Army of Darkness's "European" cut

[UniSol GR77]

Hello guys,

I've just realized that the European cut of AoD I watched in my local theatre back in 1993 was the infamous "DIRECTOR's cut" minus the post-apocalyptic ending.
So is the UK blu-ray featuring the European cut anyway? I've just discovered in horror the American theatrical cut misses the best parts... the movie has been slaughtered in the States !!!

PLUS, has the post-apocalyptic ending been transferred on HD anyway?

[Eidolon]

Originally Posted by UniSol GR77

Hello guys,

I've just realized that the European cut of AoD I watched in my local theatre back in 1993 was the infamous "DIRECTOR's cut" minus the post-apocalyptic ending.
So is the UK blu-ray featuring the European cut anyway? I've just discovered in horror the American theatrical cut misses the best parts... the movie has been slaughtered in the States !!!

PLUS, has the post-apocalyptic ending been transferred on HD anyway?

the European cut is not the directors cut, theres quite a difference. It's a lot better than the American edit, but not as good as the director's cut. Technically there were 2 versions, the cinema version which had the s-mart ending, and the VHS release, which had the post-apocalyptic end. other than that they were the same. Only way to get this version is on an old VHS tape as far as I know.
The UK BD features the AMerican theatrical version in HD, and the director's cut in standard def, as an extra. Same one as the HK DVD, so it's a lot better than the ANchor Bay bootleg quality DVDs.

[Banned User]

This really deserves a better release. It would be nice to have both cuts plus a extra cut as a special feature. Add in all the deleted scenes ( like they mostly did for the TV version ), a few of the alternate takes and add in both endings like the screenpower special edition VHS from Germany did. Where after drinking the potion Ash dreams the S-mart ending and then wakes to the apocalyptic ending.

Either way the current Region1 release leaves a lot to be desired.

Here's a list of the NA Director Cut and Theatrical version differences.
http://wwww.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=1978003

[UniSol GR77]

Originally Posted by Eidolon

Technically there were 2 versions, the cinema version which had the s-mart ending, and the VHS release, which had the post-apocalyptic end. other than that they were the same.

"They" were the same... European and American? I don't get it.

[Eidolon]

Originally Posted by UniSol GR77

"They" were the same... European and American? I don't get it.

other than the endings, the main noticeable differences were in the windmill sequence, which had entirely different footage to what was in the American version. It's all rather odd really, why 'this' eas chosen for the Euro version and 'that' was chosen for the American one. The windmill is a lot better in the euro cut, it just flows better.I dont know who even made the decisions, if it was Raimi, or the distributors. It's worth a track donw to see the euro VHS (UK release by Guild) for anybody who's not seen it.

I'm aware of the following different edits:

1. American edit
2. European theatrical (s-mart end)
3. UK VHS (same as above, but with post-apocolypic end. Sell-thru had both ends)
4. Directors cut (UK BD in SD, and Hong Kong DVD)
5. So-called Director's cut (anchor bay DVD, abysmal quality with sound errors and missing footage)

Chances are theres more than this.

[UniSol GR77]

http://www.bookofthedead.ws/website/...ed_scenes.html

[UniSol GR77]

Originally Posted by Eidolon

were in the windmill sequence, which had entirely different footage to what was in the American version.

Hopefully they didn't cut the LONG run of Ash followed by the Evil Dead (the dark spirit).

Plus, I've heard the love scene on bed Ash + Sheila has been cut?

[UniSol GR77]

http://www.dvdactive.com/reviews/dvd...m-edition.html

HOPEFULLY there will be brand-new transfers for each cut in the future to come...

[Eidolon]

Originally Posted by UniSol GR77

Hopefully they didn't cut the LONG run of Ash followed by the Evil Dead (the dark spirit).

Plus, I've heard the love scene on bed Ash + Sheila has been cut?

dont recall to be honest, my VHS vanished years ago. I recall the main windmill being a lot different to the AMerican version though (I had an MCA NTSC import tape), and the directors cut which I had on bootleg VHS at the time.

I'd love to see a versdion with the deleted windmill footage where Ash sees something outside and goes to investigate, and finds his horse. This was so much more in mood with the two previous films, such a shame it got cut. At least its on the deleted scenes. Theres probably a fan edit somewhere with it back in.

[UniSol GR77]

Are the source tapes available somewhere in some storage vaults for a future release?

[Banned User]

I still like the apocalyptic ending. It fit Ash's character. If it wasn't for test audience's finding it to be a "downer" that would of been the ending of it. I find it funny.

[Eidolon]

Originally Posted by UniSol GR77

http://www.dvdactive.com/reviews/dvd...m-edition.html

HOPEFULLY there will be brand-new transfers for each cut in the future to come...

good article.
Still surprised to see that bit where the reviewer thinks that Ash forgot about the events of the first movie and returned to it in the second. Honestly, its baffling that so many people have such a problem telling that the first few minutes of ED2 are a condensed/abreviated re-enactment of the first film. Blimey, once Ash's been dumped in the puddle, even the cabin changes to show all the damage from the frist film, such as where Cheryl's hands came through the door, and now it has wooden boards nailed over the holes...

