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Copy of an e-mail I got: :grr: (for remake, read "bastardization". Seems more apropos...)
> > > Note: forwarded message attached. > > ATTACHMENT part 2 message/rfc822 > From: > To: > Subject: "the original versions don't exist." > Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2004 14:30:52 -0500 > > This crap really boils my blood! > > DVDs give directors another shot > Tue Feb 24, 6:40 AM ET Add Entertainment - > USATODAY.com to My Yahoo! > > > By Mike Snider, USA TODAY > > These days, a filmmaker's job isn't always finished > when the movie plays in > theaters. > > > • Stallone gets back in the ring > • Martin Lawrence accused of hitting woman > • Clear Channel fires raunchy Fla. DJ > • Talk show host suspended from Univision > • Kansans on both sides of aisle over gay marriage > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > Take director Robert Rodriguez (news), for example. > Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over, > out on DVD today, has even better special effects > and 3-D visuals than the > version in theaters last summer because Rodriguez > continued fine-tuning the > film. > > > Although the release is not called a collector's > edition and not a > director's cut, the two-disc DVD, he says, "is the > last statement because > (the audience) will only see it on DVD now." > > > Rodriguez, who also continued tweaking Once Upon a > Time in Mexico and Spy > Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams after their > theatrical release, may take > the DVD vision thing to extremes. Other filmmakers > are developing their own > "director's cuts" twists. > > > With the four-disc Star Wars Trilogy collection due > Sept. 21, director > George Lucas (news) is attempting to erase his > original movies from popular > consciousness. The DVD will have only the "special > editions," with added > scenes and spiffed-up effects, that played in > theaters in 1997. "In George's > mind," says Lucasfilm's Jim Ward, "the original > versions don't exist." > > > Other director's cuts: > > > • Peter Jackson (news)'s definitive DVD version of > the Lord of the Rings > trilogy will top 11 hours - more than two hours > longer than the theatrical > version. New Line releases the extended Return of > the King DVD in November. > > > • Francis Ford Coppola (news)'s One From the Heart, > a movie he yanked out of > theaters in 1982 after just a week and a half > because of poor reviews, was > resurrected on DVD last month. Coppola's American > Zoetrope DVD lab restored > the film. "The DVD represents a more direct access > to the audience," he > says. "(Now) I have the satisfaction of knowing a > good version is out there > to see." > > > • Steven Spielberg (news)'s 20th anniversary version > of E.T. the > Extraterrestrial, out in October 2002, had a more > realistic E.T., and > Spielberg changed some law enforcement officials' > guns into flashlights and > walkie-talkies. The DVD also included the original > 1982 version > > > Adding footage and bonus materials - let alone an > entire makeover for a > movie - did not make widespread sense when home > video meant VHS rentals. But > last year, DVDs outsold movie tickets by more than > $2 billion ($11.6 billion > vs. $9.2 billion), and the gap could nearly double > this year, with DVD sales > expected to rise to more than $14 billion. And, the > additional capacity on a > DVD allows for more material. > > > Not all DVD special editions amount to a director's > cut, however. Last year, > when Fox released all four Alien films in a box set, > the studio enlisted > Ridley Scott (news) and James Cameron (news) to > create director's cuts of > their films. But for the third and fourth films, the > studio created extended > versions without the filmmakers' assistance. > > > As for a special extended Dances With Wolves that > MGM released last year, > director Kevin Costner (news) says that "adding on > really flies in the face > of how I am. I am not looking to find a secondary > market when I'm making a > movie." > > > Oscar winner Ron Howard (news) considers the > theatrical version of The > Missing (out today on a two-disc special edition) > his final vision. But, he > says, DVD releases "have become important. It is a > lasting representation of > the movie. And you get an opportunity to have a hand > in the extras." > > > Research shows that more than half of DVD buyers > have not seen the movie. > That may bode well for The Missing, which was a > disappointment at the box > office, taking in only $28 million. Says Howard: > "With DVD, more so than > ever, films find their audience." >
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