@@KyleTheDalek Look at the quality and clarity. Its genuinely clearer than the "4K" one. They got the best quality film and was able to correctly convert it over, and its color grading was done the best. "How"
@@KyleTheDalek Id assume that whoever did the Sept 2009 release had the best copy or original filmreel that they were able to digitize, as these remakes are often outsourced to different companies. I would have talked to the company that did the Sept. 2009 to do the 4K HDR remake and that would have been hands-down the best.
@@LarryFleetwood8675 they look like that because the saturation is not proportional to the exposure. That's why Sep. 2009 version looks the best, because of brightness
@@LarryFleetwood8675 kids are going mental. They think video games look more realistic but really they are looking worse and worse. GTA 5 looks better than many of the newest games that have just come out. people don't seem to understand that Daylight shines blue at high of day, in fact you never have a yellow lighting from the sunset, only when rain refracts a vibrant yellow sky that tints the area yellow, but never what they try to show in games that always look like its afternoon. one good example is Red Dead Redemption that one game.
It's like all the previous versions are defined by a color, yellow, blue, gray, and then the 4K just balances the best of all of them. Have this waiting for me at home, eager to check it out after work.
@@Lucas-up9wq Because, Lucas, most of the 4K comparisons I have seen are awful. Too dark, and terrible color timing. (much like the Blu-rays on this video) This time they did an excellent job.
Finally! My biggest complaint of this movie was that it always looked like crap when aired on TV or streaming- I’m glad there is finally justice with this 4K
The ‘right way’ would be doing it in HDR! Why undertake the restoration and release to not complete all stages? The film deserves it, as do the others in the series.
@@MegaSilverBlood While I do like the colors better in the 2009 and it doesnt have issues with the blacks like the 2021, the 2021 has the right cut of the movie and also with better audio and resolution still. The 2009 isnt even in English. All we can do is wait for another 4K HDR transfer of the original master to finally get a proper UHD version of the movie.
Sept. 2009 was the only good version, but now the 2021 4K version is the superior one. The resolution, grain structure, aspect ratio, colors, HDR, everything is perfect.
3 года назад+8
The 4k actually doesn't have HDR, it's just regular SDR in 4k resolution.
Yeah, sept 2009 is definitely more HD in some scenes, 2014 and onward looks like it has worse resolution. I like the colors of the 2021 one more, but if I had to choose any of them it'd definitely be the sept 2009 version
@ the main problem I see with the comparison on several versions and didn’t liked 4K a bit, too dark too tasteless of palette on colors, as for the longest final cut which one is?!
I was excited when the 4K was announced because I hoped we would get another shot to get the color *actually* fixed, and as soon as the screenshots came out I ordered it right away to replace my 2014 Blu Ray, because YES the colors in the 4K do look SOOO much better! :D
How do you go through 5 years of technological advancements and make it looks WORSE. Whoever was in charge of the 2014 and 2017 versions should be ashamed of themselves
From what I've read, the masters are in really bad shape and no one is around to reference what color grade is actually accurate. I think I read somewhere that they did something that ruined the masters (made them look too yellow) and that the one Kino Lorber put out on 4K is more of a rescue restoration and the best that could be done really... Surprised this movie wasn't preserved better given how important it is historically.
The September 2009 blu ray is the best blu ray, the colours look way more natural and not changed too much, unlike the 2014 blu ray haha. The 4k is the best overall though, at 3:29 it looks absolutely stunning.
@@GellertTV What I don't like about most modern movies scores is that the music hardly have any memorable melodies. Most scores today are just mood pieces which is fine but I love hummable melodies.
La mejor película de vaquero, cowboy, western de todos los tiempos. Todo se conjugo para la eternidad...El argumento, las escenas y la música...INOLVIDABLE. Gracias y saludos desde Chile.
I'm in agreement with some of the people who say that the 2014 Blu-Ray release looks "good", as in it looks stylistic, and it feels fitting for certain scenes, but it baffles me how someone restoring/colour grading this movie for release would decide on such a look. It's one thing to add a little saturation here or boost the contrast a little here to make the film look more pleasing for a modern audience, but who's ever gonna look at green shadows and say, "Oh, yeah, that's definitely how it looked in 1966"?
@Blu-ray Comparisons Even the best colorists have a poor memory for color in the long run, but I watched the movie 5 times (!) when it came out and the 2021 4k looks the most natural and film like to me, and, I think (though I may be imagining it) truest to the way I remember the movie from all those viewings in the theater so long ago. Thank you for taking the time to do the hard work and painstakingly put together such a detailed and revealing comparison.
