From unbearable to unforgettable SEE IT

Rating: 10/10 (23 June 2003)

Leone's epic tale. Cinematography from heaven. Directed with meticulous detail. Acted with passion and reverence. BUT....see the entire film now fully restored on a 2 disc dvd. DO NOT confuse this version with the hacked up one released in the USA in 84. It was edited chronologically. This is not what Leone envisioned. See it the way the European audience did at the Festival de Canes. And they left cheering. The film is as great in its original cut as the butchered one is horrible. Make no mistake: Once Upon a Time in America is in the top fifty films of all time. See it. Take 3 hours and 45 minutes out of your life and experience the way Leone shows us details, anticipation, and sudden violence. And then try not to think about it. Unforgettable. Thank God it's been restored.