Daniel L

NOTE: There doesn't seem to be a previous thread featuring general discussion about the new release.

I picked up the new release today. The European cut seems to be my new favorite. I enjoy the new soundtrack and don't miss the helicopter zombie one bit. I also noticed that Gaylen Ross' nipples are quite clear in this cut.

Thoughts? Findings?

Gizmo

I watched half of the extended cut so far...

gutwrencher

I love Goblin and I love Argento....but I still prefer the US theatrical cut.

Daniel L

Some things I liked about the Argento Cut:

- The Goblin score seemed more intense during the horror / action scenes, and the cheese factor was taken down a notch (notice the horrible mall muzak has been replaced with a less grating tune).

- It is now clear that Flyboy didn't kill the control tower operator. I never assumed that he did, but the theatrical cut's editing left it somewhat unclear.

- A little more time was given to the looters, which was a nice tough.

- Did I mention Ross' breasts?

- The pacing is tighter and the film seems a tad more enjoyable because of it.


I'm a little afraid of the Extended Cut. I don't know that I'll be watching it anytime soon.

demonio

does anybody know if Walmart has this for sale?? whats the price?

Tyler_Durden

You should, eventually. I find it the most interesting of the three cuts, although I still prefer the theatrical cut (having seen all three).

KillerQ

What's the cheapest you guys have found this set for in the U.S.?

Thanks,

Matt

steebo777

I watched the Argento cut last night for the first time and greatly enjoyed it. I am going to have to watch the Theatrical cut again to make a final judgement, but the boobies might set the Argento cut over the top as the best

Doug Schiller

Back to the subject.
After reading all the internet reviews I haven't seen any diehards chime in with their thoughts.
I bought it at Best Buy yesterday ($33!) and am about 1/2 way through the Argento cut (I have seen both the theatrical and extended versions numerous times) but I haven't checked out the extras.
It looks like a great set but seems like a lot of rehashed stuff.
Anyone know if they talk about the alternative ending?
That was always the golden egg that was supposed to be in the rumored se that Elite was doing way back in the laser days.

Doug

ckolchak

i love this film mightily, but was actually very satiated with the previous single divimax disc.
mostly due to the fact that the a/v was amazing and look tremendous on a large screen.
i was always planning on picking up the UE, but to be honest, i wasn't really burning to have it.
but for $33 it was hard to pass up on street day, and while i probably won't get around to watching any of the cuts of the film again until Halloween at the earliest, i did dip into the doc and some of the commentaries.

unlike some other anticipated sets coming out this month, this one looks to be thouroughly satsifying.
the new Perry Martin doc looks excellant.
only watched the first 20 minutes but i can't wait to devour the whole thing-
never seen Document before, but that also looks very interesting (and more scholarly than i was expecting)


about the only thing i can think of that i would have like to have had on the set that isn't there, would have been an isolated music track, or seperate CD of the Golin score on the Argento cut.

and while i wasn't rocked by the images i'd seen of the packaging (which to me is generally pretty bland) there is a very creative touch on the flip side of the digi pack, where the 4 main characters not only have a standard head shot on each panel (under the clear hubs), but also a 'zombified' head shot on the back of each panel (something that wasn't seen in the on line photos of the packaging)

Geofferson

Mine should be arriving any day now. Can't wait to give this one a spin!

gorgo99

Just got it at BB, the packaging is more impressive in person than on the net. I like it much.

Regarding the alternate ending, I don't think it was actually shot, was it? If so, that would have been a nice inclusion... otherwise, I'm fully satisfied, as this is the nth time I've bought Dawn... (1 VHS, 2 Laserdisc editions, 2 DVD editions NOT including this one)!

Took a little sneak preview of it last night, the DTS sounds good but of course not too much separation. Picture looks great, definitely better than I've ever seen it (hadn't seen the single-disc DIVIMAX). Far better than it ever looked in the theater (I saw it many times at midnight shows in the '80s, most appropriately, in a large mall that was empty when we came out).

The only cut I haven't seen is the Argento, so I'm anxious to check that in it's Goblin-y goodness, but I prefer the theatrical cut over the "extended" cut (a rarity for me).

I'm still trying to find the easter egg about the buddhist monk from the old $100 laserdisc set (which I couldn't afford at the time so I've never seen).

renaldow

I bought it yesterday but haven't had time to watch any of it yet. Don't know whether I'll watch the European or the Extended cut yet either. The packaging is great, and loved that you get a comic book for it too.

Sessa17

I'm definitely a die-hard fan & I've made posts the past 3 weeks giving my reivew of the box set, at last what I've watched so far. I think the set is phenomenal.

Quote:

Anyone know if they talk about the alternative ending?
That was always the golden egg that was supposed to be in the rumored se that Elite was doing way back in the laser days.

