This special limited edition spot gloss slipcover (designed by Tony Stella) is limited to 4,000 units and is only available on our website and at select indie retailers. Absolutely no major retailers will be stocking them.
Welcome Vinegar Syndrome Labs (VSL) to the VS Sub-Label family! As with each of our sub-labels we are hoping to expand and defy expectations with the diversity of films we restore and release. As the name implies, VSL will serve as a kind of testing area for releasing genres and eras of film that one might not immediately expect to come from VS. The ultimate objective of VSL will be to see if these types of films will find an audience, and if so, pursue and release more of them…and even if not, still serve as a means of restoring more of the weird, rare, and unusual movies you might not expect from Vinegar Syndrome.
In the harsh desert landscape of 1860s Mexico, two outcasts cross paths. Richard Roundtree (Shaft, Crack House) is a former Union soldier, desperate and on the run after killing a superior officer. Roy Thinnes (Airport 1975, Rush Week) is a crippled Native American of mixed race, who lives as a pariah away from any tribe. Identified only as The Black Man and The Indian, the two deal with mutual hatred and mistrust before forming a strange partnership until a vicious bounty hunter played by Nigel Davenport (Phase IV, Nighthawks) finds his way to them. How long can they last holed up in this brutal desert, stalked by both Davenport and Mexican bandits, and reliant on an uneasy relationship that borders on madness?
An unusually racially-focused entry in the canon of the ""anti-Western"", director Don Chaffey's (Jason and the Argonauts) CHARLEY ONE-EYE came during a flurry of English Westerns of the era. Recalling the work of Sam Peckinpah, it lays on both allegory and graphic violence liberally, with stunning performances from its two leads. Shot in Spain's famed Almería, a shooting location of many Eurowesterns, CHARLEY ONE-EYE is scored with a sparse, haunting soundtrack by John Cameron (Psychomania). Newly scanned in 4K and restored to its fully uncut version, Vinegar Syndrome Labs proudly presents this intense and unique character-driven tale of raw survival.
directed by: Don Chaffey starring: Richard Roundtree, Roy Thinnes, Nigel Davenport, Aldo Sambrell 1973 / 107 min / 1.85:1 / English Mono
Additional info:
Region A Blu-ray
Newly scanned & restored in 4K from its 35mm original camera negative
Commentary track with film historian Toby Roan
"Chicken Shoot" (34 min) - a making-of featurette with first assistant director Nick Granby, first assistant editor Geoffrey Mackrill, boom operator David Stephenson, and continuity supervisor Ann Skinner
"One Eye on the Neg" (25 min) - an interview with first assistant editor Geoffrey Mackrill
"Twixt, Orchestral, and Minimalist" (18 min) - an interview with composer John Cameron
"A Force to be Reckoned With" (16 min) - blaxploitation film historian Josiah Howard on Richard Roundtree’s career
"Richard Roundtree's Final Film" (10 min) - a conversation with Thelma director Josh Margolin
Trailer
16-page booklet with an essay by film writer Jourdain Searles
Reversible sleeve artwork
English SDH subtitles
Overall rating: 4.519231 / 5 from 104 reviews.
AI Generated Review Summary
Charley One-Eye, a restored 4K film, is praised for its stunning picture quality, exceptional performances, and beautiful cover art. Customers appreciate the film's restoration and the unique storytelling, making it a highly recommended collection piece.
Summary topics
Film Quality (30%): A significant amount of customers expressed appreciation for the film, describing it as fantastic, enjoyable, and worth collecting.
Cover Art (9%): It was highlighted by customers that the cover art on the slip is beautiful and fantastic. (Common opinion)
Picture Quality (4%): Customers expressed appreciation for the great quality picture and sound of western movies. (100% agreement)
Restoration Quality (9%): Customers expressed satisfaction with the restoration of the classic film, "Charley One-Eye."
Actor Performances (18%): Many customers expressed satisfaction with the outstanding performances from Richard Roundtree in the film Charley One-Eye.
"Great hidden gem of western movies recommended for all who love westerns Great slipcover good quality picture and sound" — Gary M.
"A nihilistic and unheralded film starring the great Richard Roundtree with good supporting performances." — Tyler M.
"Great VSL release with beautiful slipcover art." — Stephen H.
Reviews
Unique revisionist western
"A thoughtful western that focuses on survival, friendship, and cultural conflict rather than action. Richard Roundtree and Roy Thinnes give strong performances, and the film looks fantastic in this release."
— Thomas L. (4/5)
70s Western
"Charley One‑Eye is one of those early‑’70s revisionist Westerns that pushes hard against genre expectations. The film centers on a wounded Black soldier and a Native American drifter who form a tense, fragile alliance while being hunted by a relentless bounty man. What makes the film stand out is its stripped‑down, almost theatrical approach: long silences, sparse dialogue, and a focus on mood over action. The performances—especially from Richard Roundtree—carry the film’s emotional weight. There’s a brooding intensity to the way the characters move through the desolate landscape, and the film’s pacing emphasizes isolation, trauma, and mistrust. The violence is sudden and harsh, but never sensational; it’s part of the film’s bleak worldview. Visually, the movie leans into stark desert imagery and symbolic framing, giving it a dreamlike, sometimes hallucinatory quality. It’s not a conventional Western, and its slow, meditative style won’t appeal to everyone, but for viewers drawn to offbeat, atmospheric frontier stories, Charley One‑Eye is a compelling and overlooked entry in the era’s wave of experimental genre cinema."
— Tarek E. (3/5)
Charley One Eye
"Charley One-Eye is a thoughtful and atmospheric western that pairs striking wilderness landscapes with compelling character drama. The film’s strong performances and measured storytelling create a rewarding, emotionally resonant journey. It’s an underrated gem that offers a fresh and memorable take on the classic frontier tale."
— Jeffrey W. (5/5)
Great Restoration Of An Old Title!
"This exploitation flick looks amazing! It was a lot of fun to watch, as this is one of my favorite genres ever! The peerless VS restoration process was on full display with stellar sound and picture! Thank you, VS, for continuing to lovingly restore and release so many wonderful films from every conceivable genre! You are keeping physical media alive in this streaming world we now live in! Highly recommended!"
— Paul K. (5/5)
Can’t wait to watch this
"Can’t wait to watch this one!! Nothing like a 70’s western! Beauty of a slipcover too!!"
— Kris B. (5/5)
Review
"Pretty good video quality, the Two way cover is pretty neat. The art on both covers is super good. The film itself was pretty good too."
— Riley R. (4/5)
Nasty little Buddy Pic
"Is it a buddy pic? An anti-Western? Hard to say. Things get dark, that's for sure. Would make a great double feature with The Legend of Black Charley."
— Matthew C. (4/5)
Charley One-Eye
"This was great"
— Jason S. (5/5)
Another stellar VS find
"I was only familiar with Don Chaffey’s work in the 1960’s - ‘One Million Years B. C. ,’ ‘Jason and the Argonauts,’ ‘The Prisoner’ TV show. Thanks to VS for this find."
— Lee W. (5/5)
Not for me!
"Dont enjoyed it much though I guess some people would love it."
— Emilio G. (4/5)
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