Once Upon a Time in America: Extended Director's Cut - 9/30
06-04-14, 09:04 PM
#4
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Once Upon a Time in America: Extended Director's Cut - 9/30
No offense to this films fans, but Warner has positively sucked this year as far as catalog releases.
Being a different cut of the film this is a bit better than re-releases like the silly GWTW Handkerchief set...but it's still a title that has already seen some form of a Bd release.
The studio is sitting on literally hundreds of excellent Warner/MGM/ Paramount/ and Goldwyn titles.
Instead they act like some low rent sub licensee- exploiting the same handful of titles again and again and again. I breathlessly await the announcement of a triple dip for Goodfellas and Casablanca now.
Being a different cut of the film this is a bit better than re-releases like the silly GWTW Handkerchief set...but it's still a title that has already seen some form of a Bd release.
The studio is sitting on literally hundreds of excellent Warner/MGM/ Paramount/ and Goldwyn titles.
Instead they act like some low rent sub licensee- exploiting the same handful of titles again and again and again. I breathlessly await the announcement of a triple dip for Goodfellas and Casablanca now.
06-04-14, 09:35 PM
#8
Banned by request
Re: Once Upon a Time in America: Extended Director's Cut - 9/30
Careful, I may just have a garbage truck drive by your house.
Heaven forbid we should expect a little more than some random promotional image on a thread about a new title. Fuck off indeed.
Giles, the film is brilliant but I'm not sure I'd make it a blind buy.
Heaven forbid we should expect a little more than some random promotional image on a thread about a new title. Fuck off indeed.
Giles, the film is brilliant but I'm not sure I'd make it a blind buy.
06-05-14, 08:39 AM
#11
Re: Once Upon a Time in America: Extended Director's Cut - 9/30
An interesting article about this cut.
http://notesofafilmfanatic.com/?p=911
Once upon a time, in 1984 to be exact, Leone said he reluctantly excised between forty-five and fifty minutes worth of “significant footage” from Once Upon a Time in America. But sometime between then and 1988 he underwent a change a heart. Here’s what he said about the legendary longer version in a 1988 interview with Oreste De Fornari:
“Then there is the very long one that has never been edited and which lasts fifty minutes longer. Four and a half hours. But we rejected the idea of two parts on TV. It is so intricate that it has to be done in one evening. And besides, let’s be honest: this one is my version. The other perhaps explained things more clearly and it could have been done on TV in two or three parts. But the version that I prefer is this one, that bit of reclusiveness is just what I like about it.”
There's a lot more info. in the article.
http://notesofafilmfanatic.com/?p=911
Once upon a time, in 1984 to be exact, Leone said he reluctantly excised between forty-five and fifty minutes worth of “significant footage” from Once Upon a Time in America. But sometime between then and 1988 he underwent a change a heart. Here’s what he said about the legendary longer version in a 1988 interview with Oreste De Fornari:
“Then there is the very long one that has never been edited and which lasts fifty minutes longer. Four and a half hours. But we rejected the idea of two parts on TV. It is so intricate that it has to be done in one evening. And besides, let’s be honest: this one is my version. The other perhaps explained things more clearly and it could have been done on TV in two or three parts. But the version that I prefer is this one, that bit of reclusiveness is just what I like about it.”
There's a lot more info. in the article.
06-05-14, 09:11 AM
#12
Re: Once Upon a Time in America: Extended Director's Cut - 9/30
No offense to this films fans, but Warner has positively sucked this year as far as catalog releases.
Being a different cut of the film this is a bit better than re-releases like the silly GWTW Handkerchief set...but it's still a title that has already seen some form of a Bd release.
The studio is sitting on literally hundreds of excellent Warner/MGM/ Paramount/ and Goldwyn titles.
Instead they act like some low rent sub licensee- exploiting the same handful of titles again and again and again. I breathlessly await the announcement of a triple dip for Goodfellas and Casablanca now.
