THE S&S INTERVIEW: AGNES VARDA @ TAKAHATA ISAO’S ‘THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA’ We ake Ua CC CW tree el LaPoe ee eS oe Bec 20g A film by ROBIN CAMPILLO, writer of Palme d’Or winner ‘THE CLASS’ & original TV series ‘THE RETURNED’ “BRILLIANT, SEXUALLY CHARGED, FLUID, DANGEROUS.” Lokal eff > ae de. anand 1 ee EASTERN BOYS \ On DVD, Blu-ray & On-Demand ONE eae LEY eee SUR reel pliContents April 2015 The S&S Interview: Agnés Varda Chris Darke talks to the veteran French director, one of the driving spirits of the nouvelle vague. PLUS Gilberto Perez pays tribute to Varda's rich visual clarity and moral sensitivity REGULARS 9 Editorial Look back in candour Rushes 6 Ben Walters previews BEI Flare 2015 8 Object Lesson: Hannah McGill gets ready forbed 9 The Five Key..:mother and son films 1 Dispatches: Mark Cousins suffers slippageat Sundance “The Industry 12 Development Tale: Charles Gant on how Suite francaise made it into cinemas 13 The Numbers: Charles Gant on boxoffice dominatrix 50 Shades of Grey 14 Brewster:Ben Roberts cracks the festival code Festivals 16 Nick James reports from the Berlinale Wide Angle 54 Nick Pinkerton hails Thom Andersen, omery master of the essay film 56 Soundings: Frances Morgan listens to Joanna Bruzdowice’s soundtracks forthefilms of Agnts Varda 57 Primal Screen: Bryony Dixon explores the unjustly neglected career of the Soviet director Esfir hub 59 Soundings: Jason Anderson on ohn. Carpenter’shidden musical depths 61 Artists’ Moving Image: Charile Fox ‘ventures into the tangled world of Lindsay Seers'sremarkable films nr Letters Endings 11 Paul Cronin on the self referential denouement of Medion Cool FEATURES 8 ‘COVER FEATURE Remake/remodel Allflms exist in slightly different versions, but some directors cutsand alternative versions are fascinating in their own right. James Ball introduces ourpick of soo! the most intriguing examples 2 All about my mother Xavier Dolan's first film, Kiel My Mother, ‘wasa cr de coeuragainst the woman who had borne him. His fifth feature Mommy offers the mother figure the chance togain her revenge. By Ben Walters 36 ‘Slow on the draw ‘The Tale ofthe Princess Kaguya confirms ‘Studio Ghibli founder Takahata Isao’s reputation asan implacable perfectionist. By Nick Bradshaw 40 "Nothing is valid [wasn just the communist authorities ‘who found the films of Czech director ‘Vera Chytilova challenging her work pushed the very boundaries of cinema itself. By Michael Brooke “ ‘The Great Game Bite Lake, Adam Curtis's film about the tangled history of Afghanistan, offers some welcome insights— but in his bid tocounteract the lazy fables beloved of some politicians isthe directorin danger ‘of aversimplification too? By Jason Burke 5 205 | lghsound|2THE FINAL FILM BY ALAIN RESNAIS IN CINEMAS NATIONWIDE FROM 6™ MARCH 2015 Mec AUS ica ‘RA nem Ore Pret Sy heat GARY COOPER in id OF i T ae A Seay beta 44 9 Sih. =a 1p 7 G04 : y ~ ae - _ OF THE a zo 3 sa Mae te PT MIA Hs eco ronSight&Sound {poaportnanoeny Fim Bain Eetoritenquies 2istecnen Seetcondon WITILN woz sb ae vwthoren/oetandeound eeEsethopu Soci media ‘ acatookcon/SehSouncrag ‘eowtercomSentSeundrag Subscriptions 20208555700 voume sue 4) ISSN O07 4806 USPS 496-040 ‘SonmBuroRs Jason Anderson =a re ‘ana prosremnetn NeiBrand srt saps viieenatinctoron Jason Bur «3 Erte siorasrepresontety cnthe Mie et books mare Nr ‘Astley Clara Grteanstimeogarnee Parone =the Fax Tho aang ct ecu Cet ferthaeriFimcasseseres Bryony Dion scar sent fimartete! haters ree (hare Fxizaveearce dane Giles: Prorame sos Hannah Mei = sierce Hey Kiln store tok Ih Eset Rano Dupnat Ciberto Pere rn Farha Msdum Nick Pinkerton’ Nee faved cand programe Imogen Sara Smith st'2 Fim Nar Beyond te i ate Stables rooarca ese Brad Stevens the aha of ‘Abalone Tet vson Ben Waterss prou.cof URN Mounatrseesty Cabaret tits cove Fetcuchedby Danner NeTiBSVE safer Contents Reviews FILMS OF THE MONTH HOME CINEMA 64 Fy Shades ofGrep 98 Films by Robert Aldrich, ATE 66 My NameIsSalt Fear Eats the Soul, Dru, 68. While Were Young The Fortune, He Ran All the Way r930s Hitchcock FILMS: fl, Love Streams, Man Allman ‘ofthe West, Night Wil BAFTA Shorts 2015 Fall Le Plasi La Reine Blind Margot, Universal monster The Bay Next Door ‘moves, Wild River Cinderella DVD features The Dark Horse 96 Ashley Clark welcomes Difet the recognition fi Dior and being granted to Shirley Eile adore Clarke, a key figure of the ‘TheFaceofan Angel American avant garde Fairytale Story of Television ‘Seven Dwarves 100 Vanity Fair, The Rainbow, High Tide Giris Season 3 The Interview Lost and Found Jupiter Ascending 104 Imogen Sara Smith on ‘The Lite Death Elvampiro negro, superior Lou! Argentinian remake of Mommy FritzLangsM Project Almanac Rigor Mortis BOOKS Robot Overlords 106 Nick Pinkerton dissects the Rurouni Kenshin ‘meanings of miseenscine ‘The Legend Ends 107 Neil Brand on film music's ‘Sea Without Shore A Second Chance Seventh Son TheSignal Sixteen ‘Something Must Broak ‘The Spongebob Move ‘Sponge out of Water ‘Suite frangaise The Taleofthe Princess Kaguya The Voices The Water Diviner When Animals Dream Wild Taes XeY pioneering years RESSS SB SELSRRE KSRKKASIZas AAARRYNNASS And online this month Essay films and the city |Glasgow and the movies| American women in trousers! Vera Chytilova movie posters, and more bfi.org-uk/sightandsound sighensound|3CLASSICTITLES FROM THE BRITISH ELM jee networkonaircom ——#TheBirtishFilm IF /TheBritishFiim he aay SHOCKING AND BLOODY’ ND Ss xe) sgitent erg = ay . PMG eR read ieee ce eRe Ca ce ‘Assembly and Aftershock. pra nS Available from the BFI shop bfi.org.uk/shopEnotes