[Banned User]

Originally Posted by Eidolon

good article.
Still surprised to see that bit where the reviewer thinks that Ash forgot about the events of the first movie and returned to it in the second. Honestly, its baffling that so many people have such a problem telling that the first few minutes of ED2 are a condensed/abreviated re-enactment of the first film. Blimey, once Ash's been dumped in the puddle, even the cabin changes to show all the damage from the frist film, such as where Cheryl's hands came through the door, and now it has wooden boards nailed over the holes...

Yeah its pretty funny reading some of the reviews on IMDB with a few people saying how stupid Ash is for going back to the house after what happened. Talk about stupidity.

Does Universal still have rights to Army of Darkness in Region A? It would be nice to see Lionsgate release this. Especially after finally getting good releases of ED 1 & 2.

[UniSol GR77]

Originally Posted by Eidolon

good article.
Still surprised to see that bit where the reviewer thinks that Ash forgot about the events of the first movie and returned to it in the second. Honestly, its baffling that so many people have such a problem telling that the first few minutes of ED2 are a condensed/abreviated re-enactment of the first film. Blimey, once Ash's been dumped in the puddle, even the cabin changes to show all the damage from the frist film, such as where Cheryl's hands came through the door, and now it has wooden boards nailed over the holes...

There was no piano in the original cabin. The furniture is different. The place is different.
IMHO, another interpretation is that Ash did go to a SECOND cabin 8 years after the "Evil Dead event", the so-called 'Knowby Cabin', where Prof. Raymond Knowby had finally translated the Necronomicon Ex-Mortes, the original Book of the Dead.
BUT the FIRST cabin in 1979 (when ED1 was indeed filmed), which was for rent and not a private one like the Knowby Cabin, had been occupied by an unnamed archeologist who just happened to discover the "Naturan Demanta", a (demonized & "alive") copy of the Necronomicon Ex-Mortes.
Ash just removed the events of the first cabin following a post-traumatic disorder.
And yes, he had a new girlfriend named Linda.

[Banned User]

Or Ash had a twin brother also named Ash who also happened to have a girlfriend named Linda who also happened to have the same piece of jewelry. Ok now my eye's are crossed.

[Eidolon]

Originally Posted by UniSol GR77

There was no piano in the original cabin.
IMHO, another interpretation is that Ash did return to a SECOND cabin, Knowby Cabin, where Prof Knowby has translated the Necronomicon Ex-Mortes, the original book of the dead.
BUT the FIRST cabin, which was for rent and not a private one, was occupied by an unnamed archeologist who just happened to discover the "Naturan Demanta", a (demonized) copy of the Necronomicon.
Ash just removed the events of the first cabin.
And yes, he had a new girlfriend named Linda.

it IS a re-enactment UniSol, the cabin woulodnt suddnly have the same damage as in the first film and so on. It's charted somewhere )probably in the Evil Dead Companion book) that Raimi couldnt get the rights to use footage from the first film, so shot the re-enactment instead. The piano is just a bit of artisitc licence, like the bit at the start of AoD where it shows Ash reading from the book, when we know it was actually Annie who did it ED2.
The bit where the force rasces through the cabin, picks Ash up, spins him round and dumps him in the puddle is the final shot of ED1 re-encacted, and then extended. Then we get into the next night and ED2 starts for real.

[Ator the Invincible]

Originally Posted by Banned User

I still like the apocalyptic ending. It fit Ash's character. If it wasn't for test audience's finding it to be a "downer" that would of been the ending of it. I find it funny.

Yeah, I liked that ending, and it was a great setup for another sequel. But I absolutely LOVE the S-Mart ending. It wraps up everything I love about Ash (and Bruce Campbell) in one scene. And it still makes me laugh out loud to this day. Still, I hope that both main cuts get their due on BD eventually.

[Eidolon]

Originally Posted by Banned User

Or Ash had a twin brother also named Ash who also happened to have a girlfriend named Linda who also happened to have the same piece of jewelry. Ok now my eye's are crossed.

and Ash's twin borhter Ash also wears the exact same clothes that his brother did years before and drives the exact same car

[UniSol GR77]

Hahahah

At this point, we MUST get an HD video transfer of the European cut/Director's cut and a brand new transfer of the American cut.

Who owns AoD anyway?
Any chance there will be a new release in the future to come?

[Eidolon]

Originally Posted by UniSol GR77

Hahahah

At this point, we MUST get an HD video transfer of the European cut/Director's cut and a brand new transfer of the American cut.

Who owns AoD anyway?
Any chance there will be a new release in the future to come?

well, the ideal release would have the AMerican, Eupoean (with post-apocaliptic ending) and Director's cut all included in HD. Universal have never showed any real love for this film sadly (or for Darkman, thinking of it), so if it did turn up, it's probably be in the UK. Think it's highly doubtful we'll get it though.

I recall Raimi talking about doing a fourth one a while back, before the idea was totally abandonned forever in favour of the inevitably crap impending remake.
A fourth film would have been rather interesting, just to see on which ending they built upon. The post-apocoliptic one clearly had the better potential.
The Freddy Vs. Jason Vs. Ash comics were a fun read, and the first mini-series was apparently adapted from the abandonned screenplay. WOuld have been a good film by the looks of it.