Being a different cut of the film this is a bit better than re-releases like the silly GWTW Handkerchief set...but it's still a title that has already seen some form of a Bd release.
The studio is sitting on literally hundreds of excellent Warner/MGM/ Paramount/ and Goldwyn titles.
Instead they act like some low rent sub licensee- exploiting the same handful of titles again and again and again. I breathlessly await the announcement of a triple dip for Goodfellas and Casablanca now.
Still, I get your frustration. Warner used to be the most reliable studio for catalog titles, but they just seem content to re-release the same half a dozen titles in big dumb boxes that no one cares about. That said, it's indicative of the sad reality of home video these days. Catalog doesn't sell. I would say Warner's bigger crime is their refusal to license their titles to 3rd party distributors. It would also be nice if they followed through on their own plans for the Warner Archive program, but how many blus have they released at this point? 4? 5?
06-05-14, 09:46 AM
#13
Re: Once Upon a Time in America: Extended Director's Cut - 9/30
http://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwmovi...5#.U5B6rSjlFco
ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA Extended Director's Cut Edition Comes to DVD/Blu Ray 9/30
Sergio Leone's original vision for his tour-de-force, Once Upon a Time in America (1984), will debut in the U.S. on September 30 with Warner Bros. Home Entertainment's (WBHE) Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital HD with UltraViolet™ release of the Extended Director's Cut Collector's Edition. This 251-minute cut was a restoration funded by The Film Foundation, the film preservation organization founded by Martin Scorsese, and its partner Gucci. The Extended Director's Cut, with 22-minutes of restored footage, has never been available in the United States. It made its debut at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival and was screened at other festivals in Europe. The restored footage has been returned to the film three decades after its theatrical release, deepening the characters and enlarging the work of its astonishing cast: Robert De Niro and James Woods as lifelong pals and crime kingpins, Tuesday Weld, Joe Pesci, Jennifer Connelly, Elizabeth McGovern, Treat Williams and Louise Fletcher. The latter three are showcased in recovered scenes.
Prior to the Blu-ray release, Once Upon a Time in America will have its U.S. premiere at the 2014 New York Film Festival which runs between September 26 and October 12. It will be a featured selection in the Festival's Revivals section which re-visits recently restored classics.
The Collector's Edition contains a new 32-page book with rare photos and insightful notes that chronicle the movie's production history. The book also includes a letter written by Martin Scorsese. He noted, "At long last, materials for some of these missing sections have been found and re-inserted into the picture under the supervision of Leone's family and surviving collaborators. The work has been completed by the magnificent team at Cineteca di Bologna and L'Immagine Ritrovata, with generous funding from Gucci, and it has been wonderful to witness this enlargement of Leone's vision, step by precious step."
Special features (available on all the editions) include commentary by film historian and critic Richard Schickel, and a making-of documentary, "Once Upon a Time: Sergio Leone."
Once Upon a Time in America will be released in three home entertainment editions: the 2-disc Extended Director's Cut Collector's Edition Blu-ray ($34.99 SRP) which contains the Extended Director's Cut, the 1984 theatrical edition, Digital HD with UltraViolet, plus the 32-page book with rare photos and chronicles of the movie's production; the single-disc Extended Director's Cut Blu-ray ($19.98 SRP); and the two-disc Extended Director's Cut DVD ($14.97 SRP).
ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA Extended Director's Cut Edition Comes to DVD/Blu Ray 9/30
Sergio Leone's original vision for his tour-de-force, Once Upon a Time in America (1984), will debut in the U.S. on September 30 with Warner Bros. Home Entertainment's (WBHE) Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital HD with UltraViolet™ release of the Extended Director's Cut Collector's Edition. This 251-minute cut was a restoration funded by The Film Foundation, the film preservation organization founded by Martin Scorsese, and its partner Gucci. The Extended Director's Cut, with 22-minutes of restored footage, has never been available in the United States. It made its debut at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival and was screened at other festivals in Europe. The restored footage has been returned to the film three decades after its theatrical release, deepening the characters and enlarging the work of its astonishing cast: Robert De Niro and James Woods as lifelong pals and crime kingpins, Tuesday Weld, Joe Pesci, Jennifer Connelly, Elizabeth McGovern, Treat Williams and Louise Fletcher. The latter three are showcased in recovered scenes.
