No Room to Die Blu-ray Review

The Blu-ray presentation of “No Room to Die” comes with noticeable technical flaws that detract from the viewing experience. Despite being digitally restored with a transfer from the original 35mm negative, the film is inexplicably presented in interlaced 1080i/AVC. This choice proves detrimental to a movie featuring quick pans and zooms, as the image frequently stutters and displays combing artifacts, which impact the overall fluidity of motion. Additionally, significant digital noise reduction (DNR) has been applied, erasing the natural film grain and resulting in overly smooth, waxy faces. While the print itself appears relatively clean with only minor scratches and specks, the high definition transfer does provide some clarity improvement over standard definition sources. Nonetheless, the focus is often soft, a common trait in spaghetti westerns, and the image would benefit from less aggressive DNR.

Moreover, the overall contrast is bland and flat, imparting a grayish and cloudy overtone that dulls the visual appeal. The color palette suffers as well, with sluggish and lifeless hues despite some primaries achieving decent boldness. Flesh tones are particularly problematic, appearing sickly and unnatural throughout the runtime. Instances of minor aliasing, jaggies, telecine judder, combing, and mild ghosting further plague the transfer. However, there are some positives; black levels are robust and offer good shadow detail. Unfortunately, these upsides do little to offset the otherwise underwhelming 2.35:1 image quality that leaves much to be desired for a truly enjoyable viewing experience.

The audio presentation of "No Room to Die" on Blu Ray falls short of expectations, providing a dissatisfying listening experience. The disc offers two tracks, one in the original Italian and another in English, both presented in lossy Dolby Digital 2.0. The Italian track comes across as brighter and harsher with a high-end that can be quite grating, while the English mix suffers from muddied, mid-heavy sound lacking in clarity. Both tracks are marred by a persistent, distracting hiss, undermining their overall quality. Despite these setbacks, the score by Vasco Vassilli is a highlight, capturing the essence of the spaghetti western genre with its plaintive harmonica, strummed guitar, and piercing trumpet solos.

Unfortunately, the soundtrack feels limited and restrained, falling prey to several technical issues. ADR work and Foley effects are notably intrusive, likely a product of the original production rather than the transfer process. There's a noticeable echo in certain segments, possibly due to the dated codec. Dialogue in both tracks tends to be either overly hot or muddled, though it remains intelligible. Sound effects retain the expected tinny quality typical of the genre, but the narrow mid-range and lack of low-frequency effects result in an overall hollow and unfulfilling mix. Optional English subtitles are available, which adds some accessibility despite these considerable audio issues.

The extras on the Blu-ray release of “No Room to Die” provide a captivating and thorough exploration of the film’s unique position within Paolo Garrone’s oeuvre. The documentary, “Two Bounty Killers for a Massacre,” is a standout feature, delivering insights from Manlio Gomarasca. Gomarasca, a noted curator of spaghetti western retrospectives, delves into how the film diverges from Garrone's more gothic tendencies found in his other works. This documentary is rich with anecdotal information about the film's production, cast, and Garrone's directorial nuances, making it a must-watch for both ardent fans and newcomers seeking to understand the distinctions within Garrone's repertoire.

Extras included in this disc:

• Two Bounty Killers for a Massacre: Manlio Gomarasca discusses the film's place within Garrone's body of work and its divergence from his gothic tendencies.

The film "No Room to Die," misleadingly retitled as "Hanging for Django," is a spaghetti western that bears little connection to its purported namesake, Django, a character popularized by Franco Nero in Sergio Corbucci's 1966 classic. Directed by Sergio Garrone, this 1969 movie features Anthony Steffen as Brandon, a bounty hunter motivated by a sense of justice rather than greed, and William Berger as Everett Murdoch, a preacher-turned-assassin equipped with a seven-barreled shotgun. The central narrative revolves around these two figures combating a gang led by the genocidal Fargo (Riccardo Garrone), who exploits and murders Mexican immigrants.

While Garrone's film captures the violent and nihilistic tone characteristic of the genre, it falters in other departments. The plot, though engaging on paper, is poorly executed and riddled with continuity errors and tedious sequences. The character arcs lack depth, and potential friction between Brandon and Murdoch devolves into banal interactions. Additionally, action sequences fail to deliver the visceral impact expected of the genre, often feeling staged and bloodless.

Notably, the film's subplots and supporting characters are underutilized. Nicoletta Machiavelli's Maya, intended to add dramatic heft, ends up a peripheral figure with minimal impact on the main storyline. Despite moments that showcase Garrone’s capacity for genre-specific visual flair, "No Room to Die" ultimately underwhelms. It lacks the pacing and narrative coherence necessary to elevate it beyond a low-budget genre piece. While die-hard spaghetti western fans may appreciate familiar faces and thematic nods to genre staples, the film offers little for audiences seeking substantive storytelling or dynamic action.

Sergio Garrone's "No Room to Die" (also marketed as "Hanging for Django") offers a conventional but ultimately unremarkable entry into the Italian western genre. Despite its incidental association with the Django character, the film does not contribute any significant innovation to the spaghetti western canon. Visually, the film adheres to genre clichés, but lacks the flair and dynamism necessary to truly captivate an audience. Director Garrone appears to be borrowing heavily from other, more accomplished westerns, resulting in a derivative experience.

Raro Video's Blu-ray release is particularly underwhelming. The transfer is presented in 1080i, which is both technically inferior and outdated for a 2013 release. The digital noise reduction (DNR) applied heavily impacts the visual quality, stripping the film of its intended textures. Additionally, the audio tracks only come in lossy formats, which further detracts from aural clarity and immersion. This poor quality is surprising given the current technological standards and significantly hampers the overall viewing experience.

Given the resurgence of interest in the character after Tarantino's Django Unchained, it's not particularly surprising that we're seeing some of the unofficial Django sequels and knock-offs appear on Blu-ray. Hanging for Django is an odd choice, though. Not only does it not feature Django or a hanging, both contrary to its title, it's an all-around boring spaghetti western, drama-wise and visually. Yes, there's a gunfight in every other scene, but the action quickly becomes rote. Raro Video's Blu-ray release is equally disappointing, with a DNR'd 1080i transfer (yes, i as in interlaced, in 2013, for reasons inexplicable) and two lossy audio tracks with issues of their own. Unless you're some sort of Django completist, I wouldn't bother with this one.