Neste bonds Cre supervser Prato Fate See svetrandeigrcam fase Pree ausness Rosie cower Ermacaret ‘enstang conatant Somers Beokshopastrtton Editorial Nick James LOOK BACK IN CANDOUR ory, We're that moment when the awardsseason does matter Wedont have to worryany longer bout why aspecil lmsuchas ophondilavays iedeemed oo small by Academy voters forittowin the st Pctre Osar Enjoy it Takes longhot ath inbooksorflmswithoutstarsin them. The ina does stone By fun someane somewhere wil have tipped somethingarsomeone avasureie contender ann the mainstream ney wl start to build again Inthe meantime we most eal with the bg im dump. Quitea quantity of minor ies willappeat onthe market over the next few weels naming nonames ofcourse (the reviews areelsewhere)~ inakindot hows clearance, and not many ally interestingfims wll e among them. Ths is why this issuch a perfect moment for our cove sory about ‘works fay versions conceived ofthe hack the rerlese of Bade uomerece page 18) Ilsowhy twecan ind the spacetoceleratethe gest Agnes Vaeda (page 46 at she dservesto be, andindeed why itka god moment for looingbock in general Duringarecent session for ne ofthe Guarars courses on imjpumalism [opined tht "Cinema is redigsting tell andaudinceshavean appetite for readingabot cinema histo" twasano the cult remark but what ain ind was the astonishing trowthofinteretinrecent yearsinsilentcinera Ste fc that historical pecesin Sight Soundare tften rete with more enthusiasm than those about Contemporary cinema, Ofcourse cinema hasbeen redigesting tel since the medium began, but what Giferentnowisthisetum tothe origins this teviewing anadethinking of what relly ates ram ealy ‘cinema, witha fresh generation of cinephiles beginning torevise the ld nnhodonyby pontingtonew aeasor ‘esearch that demand attention Sucha chew backwards itkely happens whenever a medium ees under threat, ascinema does now atime when the peilnessof thetwo hour feature fm under pressure fom lve theate andoperaand fom boxsel television series Bt thin eigetonis not jon abot the sient era Take forinstane,asmalcertorial outfits as ‘Nos Amar the partnership offimoakers Adam Robess and Joanna Hog, which has programmed sucesfl screenings of los) the complete works of Chantal Akerman over the ourseofa year and ‘who recently brought philosopher ques Rancitre Hooray. We're in that moment when awards season doesn't matter any longer. Enjoy it. The lacuna doesn’t last long. Take a long hot bath in books or films without stars in them to London to discuss Bressoris Mouchete: This kind of niche cinephiliac activity may be open to accusations of elitism but itsrelative success is notable and was ‘unimaginable even usta few years ago. The same can be said forthe Birkbeck Institute for the Moving Image's splendid upcoming Essay Film Festival in London se page 54). Indeed the recent proliferation offilm festivals across the UK isquite staggering. The months before Cannes in May then, area kind of anti Hollywood period of respite from mass market enthusiasms. wonderif there isntabetter way to exploit thismoment using tt createsomething substantial and newsworthy that couldactasa bridge between Berlin and Cannes, maybea way offocusingon film history tha'snotas specialists, say, the Bologna festival in ate une, butis simply concerned with helping the wider public reconsider cinema history foritsef But ean hear the professionals muttering, “Bough already” Maybe we just need the break. IN MEMORIAM: GILBERTO PEREZ ‘Weare privileged this month to publish Riding the wave’ Gee page 51), in which Gil Perez meditates on the work of Agnés Varda.It maybe the last article the Cuban-American film scholar who died suddenly inJanuary,ever completed. Itseemsamazingand dismaying to menow that only met himonce and that ‘we published him so rarely since all ofus here admired hiswritingso much. Let me recommend his essential book The Material Ghost lms and Meir Medium which confirms that you can write deeply about cinema form andcare about elegant prose and.referyouto the memorials to himat the Sarah Lawrence College \website and at jonathan Rosenbaum website. po 38 Sigheasound |SRushe: INTHE FRAME DIVINE INTERVENTIONS ‘This year’s BFI Flare delights in great diversity — from Sri Lanka's first gay film to Canadian roller derby to the East London drag scene By Ben Walters 2014 wasa watershed yea forthe London LUssblan and Gay Film Festiva it was ebranded as BH Fare:London LGBT Film Festival. 2036 villas be notable. asthe festival’ 3oth edition And 2017 marks the sth aniversary ofthe deceiminalisation of gay sex inthe UK.S0 pethapsitsunderstandablethat Flare 205 els omeashat ened in. No that any les work has gone into this year’ edition, which run from 29 29 March at BF/Southbank orthatitloksshort om rewarding titles But the programme promises ‘oli stimlation rather than a conspicuous ‘thematic angle or specific sense of mision. “Among the dramatic features, the tariest \dinthe opening fl, 1 Kellys feature about 33 ay Christian pastor el Glatz stars James Franco. Gltze and Zachary Quintoashis partner There are titles from festival regulars Monika Tee (OfGirs and Hors), Frangois zon (The New Gir and Carl Morley (The Fall one of several tithes already seen nthe London Film Festiva, and promising features suchas the Canadian fonysomething ksbian comic drama Pr sfaSeral Mongamist and Fragipan lov {rangle ill ap Sri tanka’ ist gy lm, Fate continuesto puta premium on documentaries intudngthe closing night film Qurw Win about LGBT sporspeople, and fala presentations Do1Sund Gay? about the less aniggerome-thanit toescapeit.Ourfaces _3ge but