ALEXANDER Re-Cut For DVD

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AndyDursin
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ALEXANDER Re-Cut For DVD

#1 Post by AndyDursin »

Oliver Stone has apparently confirmed that he's re-cut ALEXANDER, streamlining the structure of his original version.

He claims both his original version and the re-cut edition will be released on DVD, though overseas, only the theatrical cut will be available (which I assume for bad movie lovers will be the preferred edition!).

Warner Home Video has yet to release any details of the American DVD edition.

Here's an excerpt from the interview:

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Cineaste: Is that why you decided, so late in the film, to flashback eight years earlier to Phillip’s assassination?

Stone: [Long chuckle] That is a decision that’s come back to haunt me, right? After Alexander’s disgrace over his murder of Cleitus, I wanted to kick off the third act with a summation of the power of his father’s assassination, to show how it affected him, and to remind the audience of the presence in his life of his father and mother. I think the structure works for some people because it’s more of a holding back of the event device. I can understand how others might have preferred more of a liner version, where the assassination occurs earlier, chronologically, and the mother continues to exist as the writer of letters and the father exists as a ghost. It’s a question of weighting the balance.

In the DVD version coming up, I’m going to attempt another approach to the same story with a different structure, because I believe it was closer to the original script that I wrote. If this works, it will perhaps be more complicated on paper, but I believe emotionally simpler. The theatrical version will also be reproduced and distributed at the same time. My underlying belief is that both versions can work. I remember mentions of playwrights such as Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller rewriting parts of a play after it had been produced. Composers do the same. Why shouldn’t a filmmaker be able to do so on DVD versions and various other forms of the future? It seems that Shakespeare’s plays are always being bowdlerized by filmmakers, cut into pieces of their own choice –that’s a form of reediting as well. It’s quite possible, that given the flexibility of this form, which has moved so quickly from theater to home video, that in five, ten, or fifteen years, if there’s any interest, I could make –if I felt so –a third version.
----------------------------------------------------

There's a link here:

http://img134.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img134& ... ECC00&bor=

romanD
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#2 Post by romanD »

interesting. Well, taht particular scene really felt odd at that moment in the movie. I was wondering why now after an hour you go back to the point where Alexanders father is killed.
Nevertheless bringing the movie in chronological order won`t make it any better I guess. What`s wrong with challenge the audience mind?

Im suprised that there is anybody willing to give Stone some extra money to recut the movie... it bombed so badly, why even lose more money??? Those who didnt like it wont give it a second chance, and if Iam in a store and have to chose between "original version" and "recut version", then I guess I`d take the original version, except maybe I know that the studio forced to change the movie in the first place and the recut version is how the director wanted it to be
(like with the upcoming CURSED).

Well, I bought the Korean 3 disc DVD, but I guess there will only be the theatrical cut on it... nevermind...

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#3 Post by AndyDursin »

Im suprised that there is anybody willing to give Stone some extra money to recut the movie... it bombed so badly, why even lose more money??? Those who didnt like it wont give it a second chance, and if Iam in a store and have to chose between "original version" and "recut version", then I guess I`d take the original version, except maybe I know that the studio forced to change the movie in the first place and the recut version is how the director wanted it to be (like with the upcoming CURSED).
I don't think re-cutting for DVD costs a whole lot -- it'd be something else if he was doing it theatrically and then they had to strike prints, etc. Also sounds as if he's just trimming it and re-arranging scenes, so it probably won't cost a great deal there, either....it'd be something else if they had to touch up alternate scenes, remix it, etc.

One thing I'm not surprised about is that -- contrary to Stone's comments in the interview -- Warner is ONLY releasing the Director's Cut here. As much as the studio might indulge him with a re-cut, they're not about to release TWO versions of ALEXANDER on DVD in this country -- it performed badly enough that you'd have to believe multiple releases for this one flop movie wouldn't be a prudent commercial decision! (especially here; it absolutely tanked domestically).

I also ordered the Korean set. Still haven't actually seen the movie (lol), but I'm going on the movie-buff-collector element here. There are a few people who liked it, and many others who enjoyed it on a "so bad it's good level." I'm looking forward to it, plus the fact the Theatrical Cut won't be available here, at least not right away.