I think the May 2009 version looks the most natural to me, the 2017 looks like a typical Hollywood "this scene takes place in Mexico so we colored everything yellow" and the 4k version look reminds me of colored black and white photos because of the contrast.
Sep. 2009 version looks the best but the 4k looks sharper and has better colors, altough it's too dark. Maybe and intermediate between those two would be the better version. I'm also really impresed with the dvd version, is really good for it's time and appart from resolution it looks way better than the 2014 and 2017 versions
must have been a careless money grab. so bad! 2021 looks good in the interior shots, and so does 2009, especially the detail and reflection. 2017 looks the color correction artist was going for a more LED light look which might have been popular at the time. In any case it's pretty clear 2014 was by far the worst
I can't get over the bad color grading of the 2014 and 2017 Blu-rays. Actually, the overall differences in all these examples are pretty noticeable. One really must do their research to find the disc with the transfer they prefer.
@@azeQify The ridiculous Mexico grading is over-used to no end in movies, just like blurry backgrounds and washed out colors. We have many fantastic camera's nowadays such as the Arri Alexa in S35, VistaVision and 65mm size, the RED Monstro, the Sony Venice and the Panavision Millennium DXL. All capable of producing pinsharp, grain-free, high dynamic range pictures with nicely saturated colors. Use them to their strengths. Would Alfred Hitchcock, David Lean, Powell & Pressburger or Victor Fleming have used these cameras to shoot blurry and washed out pictures? It's time for a return of deep-focus, high contrast and Technicolor threestrip saturated colors.
2014 is clearly the worst. The Sep '09 Blu-ray is the most consistently natural-looking brightness wise, with the both '09 versions alternating between best ranking in terms of colour, but like most others pre-4K is too washed out. The 2021 Blu-ray is ostensibly not an HDR-converted master, but the blacks are too dark in some outside scenes for whatever reason.
@ What do you think of the 2009 Sep version? Is it a bad cut and bad audio? Because I think it looks best.
3 года назад+1
@@leon9021 Before the 2021 4k, the Sep. 2009 Blu-ray was the best looking version of the movie overall. But given that the bar was set so low on this movie, that's not really saying much. Compared to the other Blu-rays, it had the most vibrant and natural colors, but it still had issues; skin tones were orange, and there was a slight yellow tint over the image. As for the cut, the Sep. 2009 Blu-ray has what is supposed to be the Italian Cut, but there's footage missing from the end of the film. And as for audio, the sound quality is good, but it only includes Italian audio with no English subtitles. The 2021 4k fixes every issue the movie has ever had. The color grading is the most accurate to the original 35mm IB Technicolor print with unfaded colors, and has the best detail and grain structure. The 4k also restores the true International Cut, which makes it the only release on home video to include a cut that was actually approved by Sergio Leone, plus it includes English audio sourced from the Laserdisc, so it has the best sounding audio for the film.
@@bilbonob548 I disagree, I think the May 2009 Blu-ray looks way worse than the 2014 Blu-ray. It looks like it was ripped from a Laserdisc, also the frame is partially cropped. The 2014 Blu-ray however is definitely oversaturated.
I thought the 4K would be ultra saturated, but honestly, it’s the best blend of colors, sun, gold and shadow. Beautiful. They all are, but that specifically.
I actually really like the yellow tint because it gives the movie a more dusty vibe which fits for a western. But yeah I can see why some people don't like it.
Wow, what happened between September 2009 and 2017? The 4K is amazing but it looks like they tampered with the film and just can’t get it back to how it should look. That Sept. 2009 Blu-Ray rocks. If I wasn’t going to get the 4K, I definitely would be getting that one. Though I already own the 2017 KL Studio Classics Blu-Ray.
3 года назад+3
The 4k is actually much closer to how the film originally looked. The color grading is based on a 35mm IB Technicolor print from 1967: screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/13371/picture:3.
