Adiós Sabata Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Adiós Sabata Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov December 9, 2015

Gianfranco Parolini's "Adios Sabata" a.k.a. "Indio Black, sai che ti dico: Sei un gran figlio di..." (1970) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Swiss label Explosive Media. The supplemental features on the disc include original trailers for the film; archival featurette; and various promotional materials. In English, with optional English SDH and German subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

Sabata

The film begins some time after the Austrian Empire has occupied large areas of Mexico and local bandits-turned-revolutionaries have started clashing with the Europeans. The legendary gunslinger Sabata (this time played by the iconic Yul Brynner) is hired by the leader of the revolutionaries, Senor Ocano (Franco Fantasia, Gang War in Milan), to help his men steal a very large load of gold that belongs to the brutal Colonel Skimmel (Gérard Herter, The Big Gundown). The bulk of the gold will be used to arm more men and help the Mexican Revolution.

Sabata and Ocano’s men, led by Escudo (Ignazio Spalla, Hitch-Hike), attack Skimmel’s convoy, but instead of gold discover large bags full of dirt. Meanwhile, Skimmel and his trusted partners, who have been made aware that Sabata has joined the revolutionaries, vow to destroy them.

Italian filmmaker Gianfranco Parolini (credited as Frank Kramer) directed Adios Sabata in 1970, a year after he completed Sabata. There are obvious thematic similarities between these films, but Adios Sabata should not be considered a traditional sequel.

This time the plot is fairly straightforward, though during the final act there are a few interesting twists that effectively expand it. Sabata is once again a loner who can quickly sense the shady characters around him and just as quickly give them a dose of their own medicine.

In the first film Sabata is played by Lee Van Cliff -- who also appeared in the final Sabata film, The Return of Sabata -- whose acting style is quite different. He demands respect and one can even sense a desire to demean those who dare to confront him. Brynner exudes a different type of superiority. He seems quicker with his modified rifle but also has a soft spot for classical music. (There is a sequence in which he puts the rifle aside and plays a rather large segment from a Schubert piece in a popular saloon full of shady characters). This not only makes him appear more sophisticated, but even a bit less aggressive.

The action, however, is a lot more intense in Adios Sabata. There are a couple of sequences in which Sabata and the revolutionaries clash with the Austrian solders that rival some of the best mass action sequences done for other westerns from the same era. Additionally, it is clear that the various locations in Andalucía were carefully chosen because the panoramic vistas are without exception breathtakingly beautiful.

Unlike the first film, Adios Sabata has an outstanding soundtrack, courtesy of Bruno Nicolai, that greatly enhances the period atmosphere. The main theme, for instance, easily could have been composed by Ennio Morricone, who worked closely with Nicolai when he scored such classic films as Sergio Leone’s The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and For a Few Dollars More, Lucio Fulci's A Lizard in a Woman's Skin, and Sergio Colbucci's The Great Silence.

Adios Sabata was produced by the legendary Alberto Grimaldi (Pier Paolo Pasolini's Trilogy of Life and Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom, Bernardo Bertolucci’s Last Tango in Paris).

Adiós Sabata Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.34:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Gianfranco Parolini's Adios Sabata arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of of Swiss label Explosive Media.

The release is sourced from a pre-existing master, but the film actually looks quite nice in high-definition. Virtually all of the well-lit close-ups boast good depth (see screencapture #5). The larger panoramic shots also boast decent fluidity, though it is easy to see that a new scan will surely provide various improvements. Perhaps the best news here is that no attempts have been made to repolish the film with powerful digital tools. Grain does fluctuate, but the fluctuations are minor and grain exposure actually ranges from decent to quite good. A few flecks and tiny dirt spots can be seen here and there, but there are no large cuts, damage marks, or torn frames. Overall image stability is very good. All in all, the film can certainly look better in high-definition, but this is a nice and stable organic presentation. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Adiós Sabata Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are four standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, Italian DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, Spanish DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, and German DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH and German subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they split the image frame and the black bar below it.

I viewed the film with the English track. During the opening credits there are some minor distortions in the high-frequencies. Later on, there are a few segments where depth can be slightly inconsistent as well, though this isn't something that will impact your viewing experience. The good news is that there is no background hiss. Bruno Nicolai's score breathes quite easily, but my feeling is that if the audio is remastered clarity, sharpness, and overall balance will be improved.

Adiós Sabata Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - original German trailer for Sabata. In German, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Trailer - original German trailer for The Return of Sabata. In German, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Trailer - original German trailer for Adios Sabata. In German, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Trailer - original U.S. trailer for Adios Sabata. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

• Locationvergleich - this featurette highlights some of the key locations where various segments from Adios Sabata were filmed. Music only. (21 min).

• Deutsche Aushangfotos - a collection of original German lobby cards for Adios Sabata. Music only. (2 min).

• Filmprogramm - three original magazine clips for Adios Sabata. Music only. (1 min).

• U.S. Lobbycards - original U.S. black-and-white lobby cards for Adios Sabata. Music only. (1 min).

• U.S. Aushangfotos - original U.S. promo cards for Adios Sabata from United Artists. Music only. (2 min).

• Plakate - original posters for Adios Sabata. Music only. (1 min).

• Slideshow - a collection of stills from Adios Sabata. Music only. (1 min).

• Cover - reversible cover.

Adiós Sabata Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The second entry in the Sabata Trilogy is a bit unusual because the legendary gunslinger is played by Yul Brynner, not Lee Van Cliff, but it is just as entertaining as the other two films. Adios Sabata is now available on Blu-ray via Swiss label Explosive Media. who have been releasing all sorts of different classic westerns with very attractive price tags. The film could look better in high-definition, but I like the technical presentation. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.