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Reason to Live, A Reason to Die, A (1972)

James Coburn (Actor), Telly Savalas (Actor), Tonino Valerii (Director) Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) Format: DVD
4.0 out of 5 stars 45 ratings
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Aug. 18 2015 		—
1
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$50.72 —

Product description

From Tonino Valerii, the director of My Name is Nobody and other classics spaghetti westerns comes this top-notch western set during the Civil War where eight condemned Union prisoners attempt to capture a Missouri fort from Confederate soldiers. Union Colonel Pembroke (James Coburn, Harry in Your Pocket) leads seven men on an impossible death mission, against all odds to overtake Fort Holman from the Confederates, commanded by insane Major Frank Ward (Telly Savalas, A Town Called Hell), ostensibly because of the fortress' strategic location as the key to the significant routes of the American Southwest. Under the guise of seizing the fortress, Pembroke in fact wants revenge for Ward’s cowardly murder of his son. International superstar Bud Spencer (They Call Me Trinity) co-stars as one of the condemned men.

Product details

  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 1.78 x 19.05 x 13.72 cm; 77.11 g
  • Item model number ‏ : ‎ 34220842
  • Director ‏ : ‎ Tonino Valerii
  • Media Format ‏ : ‎ NTSC
  • Release date ‏ : ‎ Aug. 18 2015
  • Actors ‏ : ‎ James Coburn, Telly Savalas, Bud Spencer
  • Studio ‏ : ‎ Kl Studio Classics
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00YQTCS38
  • Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
  • 鶹 Rank: #117,426 in Movies & TV Shows (See Top 100 in Movies & TV Shows)
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 out of 5 stars 45 ratings

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4 out of 5 stars
45 global ratings

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Top reviews from Canada

  • Frederic Desilets
    5.0 out of 5 stars boon service
    Reviewed in Canada on October 8, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Bon service et bon film à condition d'aimer le style
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  • dahead
    4.0 out of 5 stars good happy thanks
    Reviewed in Canada on October 11, 2015
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    good happy thanks .
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Makara
    3.0 out of 5 stars A Reason to Buy…?
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 22, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    A late entry to the once thriving ‘Spaghetti Western’ genre 1972’s ‘A Reason to Live, A Reason to Die’ (henceforth referred to as ‘Reason’) provides a rather lacklustre epitaph to a series of films boasting numerous classics. Unfortunately ‘Reason’ boasts little in common with its acclaimed predecessors being deficient in dialogue, characterisation, execution and consistency.

    Inconsistency can even be found in the film’s runtime: Publisher Signal One states ‘119 minutes’ on the back of the box. A bold claim considering the actual runtime clocks in at barely 90 minutes - just a paltry half hour out then! Wikipedia meanwhile confusingly quotes ‘112 minutes’ and alludes to the existence of a longer Italian/International cut boasting a reputed 30 minutes of extra footage. Given the former timing discrepancy is it possible that the latter cut was the one that Signal One thought they were releasing? Worse, with the longer cut omitted this edition can hardly be considered definitive, to put it mildly. Although, after having watched the film perhaps the shorter runtime was for the best all things considered…

    The always reliable James Coburn stars as Colonel Pembroke, an officer in the Union army currently languishing in disgrace. Formerly commander of Fort Holman Pembroke had previously surrendered this otherwise formidable bastion to Confederate forces without a shot fired. However, keen to restore his honour and exact revenge, the colonel insists he can retake ‘Holman and, even better, claims he can do so with just a handful of picked men. Though the mission is considered suicidal Pembroke’s superiors duly approve his proposal authorising him to begin recruitment from the ranks of the condemned at once. Thankfully, given the grim choice between the noose or retaking Fort Holman volunteers are plentiful. Though their loyalty is questionable Pembroke rides out once more with this motley band of desperados to confront the man who took everything from him - Holman’s current commander, Confederate Major Ward (a woefully miscast Telly Savalas)…

    The cinematic and literary sources ‘Reason’ liberally borrows from are as obvious as they are numerous. Indeed, The Dirty Dozen, Kelly’s Heroes, Moby Dick and even The Magnificent Seven are all mined thoroughly for inspiration though the languid implementation of these themes and elements arguably detracts rather than enhances.

    Another of ‘Reason’s major flaws resides within its’ uninspired script. Credited to three Italian writers whose rudimentary grasp of English is frequently in evidence the story is burdened by some atrocious dialogue. As such the (largely dubbed) English soundtrack feels paradoxically foreign with character interactions awkward and inauthentic.

    Compounding matters and, though I may be straying into tedious pedantry here, is ‘Reason’s somewhat insouciant approach towards historical accuracy. Supposedly set in 1861 pretty much everything is ‘off’ here including uniforms, anachronistic firearms, technology (despite the 1861 setting Fort Holman boasts an electrical warning system!), etc. Of course the archetypal classic western was rarely commended by historians for its commitment to historical accuracy but ‘Reason’ is certainly one of the more egregious offenders.

    Despite this surfeit of criticism though there are at least a few positives. As previously noted the pivotal Fort Holman set is undeniably impressive even if it had originally been built for another film (‘Condor’, from 1970). ‘Reason’ also performs well in HD with notable enhancements to clarity augmented by an organic layer of film grain present throughout. Extras are inevitably slender albeit still welcome comprising the ubiquitous gallery and original trailer.

    —ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ-

    CONCLUSION

    Encumbered by a forgettable cast of largely underwritten, underdeveloped characters (at least in the cut presented here) their resultant demises during the film’s climatic battle fails to make an impact. For sure ‘Reason’ is a frustrating affair falling neither in under appreciated classic territory or ‘so bad it’s good’. Nevertheless this late ‘Spaghetti Western’ does at least boast some decent cinematography. First billed James Coburn is also solid in spite of the inferior script he has to work with and Fort Holman (formerly Fort Condor) reminds us precisely why, then as now, pre-CGI cinema can impress.

    Worth a look (just!).
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  • 鶹 Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Very good.
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  • Indio-Black
    4.0 out of 5 stars But it's the best version available when it comes to picture quality...
    Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Sadly, it's not the uncut version of the movie.
    But it's the best version available when it comes to picture quality - although there is a little bit of jitter to be seen in some pan shots.
    The colours aren't washed out, the print looks very clean (compared to the uncut German DVD version), the picture sharpness is quite good most of the time - don't get fooled by the first minutes of the movie, where the ending scene (yes, the US version starts with the ending scene!) looks out of focus.
    All in all, I am very pleased with Kino Lorber's BD - maybe for the reason that the missing scenes don't add too much to the movie.
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  • Mr. Dg Howes
    3.0 out of 5 stars Short but sweet ...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 7, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    ... better the US theatrical cut than no cut at all. Good cover art, run time error on sleeve is sloppy. PQ is good for the reasonable price.
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  • SILVIU POPESCU
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on August 22, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Thanks .
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