Quality has improved over time but color grading has been all over the place! While from reading the comments I see the color grading is based on an IB Technicolor print reference, the colors of those prints do fade over time. I've seen old IB Technicolor prints projected that were very faded. I remember seeing _Mr. Bugs Goes to Town_ and expecting better from an IB Technicolor print and being disappointed it was very red tinted, although the colors weren't totally gone. The print was decades old, up to around 70 years old if from the original release. Old IB Technicolor prints aren't definitive. The most definitive source as a color reference for old films is a separation master, when available. Otherwise, I think a good colorist has to "eyeball" it, because old prints don't look like they did upon release or as they were intended to look. Which is to say I still think the 4K looks like it's yellower than I would expect from a new film. It looks a little faded. The way it's colors have apparently shifted reminds me of seeing a seldom-screened print in the cinema, which some people might like. I can see why some people prefer the September 2009 Blu-ray, which in most but not all of the screenshots presented in this video has more natural colors compared to the 4K. I'm commented based on watching this video on my phone, having not read about all the releases or closely scrutinized screenshots on a decent monitor. But still, I think I can observe the colors well enough to make a general judgement. Based on what I've seen and read here, I would pick the new 4K overall. More detail, and consistently acceptable colors. But if I was about to buy a release to watch at home, I'd look more closely than I have. Especially to read about the new features and the different cuts. I'm lucky enough that the city I live in screens this film in a theater every couple of years, so while I own some home video releases and have read reviews over the years I've seen the film more times in the cinema than on video.
I actually really like the yellow filter, it give the movie a more dusty vibe which fits for a western. But yeah I can see why some people don't like it.
That's what I felt too!! I own the dvd, looks like the Blu-rays were a poor transfer! Went back and peeped through plenty of frames, nope, none of the blu ray releases are higher res compared to dvd. Not sure what to make of it 😂😂
@@vikassm I used to work at a company that used photoshop for color ads in print. Every worker color corrected the ad different. So my guess is when it comes to movies on disc the same applies that a worker not good at his job worked on movies that don't look good. I present RAMBO 2 on 4k as an example. It's a one hour and a half long movie and about 20 minutes looks like a 4k should look and the rest looks like dvd is better.
Nobody: Says anything at all.... 2014 Bluray Release: Hi shall we just pick a random hue for this scene!! Make it darker, way dark like messing with the contrast on an old TV set... blue, then green, now bright yellow... polkadot... zig zag.. EVERYBODY: OK JUST CALM DOWN!! 2014 BR: muahahahahahahhaaaaa!!!!!! Smears itself with peanut butter, eats a bag of shrooms and runs off into the woods.
Glad we have Arrow coming the rescue to FINALLY give this movie the treatment it so desperately deserves. Fresh scan of the negative. Untouched mono audio. Everyone coming together to get THE most accurate color timing possible for prints of the time.
2 дня назад
Actually, there's been no mention of a fresh scan for The Good, The Bad and the Ugly. In fact, according to someone who was involved in the release, they're using the raw, ungraded scans from Ritrovata. So not a new scan, but in theory it will be an improvement, since they don't have to bend over backwards correcting a baked in color grade like they did on the Kino. But the Kino is already a great disc that rectified the worst of the film's issues, so there's not much rescuing that needs to be done. Also, we don't know what source they've used for audio, or what they've done to it, so it's too early to say whether it's untouched. The Kino has Laserdisc audio, which will be hard to beat. All of this is not to say I'm not optimistic about Arrow's release, because they did enlist the help of several die hard Leone fans, one of whom is a stickler for untouched audio, so hopefully it's definitive on all fronts. And if one of the extended cuts turns out to be a fully restored version of the Italian cut, it will be a must have upgrade.
Ah! I assumed because the first two Dollars movies were fresh scans, this would be too! No wonder they're holding back info. But yes. Glad they're starting from the ungraded scan and not trying to slap a bandaid on someone else's color. Damn Fool Idealistic Crusade said some stellar things re: Arrow.
(Sep.)2009 Blu-ray ROCKS!!! Best sharpness and aspect ratio, most details, pleasant color. A good example of how newer editions don't necessarily produce better results. Covers of the individual versions would have been very helpful! So it is difficult to determine which version it actually is.
Thanks for making these, really helps when deciding if it is worth getting the 4k version. Some shots deserve to have side by sides I think. Might be cool to do that if possible. I wonder if Eastwood had a hand in the 4k version, if anyone can get into the mind of Sergio, it would be Eastwood.
Leaving aside the slightly blurry oldest release, I'm seeing changes in colour grading, but I'm not much change in quality (detail) among the later releases. In particular the 4K version looks no better to my eye. As I understand it Techniscope always was a cheaper, inferior quality camera system. This is not a put down, it's just a fact - this is what Leone had to work with. And in fact it was a fantastic achievement to get those wide fields of view from a budget camera system. But, fact is: blu-ray and even more so 4K exposes the limits of the format. My vote is for the Sep 2009 Blu-Ray.