Prior to the Blu-ray release, Once Upon a Time in America will have its U.S. premiere at the 2014 New York Film Festival which runs between September 26 and October 12. It will be a featured selection in the Festival's Revivals section which re-visits recently restored classics.
The Collector's Edition contains a new 32-page book with rare photos and insightful notes that chronicle the movie's production history. The book also includes a letter written by Martin Scorsese. He noted, "At long last, materials for some of these missing sections have been found and re-inserted into the picture under the supervision of Leone's family and surviving collaborators. The work has been completed by the magnificent team at Cineteca di Bologna and L'Immagine Ritrovata, with generous funding from Gucci, and it has been wonderful to witness this enlargement of Leone's vision, step by precious step."
Special features (available on all the editions) include commentary by film historian and critic Richard Schickel, and a making-of documentary, "Once Upon a Time: Sergio Leone."
Once Upon a Time in America will be released in three home entertainment editions: the 2-disc Extended Director's Cut Collector's Edition Blu-ray ($34.99 SRP) which contains the Extended Director's Cut, the 1984 theatrical edition, Digital HD with UltraViolet, plus the 32-page book with rare photos and chronicles of the movie's production; the single-disc Extended Director's Cut Blu-ray ($19.98 SRP); and the two-disc Extended Director's Cut DVD ($14.97 SRP).
Last edited by inri222; 06-05-14 at 09:52 AM.
06-05-14, 10:11 AM
#14
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Re: Once Upon a Time in America: Extended Director's Cut - 9/30
Sooooo this isn't the restoration they did in Italy that was crap with the new footage, right? I don't remember Marty being involved with that one.
Fucking finally we get this. Now if only Marty could get on WB in fixing Goodfellas. Ugh. I can't even make it to the title card. It's that bad for me.
Fucking finally we get this. Now if only Marty could get on WB in fixing Goodfellas. Ugh. I can't even make it to the title card. It's that bad for me.
06-05-14, 11:05 AM
#16
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Re: Once Upon a Time in America: Extended Director's Cut - 9/30
So the 1984 theatrical edition that's included with the 2-Disc Collector's Edition: would that be the original 229 min. version shown at Cannes, or the 139 min. version shown in American theaters?
06-05-14, 11:10 AM
#17
Re: Once Upon a Time in America: Extended Director's Cut - 9/30
Either way, this should be an improved restoration from the (crappy) one that came out a couple of years ago.
06-05-14, 11:22 AM
#18
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Re: Once Upon a Time in America: Extended Director's Cut - 9/30
Ok. Ok. That's the Italian one? 269 mins. But the one we're getting is THE Leone cut or what? I'm confused as to what was his final preferred cut of this film.
I'd still like to see that even longer cut of OUATITW.
I'd still like to see that even longer cut of OUATITW.
06-05-14, 11:48 AM
#19
Re: Once Upon a Time in America: Extended Director's Cut - 9/30
http://msb247.awardspace.com/cannes.htm
In 2011, Andrea Leone released a press statement that he had purchased the Italian rights from the producer Arnon Milchan. It is a project very dear to his heart and one he has been trying to progress for many years.
He said that his father had made a version of 270 mins (4hrs 30), which was cut in Europe to 220 mins (3hrs 40). The film will go to the restored images lab of the Cineteca Bologna, directed by Gianluca Farinelli,who are dedicated to the painstaking restoration of images frame by frame. Especially to reassemble the pieces of film, which Andrea's father had to cut due to time constraints. Martin Scorcese and many others have been very helpful in assisting this project.
