Wednesday, September 09, 2009

Sacrilege? Eff you!

TMWFTE-with-candy
David Bowie & Candy Clark

  • Anyone know where I can get a DVD of the original, edited US version of Nicolas Roeg’s The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976)? You know: the one that got all the great reviews when it came out. The ‘true’ version of the film may be superior for everyone else, but, quite frankly, I think the one that Cinema V released at 119 minutes is preferable to Roeg’s 139-minute snooze-fest. I fell in love with that film back in the 70s, but now I can’t find it anywhere, I’m stuck with the Director’s Cut.

    • posted by Ray Young at 2:33 PM

    4 Comments:

    Blogger The Siren said...

    I didn't even know that there was a Director's Cut. I have come to think of those two words as a curse.

    That shot looks like the famous picture of J Paul and Talitha Getty in Marrakesh. Must have been deliberately echo, yes?

    http://www.antimonide.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/talitha-getty-morroco-iconic-location-saint-laurent.jpg

    11:39 AM EST  
    Blogger Flickhead said...

    I don't know if the Getty photo was deliberately posed; the Bowie/Clark shot is not in the film, they're resting between takes.

    Nicolas Roeg's 138-minute version was shown in most markets outside the US in 1976. The US distributor, Cinema V, wanted it cut to under two hours so exhibitors could show it twice each evening instead of once. From what I understand, producers Michael & Julia Phillips were responsible for the cutting. In my opinion, they clearly saw what Roeg did not. Roeg's version is often plodding and murky; the cut version is streamlined by comparison. It was released on pan/scan VHS in a dark print from Columbia Pictures 25 years ago.

    But I may be the wrong person to discuss this with. I think the original 1979 theatrical version of Apocalypse Now is vastly superior to Coppola's droning Apocalypse Now Redux. And I believe we should thank Thalberg for making such a compact masterpiece out of Greed. I believe, at 8 or 9 hours, Stroheim would drag McTeague through the mud.

    I don't believe all directors are as competent as we'd like to give them credit for. Especially the ones who are on a mission.

    2:44 PM EST  
    Blogger Greg said...

    But I may be the wrong person to discuss this with. I think the original 1979 theatrical version of Apocalypse Now is vastly superior to Coppola's droning Apocalypse Now Redux.

    I'm with you on both counts. I often believe the edited version is better than the director's cut. Not always, but more often than not. I believe a good editor and director can work together to create a great work if they're willing to listen to each other's ideas.

    1:30 PM EST  
    Blogger Flickhead said...

    Siren, Greg: I have the misfortune to be married to a hardcore Tolkien aficionado who loved the Peter Jackson Rings movies. Yes, I saw all three in the theatre.

    The first was good; the second was excellent; the third was dull and superfluous. She’ll tell you all three are beyond great. Whatever…

    When the films came out on DVD, I was instructed to buy them all. And yes, I sat through them again. This time, the first one was okay, the second pretty good, the third frikkin’ torture.

    Then Peter Jackson’s “vision” became available on DVD, so I had to go out and buy this shit all over again, only now with “extra footage.” Siren, Greg: I know you’re both old enough to remember when normal people never uttered the word ‘footage,’ never used the term ‘Director’s cut.’ Things were so much simpler then.

    Anyway, I had to sit through these new versions. The first one sucked, the second one was okay, the third was, like, totally The Pits… there’s nothing worse than taking a three hour Rings movie and padding it out another forty frikkin’ minutes.

    Then I understand there was yet another set of another cut… and then, of course, Blu-ray. Understand that Mrs. Flick is completely helpless in the purchase of DVDs. At the store or online, she wouldn’t be able to tell if she’s buying a version she already has. But I refused to budge. “No dice,” said I, “no more Rings, at least not through me. I ain’t buyin’ this crap no more.” I refused to go on Amazon, refused to go to Wal-mart or Target to buy these things. She pouted.

    2:45 PM EST  

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