No need to be defensive. Techniscope was cheaper, you are definitely right. It basically uses *only half* of the area of 35mm film and is thus inferior-but, imo, only when you _compare_ it to other formats/movies. I see some difference with the new 4K UHD version but only after I realized I also had to switch the youtube quality, lol.
@ Thanks for the info. You had me at "accurate to what it would have looked like in theaters" as well as "Leone approved". Always keen in having the version the creator intended.
![The Matrix [1999] Blu Ray vs Open Matte vs 4K Remaster vs 35mm Film Scan [Side by Side Comparison]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LtY_yO68uZg/mqdefault.jpg)
This is a must buy in 4K. Hope the rest of trilogy is getting 4K.
Except Sept 2009 is the best
@@Scout339th How?
@@KyleTheDalek Look at the quality and clarity. Its genuinely clearer than the "4K" one. They got the best quality film and was able to correctly convert it over, and its color grading was done the best.
"How"
@@Scout339th That’s to you, there’s others who don’t see it that way.
Why didn’t they get the best quality film for the 4K release?
@@KyleTheDalek Id assume that whoever did the Sept 2009 release had the best copy or original filmreel that they were able to digitize, as these remakes are often outsourced to different companies. I would have talked to the company that did the Sept. 2009 to do the 4K HDR remake and that would have been hands-down the best.
It's INSANE how every version has their own idea of the colour pallette, tones hues etc. The variance is so wide. Check 1:28
I know right? Clearly NONE of them have heard of "white balancing" which is Color Class 101.
I’m a jay hunter guy and a OSW Mark! Hii boys!
One of the greatest movies ever.
4k has the best colour out of all.
Of course.
Definitely not they look fake and unnatural, wtf is wrong with people's eyes these days conditioned to all the new nonsense.
@@LarryFleetwood8675 they look like that because the saturation is not proportional to the exposure. That's why Sep. 2009 version looks the best, because of brightness
@@LarryFleetwood8675 kids are going mental. They think video games look more realistic but really they are looking worse and worse. GTA 5 looks better than many of the newest games that have just come out. people don't seem to understand that Daylight shines blue at high of day, in fact you never have a yellow lighting from the sunset, only when rain refracts a vibrant yellow sky that tints the area yellow, but never what they try to show in games that always look like its afternoon. one good example is Red Dead Redemption that one game.
I love this film. My grandfather introduced me to this masterpiece back in 2005. The new 4K version looks impressive.
Never thought I would say this but, 4K for the win. Thanks for playing Ennio's masterpiece in the background.
It's like all the previous versions are defined by a color, yellow, blue, gray, and then the 4K just balances the best of all of them. Have this waiting for me at home, eager to check it out after work.
Why didn’t you think that?…. Makes no sense
@@Lucas-up9wq Because, Lucas, most of the 4K comparisons I have seen are awful. Too dark, and terrible color timing. (much like the Blu-rays on this video) This time they did an excellent job.
@@spockboy tbh I’ve never seen a bad 4K version.
@@Lucas-up9wq Look HARDER. : )
The September 2009 bluray is the most realistic looking!! But the 2021 4K looks like a real western should!!
By far the two best versions!
2014 looks good too imo
Edit : no it doesn't actually 😂
Yup,to me 2009 bluray September is alsto best looking
100% agree. Seeing the 2014 one right after the Sept 2009 one in this video makes me wanna puke
Finally! My biggest complaint of this movie was that it always looked like crap when aired on TV or streaming- I’m glad there is finally justice with this 4K
Finally after so many releases, they did it the right way as it should have always been. Definitely gonna buy it on 4k!
The ‘right way’ would be doing it in HDR! Why undertake the restoration and release to not complete all stages? The film deserves it, as do the others in the series.
Holy shit mate, the color grading on the 4k is the best it's ever looked
September 2009 looked great.
i agree. it has the best details in the shadows.
Disagree, I think it seems a bit too yellow. I actually like 2021 the best
@@thebacons5943 You are correct. It is a bit warm, but i actually like that.
Wtf was 2014 doing
2014 decided to become Breaking Bad's Mexico scenes
2009 September and 2021 Blu Rays are the best.
Definitely, cant decide which one I liked more
@@MegaSilverBlood While I do like the colors better in the 2009 and it doesnt have issues with the blacks like the 2021, the 2021 has the right cut of the movie and also with better audio and resolution still. The 2009 isnt even in English.
All we can do is wait for another 4K HDR transfer of the original master to finally get a proper UHD version of the movie.
@@leon9021 how is 2009 not english?
@@videodeposu8741 Thats what the video poster said, only Italian.
