Well, there are so many I would need a month to compile all of them...

For example Miramax bought the rights to the old Celentano films in Italy...NEVER released them in the States.

Dobermann, as you very well pointed out above has been denied access to America due to the fact that the film "sends a wrong message" to its viewers...etc.

One of the biggest Eastern European sagas...the Bulgarian film (3 part...nearly 500 min production The King-HAN ASPARUH). A film as massive and impressive as HERO....

and so on and so on....

I have simply given up on them, Miramax is the worst thing that ever happend to International cinema EVER. What's even more sad is that they consistently attempt to censor films as well.

Pro-B

Precisely.

Pro-B

For the record, I don't believe the Dimension version of "The Defender" is cut at all, as I've seen both versions and don't remember any differences. I got the HK copy as I was sure a scene was cut. They all sit down at the dinner table and... boom, a cut to the next (completely unrelated) scene. Turned out this was in the HK version as well... just shoddy filmmaking I guess.

I read an article today that Donnie Yen was displeased with the version of Hero that's being shown in theaters in the US this weekend, as some of his fight scene with Jet Li was cut from the movie. I'd heard that this version was "uncut". The theater just down the street is playing it... maybe I'll go see it just because I'm curious how much they've mangled it, if at all.

Most of the US reviews I've read stated or implied that it was emotionally unengaging... makes me wonder if they cut out the end part with Tony and Maggie. Still, the funniest Hero reviewers are the ones that think Ang Lee invented the wuxia genre.

Since I couldn't find evidence of this, I didn't include it.

When I said that I was just guessing. I knew it was changed, but now I remember.

It's not cut, the dubbing takes away all political reference. That's the thing... sorry about hte confusion...

The version of Hero currently playing in US theaters is the same 98-minute cut of the film that was released on DVD last year. It has new subtitles, though, that rename the character "Sky" as "Long Sky" and make some other minor changes that dumb down the political aspect of the film for American audiences.

The 108-minute Extended Version released on DVD a few weeks ago has next to no new plot, just small extensions to a number of scenes, including the fight scenes. Frankly, I think the short version works a lot better. Some scenes in the extended cut just drag on and on forever without any point.

"Long Sky"?


Donnie must be a hit with the ladies...

I saw Dobermann in the theatre in LA (at the NuARt), where I also saw Last Life In The Universe... foregin films do released, but not outside of LA and NY that much.

Of course the US audience can't handle mature subject matter of foreign cinema, George Bush is in the White House, freedom of speech has been underattack since Newt Gingrinch's laughable Contract with America.

Miramax has a virtual monopoly on acquiring foreign films and selling them well in the US. Other companies don't really exist, sure Focus Features is making headways with films like Motorcycle Diaires and La Vida Nicotina, but until companies HBO Films (which release Elephant and Maria Full of Grace) get more support for their corporate boards Miramax will continue to buy up properties and make money.

For Harvey and Bob, making money is king, and if they own the international rights to a film they're looking to recoup their investment - if that means altering it to get better ratings and quicken the pacing, then that's what they'll do to line their pockets -- at the filmmaker's and the audience's expense.

Amelie's subtitles were altered? Can anyone who has seen the US and other releases give a comparison. I got the US Release before I was region-free.

I expect the alterations in Amelie all reside in the scene where the delivery boy is talking to the painter. Maybe I'm giving Miramax more credit than they deserve, but I don't have a problem with things being altered to cover up jokes that just plain don't translate.

I understand that sometimes a line of dialogue doesn't translate very effectively and something needs to be done to make it more clear for a different audience, but the problem is that where is that line between making something clearer to an audience and changing the meaning of the line.

Making things understood for an American audience is one thing, but changing or eliminating plot points is something else. I know it is a slippery slope, but in the end, I think studios just need to trust the intelligence of their audience.

This isn't the place for fighting. If you have an issue that does not pertain to the thread subject, use another thread. That simple.

I need help; there's a lot of films that Miramax, et al have the rights to but won't release for this or that reason; for instance, Dreamworks have the rights to the Ring series, but won't release those movies while they mine the material for remakes. Some foreign movies aren't being "hel back"; they just don't have an American distributor. So, can anyone point me out to a place that mentions "held back" releases? If not, tell me which ones you know have an American distributor, but still remain unseen.

DonnachaOne...here are a few quick ones for you....*

GIRL ON THE BRIDGE....Paramount wont release it.



...the brilliant L'appartement....which was just re-hashed as Wicker Park



obviously...La Haine....



the HIGHLY controversial...



Franka's most recent....



the original director's cut of The Legend of 1900





Medem's Brilliant...Lovers on the Arctic Circle (owned by New Line)



*ALL films do have an American distro-deal yet they are not released as they should be (or at all).

....and so on....

Pro-B

Ring had a limited theatrical release prior to the US remake even started filming. They also released the first film on DVD. As for the second, I don't know - but be thankful that they don't release Ring 0 which was complete shit.

The Miramax disc's subtitles aren't terrible, but they have a couple of blatant typos that have gotten some people really riled up. Their translation is also a little on the bland side, simplifying sentences but not necessarily changing the meaning.

The UK R2 release contains the original theatrical subtitles, which are a better translation and don't have the typos.

I understand that Trig... it was the best example I could think of, however.

In regards to Dust Devil, the film has been none to have been edited, as to whether Miramax is to blame is another question, that I don't think we can blame them for (someone correct me if I am wrong about this assumption). The shorter cut of the film is 87min, the longer director's cut of the film which is available on non-region 1 DVD, has a running time of 103min.

I thought that "Bend It Like Beckham" was slightly altered for it's US release?

Indeed. Added.

Harvey Weinstein defending his record on acquiring and releasing asian hits, and admitting some failures. I for one see this as mainly a problem for non-region free people, I think anyone on this forum who wants anything released overseas can just pick it up themsleves, are you guys mainly pissed off for others?

He's an asshole regardless of what he said in that article. I don't know about anyone else, but I don't like that he brings releases here and tries to change them for stupid americans. Sure, I could import and watch them on my big screen tv - but it would be great to watch some of these in the theater. And I'm not about to go watch some butchered Weinstein version of a film I've already seen. Fool me once, shame on... uh you... fool me twice... shame on... uh... shame on... you won't fool me again.

Another thing that bothers me is that he's now extending his reach overseas so that it'll become increasingly difficult to import films the way they were intended to be seen. Not to mention, he's trying to get involved with foreign productions. bleh

and now for a shameless plug to Peter Biskind's excellent book: Down and Dirty Pictures : Miramax, Sundance, and the Rise of Independent Film for very insightful and frustrating stories about Miramax and Mr. Weinstein

...

Here is a well written response to HW's comments:

http://www.kungfucinema.com/news/2004-09-01-01.htm

I agree with that article, but keep The Touch out of the US, it can only hurt US/HK relations it sucks that bad, everything HK does isnt gold people.

Harosa, you were saying that this isn't a problem for peopel who are region free, but I am region free and consider this a problem.

I want to make sure that I get the best disc possible. At first glance, some DVDs released in Region 1 might look to be better than a counterpart in another region. You purchase the disc and then realize the film has been cut or there is something better out there.

I thought this thread could help let people who are region free know for sure which Region 1 discs to stay away from. I am not upset if I buy a Region 1 disc and there is a DTS track in another region; I am pissed if I buy a disc and realize that it had been cut from its original version.