Shortly after the movie premiered at Cannes in 1984 Sergio Leone did a lengthy interview with Cahiers Du Cinema magazine. He gave details of the 50 minutes of cuts he made to the movie and this included a scene of love with young Deborah. Some speculate that this scene is the one where Deborah and Noodles are in the back room of Gellys and she recites her Song of Songs. It's possible that at first Leone deleted this but re-inserted it when the movie was released in Europe increasing the running time to 229 minutes.
The running time of the new version is 251 minutes.
A scene by scene breakdown of the additional material is as follows:
ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA - SCENES RECOVERED FOR EXTENDED VERSION
- Discussion between Noodles and Riverdale cemetery's director (Louise Fletcher). Appearance of an ominous black Cadillac (1968)
- Extended scene where Noodles drives a car into the lake. The gang struggling in the water and a crane dredging soil and debris. Anxiety when Noodles does not resurface (1931).
- Noodles walking outside Bailey's mansion and seeing a car explode (1968)
- At a theater entrance, Noodles communicating with a chauffeur prior to the arrival of Deborah (1932)
- Eve meeting with Noodles in speakeasy, then they embrace in hotel room. Bedroom scene Eve and Noodles (1932)
- Noodles awakes sees Eve's thank you note signed Deborah (1932)
- Deborah drinking coffee at restaurant next to Railway Station (1932)
- Deborah plays Cleopatra in Shakespeare's theater. Noodles is present in the audience (1968).
- While the guests arrive, Bailey has a discussion in his private study with Jimmy O'Donnell (1968).
The original dialog and shooting script for the 21 mins of additional scenes is at: addscenes2.pdf
Trovacinema has 2 videos showing some of the additional scenes. Both have English dialogue.
Full scene of Noodles and Louis Fletcher: http://trovacinema.repubblica.it/mul...liata/31846181
Extracts of some of the additional scenes: http://trovacinema.repubblica.it/mul...-film/31846224
Videos of the complete Cleopatra scene and the Bailey and Jimmy scene in full are at:
http://tinyurl.com/bmr8hst
Picture quality is fairly poor and the new Italian release on DVD and Blu-ray suffers from compression artifacts and a yellowish/greenish tint.
Martin Scorcese has said that there is a further 20 minutes which he hopes can be restored and added to the movie. This would then make the running time of the movie nearer Leone's original 270 minute cut.
Hopefully all who are interested will be able to see the extended and restored version of the movie in some format in the not too distant future.
In 2011, Andrea Leone released a press statement that he had purchased the Italian rights from the producer Arnon Milchan. It is a project very dear to his heart and one he has been trying to progress for many years.
He said that his father had made a version of 270 mins (4hrs 30), which was cut in Europe to 220 mins (3hrs 40). The film will go to the restored images lab of the Cineteca Bologna, directed by Gianluca Farinelli,who are dedicated to the painstaking restoration of images frame by frame. Especially to reassemble the pieces of film, which Andrea's father had to cut due to time constraints. Martin Scorcese and many others have been very helpful in assisting this project.
Shortly after the movie premiered at Cannes in 1984 Sergio Leone did a lengthy interview with Cahiers Du Cinema magazine. He gave details of the 50 minutes of cuts he made to the movie and this included a scene of love with young Deborah. Some speculate that this scene is the one where Deborah and Noodles are in the back room of Gellys and she recites her Song of Songs. It's possible that at first Leone deleted this but re-inserted it when the movie was released in Europe increasing the running time to 229 minutes.
The running time of the new version is 251 minutes.
A scene by scene breakdown of the additional material is as follows:
ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA - SCENES RECOVERED FOR EXTENDED VERSION
- Discussion between Noodles and Riverdale cemetery's director (Louise Fletcher). Appearance of an ominous black Cadillac (1968)
- Extended scene where Noodles drives a car into the lake. The gang struggling in the water and a crane dredging soil and debris. Anxiety when Noodles does not resurface (1931).
