With Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds set to hit theaters on August 21st, It would make sense for a new DVD and Blu-ray disc of the original film, The Inglorious Bastards to be released a few weeks before the start-studded film hits the cinema.
The two films, in terms of story, are very different, but both take place during World War II with the Nazis as the enemy. I have not yet seen Tarantino’s version of the film, but it seems that the stories are very different although they share the same title and take place in the same time.
The Inglorious Bastards is about a group of renegade solders being transported to a military prison for war crimes. While on the transport, the Nazi army attacks, killing off the military police and a small band of survivors from the transport team who make their getaway. They all seem to get along very well with one another, and agree to make their way to Swaziland and into neutral territory. On their way, the men fight and kill many Nazis and even team up with a former Nazi solder. However, when they run into a group of French Militants, they soon realize that the Nazi troops they have just killed were actually undercover marines set to hijack a Nazi train. The Bastards now must take their place on the mission if the Allird armies are to succeed in bringing down the Nazi army.
The film was produced in 1978 in Italy and was considered a worldwide success. The film also went though many title changes and re-edits. The original title of the film was Bastards Without Glory. It was also edited to feature more of actor Fred Williamson’s character and re-titled G.I. Bro here in the United States as blaxploitation genre film, and was hugely successful during the seventies and early eighties. It was also reissued on VHS as Counterfeit Commandos and Deadly Mission, until Severin films picked up the rights and re-titled it The Inglorious Bastards for its DVD release in 2008.
The film was directed by Enzo Castellari, written by Sandro Continenza, Sergio Grieco, Franco Marotta, Romano Migliorini, & Laura Toscano, and stared Bo Svenson, Peter Hooten, Fred Williamson, Michael Pergolani, and Jackie Basehart. There is a mix of some great action war sequences, comedic skits and some all out intense moments. The film had a great script and is well-directed. For its time and budget, the acting is not half bad, and each character has his own unique thing about him that makes him special. It is a film that rides heavily on its character development first, where the story takes shape around them. It is an altogether well rounded war film with a lot of fun, action-packed intense moments.
The Blu-ray disc has some great extra features, which include a conversation with directors Enzo Castellari and Quentin Tarantino. There is also audio commentary with director Enzo. Castellari, as well as a celebration of his 70th birthday featurette that is exclusive to this Blu-ray disc. There is also one other Blu-ray exclusive which contains interview footage of the reunion of the film’s cast and crew at a screening at The New Beverly cinema. There is also a Location featurette with Enzo Castellari titled “Back to the War Zone, as well as a documentary with the cast and crew titled “Train Kept A Rollin’” The disc also includes the original theatrical trailer as well.
This was my first time ever seeing this film, and I must say that I had a great time watching it. It is a fun war film from the seventies. The story is fun and the characters in the film are even better. It’s an overall very entertaining flick that I’m not surprised is being re-imagined into a big budget Hollywood flick. This is a disc you should check out before you run to theaters to see Tarantino’s version. Its well worth the time and the features on the disc are great.
– Horror Bob
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