ames Dean's doesnt. That's the big idea incinema isnt? ‘Theholy rood ofHollywoodand Bollywood? “Attimes, lm estvals tum thisigidea an tshead They somewhat unreal places whose cinemasenticesinta the dark tose, anscreen thesorsf eas ivesand tras Which ear-oundcinema often aves Take Sundance, where vejustbeen forthe frsttimein 20 years Ringed by rompe ei ‘mountains and upitby snow it eels ike VR (Gira att asifyou'e wearinga headset ‘Thealtitude makes you ight headed. Wiel, inthesnow,thereareheat shimmers. As with ost fm festivals, daysare VR elongate you getup atseven butarestill meeting people orseeing moviesat midnight. Conversations ‘overlap. rope filmsandobservtionsare fsa. You prowl ke racking shot prowl, ‘and then you alse that film festival isike ‘aRobert Altman film all people andslippage betwen ifeand movies Withitssnowand ‘mountains Sundancels MiCabe 6 Ms. Miler In Sundanc, in patil it's the movies that stop the slippage In ther attempt o counter Hollywood's dreamscape its iesabout loveand heroism ageingand pois, Sundance'sfilm selectors tend to skein the opposite direction [bwason the World nema Dacumentary Jury this yearandsaw the pain ofbeing lve i. and human fortitude beyond: ‘media paraigms in rida and Lasse arkfors= cextaotdinary ret Fr: about agroupor sex ‘offender living together a trailer pork in Florida, a young mumspeaks on camera, for the ir time about forcing herson to have sex ‘wither She had been abused for years by her dad. and herson went on to abuse. group meeting the residents discuss how they ae called ‘monstersby the outside worl, The mum says thatshe'sthe only monster inthe group. Notonly isshe wrong olabe erselfin this way. butin the lm, having committed the worst crimes, then admited tin public and expressed ‘greatremore and noselpityshe demonstrates Fealcourage Iilremember er fra longtime. In Bao Zhou's The Chinese Maya, Geng Tanb, the ity of Datong’ political bos scompelling too Like Haussmann in ots century Pars hes trying to redraw hiscity He'sorcing tens thousands of residents out oftheir uconghouses inorder to rebuild Datong’ imperial ity walls torestoecivie pride atract tourism andenacta new business model forDatong culture rather than manufacture Mest portrayals of China more ofcuoy to Iiineyandtib Wensenentetce Arsene lobbying christopher as finaly pen person eons hs ongncut fom dates Tires ich Fntreceved word pemirein Bein sa ‘holy mertesaago tha ge he in ts Imoptbck The omutesastdoimposed rsh ave ben dno ene rene dnd geminuefeit mater etre ke Ayeangily hus turmasvenue tess Stvetuel wastheoneseptpaton Thacontny dco tae been ere lige meant nomiated fora Wort tor rite houldhavetumed ates Imi Walberg in ge Me dimer iterenctused at Con sheen ected Tan Robey ‘AASTFULOF DOLLARS SERGIO LEONE, ITALY, 196 In977 diretor Monte Hellman who Bad started out doing bits and pieces for Roger CCorman~washired tomakea prolegwe for Sergio Leone'seminal spaghetti western for 24 | sighttound| 205 USTV screening-The apparent brief was to take the edge ofthe originals morality by transforming the lead fom adeifting mercenary fntoan agent ofthe offal aw. double in lint Eastwood poncho and gar is hauled froma jnlelland given pardon by a warden (Harry Dean Stanton) on the condition thathe oon an undercover mision tothe lawlessborder town Sn Miguel and bring down the two criminal gangs wo ae running the place, A fewcloreupsof Eastwood's eyes are edited in, butotheris the new material doesn obtride ‘on Leones fim, except to rotit moe firmly Inastyleofr9soswestem morality that Leone Fad deliberately set aside Km Newman ‘GOURA/GODAILA RING OF THE MONSTERST. Brana VoNba/ Teo MORSE isi Hondas Go was aden fan of theAmercan TBs 29.000 Rata (953) but played to very specficlpanese concerns Ahelingesingmetnoryandefetsof the storie tombingof reshma and Naga andan intematonal incident involving the crew ofa ishing boat inated by a USPacicbom est are obvious sblextforthestry ofaniadated ‘monster thatatacs pan Inpreparingthe im ‘The 1995 restored colour version of our de te for American under te ite Gai ‘the Montes director Tery Morse eeited Honda's im reordering the story and cutting bck onany etcim of US foreign policy. and shot new seenes with Raymond Bure asa American reporter in Tokyo who covers the stor fom the ruins Buralso provides nanaion {hat minimises the need ta dubsectionsof ‘he original fim into English, Withaplessing circlaiy Toho revved the franchise in 984 With new Galraand ts foreign distbutors rehired Burt play the same character inadded seenesthat served the same purpose asthe ‘material Mors shot in 1956 Kim Newnan King THECODRUSH (CHARLES CHAPLIN, US.192571942 In thesound era several changes were forced ‘uponsilent ims. Somemay have been Jmprovemens wile other were indignities they wereedited, given voiceovers and new ‘music payedat afasterspeed.Allofthee things in 1942,Chaplindid this own 2925 besaty The Gold Rushand as ares unexpectedly, thisslent classic wenton to bag Oscars forbes sound recording and best musie. The score, ‘writen by Chaplin. a prety aditonchis own aration, while loguent largely redundant “Thepathosof the booteating sequence the bread ral ballet, the cabin teteringon the life, ‘eed no exposition Ever the restless perfection, CChaplinalorweaked the plot and removed the climactickiss These days we havethe haxury ice Itisnotable that while Chaplin added ‘musictowomore sen features he never agin ‘went a farashe cd hee Pamela Hutchinson HEWENS GATE MICHAEL ChuINO,US, 1980 ewer’ Gates often linked with Von Srobeins GGredand Welles’ The Mago Ambosonsas anexampleofwhat happens when ambitious flmsaretaken