Face to Face Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.5
Audio		3.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

Face to Face Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf August 13, 2015

In his follow-up to “The Big Gundown,” director Sergio Sollima continues to mine his fascination with gray areas of conscience and loyalty, instilling 1967’s “Face to Face” with moral complexity that helps to support the picture’s occasionally iffy dramatics. It’s a western with meaning, using a history of Italian politics to inform its plot, and it when it settles down and explores character, it proves itself to be intelligent, lacking some needed urgency to work up necessary suspense.

The dramatic arc that plays out in “Face to Face” is compelling, watching an educated man (Gian Maria Volonte) transform into a savage outlaw while spending weeks with a wanted criminal (Tomas Milian), while the crook learns a thing or two about responsibility during this same period of time. It’s a contrast of sliding attitudes and impatience with the world, leading to a fascinating study of behavior, mixed in with traditional spaghetti western pursuits, including squinty showdowns and fierce violence. Sollima endeavors to communicate an erosion of spirit as the main character’s bad education continues, and thematically, “Face to Face” remains clear and determined.

Face to Face Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation is appealing overall, with decent sharpness that brings out sweaty, grimy close-ups and western locations, delivering depth and textures. Grain is present, but periodically devolves into pockets of noise. Color is consistent, with true western palette that favors dusty browns and sun-stroked yellows, while skintones are accurate. Delineation is comfortable, never losing frame information during low-lit interactions. Source is in decent shape, with a few warped frames and speckling detected.

Face to Face Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix offers no distinctly separated elements, emerging as a blunt listening experience that's primarily devoted to dialogue exchanges. In dubbed form, nothing is lost, while dramatic intent is secured without distortion. Scoring is flat but adequate, providing support without truly carrying the moment, while instrumentation isn't inspiring. Sound effects are thickly rendered, matching period trends.

Face to Face Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Italian Version (112:02, SD) is the original cut of "Face to Face," offered here in fairly rough form.

• A Theatrical Trailer has not been included.

Face to Face Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Conflicts are less credible in "Face to Face," finding man vs. man not nearly as interesting as man vs. self, while a subplot about a Pinkerton representative (William Berger) on the hunt for the twosome lacks tension, taking time away from the outlaws. There's also a "rape is love" element to the script that's pretty icky, requiring the viewer to work around such stupidity and focus on the grit. "Face to Face" isn't nearly as secure as "The Big Gundown," though it shares an interest in style and scoring, with Ennio Morricone returning for duty. For fans of the subgenre, the movie will fill requirements, but there's a lack of true cinematic firepower, leaving the picture somewhat deflated.