👍 Rich, multi-tone color
In the 2021 Blu-ray, colours and shadows have been corrected and unnecessary warmth has also been neutralized. Good work on remastering this classic.
Torrent Zindabad.
Sep. 2009 Blu-ray is the best
lmao it’s not
Yea but how do you know if you have a September copy?
They clearly tried to make 2014 look like a modern blockbuster and they just ruined every frame lmao
no I like how the 2014 version looks :/ like a sepia effect
2021 4K Bluray looks like a print of film. Good restoration.
Sept. 2009 was the only good version, but now the 2021 4K version is the superior one. The resolution, grain structure, aspect ratio, colors, HDR, everything is perfect.
The 4k actually doesn't have HDR, it's just regular SDR in 4k resolution.
Not that SDR hurts it in this instance.
@ so close to be perfect
It may just be my screen, but the 2009 Sep Blu-ray looks the best.
My thoughts, exactly
Cause it was next to 1998 ver. 😐
Not just you. Played back in 4k on my HDR TV and its the most clear and best color grading.
Nah. That 2021 version is the best for me, at least using my oversaturated 1440p amoled phone screen
Yeah, sept 2009 is definitely more HD in some scenes, 2014 and onward looks like it has worse resolution. I like the colors of the 2021 one more, but if I had to choose any of them it'd definitely be the sept 2009 version
The 4K is also the theatrical version which is superior over the extended version.
Nah I like the longer cut
@@Taolishao me too lol it’s the only version I’ve seen and i think no scene should have been taking out
Sept 2009, is the definitive edition of this masterpiece!
@ the main problem I see with the comparison on several versions and didn’t liked 4K a bit, too dark too tasteless of palette on colors, as for the longest final cut which one is?!
@ damnnn, good to know a little of history!
@ Does the 4K release include the "International Export"/ Original U.S. theatrical version? (The one that's under three hours)
The September 2009 bluray looks so much better in every single way than all the rest except the 4K. Kinda nuts.
September 2009 is the best good-looking by far.
Absolutely agree!!!!!
That 4K looks sweet, it seems to have a lot more depth in it's colors and shadows.
I was excited when the 4K was announced because I hoped we would get another shot to get the color *actually* fixed, and as soon as the screenshots came out I ordered it right away to replace my 2014 Blu Ray, because YES the colors in the 4K do look SOOO much better! :D
This movie still holds up even after 50 years.
And it will hold up. For all time.
The second 2009 bluray holds up pretty damn good
How do you go through 5 years of technological advancements and make it looks WORSE. Whoever was in charge of the 2014 and 2017 versions should be ashamed of themselves
It's mainly a company called Ritrovata. They have an extensive history of fucking up colour schemes.
From what I've read, the masters are in really bad shape and no one is around to reference what color grade is actually accurate. I think I read somewhere that they did something that ruined the masters (made them look too yellow) and that the one Kino Lorber put out on 4K is more of a rescue restoration and the best that could be done really... Surprised this movie wasn't preserved better given how important it is historically.
The September 2009 blu ray is the best blu ray, the colours look way more natural and not changed too much, unlike the 2014 blu ray haha. The 4k is the best overall though, at 3:29 it looks absolutely stunning.
Damn the music in movies was soo good back then.
Agreed. Even better hearing it today.
Yeah but recent movies has good music too
@@GellertTV What I don't like about most modern movies scores is that the music hardly have any memorable melodies. Most scores today are just mood pieces which is fine but I love hummable melodies.
@@krishnataveras8734 True
Ehhhhh, most westerns had pretty generic music that sounded nothing like this actually.
September 2009 and 2021 4k are the best.
Sep 2009 is the best based on this vid.
La mejor película de vaquero, cowboy, western de todos los tiempos. Todo se conjugo para la eternidad...El argumento, las escenas y la música...INOLVIDABLE.
Gracias y saludos desde Chile.
Personally i like the look of the September 2009 version the most. The 4K one looks like they really cranked up the contrast
2021 4k: Flawless victory
50 shades of Clint
2014 gave it the classic Mexico filter
The 2021-version is the best one in my opinion, when it comes to color grading, textures, lighting, etc.
I'm in agreement with some of the people who say that the 2014 Blu-Ray release looks "good", as in it looks stylistic, and it feels fitting for certain scenes, but it baffles me how someone restoring/colour grading this movie for release would decide on such a look. It's one thing to add a little saturation here or boost the contrast a little here to make the film look more pleasing for a modern audience, but who's ever gonna look at green shadows and say, "Oh, yeah, that's definitely how it looked in 1966"?
