C'era una volta in America - Once Upon a time in America (NEW RESTORED VERSION!)

[El_Burro]

Thanks to Quarry and Saimo we know that the son of Sergio Leone brought these title for Italy. So the film will be totally frame by frame restored by Cineteca Bologna and also will be restored the original audio dub the soundtrack and the effects. There will be also the scenes that has been deleted at the beginning for .... If all goes well, we can have it also in theatres in 2012.

You can read that from here (ita only):

[pro-bassoonist]

Interesting. If it materializes, and a Blu-ray release is produced, it should be quite an accomplishment. I am quite pleased with the WB release, but there is certainly room for improvement.

Pro-B

[once]

Thanks for this news. Looking forward to 2012. Roughly translated the italian article reads:

A ‘Leone’ in the restoration of the film ‘Once upon a time in America’. It will return soon.

Fabio Santini

“What a thrill, like a son who returns home after many years ...”
Andrea, son of the unforgettable film director Sergio Leone, along with his sister Raffaella at the head of Leone Productions, has succeeded in a task very dear to his heart. He has purchased from the producer Aarnon Milchan the Italian rights to Once Upon a Time in America, his father’s last film dated 1984.

“It was a long negotiation, difficult, but eventually we made it.” told a liberated Andrea “Now the film will go to the restored images lab of the Cineteca Bologna, directed by Gianluca Farinelli.” They are dedicated to the painstaking restoration of images frame by frame, dubbing the original, soundtrack, effects. “Especially” Andrea Leone continues, “to reassemble the pieces of film, which my father had to cut due to time restraints.”

Among these is the encounter at the Riverdale Cemetery between Noodles - De Niro - and Louise Fletcher (the unforgettable nurse in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest). Louise Fletcher plays the director of the cemetery, an austere and ambiguous character, giving an atmosphere of great pathos to Noodles’ first research of his past.

And also, the encounter of old Noodles with Elizabeth McGovern on stage in a theater as she recites the part of Cleopatra in Shakespeare’s ‘Antony and Cleopatra’. “The dubbing remains the original.” Andrea continues “So we will not dub the new components whose on-screen dialogue will be subtitled in Italian. There will be new and complex editing. To supervise the task we will use some-one exceptional. Like a Quentin Tarantino or Martin Scorsese, who understand the film culture of my father, and are expert in the restoration of old films. We wanted to show the new edition of the film at Cannes this year, but there is not sufficient time. Too bad because the president of the Jury will be De Niro. With Sky, we are studying plans for its launch. I do not exclude that the film will return to theaters in 2012."

But the surprises do not end there. “Rummaging in the drawers of my father’s study” Andrea Leone continues, “we found a screenplay that he wrote between 1960 and 1965. It is the story of a handful of fighters engaged in a battle of Ancient Rome. The film is inspired by ‘The Magnificent 7’. We contacted David Franzoni, screenwriter of 'Amistad' and from 'The Gladiator "and we're making a movie to be produced by studios or independents linked with Milchan. Franzoni is pumped by the idea of putting together a film based on an original script by Leone. He is an avid fan. In his study he has a giant poster of The Good the Bad and the Ugly.”

[AnimeOnBlu]

So if I am understanding the translation correctly, the movie will be done with the Italian dub for the existing 229 minutes and the new scenes will be in English with Italian subtitles? I wonder if a Blu-ray release happens (by Mondo or Cecchi Gori) if it will emulate that or have the choice of full English?

[once]

Andrea Leone's comments about the dubbing indicate that the unreleased footage may be more complete than many thought. We know that De Niro was keen for all actors to have Brooklyn accents, that De Niro and Woods persuaded Leone to use direct sound for many of the scenes and Leone estimated that in the end 65% of the movie was recorded direct.

Andrea only mentions 2 scenes but 40 minutes is almost half a standard film length - probably more than 30 pages of script.

Hopefully the fully restored version will contain some of the other scenes which were cut from the movie e.g. Bugsy's arrest and Eve's scenes and a version in some form will be available outside Italy.

[El_Burro]

Thanks to the user Riki333 here the confirm that Cineteca is working on the film and some more:

(Tratto da Repubblica Bologna)

La Cineteca di Bologna restaura
"C'era un volta in America"
I figli di Sergio Leone le affidano la cura del film con le parti tagliate. Probabile supervisore Martin Scorsese. Gli spezzoni verranno reintegrati con il doppiaggio originale e i sottotitoli
di EMANUELA GIAMPAOLI

"La Cineteca di Bologna ha restaurato tutti gli altri film di papà, solo ad essa potevamo dare il recupero della versione originale di "C'era una volta in America"; ci tenevamo". Andrea e Raffaella Leone commentano così l'affidamento al Laboratorio dell'Immagine ritrovata del restauro con i 40 minuti di tagli del capolavoro del regista Sergio Leone. Un'operazione che per giunta avrà come probabile supervisore Martin Scorsese.

