[Susan Foreman]

'The Valdez Horses' (1973) - Limited edition Blu-ray pre-order available from Powerhouse direct - £15.99

Release date: January 18th

"One of several impressive westerns Charles Bronson made during his 1970s heyday, The Valdez Horses reunites the rugged star with celebrated director John Sturges, who he had previously collaborated with on the perennial classics The Magnificent Seven and The Great Escape.

A surprisingly thoughtful film, The Valdez Horses sees Bronson play a half-breed rancher whose solitary life taming wild horses is upended when three people enter his life: a young runaway (Vincent Van Patten), a corrupt land owner (Marcel Bozzuffi, The French Connection), and his beautiful sister (Jill Ireland, Breakout, The Valachi Papers).

Beautifully filmed in mountains of AlmerÃ*a, Spain, a quintessential Spaghetti Western location, Sturges’ film contrasts fist fights and shootouts with considered characterisation and an unexpectedly melancholy tone."

Special features:

• High Definition remaster
• Original mono audio
• Two presentations of the film: with the original The Valdez Horses title sequence, and the alternative Italian title, Valdez, il mezzosangue
• Audio commentary with film historian Paul Talbot, author of Bronson’s Loose! The Making of the ‘Death Wish’ Films and Bronson’s Loose Again! (2021)
• New interview with make-up artist Giannetto De Rossi (2021)
• New interview with uncredited screenwriter Stephen Geller (2021)
• Alternative titles and credits
• Original theatrical trailer
• TV Spot
• Image gallery: promotional and publicity materials
• New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
• Limited edition exclusive booklet with a new essay by Roberto Curti, an archival on-set report with contributions from Charles Branson, Jill Ireland, and John Sturges; interview extracts from Bronson and Ireland, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and film credits
• UK Premiere on Blu-ray
• Limited edition of 3,000 copies