I’ll take the sep. 2009 edition.
Odd that that one would be the best looking one, but it is. Somehow the dvd also looks good
@Blu-ray Comparisons Even the best colorists have a poor memory for color in the long run, but I watched the movie 5 times (!) when it came out and the 2021 4k looks the most natural and film like to me, and, I think (though I may be imagining it) truest to the way I remember the movie from all those viewings in the theater so long ago. Thank you for taking the time to do the hard work and painstakingly put together such a detailed and revealing comparison.
Video:-4k/blu-ray Comparison
Me watching in 240p: hmm interestingggg
Sep 2009 best
Yeah i think so too, though the 2021 4k also makes a strong argument for me
glad that I preordered the 4K edition ... best resolution, good colors and best version.
SEP 2009 blue ray Is the best
Yep, that’s my favourite by a million miles, for sure.
September 2009 Blu-Ray is the best by far.
I think the May 2009 version looks the most natural to me, the 2017 looks like a typical Hollywood "this scene takes place in Mexico so we colored everything yellow" and the 4k version look reminds me of colored black and white photos because of the contrast.
Some of the 4k shots represent the best version, and some the worst, imo.
2014 and 2017 be like "Oh, I thought you said blue ray"
2009 colorist loved the blues and the 2014 one loved the browns.
September 2009's blu-ray was 11 years ahead of it's time.
2014 Blu-Ray is an abomination
Yep, It's just a yellow filter
beautiful yellow tint
4k ultra is amazing. Love this movie. Glad they did it justice.
Oh wow 2014 was horrible. Great video!
Great job on this comparison video. The 4k disc is on point.
Sep. 2009 version looks the best but the 4k looks sharper and has better colors, altough it's too dark. Maybe and intermediate between those two would be the better version. I'm also really impresed with the dvd version, is really good for it's time and appart from resolution it looks way better than the 2014 and 2017 versions
This is damned incredible! I am definitely getting this UHD!
The color grading in 2014 was so bad
must have been a careless money grab. so bad! 2021 looks good in the interior shots, and so does 2009, especially the detail and reflection. 2017 looks the color correction artist was going for a more LED light look which might have been popular at the time. In any case it's pretty clear 2014 was by far the worst
Its crazy on how they can change it drastically over time. 2021 looks unreal
Sept 09 for the win
It's not a movie it's an emotion.
Movie name
I can't get over the bad color grading of the 2014 and 2017 Blu-rays. Actually, the overall differences in all these examples are pretty noticeable. One really must do their research to find the disc with the transfer they prefer.
2014 is like the typical Mexico color grading. So annoying
@@azeQify The ridiculous Mexico grading is over-used to no end in movies, just like blurry backgrounds and washed out colors. We have many fantastic camera's nowadays such as the Arri Alexa in S35, VistaVision and 65mm size, the RED Monstro, the Sony Venice and the Panavision Millennium DXL. All capable of producing pinsharp, grain-free, high dynamic range pictures with nicely saturated colors. Use them to their strengths. Would Alfred Hitchcock, David Lean, Powell & Pressburger or Victor Fleming have used these cameras to shoot blurry and washed out pictures? It's time for a return of deep-focus, high contrast and Technicolor threestrip saturated colors.
2014 is clearly the worst. The Sep '09 Blu-ray is the most consistently natural-looking brightness wise, with the both '09 versions alternating between best ranking in terms of colour, but like most others pre-4K is too washed out. The 2021 Blu-ray is ostensibly not an HDR-converted master, but the blacks are too dark in some outside scenes for whatever reason.
2017 is the worst in my opinion. Washed out all the color
@ What do you think of the 2009 Sep version? Is it a bad cut and bad audio? Because I think it looks best.
@@leon9021 Before the 2021 4k, the Sep. 2009 Blu-ray was the best looking version of the movie overall. But given that the bar was set so low on this movie, that's not really saying much. Compared to the other Blu-rays, it had the most vibrant and natural colors, but it still had issues; skin tones were orange, and there was a slight yellow tint over the image. As for the cut, the Sep. 2009 Blu-ray has what is supposed to be the Italian Cut, but there's footage missing from the end of the film. And as for audio, the sound quality is good, but it only includes Italian audio with no English subtitles. The 2021 4k fixes every issue the movie has ever had. The color grading is the most accurate to the original 35mm IB Technicolor print with unfaded colors, and has the best detail and grain structure. The 4k also restores the true International Cut, which makes it the only release on home video to include a cut that was actually approved by Sergio Leone, plus it includes English audio sourced from the Laserdisc, so it has the best sounding audio for the film.
