First and foremost, Sergio Corbucci’s Django is a very good film. Violent, moodily atmospheric and influential, it is a seminal Spaghetti Western, with Corbucci’s blue-eyed anti-hero (played spectacularly by Franco Nero) perhaps only second to Eastwood’s Man with no Name as the most significant and recognisable character in the genre.
Yet, Django is more than that. Corbucci’s film is as angry as it is poignant, filled with its director’s intense hatred for fascism while refusing to allow any character what could be truly defined as a happy ending or arguably even redemption.
This new release from Cult Films is as beautiful as you would expect, the 4K restoration rendering the already strong visuals even more stunning than before while the audio is, at times, a barrage on the senses.
Included here are four interesting on-disc extras, including an introduction by Alex Cox (good), an interview with Franco Nero (interesting), and an interview with Cannibal Holocaust director Ruggero Deodato (entertainingly combative). Of most interest, however, is the new documentary Django & Django, a presentation by Quentin Tarantino, which, despite focusing on the genre itself and his own Once Upon a Time in Hollywood more than Django itself, is a thoroughly engaging watch. With a substantial booklet also included, this is a well-stocked release.
That said, if you’re a big fan, you likely already own the Arrow 4K, or at least a good version of the film. And while the extras are worth the effort, the Tarantino documentary is on Amazon should you really wish to view it. What we’re saying is that Cult Films has a good job on their release, but it falls just short of being an essential purchase – one for completionists and those yet to purchase a version.
Cult Films’ release of DJANGO in 4K UHD is out now.