Buffista Movies 3: Panned and Scanned
A place to talk about movies--Old and new, good and bad, high art and high cheese. It's the place to place your kittens on the award winners, gossip about upcoming fims and discuss DVD releases and extras. Spoiler policy: White font all plot-related discussion until a movie's been in wide release two weeks, and keep the major HSQ in white font until two weeks after the video/DVD release.
There may in fact, be no definitive version.
Pretty much. There are at least seven versions of Bladerunner, although most of the differences are minor. The video release used the international cut, which is why it's more violent. And then there are workprints and test-screening versions and it's all madness.
And yeah, Ford hates voiceovers in general, so he wasn't happy doing them. The one they finally used was also from the third time they'd rewritten and re-recorded the narration, so he was pretty well fed up by then. Personally, I like the noir-ness of it, too.
Diva! DavidS, have you read any of the books? They are remarkably strange. And kind of creepy.
Ugh. I just got home and turned on USA, as I often will, as I don't have digicable in here, and so I never know what's on, or even what channel is what, as I've moved into a new town. Usually by the time I get home USA is playing Law and Order:SVU reruns, so I just throw 'em on.
I've since looked this up on IMDB and have ascertained that what I'm watching is
Species.
All I know is that a much younger of the slutty girl from
Dawson's Creek
just started sprouting tentacles out of her face, and I'm horrified.
Hold me.
Gladly!
holds Lilty
If it's on USA, it probably cuts out all the fun sex, and the tongue-through-the-head. You're not getting the full
Species
experience.
Oooh! A
Blade Runner
discussion. Too bad I really need to get some sleep. I'll just add this point for now.
I prefer BLADE RUNNER without the narration, but I'm not sure I would have gotten as much out of it seeing that version the first time. I saw the original, w/narration, happy ending, etc., in the theater, and the voice-over does tell you a few things you might not figure out the first time seeing it cold.
This is me. I remember being blown away by the original version, then hearing about a version without the narration and a different ending, and wondering what that was like. Then, they realeased the "director's cut" in the late 80's (or early 90's, my memory is hazy), and when I saw that in the theaters, I distinctly remember thinking "I wish I could have seen this version first, just to evaluate it on its own merits".
You just can't unremember the information that was given in the narration, so it's impossible for me to know if there is enough information in the "director's cut" to thoroughly understand the movie. I also seem to remember more focus on the eyes in the re-released version, but that may be because I was paying more attention on the re-watch.
Ooh, you know,
Blade Runner
is one of those movies I've never seen and always meant to. Tell me which to watch! A special edition dvd? Show me the way!
it probably cuts out all the fun sex
Aww. As long as its regular fun sex, not some freaky tentacle sex.
and the tongue-through-the-head.
Eh, I think I'm good for now. The memory of Michelle Williams bumpy face did me in.
What the shit? Please tell me that's not Ben Kingsley.
ETA: Just saw a preview for
The Village.
What's Shyamalan's beef with red?
Please tell me that's not Ben Kingsley.
But I don't like lying.
But I don't like lying.
What the heck did they have on him?
What the heck did they have on him?
They must have had pictures of him having sex with Anthony Hopkins,
which is the only way to explain
his
appearance in
Mission: Impossible II.
Was that Alex Ross work
Yes it was.
You just can't unremember the information that was given in the narration, so it's impossible for me to know if there is enough information in the "director's cut" to thoroughly understand the movie. I also seem to remember more focus on the eyes in the re-released version, but that may be because I was paying more attention on the re-watch.
Yes, this. This sums up the BLADE RUNNER conundrum for me on which is the preferable version. In actuality, it's the one version conflated in my brain that's definitive. I am glad I still have a copy of the original VHS release, though.
eta Insert obligatory recommendation of the book FUTURE NOIR here - it's a big book on the making of BLADE RUNNER from novel through the director's cut re-release.