Sep 2009 blu-ray looks so much better imo. It captures the clarity as well as the warm tones just perfectly. 2014 ain't bad either
2014 is the worst by far. 2009 sep, 2021 or the DVD seemed to get the best colour-tones.
@@bilbonob548 I disagree, I think the May 2009 Blu-ray looks way worse than the 2014 Blu-ray. It looks like it was ripped from a Laserdisc, also the frame is partially cropped. The 2014 Blu-ray however is definitely oversaturated.
2021 is the best because it's fixed every complaint with the older releases.
2009 is the best Along with 2021
I thought the 4K would be ultra saturated, but honestly, it’s the best blend of colors, sun, gold and shadow. Beautiful. They all are, but that specifically.
4k looks awesome...but what happened in 2014 and 2017...OMG.
2017 is by far the closest to the original look
@@jakobweber3754hell no
The 2014 version is the most horrible shit i've ever seen.
I actually really like the yellow tint because it gives the movie a more dusty vibe which fits for a western. But yeah I can see why some people don't like it.
1:29 Look at the sky here, its like flicking through cheap instagram filters.
Light Blue, Blue, White, Green, Green Blue, Blue.
This is the first time i could say the 4k look better
after watching this and checking my blu-ray collection, very pleased to find "2009" on the disc.
There are 2 different 2009 discs and they are different looking
@@andrewhayes7055 yes and they are both superior to 2014 and 2017.
I agree with the consensus on here that the Sept 2009 was the best version of this.
The original DVD version was incredible, I have to mention.
Me with a 480p res : "this is so crisp"
2014 looks like a teen who going into phases.
I like the Sep 2009 most. Why isn’t the 4K graded like that? 🙁
Yes I agree, very nice colors and picture quality.
@ Fair enough. I think the Sept 2009 version looks best though. Even if it’s not true to the original film/print.
Wow, what happened between September 2009 and 2017? The 4K is amazing but it looks like they tampered with the film and just can’t get it back to how it should look. That Sept. 2009 Blu-Ray rocks. If I wasn’t going to get the 4K, I definitely would be getting that one. Though I already own the 2017 KL Studio Classics Blu-Ray.
The 4k is actually much closer to how the film originally looked. The color grading is based on a 35mm IB Technicolor print from 1967: screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/13371/picture:3.
@ Yep, in my opinion, the 4K is the best it's ever looked. It's gorgeous on my TV.
2014 is a piss yellow filter wtf
Quality has improved over time but color grading has been all over the place! While from reading the comments I see the color grading is based on an IB Technicolor print reference, the colors of those prints do fade over time. I've seen old IB Technicolor prints projected that were very faded. I remember seeing _Mr. Bugs Goes to Town_ and expecting better from an IB Technicolor print and being disappointed it was very red tinted, although the colors weren't totally gone. The print was decades old, up to around 70 years old if from the original release. Old IB Technicolor prints aren't definitive. The most definitive source as a color reference for old films is a separation master, when available. Otherwise, I think a good colorist has to "eyeball" it, because old prints don't look like they did upon release or as they were intended to look.
Which is to say I still think the 4K looks like it's yellower than I would expect from a new film. It looks a little faded. The way it's colors have apparently shifted reminds me of seeing a seldom-screened print in the cinema, which some people might like. I can see why some people prefer the September 2009 Blu-ray, which in most but not all of the screenshots presented in this video has more natural colors compared to the 4K.
I'm commented based on watching this video on my phone, having not read about all the releases or closely scrutinized screenshots on a decent monitor. But still, I think I can observe the colors well enough to make a general judgement.
Based on what I've seen and read here, I would pick the new 4K overall. More detail, and consistently acceptable colors. But if I was about to buy a release to watch at home, I'd look more closely than I have. Especially to read about the new features and the different cuts. I'm lucky enough that the city I live in screens this film in a theater every couple of years, so while I own some home video releases and have read reviews over the years I've seen the film more times in the cinema than on video.
2021 does look the best and most balanced. WTF were they thinking in 2014?? 🙄
I just love the ennio morrecone score
Thanks for doing this. It also shows the power of 'color-grading'.
I hate the 2014 “Yellow Filter” release. It makes a beautiful movie look terrible.
I actually really like the yellow filter, it give the movie a more dusty vibe which fits for a western. But yeah I can see why some people don't like it.
2009 may looks the most natural one,4k looks good too but its on red side
Interesting. In all of them I prefer the DVD!
