1967, 178 minutes
Directed by Sergio Leone
The Sergio Leone classic western is possibly the high point of the entire spaghetti western world, a smash hit genre that Leone unintentionally created just years before GBU with his film A Fistful of Dollars.
After a shaky partnership between the "good" Clint Eastwood and the "ugly" Eli Wallach falls apart, they each attain a secret clue to a buried treasure. They must again work together and against the "bad" Lee Van Cleef to find the gold as the vicious Civil War rages on. Every part of this epic delivers iconic landmarks of western film history - the three lead performances and their endlessly quotable lines, the sharp direction and widescreen camerawork, Ennio Morricone's unforgettable score, and the legendary "ecstacy of gold" finale, while not shying away from the insanity and violence of wartime.
The remastered 4k DCP available of the film is the "extended cut" version, which added back in scenes that were cut from the international theatrical version to help with gaps in the story. This was done after Leone's passing and with necessary new audio dubbing, resulting in differing opinions from fans. Is more always better? Regardless, the film is incredible to see with an audience on the big screen.