should make anyone who picks this up a happy camper.
Audio Quality
All four films are presented with LPCM 1.0 mono tracks in the original Italian and English, although some films such as Four of the Apocalypse contain some of the original Italian in the English track when the source was not available. Every single one of these tracks represents these tales in a pretty inviting way sonically. As was the standard of the time, each of these films had its dialogue recorded during post-production, so do not be surprised to see some issues with sync not being entirely perfect since it has never been so. The dialogue itself comes through crystal clear without being crushed by the sound effects or score.
Everything is presented with welcome fidelity with only the occasional sign of sound presenting as a bit thin or boxy. This presentation is mostly free of any hiss or other age-related wear-and-tear. The scores created for these four films set the tone for each adventure that is represented well in the mix. The environmental sounds creep through to provide some excellent ambient details. All of the various elements in the mix seem carefully rendered so that nothing ever feels askew. There are plenty of moments of shootouts and other violent moments that make an impact without becoming a muddled mess in the aftermath. Arrow Video has delivered a quality presentation for fans.
Special Features
The Limited Edition Collector’s Set of the Arrow Video Blu-Ray of Savage Guns: Four Classic Westerns comes beautifully packaged in a hard outer case and includes a 50-page bound book featuring new writing on the films by author and critic Howard Hughes. These works provide a great analysis of each film and the genre at large in a thoughtfully written style. This release also includes a double-sided poster. The on-disc special features are as follows:
I Want Him Dead
- Audio Commentary: Critics Adrian J. Smith and David Flint provide a really entertaining and informative commentary track in which they discuss how this film fits into the career of Paolo Bianchini, the repurposing of familiar sets for the locations, the background of the performers, the nature of co-productions between Italy and Spain, the state of the genre at the time and more. This is a great listen for any fan of the genre.
- Dead Or Alive: A new 13-minute introduction from film journalist and critic Fabio Melelli in which he discusses the background of this film, the work of Paolo Bianchini, the background of some of the performers, the scenes that were edited down for a less harsh rating, the legacy of the film, and more.
- The Man Who Hated Violence: A new 30-minute interview with director Paolo Bianchini in which he discusses his distaste for violent cinema, his admiration for Sergio Leone, how he arrived in the Western genre by chance, the development of various scenes, the reaction of the audience to the film, shooting in the deserts, and more.
- Cut and Shoot: A new 18-minute interview with editor Eugenio Alabiso in which he discusses getting a big break with For A Few Dollars More, his work in the genre, the elements he feels could have been improved in I Want Him Dead, the editing process of the time, and more.
- Nico Unchained: A 21-minute interview with composer Nico Fidenco in which he reflects on his career, his work with Bianchini, the themes of I Want Him Dead, and more.
- English Theatrical Trailer: The three-minute trailer is provided here.
- Image Gallery: A series of behind-the-scenes photos, promotional material, stills, and more are provided here.
El Puro
- 108-Minute Version (1:48:39, Italian or Hybrid English/Italian) and 98-Minute Version (1:38:29, Italian or English)
- Audio Commentary: Critics Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson provide a really engaging and informative commentary track in which they discuss where this fits into the Italian Western genre, the career of director Edoardo Mulargiai, the background of the performers, the shooting locations, the influence the performers had on the narrative, the themes of the picture, and much more.
- A Zen Western Movie: A new 15-minute introduction from film journalist and critic Fabio Melelli in which he discusses the background of this film, the conflicting ideas of what the story should be, the unusual background of some of the performers, the lingering legacy of the film, and more.
- A Real Italian: A new 28-minute interview with actor Robert Woods in which he discusses his relationship to the Spaghetti Western genre, his role in El Puro, the initial desire to make a Buddhist Western, the style of director Edoardo Mulargiai, the party atmosphere on set, memories of his fellow performers, and more.
- More Than Just Western: A new 36-minute appreciation piece of the soundtrack and its composer, Alessandro Alessandroni, by musician and disc collector Lovely Jon in which he delves into Alessandroni as a musician and singer, his process of working with vocalists, the most important projects within his career, his work on El Puro, and much more.
Wrath Of The Wind
- Italian/English Version (1:37:49) and Spanish Version (1:46:16)
- Audio Commentary: Author Howard Hughes provides a steady and informative commentary track in which he discusses the background, its dubious classification as a Western, the work of Terence Hill on this feature, the shooting locations, and more.
- Campesinos – Al Poder!: A new 17-minute introduction from film journalist and critic Fabio Melelli in which he discusses the background of this film, the ways in which this avoids being a typical Western, the background of some of the performers, how Mario Camus used the genre to shroud his political ideas, the lingering legacy of the film, and more.
- The Days Of Wrath: A new 19-minute interview with camera operator Roberto D’Ettorre Piazzoli in which he remembers coming to the film following his military experience, working with cinematographer Roberto Gerardi, what he learned about lighting, and more.
- They Call It…Red Cemetery!: A 10-minute short film by filmmaker Francisco Lacerda that serves as a love letter to the Spaghetti Western genre.
- Alternate Opening Titles: A four-minute look at an alternate version of the opening credits with the title The Revenge of Trinity.
- Image Gallery: A collection of promotional material, stills, and more is provided here.
The Four Of The Apocalypse
- Audio Commentary: Film Historian Kat Ellinger provides her typically top-notch insight into this feature with a particular focus on the career of Lucio Fulci, the composition of certain shots, the symbolism within the text, the careers of the creatives involved, and more. This is a truly wonderful track that you should take time to listen to if you are a fan of the genre.
- Apocalypse Now: A new 15-minute introduction from film journalist and critic Fabio Melelli in which he discusses the background of this film, the place of this film in the waning days of the genre, the source material that inspired the tale, the tone achieved by Fulci, and more.
- It Takes Four: A 35-minute interview with production manager Roberto Sbarigia in which he discusses his background, working with Lucio Fulci, his contributions to various productions, memories of certain performers, and more.
- Do You See How Lucio Shoots?: A 43-minute appreciation piece by author, critic, and Lucio Fulci scholar Stephen Thrower in which he discusses where the director was at during this point of his career, his work in the Spaghetti Western genre, proving himself in different genres, the stylistic changes throughout the feature, and more.
- The Rhythm Devils Play: A new 37-minute appreciation piece of the soundtrack and its composers, Franco Bixio, Fabio Frizzi, and Vince Tempera, by musician and disc collector Lovely Jon in which he delves into the backgrounds of these legends and how they were put to the test on this picture.
- Theatrical Trailer: The nearly four-minute trailer is provided here.
- Image Gallery: A collection of promotional material, stills, and more is provided here.
Final Thoughts
Savage Guns: Four Classic Westerns contains an engaging group of stories that show the unique places that the genre can go that does not necessarily line up with what you expect. Through each feature, you gain insights into the distinct personalities of their directors. Some films stand out more than others, but there is not a stinker in the bunch if you typically enjoy the genre. This collection provides a great opportunity to discover some overlooked gems. Arrow Video has released another stunning box set featuring a fantastic A/V presentation, excellent special features, and top-notch packaging. Fans of the genre could not ask for better. Highly Recommended
Savage Guns: Four Classic Westerns 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: Arrow Video has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.