away from their creators by crass executives. et the rea villains of this try are those New Yorkritiswho attended preview of the 2x6 minute directorcut, and respanded with such cor that Michael Cimino felt compel toshoren the film. The reedited version ran to 4a minutes, and despite beinga notable commercial flop, is European reviews were significantly more postive than their American equivatenisAfterbeingsccened at Landons Nationa im Theatre (and released asa panned andscanned video) Ciming'sorginal cut was, ‘widely acclaimed asa masterpiece. This version, with ome minor changes (Cimino has removed {heinterssion, as wellas ohn Hurtsline “Son ofabitelthasalovays ben favourite expression In thiscountey snow avalableon Bloray and yD from Ceiterionin the US and (witha few BBFCimposed ets to seenes of cockfightingand horsfalls) Second ight inthe UK-Brad Stevens ‘TTREVOLT DELLA PAURA7BLAGK SABEATH— MARIO BAVA ALY. 1963, ‘Mari ava'shorror anthology was his fist tobe coproduced by American Intemational Pictures, bringing its USkiddie matinee requirements intoopen conflict with thos ofthe more adult ‘European horror market during production. Inthe end, two versions emerged, with ferent rusia scones and story ordering. lak Sabbah also ders from theltallan original, which translates asThe Thre Faces of ear, by having Boris Kalointrodvce ll nee stories rather than bookending them. The only contemporary story, Te Telepon’ was ewtten to remove alreterencestoitslesbian lationship and toreconcevethe heroine crankealler asa host rather than vengeful prison escapee APakoloppedoffablliantdeconstructive postscript featuring Karloff astride a fale horse asthe camera pls back to shatter the ilusion. Happily both versionsare included on theeurent Arrow Films lay Tim Lucas JOURDEFETE JACQUES TAT, FRANCE. 1949/1995 Explanations forthe igh critical esteem which Tas debut fates held tend to relate tothe intricate execution ofits jokes its vivid parochial characterisation anda sound des that emphasises the depth ofthe fame rahe than ust tsheightand width, Watching sm ROLEYScOTT Ridley Sco’ 19825ci masterwork Blade Runmer(ight)hashadanotabe afterlife, appesringin atleast four distinc guises actos it stor. What explains this ofmebinh? Ananistinkering reediting compulsively, worrying composite mates and model work towards perfection? Anattempt tocontinue courting devoteeswho kept the flmaliveafteritsinitial boxofice un fled tolastmore than few weeks crushed by thesuocessof £17 Oris itabeltedasetion ofcreative contol protracted revenge on obsteperous producers who sulle the fimmakersinitial vison with halt hearted voiceovers and a tacked on happy ending? Scot himself might resist the ast dea he hasinsisted, “Ive never been bullied int any cat" but surely theanswer isthe foundin some combination ofthe above. Even an its intial lease, Blade Runner had two versions, not counting an earlier workprint that was sereencd to est audiences and whichalso hada few screenings inthe ery 199033 US domestic version (at 16minutes) and the inerationaedition rx minutes which retained more profanity and violence, Then, an thefiln'stenthanniversaryin 1932, the soraleddirector’ cu appeared, peced together by lm restorer Michael Arickusing notes from Scott and promptedin partby postive actions athe recent screenings of theworkprint Haerson Fords Philip Mariowse stylevoiceover was removed, as was the orginal Jing Crucially a scene wat estoredin which the robot hunter Deckard hasa vision ofa unicom whic, in conjunction with thecrgami Unicom eft for im by asinster policeman (Gadward James Olmos) reinstatethe suggestion that Deckard might be a eplieant, ese changes brought the film closerin tone toits source material, Philip. Dick's De Andre Drea of Elric Shara Book Scott inblackand whiteor colour would likely yielda ‘emotional esponse, although theater was the decors prefered version, Tati filmed itsieultaneously in Thomson color-avoltile, untested colour procedure that was tough to replcate~andmonochome, to offer aback ‘When proved impossible to printcalour copies from the Thomson colar negatives the colout Footage hadto be abandoned adit vas release inblackand white Tat continued to pine fr owever even returning tothe printin 1964, fmingentrasenesthat would house vivid swatches of color provided by the anst and animator Pal Grima Bventualy restored by his daughter Sophie Tatschetf in ggs, there issomething about the colour version thatenhancts Tats overall vision Withits pale, washed out hues arking tack o analogue film olourstions ofthe asic er, the film resembles faded picture postcard, which poetic considering ts central Subject isa blundering postman. One ofthe focal points ofall Tat sfeature work that bittersweet space between the antiquated and reputedly nevermadeit through, choosingto replace Dick’serie, mournfl exploration of identity witha moe violent, hard-edged na tone. 