Doug

It's weird they talk about the alternate ending in the Romero commentary & I think the producer commentary & they say it was never filmed. I think Argento was pulling for a different ending but Romero only wanted a happy ending, he felt the characters were put through so much, they should be rewarded with something in the end. But in the cast commentary Gaylen says was filmed & used in a cut supposively yet Ken & David don't remember this so I think maybe she was just making it up. She was really annoying in the commentary anyway, so maybe she was.

cajun_junky

I forgot about this release and now it is here. I thought this UE was going to be released in Oct with the new Dawn of the Dead.

I really want this UE but was wondering if they would have a special deal in Oct with the release of the new Dawn of the Dead. Anyone care to speculate??

Is the $33 (approx) a special release price or is there a chance that will be the regular price?

sracer

Doubtful. If my family and friends are any indication, there is very little overlap between die-hard fans of the original and die-hard fans of the remake.

My young nephews who have not seen the original, love the remake. When they later saw the original, they didn't care for it.

For those who had seen the original first, and then later saw the remake, they preferred the original.

Bottom line, both original UE and remake will sell extremely well as individual releases... there is no incentive for AB to bundle the two together. Just my opinion.

sracer

To add to the confusion... Tom Savini at one point in time said that he remember shooting the alternate ending. But then a few years later, he denied it.

QuiGonJosh

MSRP is $49.99

I imagine BB or CC will have the regular price at $39.99 or $45.99

LikeMiamiVice

the ultimate edition is one of the best dvds to be made for a single flick..4 discs,3 cuts of 1 movie..and the paramount ultimate edition of F13 has 4 discs of 8,count 'em,8 movies and 1 disc for features?this thing should paramount to shame..

Doug Schiller

Re: Alternate ending. I know I have seen a picture of a mock up head getting shot but I'm almost positive it was the female (Gayle?). But this was only a sfx shot. I doubt they shot it but it would be nice if they would have included some storyboards (if they were used) of the proposed ending (just like 28 Days Later)

Re: The Laser Disc set. I was under the impression that Elite never pulled it off. Was there actually a LD special edition? Elite's proposed set was supposed to be similar to what AB pulled off.
Maybe the $100 set was just the film in CAV (remember that) format.

ckolchak

not 100% positive, but i believe the Elite Boxed set, was just the Cannes cut, with a Romero commentary, possibly in CAV.
it was 3 discs i think.
can't remember what extras there were besides the commentary, but whatever they were, they were no where close to being as comprehensive as this set.

at $33, this is a great value.

and my copy was stickered $33.99 at BB, so it looks like that could be the regular price for a while.

Romerojpg

Yes parts were shot and even on the new documentary everyone says they never shot any of it! are they slow!

yes they did tests and shot the exploding head in the fans and heres some pics of it, I cannot beleve the people on the new Doc say no they didnt! when heres the bloomin proof! doooh!

Savini has said in the past he did it, and latley he says he didnt, but on the new Doc he says again they didnt!

http://www.savini.com/update1.htm

go down about half way on the page and theres a few nice images of the Head Explosion of Galens head cast, nice.

The docuimentary is acctually good styff and the interviews with random featured zombies is great, screwdriver Zombie, Nurse Zombie!
and boy isnt David looking nothing like he did 25 years ago that was a shock! everyone still looks the same, except David!

Mondo Kane

The all-Goblin score is definetly sweet, but there are 3 scenes where I perferred the theatrical/extended versions' music:

-After the mall hunt concludes when the 4 survivors are looking at the bodies from the 2nd floor
-Music that plays after the dinner scene where time slowly and dreadfully passes by
-Goofy mall muzak that plays at the end credits (I'm just so used to hearing Dawn of the Dead end this way)


Disc 4
highlight Mall tour
push right

Johnny Zhivago

Dawn is one of my favorite films, in any genre... Just started on the extras disc this morning, so far it's pretty good. I've seen the theatrical and Cannes cuts a zillion times so I guess I'll start with the Argento version at some point this week. It'll take quite some time to digest all of it though... (I'm equally jazzed to get into the Hitchcock box)

On the packaging, it's OK... Would prefer a keepcased box instead of the digipak but what are ya gonna do... Picked mine up at Best Buy also and had a reward zone thingie to use with it, so it was < $30. Money well spent IMHO.

ThatGuamGuy

Um, that link you provided clearly says that it was shot as test footage, not for the actual movie, and that Romero doesn't remember ever shooting it for the movie, and Savini does not say anything which contradicts or corrects that:

There is generally considered to be a difference between test shooting ("pre-production") and shooting ("production"), especially if it was an FX test shot which wouldn't require the director or the actors or anything.

The documentary has extensive cast descriptions of the scenes coupled with footage from the film edited to suggest, as much as possible, what they're describing. I suspect that's the best we're gonna get.