As far as CURSED goes, I'm disappointed that Buena Vista isn't releasing the original version on DVD alongside the re-cut rendition. In this day and age of EXORCIST IV (two versions), why not give everyone the chance to see why the movie was overhauled? Might have been interesting if nothing else.

romanD
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#4 Post by romanD »

I liked it despite it shortcomings... I think it looked marvellous, the art direction and costumes were fantastic (why TROY got a nomination on that instead of ALEXANDER is beyond me), the acting was of many of them really good and the 2 battle scenes were the best since ROTK.

It IS overlong, has a strange structure and way too many monologues, but still I thought it is an interesting history lesson movie... worth checking out and not deserving all the bashing. I guess it was just wrongly marketed.
Dont watch it for action is the warning you should say before recommending it to anyone... :lol:

so, I have to get the US version then too, just for editing interest... well, if it is cheap... when is it supposed to come out?

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AndyDursin
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#5 Post by AndyDursin »

Still no date Roman on the US ALEXANDER...the specs and date have yet to be confirmed. I'm guessing sometime in July by this point, possibly early August.

Eric W.
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#6 Post by Eric W. »

The only way they could cut this film and make it better is to cut it up and destroy it.

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#7 Post by AndyDursin »

Warner has apparently confirmed there will be TWO seperate versions of ALEXANDER on DVD in the USA: both the shortened and re-edited Director's Cut, plus the Theatrical Cut (in its own release). God knows what the supplements will be, but I would anticipate a "mix and match" with unique extras on each.

Oh well, at least I have my 3-disc LE box set coming from Korea!! :) (yep, I'm a sucker for bad movies, even ones that I haven't seen!).

Eric W.
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#8 Post by Eric W. »

AndyDursin wrote:Warner has apparently confirmed there will be TWO seperate versions of ALEXANDER on DVD in the USA: both the shortened and re-edited Director's Cut, plus the Theatrical Cut (in its own release). God knows what the supplements will be, but I would anticipate a "mix and match" with unique extras on each.

Oh well, at least I have my 3-disc LE box set coming from Korea!! :) (yep, I'm a sucker for bad movies, even ones that I haven't seen!).
I can't believe YOU would spend that kind of money for...this.

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#9 Post by AndyDursin »

I can't believe YOU would spend that kind of money for...this.
Well Eric, I figure it will be collectible. I've done enough international shopping, so I assume it'll have some worth....plus I have a penchant for really bad movies, which I totally plead guilty for.

When they do the limited box set of LIFEFORCE I will be there!! lol.

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#10 Post by AndyDursin »

Just to follow up: Warner is confirmed to doing both versions of the movie. Here's their official press release with news of the movie's new cut -- which sounds like it's a MAJOR overhaul, re-editing the entire film, not merely adding new scenes and trimming some others.

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Academy award winning director Oliver Stone presents a breathtaking new cut of his sweeping epic film, ALEXANDER, the true story of the world’s greatest warrior. Using footage never seen in theaters and dramatically reshaping dozens of scenes, he brings to life the overpowering forces and fierce personalities that forever changed history. Torn by the war between his parents (Angelina Jolie and Val Kilmer), Alexander (Colin Farrell) left Greece to face massive armies in Persia, Afghanistan and India -- and was never defeated. "Fortune favors the bold" Stone powerfully demonstrates in this bold new film, ALEXANDER THE FINAL CUT.

The dramatically original FINAL CUT re-imagines and re-shapes the original theatrical film with virtually hundreds of edits and re-configurations of sequences, in exactly the kind of vigorous creative action that stands as a trademark of this endlessly inventive director. As Stone says, "We shot a mountain of rich material on ALEXANDER. The first cut was accomplished in 7 months, this second cut in 10 months. Each represents a different approach to a very tall mountain." The new ALEXANDER THE FINAL CUT and the original theatrical version, also on DVD, will invite comparison and controversy for years to come.

The 2-Disc Alexander the Final Cut (with special features and commentary) will be available at $29.95 SRP in widescreen format. The single disc Alexander the Final Cut DVD (film and commentary) will be available at $27.95 SRP in full screen format.

Alexander The Original Theatrical Version 2-Disc with special features will be available at $27.95 SRP in widescreen format.

Eric W.
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#11 Post by Eric W. »

AndyDursin wrote:
I can't believe YOU would spend that kind of money for...this.
Well Eric, I figure it will be collectible. I've done enough international shopping, so I assume it'll have some worth....plus I have a penchant for really bad movies, which I totally plead guilty for.

When they do the limited box set of LIFEFORCE I will be there!! lol.
At least Lifeforce is such a fun, campy farce that you can laugh at. :P

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