A Bride for Rip Van Winkle (Shunji Iwai, 2016)

[PGW]

The 4 hour version has evidently shipped from Buyoyo (YesAsia was significantly more expensive), so it exists. :-)

Anyone have this yet?

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by PGW

The 4 hour version has evidently shipped from Buyoyo (YesAsia was significantly more expensive), so it exists. :-)

Anyone have this yet?

Looks like mine shipped from buyoyo on the 4th, so hopefully here before too long.

[PGW]

Mine arrived today. Unfortunately, somewhat crushed on the corners since Buyoyo shipped it in an envelope. Not a bubble-wrap envelope, mind you... just an envelope with no protection at all. I'm tempted to contact them about it, since it's such an expensive disc.

[PGW]

I finished watching the four hour version last night. I was surprised that, although it's obviously much longer than the three hour version, it's not just an extended cut. There are four or five scenes in the three hour version that are NOT in the four hour version - some of them quite long. That and the fact that the four hour set is broken up into six episodes make the two very different viewing experiences.

(Warning: Spoilers below!!!)

So which is better? For me, the longer version - hands down. While I enjoyed some of the extra scenes in the "movie" version, there were also some scenes in there that I thought gave away some things too early, dwelled unnecessarily on others and left a different impression of at least one of the characters. There's also one truly stupid scene in the short version (with Mashiro's mother) that I'm very glad was entirely omitted from the long version. I also liked how the ending of the longer version wasn't as bleak for our lead character.

In my opinion, the long version is a masterpiece. The short one - simply very good, but flawed.

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by PGW

Mine arrived today. Unfortunately, somewhat crushed on the corners since Buyoyo shipped it in an envelope. Not a bubble-wrap envelope, mind you... just an envelope with no protection at all. I'm tempted to contact them about it, since it's such an expensive disc.

Mine is in the same condition from the same retailer, but mine was very well packaged in bubble material, leading me to believe the damage occurred prior to shipment.

[manicsounds]

Originally Posted by PGW

I finished watching the four hour version last night. I was surprised that, although it's obviously much longer than the three hour version, it's not just an extended cut. There are four or five scenes in the three hour version that are NOT in the four hour version - some of them quite long. That and the fact that the four hour set is broken up into six episodes make the two very different viewing experiences.

(Warning: Spoilers below!!!)

So which is better? For me, the longer version - hands down. While I enjoyed some of the extra scenes in the "movie" version, there were also some scenes in there that I thought gave away some things too early, dwelled unnecessarily on others and left a different impression of at least one of the characters. There's also one truly stupid scene in the short version (with Mashiro's mother) that I'm very glad was entirely omitted from the long version. I also liked how the ending of the longer version wasn't as bleak for our lead character.

In my opinion, the long version is a masterpiece. The short one - simply very good, but flawed.

DVDCompare review agrees with you on that!

[Dan8700]

Originally Posted by PGW

There's also one truly stupid scene in the short version (with Mashiro's mother) that I'm very glad was entirely omitted from the long version.

Oh, really? You mean the one towards the end (

[Show spoiler]when they strip naked?

). That was an eyesore...

[PGW]

Yes. I have no idea why Iwai thought that would add to the film.

[manicsounds]

I was at a screening Q&A and he said that much of the story came from stories he heard or personal experience, but exaggerated highly - and for that scene, he said one of his friends in college started to make adult movies to pay the bills and didnt tell the family. He said he met her mother after the family found out about her secret life and he said he wanted to portray that awkwardness that he felt.

The moderator asked "So did you and the mother actually strip down like that?" with the audience laughing and he said "No! No! But it was an equally awkward situation in my mind."

[Takuma]

Interesting to hear the long version may be better. I saw the 3 hour version last spring and found it very disappointing compared to Iwai's amazing 90s and early 2000s films. Wonderfully acted and visually it still had some of that Iwai touch, and the storyline was like a TV drama. And yes, I hated the "mother scene".

Eurospace was screening the long version a few months ago. Of course I didn't see it because I was busy watching Norifumi Suzuki films in the next floor...

[elite]

For anyone who hasn't bought the Hong Kong 4-Hour Full Version blu-ray, DDDHouse is carrying it and the price seems to be much lower than any other site I've seen thus far at $185 HKD.

Here's the link for those interested: http://www.dddhouse.com/v3/product_d...roductID=16436

[e_d]

HKD $149 direct from Panorama.

https://shop.panorama.com.hk/index.p...=6&ev=&id=2295

Except they don't offer international ePacket like DDD so it comes out to HKD $283 with 134 of that being for shipping, a far cry from DDD's 30.

[ShellBeacher]

Coming around to this suuuuuper late, I know. But anyone have a line on ANYWHERE that might have the Blu-ray of the 4-hour version, or the Blu-ray+DVD Special Edition still in stock?? The DVD is all Special Features/doc, right? I see the DVD versions a couple of places, but looks like I missed out on the Blu editions?? :-(