'ButScot wasnever entirely happy with the r9ga version ether. Toavk ts 25th anniversary in 2007 ial ct of Blade er was released digitally restored, tweaked and recuitedby Sir Riley himsel tetained many “af theextended scenes theeatler diet cut while sharpening some special effects, The succes ofthe ater cuts Blade Rumer prompted Sotto embrace the notion of extended versions a movellustativeof the unresolved tensionsin is work Between astheticand commercial instincts and between ‘supreme visual confidence anda slightly less ‘secure relationship with resolved narratives, Some ofthese‘extended editions have the ‘whiffofhaving been knocked upto prompt people tobuy another DD. Glaitor( 2020) American Gangs (2007) ad Robin Heo 20:0) haveallappearedin largely pointlesslongercuts the modem, andas postman Francis ineptly attempts toptrot the waysof the America Postal service, Tati too emulates Holywood ‘cinema but stcty in is ownsmall unique snd beatiful asion. Dav Jenkins ‘THEVOMLESS STREET Gv. PABST, GERWWANY, 125 rela Garbo wasalteady a Holywood tar the time herlst European fi, The ples Steet wasfirstshown in England in January 1927.4 grim aleof post war Vienna, cut into bons tomeet national requirements everywhere cs ithad been rejected by the Bish censors and had to make dowitha singe screening atthe fabled Film Society In ordinary ieumstances, the coming ofsound would have madeit unsaleable within couple of years, leaving the fille fond memory forthe few hundred people swhohad scent ut Garbo extraordinary fame ceameditabizarre reprieve, notasan arthouse revival batn London's Wet End In june 1935 iwnsputonat the Epa Lac SquciichaghipwemeatGator ‘hatadaitleto the theatial versions longer cutofhismisunderstoodand problematic The CCooraloris more intresting adds anexta 2ominutesto thei restoring soenes present inCormae Mcarthy’sorginal scrip, though italspincludes more ofasub par performance from Richard Cabralas he biker who meets an unfortunate end via decapitation Cabral stilted readings of McCarthy satualy very funny ribald dialogue further compromise the already wayward tanec the lm However as with Ble Runner, when the Jongercutservesitstue purpose reinstating ‘Scots vsion ofthe film ndeiance of producers and testauiences -theesultscan >etransformative- The placed footage in the director scut of Scott’ 2005 fm Kingdom Oflieaven which givesmore space tothe compelling performances of Edward Norton and BraGresn shes out the film intoasubstantial cpicandtheresultisone ofSeots most Powerful underrated works Joseph Bevan p08 sigsound |25ES studio MGM then released nationally. Pabtsoriginacut as however an ‘unwieldy 142 minutes, which wassimply too Jong. Only half ofthe orginal was tained, Jeavingajeky.incoherent mess that prompted Alexander Korda, Anthony Asguithand Alfred itcheock. among other lumina. tosigna Jetter of complaint The reaction of Garbo'sfans isamatterfor speculation Henry K. Miller TaorCuATTERLEY PPASCALE FERRAN, PRANCE, 2006 ‘When Pascale Ferran decided to adapt DL Lawrence or the screen, the fist thing shedid wasapproach Pierre Chevalier headof fition at thesmall Pench television channel ARTE, Chevalier welcomed the project and ARTE became its primary commercial backer Suchastate of affairs isnot unsual in France, ‘where television ndings regularly wad to produce a variety offs but what rather ‘moreidiosyncraticabout Lady Chateriyis that Ferranand ARTE madetwadiffeent versions 2.220 minutetwo part miniseries that aired ‘on French elevsion n November 2006 and2 1268 minute theatrical version that premiered four monthslaterin erinand wentontowin five César Thelonger version (avalableon DvD tointerational audiences asa"European version’ af the il) pays more attention a its supporting characters tacks according to Ferran atleast the-real time” experience ofits heroine semotiona transformation, “Appropriately enough the lm tele adapted pot rom thethidandbest known of Lawrence's draftsofhis infamous novel butte second ‘version unt ecently onto pritin the UK but known to French eaders a ay Chateriay chonon ds bs Catherine Wheatley WaPERTO ‘Hage KUMEL, BELGIUM. 1S71 The succes ofeamp vampire clase Daughters ‘epDaries(1971) enabled Belgian director any Kiel omake his dream projet,a Invishadaptatonof ean Ray's fantastical novel abouta haunted house in which hebizane Inhabitants plato inher ther share froma dying patiatch, played by Orson Welles, The film ‘wasstunningly shot by Gerry Fisher an fabulous locationsin Bruges and Ghent but Kiimels reducers imposed on him an unsympathetic fditor whohad to work ast to delveran English ‘version unig 107 minutes) forthe Cannes Fim Festival Altera por reception ~itwas Aismissedasjust “horror movie" ~ Madras ‘wasmostly sen neve share versions until funding fromthe Begian Royal lm Archive allowed Kumel in 2c02 to complete his fia ‘wwohour Flemish version usingaltemative aks, Missing scenes were restored etter the audience fr twists to come and the dreamy shythm ofthe im was much improved with ‘the only significant oss being the sherry toned. ‘oice of Welle himself David Thompson WeTROPoUS FRITZ LANG, GERMANY,1927 Frits Lang couldn bea to watch the cat fie dystopian theiler Mero that was released in 26 |sightnsound Av 205 ‘the US abutchered version that ost 38 minutes from theorginal German incarnation, partly ‘hough censorship butalso, supposedly. for sirplifcation, Confirming his fears, LG. Wells calledit“the siliest ln in the New Yor Tires. Butfor decades the film languished unexhibited andwe ad no Meropasatall-The printhat ‘was restoredin the early 7s as taken fom {he American cutandsoLang’filmcame to beknownasa masterpiece of design, but one witha gabled naratve. The discovery ofa complet original print in Buenos Aires fn 2008 was ause for riotouscelebeation, ad row wecan watch them almost asitwas intended tbe seen~plothoes neat filled, However Giorgio Moroder 984 makeover, swith primary colour washes, deleted intertils anda poprock score sill as devoted fans and ‘savallableon Bluray Pamela Hutchinson TROQUESRIVETTE Jacques Rivets preference for longer fms over shorter ones hasledto many alternative versions ‘overthe course ofhiscarcer stating witha tworhour version of Amour ou (1968) which the director disowned, though t premiered Pavistthesame ime asthe longer, 52 minute ‘cand attracted fewerspectatars. The