- Noodles walking outside Bailey's mansion and seeing a car explode (1968)
- At a theater entrance, Noodles communicating with a chauffeur prior to the arrival of Deborah (1932)
- Eve meeting with Noodles in speakeasy, then they embrace in hotel room. Bedroom scene Eve and Noodles (1932)
- Noodles awakes sees Eve's thank you note signed Deborah (1932)
- Deborah drinking coffee at restaurant next to Railway Station (1932)
- Deborah plays Cleopatra in Shakespeare's theater. Noodles is present in the audience (1968).
- While the guests arrive, Bailey has a discussion in his private study with Jimmy O'Donnell (1968).
The original dialog and shooting script for the 21 mins of additional scenes is at: addscenes2.pdf
Trovacinema has 2 videos showing some of the additional scenes. Both have English dialogue.
Full scene of Noodles and Louis Fletcher: http://trovacinema.repubblica.it/mul...liata/31846181
Extracts of some of the additional scenes: http://trovacinema.repubblica.it/mul...-film/31846224
Videos of the complete Cleopatra scene and the Bailey and Jimmy scene in full are at:
http://tinyurl.com/bmr8hst
Picture quality is fairly poor and the new Italian release on DVD and Blu-ray suffers from compression artifacts and a yellowish/greenish tint.
Martin Scorcese has said that there is a further 20 minutes which he hopes can be restored and added to the movie. This would then make the running time of the movie nearer Leone's original 270 minute cut.
Hopefully all who are interested will be able to see the extended and restored version of the movie in some format in the not too distant future.
06-05-14, 01:41 PM
#20
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Once Upon a Time in America: Extended Director's Cut - 9/30
people on blu-ray.com are having a fit over the fact that the extended directors cut being only on one disc and that itll be 'compressed to hell' They do realize that blu ray compression has gotten better over the years & assuming they don't fuck it up, itll look fine.
06-05-14, 03:09 PM
#21
Re: Once Upon a Time in America: Extended Director's Cut - 9/30
269 minutes -> Leone's supposed original cut. There's some dispute as to whether or not this cut ever existed in any sort of finished form. Most of the information about this cut comes from an interview Leone did with Cahiers du Cinema in 1984.
229 minutes -> European theatrical cut that premiered at Cannes in 1984. This is basically the "official" version and is the version that most people have seen on home video.
139 minutes -> Original American theatrical cut. Nothing to see here.
251 Minutes -> 2012 Cannes cut. Leone's family aquired the rights to the film and attempted to restore the complete version. This version was released on BD in Italy.
I was under the impression that the 251 minute version was still missing footage because either the family couldn't get the rights to all of the deleted scenes or because they were in such bad shape, or both. The 22 minutes of deleted footage that was included was in pretty poor condition and the Italian blu-ray is apparently pretty crappy. I thought I read that they were going to go back to the drawing board and try to improve on that 2012 cut by including more footage (possibly to get the film back to 269 minutes) and by doing some more restoration. I thought that was the version we were getting on this new release, but apparently that's not the case. It seems we're getting the 251 minute version. Whether or not this 251 minute version is the same as the one that came out in 2012 remains to be seen.
06-05-14, 03:59 PM
#23
DVD Talk God
Re: Once Upon a Time in America: Extended Director's Cut - 9/30
One thing I recall about this movie was the gang rape scene during the bank robbery. I recall the women started enjoying it too.
06-05-14, 04:01 PM
#24
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Once Upon a Time in America: Extended Director's Cut - 9/30
I feel like a sucker buying the Blu-ray from Wbshop.com a couple months ago and should have waited.
06-05-14, 04:09 PM
#25
Banned by request
Re: Once Upon a Time in America: Extended Director's Cut - 9/30
The restored footage is of vastly lower quality than the rest of the film, but the scenes are good and add a lot to the movie, IMO.