Non sarà solo un semplice restauro quello del film "C'era una volta in America", ma un director's cut, cioè un ritorno alla versione originale che il Maestro Sergio Leone aveva montato. Un sogno che i figli, Andrea e Raffaella, hanno inseguito a lungo e che ora grazie all'accordo con il produttore Arnon Milchan, firmato una decina di giorni fa, diventerà realtà.
"Mio padre - svela Andrea Leone - aveva realizzato un montaggio di quattro ore e mezzo, che in Europa divennero tre ore e quaranta, mentre negli States i tagli portarono la pellicola a due ore, di fatto rovinandola. Tanto che papà la versione statunitense non volle mai vederla. Ora, a 26 anni di distanza, siamo rientrati in possesso dei diritti per l'Italia e dopo che la Cineteca di Bologna ha restaurato tutti gli altri titoli di papà è stato naturale che arrivasse sotto le torri. Mancava solo questo all'appello. Con Farinelli poi, il rapporto è ormai quasi fraterno".

"E' un film mitico e siamo felicissimi di prendere parte all'operazione - conferma Gian Luca Farinelli, direttore della Cineteca - e in effetti Scorsese si è detto disponibile per la nuova versione. I 40 minuti di tagli, che fece lo stesso Leone, sono già in Cineteca in pellicola dalla fine di dicembre, ma sarà un'impresa impegnativa e siamo all'inizio. Un lavoro che richiederà almeno un anno, anche perché oltre ai fotogrammi, ci sono il sonoro e la colonna sonora di Morricone, a cui si aggiunge l'opera di rimontaggio".

In più conterrà sequenze come l'incontro al cimitero ebraico di Riverdale tra Robert De Niro e il premio Oscar Lousie Fletcher (che appariva nei titoli di coda ma poi era scomparsa dal film), e ancora Noodles-De Niro con Elizabeth Mc Govern. Spezzoni che verranno reintegrati con il doppiaggio originale e i sottotitoli. "Stiamo valutando se presentarlo a Cannes o a Venezia, - spiega Leone junior - ma certo sarà il 2012. Ci sono in ballo accordi con Sky e non escludo il ritorno nelle sale. Ma di una cosa sono certo: lo si vedrà in piazza Maggiore d'estate, perché di tutte le proiezioni sarà la più emozionante".

quick translation: probably will be supervised by Martin Scorsese and cut off will be integrated with original dub and subtitles.
There will be 40minutes of more scenes. It will be a director's cut not a simply reastaured version.The original cut from Leone was of 4.30 hours that in europe became 3.40 hours and in USA 2 hours. These has never been approved by Leone who infact, didnt want to see these version. Scorsese has been already contacted and seems disponible for these new version
All has already started on December but will take one year.
They're evalutating if showing at Cannes or Venezia anyway will be on 2012 for sure

[once]

Thanks again El Burro.

Previously Leone has been quoted as having said that he quite liked the 229 min version but he may have been putting a brave face on it. At other times he regretted some of the cuts especially those showing Noodles' relationships with women other than Deborah.

The Italian article reveals that the agreement with Milchan was signed 10 days ago and that Leone thought that the short U.S. version ruined his movie and he would never see it.

It also states that Scorsese has said he is available for the new version and Leone's children are adamant that the fully restored director's cut will be available in 2012.

[pro-bassoonist]

It looks like the Film Foundation might be involved with this project.

Pro-B

[once]

Quick translation of the second Italian article:

La Cineteca di Bologna to restore "Once Upon a Time in America".
Sergio Leone's children entrust them with the care of the film and the scenes which were cut. Probable supervisor Martin Scorsese. The footage will be re-integrated with the original dubbing and subtitles.

EMANUELA of GIAMPAOLO

"La Cineteca di Bologna has restored all my father's other movies so we think they are the only people who could recover the original version of Once Upon a Time in America". Andrea and Raffaella Leone comment on their confidence in the Laboratorio dell'Immagine ritrovata concerning the 40 minutes of cuts from director Sergio Leone's masterpiece. An operation that is likely to be supervised by Martin Scorsese.

It will not be just a simple restoration of the film "Once Upon a Time in America", but a director's cut, that is a return to the original version that the director Sergio Leone had assembled. A dream that his children, Andrea and Raffaella, have pursued for a long time and now thanks to an agreement with producer Arnon Milchan, signed ten days ago, it will become a reality.

"My father" reveals Andrea Leone "had made a version of four and a half hours (270 minutes), which was cut in Europe to three hours forty (220 minutes), while the cuts in the United States brought the film to two hours, in fact ruining it. So much so that my father would never see the U.S. version. Now, 26 years later, we have acquired the Italian rights and since La Cineteca di Bologna have restored all of my father's other movies, it was natural for this to arrive under their towers. This was the only course of action. By this time, our relationship with Farinelli is almost brotherly."

