Once Upon A Time In America - 40 more minutes

[AnimeOnBlu]

A story in Variety tells us that the aforementioned offspring of the brilliant filmmaker, Andrea and Raffaella, have acquired the film’s Italian rights, and plan to release a longer cut. While the version that is now sold on DVD and Blu-ray runs at 229 minutes, they plan to add 40 unseen minutes, bringing it up to 269, or four hours and twenty nine minutes.

Leone did around a year of filming, originally planning to release it as two three hour films, so there’s quite a bit of footage to choose from. Fausto Ancillai, the movie’s sound editor, is working on the new cut, and Bologna Cinemetheque L’Immagine Ritrovata will be overseeing its digital restoration. The plan is to premiere it in 2012 at either Cannes or Venice, with a VOD or theatrical release in Italy to follow. Thankfully, it’s hard to believe that other areas wouldn’t follow.

- http://thefilmstage.com/2011/03/10/s...minutes-added/

[Duffy12]

Awesome!

I hope that the extra footage centers around the gang's prohibition days as I felt that not enough time was dedicated to it in the final version of the film.

[menaceuk]

Is this unseen footage ?

I first saw this movie on VHS and there were like tapes and it was around 5 hours long.

That was such a long time ago though.

[dallywhitty]

Perhaps I should hold off buying the current Blu-ray release. I was under the assumption that the version available was the complete version? I didn't realise we had another it's-complete-but-it-isn't-really Metropolis-like situation, unless they're reinstating footage that was willingly deleted by Leone in the first place.

[Foggy]

A longer Once Upon A Time In America!?!?!?!

The only reason I haven't watched it yet is because it's that long already I might never find the time until...ever!

[Duffy12]

Originally Posted by dallywhitty

Perhaps I should hold off buying the current Blu-ray release. I was under the assumption that the version available was the complete version? I didn't realise we had another it's-complete-but-it-isn't-really Metropolis-like situation, unless they're reinstating footage that was willingly deleted by Leone in the first place.

Unfortunately there will never be a complete version as from the OP's post, Director Sergio Leone and editor Nino Baragli trimmed the footage to around 6 hours, with the plan of releasing the film as two three-hour movies which the studio balked at.

So we just have to be hopeful that maybe someone finds a bunch more footage in somebody's basement possibly.


Also from IMDb-

"While the 229-minute version is touted as the definite version of the film, Sergio Leone wanted the film to have a running time of 250-265 minutes. The 229-minute version left out 45 minutes that Leone considered essential on the cutting room floor, including: further explanation of the mob/labor relationship, Noodles meeting Carol in the 1968, and a good deal of footage featuring Noodles's relationship with Eve."


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[Tibor Lugosi]

My favorite movie, period. I will quadruple dip for this on Blu ray without hesitation. I just hope it makes it...