differences between the near 13 hour (Out (3971, pitured above) composedasan ight part serial and the 26min feature (Out Spetre2973) are far more important: the frstisa free formecmedy whereas the second, tightly edited nightmare fashioned out ofthe ‘same footage tok Rvetteayearto puttogether, ‘withasepaate editor Mos fascinating ofall sthefact that thesame shots sometimes have substantially ferent meanings andimpacts Fortunately both versionsare now available ina lovely German box set fom Absolut Medien in which te serial has optional English subtitles. Toetherand separately these twofilms remain immmvice MICHAEL WANN, US 2006 Fistoff-and hisisall some people willnesdto knowaboutthe directors cut-yaulose the cold ‘openingin the nightclub. When Michael Mann's ‘Miami Vie ist came to DVD, fiend warmed ‘me bout the new ites“I'sa boat race Fel ke “Mann included it because he felt ike he needed {ojustifyall the budget hed blown through’ An inveterate fiddler~ This 981) and The Lastoftie Mohicars(1992)bothexstin diferent versions from the theatrical release ~ Mana’sother major adi to Vis an intense dinerconversation between Tubb amie Fox) and his gisfiend and fellow officer Tredy(Naomie Haris) “Ifyour focus ison me: she ells him, "yourattenton ‘sdistacted You will mis something coming atyou' words repeated nearly verbatim in the tte tte between Chris Hemsworth Rivettes key achievement, along with !Amaur fouand1974 Gene and Je Go Boating Forte Tater Rivette even signed a contact stipulating thathis comedy wouldrtrun overtvo hours, ‘butthen everyone who saw the 85;minute workprint agreed that shouldnt be cut) Atleast three oer and ate) Rivete features cxistin shorter and longer versionsalledited ‘by hm: Loveon he Grand (LAmur par tere 1983.170minsand 120mins), La Bole Nobewse (1991,237 minutes; the two hour versions Called Dvertmerto and Vasevir( Who Knows? 2001,220minutesand 154 minutes) [havent ‘watched the longer version ofthe lstof these according to Rivet critic Mary M. Wiles, itwasonly sen the 1.734 spectators who atlendedits seven week runat Le Cinéma du anon in Paris during the spring of 202, Batcan testify thatthe other two features feel much shorter (aswell as sexier) their longer versions suggesting that asa general rule, thelonger Rivet’ featuresrun,thebetter they turn out tobe Jonathan Rosenbaumand Tang Weiin Manns Blackhat None of theadditons detract even the much debated catamaran race ablindingly bright prologue to movi that isfor the most pat nocturnal and verhung with storm clouds Nek Piakerton NAPOLEON ABEL GANCE, FRANCE. 1827 There have been more versions of Napoli tha lenitoresinhisempire. This groundbreaking Fm was premiered twiceonce rapturously received at the Paris Opera running forfour hours thn the nine and half ho verson ‘ieptvein te Apollo Gance preferred asx and ahalf hour ext, but Naplin a cut and cut again for intemational release He reused footage inotherflms and even shotasound version, Enter Kevin Browlow, who stating witha tiny mscrap acquired in his eens, hasattemp toreconstitte the wiole Bim, a heroic quest that hasspanned the deradesand isa worthy ival'o Gances mission toshoot thiemaserpece,ifnot toNapoleoriswmepictraecton. sient and itsstunning"tipty finale make screenings ‘arty. Most fant consider Brownlow’s restoration definitive, and Cari Dave sscoea rump flockingtoitsrare 35mm outings However, analterative restoration Corts Gavrasand Francis ford Coppolais being digitally prepped foreease in 2017, with an adaptation of CCoppolsfather sore Pamela Hutehingon EBOZOVIO/EATTLEBETOND THESUN— USSR/US, 1959/1962 " inthe cari oo Roger Corman purchased US tghtsoahandfl of stan science tion fins that were blesed with exceptional spaceship model ef but oherwselackedelements that might appeal o American drivin crowds Mikal Kaehakov and Aleksandr Koes Nebo Zatya959).an ning tle ofa Sovetspace isdn that bette Americans to Mas nas handed overtoa young Francis Ford Copa (credited as Thomas olchar who painstakingly removed hammer and sce insignia from thespucethiprand added a pologue which esas autre where the worl vi into Noth an South rather han Easton West The orginal Russian good guys become Yankesounding Soutien aiton Coppa catoutasymbotcfnsh in whch golden ssvonautaymolies hope or the future and replaced with an extraordinary model sequence involving wo toothy monsters which resemble maleand female genta having ght that involves igoouspeneaon The resus wereso success hat Corman id aging ter Bogdanvich totum Fae Kishan’ Pan Bar Place Serm(.963) nto Vag irk Women 969, Kn Newman ‘TeNemwoRD ‘TERENCE MALICK, US. 2005, Terrence Malic’sepic about the discovery of Ameria anid the romance between explorer John Smith (Colin Farrell and Viegnia Indian Pocahontas('orianka Kilcher) existsin three versions. Initially Malick released 50-minute cut that playin New Yorkand Los Angelesfor one-week Oscar qualifying run (This version is no longer widely avilable He then went back tothe editing room; the resulting theatrical cat runs to 135 minutes. Thedffrences mainly haveto do with zaytmethe 150 minute version cbbsand lows wale the 135 minute cuts more (reamily propulsive Finally. 