Once Upon a Time in America (1984) (Extended Director's Cut)

[bootsy]

Never seen this so I'm looking forward to this.

[CobraVerde]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

How do you all feel about the sephia filter of the extended cut? do you like it?

http://caps-a-holic.com/hd_vergleich...ess=#vergleich
http://caps-a-holic.com/hd_vergleich...ess=#vergleich

Not sure about original intent, but i think it looks great. The whole film feels very vintage and this only helps convey that mood.

[Kriztoffer Swank]

Originally Posted by Don Corleone

I don't believe the 1984 2 hour chronological was ever released on DVD

I meant the new supposed director's cut may feel too long. The prior extended cut shy of 4 hours is the one I've seen on DVD and is the reason I'd like to get the Blu-ray set with both cuts, for sake of familiarity if nothing else.

[CobraVerde]

Originally Posted by Kriztoffer Swank

I meant the new supposed director's cut may feel too long. The prior extended cut shy of 4 hours is the one I've seen on DVD and is the reason I'd like to get the Blu-ray set with both cuts, for sake of familiarity if nothing else.

The extended cut that's out now is not included in this set. Only the new director's cut, and the 2 hour theatrical cut from 1984. If you want the extended cut, you'll have to buy the disc that's out currently.

[Kriztoffer Swank]

Bonkers, really? I was under the impression it'd have the prior DVD cut. Is this confirmed? I keep seeing different information—has the theatrical cut, doesn't have it.

One would think they could include the previous extended cut as a seamless branching option on the director's cut disc.

[Mandalorian]

Originally Posted by bootsy

Never seen this so I'm looking forward to this.

Same here.

[CobraVerde]

Originally Posted by Kriztoffer Swank

Bonkers, really? I was under the impression it'd have the prior DVD cut. Is this confirmed? I keep seeing different information—has the theatrical cut, doesn't have it.

One would think they could include the previous extended cut as a seamless branching option on the director's cut disc.

The prior DVD cut isn't the theatrical cut. The theatrical cut was a chopped-down 2-hour version the studio made after taking the film away from Leone.

The could in theory put the previous extended cut in via seamless branching, but the director's cut has new color timing, so they'd have to go back and re-author all the spots in the prior cut where they'd have to take footage out.

[Kriztoffer Swank]

Yes, I'm aware, but I'm hearing conflicting information on what is actually included on the upcoming two-disc set: the theatrical cut or the 229-minute cut. I've read it contains the latter, not the two-hour theatrical cut.

[CobraVerde]

Originally Posted by Kriztoffer Swank

Yes, I'm aware, but I'm hearing conflicting information on what is actually included on the upcoming two-disc set: the theatrical cut or the 229-minute cut. I've read it contains the latter, not the two-hour theatrical cut.

The press release a page back says "includes theatrical cut." The extended version isn't the theatrical cut. So there's no conflicting information.

The new directors cut on 1 disc, the "theatrical" cut on the other. Nowhere does it say the previous extended cut is included.

Not to mention, on the press sheet, under theatrical version, it appears to read 124 minutes. the original theatrical was 139 minutes I believe, so that's what it might say, but the first number is definitely a 1, meaning it's the 2 hour theatrical cut.

It is interesting though that Scorsese has been working to get the rights cleared for the remaining 20 minutes and have them re-inserted, so I wouldn't doubt yet anther release in a couple of years with the full 269 minute cut.

[chris1234]

I hope the forthcoming release does contain the short butchered version - I've been trying to get hold of a copy for years. I suspect however that it contains the 251 minute version and the 229 minute version.

Sergio Leone and Tonino Delli Colli have both commented on how the movie is supposed to look and how Rn was used to obtain much deeper velvety blacks, much more luminous whites, added brilliance to everything and reinforced the contrasts.

From an interview between Sergio Leone and Jean A Gili originally published in Positif Magazine No. 280 dated June 1984 and repeated in Jean A Gili's book Italian Filmmakers published in 1998:

Sergio Leone: "Delli Colli is very good; he created fabulous photography for Once Upon a Time in America, he managed to capture the atmosphere of three different periods. Thanks to Rn, Delli Colli could play with the different eras, the twenties with the children; 1933 with pastel colors; finally our own times with sequences set in 1968. Rn is a well-known Technicolor process that's a little more expensive but can help you obtain much deeper blacks and much more luminous whites."