"It's a legendary film and we are delighted to take part in the operation" confirmed Gian Luca Farinelli, director of La Cineteca, "and indeed, Scorsese has said he is available for the new version. The 40 minutes of cuts that Leone made have been with La Cineteca since the end of December but it will be a challenging process and we are just beginning. A job that will demand at least a year, because in addition to the frames, there is sound and a soundtrack by Morricone to be added to the work of replacement. "

The additions include scenes such as the meeting at the cemetery in Riverdale between Robert De Niro and Oscar winner Lousie Fletcher (who appeared in the credits but then disappeared from the movie) and De Niro as Noodles with Elizabeth McGovern. Parts that will be taken back to the original dubbing and subtitles. "We are considering whether to introduce in Cannes or Venice" explains Leone's childen "but we certainly will in 2012. We are in talks with Sky and do not rule out a return in theaters. But one thing is certain: you will see it in Piazza Maggiore in summer because of all the screenings this will be the most emotional."

[Tibor Lugosi]

As this is my favorite film, I'm excitedly awaiting further news/info on this release.

Once and El Burro, have you heard anything lately?

Thank you for sharing these incredible updates! Mille grazie!

[Jerome]

http://bologna.repubblica.it/cronaca...ogna-22504184/

[Tibor Lugosi]

Originally Posted by Jerome

http://bologna.repubblica.it/cronaca...ogna-22504184/

Jerome, you made my day! What am I saying, my entire week!

Basically the article states that Martin Scorsese's Film Foundation and Immagine Ritrovata (the company doing the restoration) are hard at work on the extended edition of OUATIA, the goal being to present it at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival, which takes place in May.

It's happening, people! A masterpiece is being restored to its director's vision! 2012 is gonna be a great year, I can't wait!

[Pyoko]

Already planed for Cannes 2012? This thing moved faster than I expected.

I just hope it'll make it to Blu-ray just as quickly, instead of having to wait years like for Once Upon a Time in the West.

[Tibor Lugosi]

This is my most anticipated title EVER! A Criterion edition of this new cut would make me lose it! I realize it's a long shot, but...

[djvaso]

269-minute 'redux cut' of Sergio Leone's 'Once Upon a Time in America' to premiere at Cannes

Thanks Abertino for the link!

[Tibor Lugosi]

How soon do you think this edition will be released on Blu ray?

[retask]

Yeah, hasn't been any word on this for long now. Any news?

[McCrutchy]

Originally Posted by retask

Yeah, hasn't been any word on this for long now. Any news?

Well, Cannes is next month...

I assume any new release would have to be weighed against the cost of mastering the longer version for Blu-ray. 2014 would be the 20th anniversary, so I would imagine Warner would take advantage of that in 2013-2015.

[Tibor Lugosi]

Actually 2014 would be the 30th anniversary. I will gladly quadruple-dip for this movie, and I think I'm not the only one!

[once]

There has now been an announcement on the official site of the Festival de Cannes:

"The Film Foundation (USA), chaired by Martin Scorsese, will present a 4K restored and reconstructed print of ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA by Sergio Leone (1984, 245'), with 25 minutes of additional scenes, based on the first cut by Sergio Leone in 1984. This restoration was requested by Martin Scorsese.

The screening will be attended by Robert De Niro, Elizabeth McGovern, Jennifer Connelly, producer Arnon Milchan (who also has a small role in the film) and, of course, the Leone family.

Restoration by the Cinematheque of Bologna at the Immagine Ritrovata Laboratory, in association with Andrea Leone Films, The Film Foundation and Regency Enterprises. The restoration was funded by The Film Foundation and Gucci."

http://www.festival-cannes.fr/en/article/58952.html

Some people quote 229 minutes for the running time of the movie but reliable sources from the 1980s say that the running time for the version shown in theaters in Italy in the 1980s was 220 minutes.

Cahiers Du Cinema (1984), Sergio Leone (1984), Andrea Leone, Oreste de Fornari and Frayling (STDWD P.541) all quote an original running time of 220 minutes for the Italian version (229 mins relates to NTSC TV, NTSC DVDs, Blu-rays and the theatrical U.K. version).

The news from Cannes is quite a disappointment - 25 minutes of additional scenes only bringing the total running time to 245 minutes.

Leone made a version of 270 minutes. His children have been trying to purchase the rights to the deleted scenes for many years in the hope that one day, in honor of his memory, they would be able to release the version which they thought he preferred. They promised a fully restored version of 270 minutes and I am desolated that this has not happened.

All I can think is that there must be a good reason. Hopefully we will learn more later and one day see the other 25 minutes in theaters or on disc.