CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (30th Anniversary Ultimate Edition)
© Sony Pictures
Your Cut
By: Robert T. TrateDate: Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Coming soon to your TV: your cut of your favorite film. And why not? Seriously Mania readers, with studios releasing all the different versions of films in “Special Editions”, “Director’s Cuts”, “Extended/ Unrated Cuts” and now “Ultimate Editions” what’s stopping us from creating our own cut? Many of us have the technology or can get the technology to re-cut films on our PC’s or MAC’s. There certainly isn’t a lack of footage of our favorite films. Sony Pictures is releasing all three of their versions of ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’ in one box set. So, if you like the version where Dreyfuss goes inside the mother ship or the version where we (the audience) don’t see inside the mother ship; you now have the footage to edit your own version and do what you think is right. Think about the choices you could make with the multiple DVD cuts of all the ‘Star Wars’ films. We have all heard about the guy that re-cut ‘Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace’ reducing Jar Jar’s part to a cameo, but what about cutting down Anakin’s “angst” and, ahem, “emotion” in ‘Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones’? I am sure enough of us could re-cut that film into something better than what it was. Would you put Hayden Christensen at the end of the ‘Star Wars: Return of the Jedi’ or not? I think not. To be fair though I’ll leave poor George alone and re-cut the ‘Matrix: Reloaded’ and ‘Matrix Revolutions’ into one film. They way it was probably intended. That would mean no rave in Zion, lose Laurence Fishburne’s stomach scene monologue and make the sex scene between Trinity and Neo a lot shorter. Do the same to the big freeway chase and reduce both of the big Neo and Agent Smith battles to their appropriate size (better yet have just one big fight). Though one film that I would love to cut on my own is ‘Blade Runner’. ‘Blade Runner: The Final Cut’ (yeah, right) comes out in a few weeks and I could finally re-cut the film where I could have both the voice over and the Unicorn, without the weird mountain shots at the end. Hmm…
Unfortunately, our cuts will never see the light of a theater or an audience bigger than our close personal friends, but having all that footage makes it tempting to sit down and trim the fat, the angst, and the unnecessary (extended Max Reebo Band number, gone). It would be completely satisfying and fun. So, Maniacs what film are you going to re-cut?
ACTION / ADVENTURE / THRILLERS / WESTERNS
A Tale of Two Cities (1980)
Avenging Angel (2007)
Battle Warrior
CIA: Exiled (1993)
Ghost Rider (Extended Cut with Premium Item Gift Set) (2007)
Legends of the Poisonous Seductress #1: Female Demon Ohyaku (1968)
Legends of the Poisonous Seductress #2: Quick Draw Okatsu (1969)
Legends of the Poisonous Seductress #3: Okatsu the Fugitive (1969)
Legend of Seven Monks (Full Sub) (2006)
Mountain Of The Cannibal God (1979)
Ocean's Thirteen (Widescreen Edition)
Ocean's Thirteen [Blu-ray]
Ocean's Thirteen (Combo HD DVD and Standard DVD) [HD DVD]
Rarescope (A Sword Named Revenge / Dream Sword)
Ultimate Force [Blu-ray] (2006)
Urban Justice (2007)
Waiting for the Man (1997)
Welcome to the Grindhouse (Las Vegas Lady / Policewomen)
Welcome to the Grindhouse (Superchick / Hustler Squad)
ANIME
Black Lagoon the Second Barrage, Vol. 1
Blade of the Phantom Master: Shin Angyo Onshi
Burst Angel: Infinity OVA
Dragon Ball Z-Broly High Definition Blu-Ray [Blu-ray]
Dragon Ball GT: Lost Episodes Box Set
Eureka Seven, Vol. 10 Special Edition
Fullmetal Alchemist, Volume 3: Equivalent Exchange (The Viridian Collection)
Fullmetal Alchemist, Volume 4: The Fall of Ishbal (The Viridian Collection)
Karin, Vol. 4: Human or Vampire
Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow - Deluxe Edition (2004)
Peach Girl , Vol. 6
Samurai 7: Empire in Flux v.5 - Viridian Collection
Samurai 7 : Broken Alliance v.6 - Viridian Collection
School Rumble, Vol. 3
Shadow Skill: Complete Collection
Shonen Onmyouji, Vol. 3
Shura No Toki (2004)
Simoun - Vol. 1 - Choir of Pairs (2007)
Trinity Blood Box Set
Venus Versus Virus, Vol. 1: Outbreak
Xenosaga, Vol. 2: Voices from the Past
CARTOONS
Christmas Time In South Park
DuckTales - Volume 3 (1987)
The Littles - The Complete Series (1984)
Shrek the Third (Widescreen Edition) (2007)
Shrek the Third [HD DVD] (2007)
TaleSpin, Volume 2 (1990)
Zorro: Return to the Future (2007)
COMEDY AND LOVE MANIA STYLE
The Princess Bride (20th Anniversary Edition) (1987)
HORROR
Cannibals (1979)
Cannibal Man (1973)
Creature from the Hillbilly Lagoon (2005)
Driftwood (2006)
Fox Legend (1991)
Horror Rises from the Tomb (1972)
The Loreley's Grasp (1973)
Rise of the Dead (2007)
Silent Blood Night
Somebody Help Me (2007)
Spiritual Exercises (2007)
Welcome To the Jungle (2003)
SCIENCE FICTION / FANTASY
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (30th Anniversary Ultimate Edition)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (30th Anniversary Ultimate Edition) [Blu-ray]
Jerome Bixby's The Man from Earth (2007)
The Last Sentinel (2007)
The Revenge of The Teenage Vixens From Outer Space (1986)
TV LAND
The Addams Family - The Complete Series
Black Books: The Complete 3rd Series (2001)
Dinner For Five: The Complete Series (replicated version)
Prison Break - Season 1 [Blu-Ray] (2005)
Masters of Horror: Season 1, Vol. 3 [Blu-ray]
Masters of Horror - Dream Cruise (2007)
Northern Exposure - The Complete Series
Miami Vice: The Complete Series
The Criterion Collection
Berlin Alexanderplatz - Criterion Collection (1983)
BOX SETS
Cyberpunk Collection
Ocean's Trilogy
More From Mania
Steven Spielberg
Close encounters in ENTERPRISE's third season
(Wednesday, August 6, 2003)
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND
(Monday, June 4, 2001)
NOW AND AGAIN: Smart TV That Doesn't Know Where It's Going
(Monday, May 1, 2000)
A Brief History of Science Fiction, Horror & Fantasy at the Oscars
(Monday, March 27, 2000)
A Brief History of Science Fiction, Horror & Fantasy at the Oscars
(Saturday, March 25, 2000)
The Remaking of STAR TREK, Part 11: The Jump to the Big Screen
(Thursday, December 30, 1999)
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