I’ve got the 4K and it’s the closet you’re going to get to the 35mm print.
2014 has an Instagram filter on it. Terrible .2021 and 2009 are the best blue rays
Why does the 4K version look so good?! I love it!!
The 2014's crop is supposed to be watched with blue glasses?
Great. Now I have to buy ANOTHER copy of this movie
september 09 looks really nice, second best to 4k
I know this is probably blasphemy, but there is something appealing about the DVD version.
The dvd looks better than the 2017 & 2014 blurays!!
That's what I felt too!! I own the dvd, looks like the Blu-rays were a poor transfer!
Went back and peeped through plenty of frames, nope, none of the blu ray releases are higher res compared to dvd. Not sure what to make of it 😂😂
@@vikassm I used to work at a company that used photoshop for color ads in print. Every worker color corrected the ad different. So my guess is when it comes to movies on disc the same applies that a worker not good at his job worked on movies that don't look good. I present RAMBO 2 on 4k as an example. It's a one hour and a half long movie and about 20 minutes looks like a 4k should look and the rest looks like dvd is better.
2014 is how a TGTBATU parody would look like
Nobody: Says anything at all....
2014 Bluray Release: Hi shall we just pick a random hue for this scene!! Make it darker, way dark like messing with the contrast on an old TV set... blue, then green, now bright yellow... polkadot... zig zag..
EVERYBODY: OK JUST CALM DOWN!!
2014 BR: muahahahahahahhaaaaa!!!!!! Smears itself with peanut butter, eats a bag of shrooms and runs off into the woods.
Glad we have Arrow coming the rescue to FINALLY give this movie the treatment it so desperately deserves. Fresh scan of the negative. Untouched mono audio. Everyone coming together to get THE most accurate color timing possible for prints of the time.
Actually, there's been no mention of a fresh scan for The Good, The Bad and the Ugly. In fact, according to someone who was involved in the release, they're using the raw, ungraded scans from Ritrovata. So not a new scan, but in theory it will be an improvement, since they don't have to bend over backwards correcting a baked in color grade like they did on the Kino. But the Kino is already a great disc that rectified the worst of the film's issues, so there's not much rescuing that needs to be done. Also, we don't know what source they've used for audio, or what they've done to it, so it's too early to say whether it's untouched. The Kino has Laserdisc audio, which will be hard to beat. All of this is not to say I'm not optimistic about Arrow's release, because they did enlist the help of several die hard Leone fans, one of whom is a stickler for untouched audio, so hopefully it's definitive on all fronts. And if one of the extended cuts turns out to be a fully restored version of the Italian cut, it will be a must have upgrade.
Ah! I assumed because the first two Dollars movies were fresh scans, this would be too! No wonder they're holding back info. But yes. Glad they're starting from the ungraded scan and not trying to slap a bandaid on someone else's color. Damn Fool Idealistic Crusade said some stellar things re: Arrow.
(Sep.)2009 Blu-ray ROCKS!!!
Best sharpness and aspect ratio, most details, pleasant color. A good example of how newer editions don't necessarily produce better results.
Covers of the individual versions would have been very helpful! So it is difficult to determine which version it actually is.
I think it’s super obvious that OP was only comparing the Blu Rays ....
Thanks for making these, really helps when deciding if it is worth getting the 4k version.
Some shots deserve to have side by sides I think. Might be cool to do that if possible.
I wonder if Eastwood had a hand in the 4k version, if anyone can get into the mind of Sergio, it would be Eastwood.
Leaving aside the slightly blurry oldest release, I'm seeing changes in colour grading, but I'm not much change in quality (detail) among the later releases. In particular the 4K version looks no better to my eye. As I understand it Techniscope always was a cheaper, inferior quality camera system. This is not a put down, it's just a fact - this is what Leone had to work with. And in fact it was a fantastic achievement to get those wide fields of view from a budget camera system. But, fact is: blu-ray and even more so 4K exposes the limits of the format. My vote is for the Sep 2009 Blu-Ray.
No need to be defensive. Techniscope was cheaper, you are definitely right.
It basically uses *only half* of the area of 35mm film and is thus inferior-but, imo, only when you _compare_ it to other formats/movies.
I see some difference with the new 4K UHD version but only after I realized I also had to switch the youtube quality, lol.
@ Thanks for the info.
You had me at "accurate to what it would have looked like in theaters" as well as "Leone approved".
Always keen in having the version the creator intended.
@ Interesting, thanks for the details
Thank you for posting. I have the May 2019 version, I will now keep my eye out to buy the 4k version when their back in stock.