From Oreste de Fornari's book Sergio Leone: The Great Italian Dream Of Legendary America, which was originally published in Italian as Tutti i film di Sergio Leone.

Tonino Delli Colli: "Sergio and I understood each other very well; there was no need for a lot of instructions. We shared a point of departure, an aesthetic principle: in a Western you cannot use a lot of color. We kept to subdued shades: black, brown, off-white, since the buildings were wooden and the colors of the landscape rather vivid. In Once Upon a Time in the West we gave a sandy color to the whole copy. We like colors like these; we have the same tastes.

In Once Upon a Time in America we differentiated between three periods. For 1923, a sepia print that recalls the photos of that period. For 1930 we tried to keep the image as neutral as possible, a kind of metallic black-and-white, cold approach to the gangster films of that epoch. For 1968 no special effect. We used a little Rn, a special bath patented by Technicolor Italiana, which made the blacks more velvety, added brilliance to everything and reinforced the contrasts."

I have seen the web page in which it was reported that Martin Scorsese said there was a further 20 mins or so that they hoped to add back but I've not seen any explanations why this has not happened. I think it unlikely that rights issues are the main problem.

It is more likely that the additional footage is in an even worse condition than those which have been restored. Another possibility is conflict. Originally several scenes of Carol at the Nursing home were filmed. These were amalgamated into one scene in the 229 minute cut and a voice-over from Carol which incidentally may not sync with her lip movements.

Then there's the scene of Eve and Noodles in bed being disturbed by Max and Carol who want to go to the beach. The lift scene at the hospital in the 229 minute version supersedes this and even if the footage exists it may not be possible to simply reinsert it back into the movie.

[JimDiGriz]

I really dont see the point in including that butchered two hour theatrical release. Who wants to see it? I know I dont - It would just annoy me I suspect! I know completists would like it perhaps but some things are best left unseen..

[Kriztoffer Swank]

Above the rating, it certainly does appear to read 124 mins. It'll be interesting to see the two-hour cut, but I'm a little nonplussed the 229-minute cut won't be included. Guess I may have to grab the original Blu-ray on the cheap.

[Eny-]

Warner should let Charles de Lauzirika produce every set.
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Scratch that, he should produce every set.

[diceman89]

Originally Posted by Kriztoffer Swank

Above the rating, it certainly does appear to read 124 mins. It'll be interesting to see the two-hour cut, but I'm a little nonplussed the 229-minute cut won't be included. Guess I may have to grab the original Blu-ray on the cheap.

Unless you guys are looking at a press release of better quality than the one posted here, the number above the rating is too blurry to read with any level of certainty. It very well could say 229.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by diceman89

Unless you guys are looking at a press release of better quality than the one posted here, the number above the rating is too blurry to read with any level of certainty. It very well could say 229.

You can clearly see that it says "Theatrical Cut" and to my eyes starts with a 1.




The 229 min cut is already available, so in does kind of make sense to include the theatrical cut for the first time, in addition to the extended one. It would be best if they went the Blade Runner route however, and just included all of them in one package though.

[Kriztoffer Swank]

Zoomed in, it certainly does look like 124 mins. and also says "Theatrical Cut," which I take to mean the US theatrical cut, with the director's cut running 251 mins.

I was really hoping the 229-min. cut would be part of this set with the new restoration, but it looks like I'll just have to grab the old Blu-ray (or stick to my DVD). But who knows? The 251-min. cut could become my preferred version...that is until even more footage is added for a runtime closer to Leone's vision.

[diceman89]

I wish they'd hurry up and release the back cover so we can know for sure. The anticipation is killing me.

[Det. Bullock]

Will the extended disc have seamless branching so you can see the movie without the additional footage added in the latest restoration?
(the added twenty minutes or so are very low quality, they were taken froma junked answer print that was horribly stored)

And most of all: do you think it will have the same rubbish endoding as the italian version by Warner?

[Kriztoffer Swank]

I'm gonna guess no seamless branching (sadly) and less than optimal encoding because 4+ hours of a/v plus other stuff on one disc, because Warner doesn't often give movies the prestigious treatment on BD.

Which is a crying damn shame, but at the very least I'm hoping for much better encoding than the Italian disc. With smart encoding you could probably make the movie look good.

[cash_black]

All the press releases say that it is just the extended cut and will not include the other version.