2008 Malick putouta 172minuteextended ctf the lm ‘on DVD, which ds some poetic intries, features more intricate an surreal sound design, and restores several subplots (notably one involving a mute Indian who wanders into the uropean setierscamp)that make an already masterful movie even richer Kelth Unc ive earner us 1990 “The Star Warsof monster movie was ve directan adaptation ofhisown novel Cab Shoutasupematuralscret society of utes, imotants and mists rkinginthe Midwest backovoods Butte version tha ultimae Timpedinto cinemas wasa fll ominutes shorter than Barkers workpringretainingalmst nothing ofthediectors subversive vison twas unt dora thatan unauthorised 155minue version the'Cabal Cut = was finally serenedtofans, prompting the dietor orev them and deiner his own two hour deo junking ruchot heen version in the process The result wouldneverhave been te bo office tramph Barkersotdly wanted its tonally uneven weak chaactersed nd dent uncompromisingly weed but Nighbreed tsetequerepched somewhere between Nosh Flint and Spieler Tom Hulton ‘SRCEUPOWATINE IN ANERICR ‘SERGIOLEONE,US/TTALY 1983 Sergio Leone's epic gangster saga ashing backwards and forwards from the 29208 through tothe ro6esin the lives ofa group of Jewish New York mobsters, was never released ina version true tothe cnectorseiginal conception tof 228 minutes in the US Wamer ros took right and edited the flminto3 chronological narrative that ran for 139 minutes an abomination thatfaled bath critically and commercially The European cut, inwhich the story islinkedby ageing gangster Nondes (Robert De Nio) revisiting thescenes of hisyouth o trackdown the frend who betrayed him, theteaterhashedsway. Batt was always known certain actors had go U tcherasa cemetery director) andevents Ieftmoneambiguows than intended. in 2012 8 Tongercut of 251 minutes was unveiled at Cannes, courtesy ofthe Cineteca di Bologna, with some tantalisingscenes reinstated inspite ofthe poor ualiyoftheexistingsource material Though Siillavaiableon an Haian Biota, that version hasapparently now been withdrawn pending further restoration work Oa Thormpson ‘THEOPENING OF MISTY BEETHOVEN RADLEY METZGER US 1576 Inthesevfilm business, the practice of producing multiplecutstofitdiferent marketshasbeen endemic for decades butfor the most pet these merely adjusted the expicitness ofthe scenes to match local community standard during the mid 19705, theso called "porno chic’ fera,more cnsorions Britain invariably saw the milder versions, at eastin pubic cinemas Normally this would have ben cause for sever ssppointmenton the part the viewer, but ‘when writer director producer dissbutor Radley Merger tenet hardcore pomography under the preudonym Henry Pais heals produced allemativesotcorecusof films ‘pi | siphesound 27 suchas The Opening of Mit ethoen Sind Barbar Broads? a977) whichES ‘Mob rules The ist two parts of The Godfather trilogy were reassembled in cronolgical ode for TV THE LONG AND THE SHORT OF IT ‘The broadcast requirements of television have resulted in badly bowdlerised cuts of some films, but also some superior longer versions. By Brad Stevens Television has often been seen as cinema's ‘enemy, seducing audiences away from the bigscreen while treating fim with ite ‘spect panning andscanningthe widescreen ‘nes censoringthe modern anes and cutting ‘cetfied classics to make them fitatimesiot. [utitshouldbe pointed ou that television sometimes rescued missing footage, in certain ‘eases motivated by genuine cinephili;the ‘BBC restored Kuresaia Aira’ Sev Samurai and Luchino Visconti’ The Leopardata time ‘when these films could otherwise ony be seen “uncut intheircountres fain Yetlonger ‘versionsalsoappearto have been obtained bbychance. TheBBC wed toshowa wansfer of Walter Hills The Warirsthat included pre creit sequence sent from most Drints And Channel recently playedacut fede Alvare’ Bui Dead remake hat an fourminuteslonger than the international vb, Bluzayand theatrical editions Afew films were deliberately madein two versions longones,toeshownin several pars fortelevsion and shorterones for {heatrcal release Several Ingmar Bergman ileshelongin this category ~ Fee Fic ‘Stensfonea Marrings, Faro and Alexander Many American studios created special TV editions oftheir films, eliminating violence, ‘nudity and bad language 28 | sigheasound| 20 as do Rancesco Ross Christ Stopped at Elo and Clade Chabro's Tie Bod f Others: Few who hayehad the opportunity to compare diferent versionsof these works find the abbreviated cutspreerable Many American stuics created special television editions of thee lms eliminating violence, nudity and bad language while [padding out running imes with scenes from, ‘he cutting oom floor examples ince the first three Superman fms with Christopher Reeve, at Garret & Bly Kid, Repo Ma ‘Star Trek The Moto Pictur Mido, aus, Videdrome, The Kp Jo, The Towering Ir, PrinceofbeCiy, Sharkys Machine Diary of ‘¢Mad House and The Hired Hand. Perhaps the most important of these variants 1s The Godfather A Noel fr Tein rs. broadcast 1977) which reassembled Francs Ford Coppola's The Giterand Te Galiaher PartTin chronological order (beginning with the sequeTs flashback sections adding A significant amount of previously unseen ‘materi Thisheavily censored TV version eventually became the source ofthe DVD's Ueleted scenes section which explainssehy Some censorshipcutsaresill evident onthe disc.adeletedscenein which young Vito Coricone (Robert DeNio) cuts the throat of Don Gc thug has obviously been shortened and-we now hear ames aan sy,“The oldman ‘wouldhave my neck: though close attention to Fislp movements reveals that what he actually said as The old man would havemy ass" © seasonal sens and dlevess ‘compensation for thesex scenes being, drastically pruned (oth temporally and visually), Since Metzger was}ustabout the witest screenwriter working in pom, for once the exchange semed halfvay ae Miche Brooke PaTCARRETTE LLY THER. ‘52M PECRINPAN,US.1973 ‘When fi Gare & Bly te Kidopened in 1973, cities had no doubt that the version they wer ‘watching borelittle resemblance tothe film Conceived by Sam feckinpah,Veually every review mentioned the dirctors well publiied dispute with MGM, which esultedin the asso framing story involving the det of at Garett and noted that several ators who participate in the shoot including Elisha (Cook Atora Clavell and Bszry Sulivan— did otappearan seen though glimpses af them remalned inthe tae, and some oftheiescenes ‘were estore tothe television version). After eckinpas death a preview cut was dacoversd andreleaso:itresiored most of theencised ‘material but wasstil missing Aurora Clavell appearanceas Garets wife and eliminated a stction present inthe theatrical edition) in ‘which Garetinterrogates prostate played bbyRutanya Alda, Paul Seydar subsequently assembled another cut fr DVD, restoring the footage ofAléaand Clavel but removing several ‘moments fom the preview print notably Esha (Cook'scameo. None ofthe avalable variants is completely satisfying buttaken together they representamsjorachievement Brad Stevens ‘THEPHANTOM OF THE OPERA RUPERT JULAN. US 1925/1929. Between anuary and October roa, three versio of Universal troubled adaptation of Gaston Leroi’ thrler were previewed othe US publi none very satisfactorily. The ist wasa dark gothic uper flan the second re" popular etsion with romantic alighter Comedy elements addedby Béward Sedgwick ast there wasa compost ofthe to, W the announced composer Gustav Hinrichs could nat vewintime ta score properly. eaving th ‘musica accompaniment tobe patched together from exiting pecs. Today the film survivesin itsthird version and as acurious Eastman Hous archived composite which blends that version ‘with scenes shot in 929 foranow lost ‘talkie resin only its sound discs endure). Actors Mary Phifbinand Norman Kery reprised thei roles forthe sound fotag, while scenes ofrecenly deceased Lon Chaney were let untouched albeit augmented with new shasbrngingthe Pantois shadow into contact withthe sound actors oraddressng the audience directly. The 203 Image Entertainment DVD made a attempt tosynehronise the sound dsesto the Eastman House compet, with lave sults Tim eas Porm SIAZHANGKE, CHIN 2000 ‘Workings an ‘underground independ ‘he ing Film Brest ada fia Za fot ahuge it from the intemational success ofhis debut cect Xin Wi, x97) Sos offty ake PU ts wy pts) j Best of enemies. Deadliest of friends, “PAT GARRETT AND BILLY THE KID” JAMES COBURN: KRIS KRISTOFFERSON - BOB DYLAN R follow up Playorm wasa massively ambitious projet, chronicling China's transition from thefagend ofMaosmto thebepinningsofa state capitalist economy through the fate ofa songand dance troupe in Shanxi The original ‘version, premiered in Venice ran forabout four hours most foreigners didnt gett and sales were few Hence the curent three hour et designed to make teasierto distribute. But itil talks about revisiting the fl to produce a definitive version. Giving himselfthe time andspace to rethink his Flmsis anyway pathis process Hecame up witha newending fr 2013 TewhfSin(he soft drink bling plantin Shan the open-air ‘opera performance) and oti ite more than ‘mont before the premiere in Cannes Tory Rays L INPAH ‘THEPROMISEDLAND. Andtae| Wada sweeping porteaitofthe ruthlescaphtalists driving Poland's breakneck industeal revolution secured him his ist Oscar nomination, but twas attacked at home for bt pomographic and abroad fr being anti Semi, the latter charge thought to have scuppered is international dstrbution even though it'seasy ‘enough to counter thems Jowish characters may behave appallingly.butso does everybody se) Believing tat the n’score mesage bout the excess of unfettered capitalism ‘waseven more relevant afer communism's collapse, Wajda released 'diretor'scr in 2000 that was 25 minutes shore, and which seemed to directly address theeatliercriticims Formore than adecadethisand the four part. ‘TV miniseries version were al that vas as available, but Wajda seems to ave changed hismind fle approvinga high definition resorationof the original cut Michael Brooke Ie NANEco ‘SERGET EISENSTEIN, MEXICO. Theone thing that Que Vi Merah isadizector’scut since the changing Soviet politi eimateof the erly 29308 prevented Sergel Eisenstein from ever editing the 200000 feetof im he had shot in Mexico between 193032.The expedition tomake six prt epic had been financed by socialist author Upton Sinclai, but when relationssoured be refused to send the material to Moscowand Started tosllitofl. Among at east five versions, ‘der over Mexio(r933)wasa hak abby future Tarzan producerSol Lesser, while the "sensei biograpner Marie Seton made her Ti nthe Sunversion in 1940and scholar Jay Leja assembled study versio’ ofthe footage in 1959. Back n Russia, Esensen'scodiretor Grigor Alexandrov made vulgsrsed version in 979and Oleg Kovaloy produced hislurid ‘Sirgen Mexican artasy (1058). Debate ‘ontinursover whether sensei original scenario coulstil be followed, and what his choices forsound would have been lan Christie ‘THEREDAND THEWHITE ‘MniOS JANCSO, HUNGAR.1967 Following his breakthrough The Round Up (2085) Mikls[ancss was iret directa Hungarian Sovietco production that was intendedto form parofthe Rassian Revolutions oth anniversary Celebrations. A Mosfilm memo reveals Russian ‘qualms even before shooting repotingthat Janes "isa ypicalrepresenative of auteur Filmmaking Thismovementismuch more exttee in Hungary than in our country. Even at ‘thispoint we regret to dsappoint those comrades ‘whoexpecta hug celebratory fim forthe anniversary. This willnot happen” It duly ‘but Mosfilm cobbledtogetheranostensly Soviet fiendly version anyway removing 20 minutes,