Alternate cuts that change the movie significantly

[Paul L Scholar of Sleaze Find all posts View Profile Close Paul L]

THE PARTY'S OVER is a fantastic film that was almost totally forgotten until the BFI uncovered a pre-release print a couple of years ago. The original theatrical release was totally butchered and re-worked to get a release in the first place, the pre-release version (there'll never be a director's cut) is a completely different film and one that packs a pretty significant punch.

Yes! I really enjoyed that pre-release cut of THE PARTY'S OVER. I must give that a rewatch soon.

[Richard--W a straight arrow Find all posts View Profile Close Richard--W]

I love BLACK SABBATH both ways, but I would prefer a hybrid which applies Karloff's voice over the Italian version and sequencing, inserting his introductions, while cutting that fourth-wall breaker ending.

I'll be picking up THE PARTY'S OVER in my next g0-round come October.

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

Rabid Dogs Vs. Kidnapped...

[Lalala76 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Lalala76]

I love BLACK SABBATH both ways, but I would prefer a hybrid which applies Karloff's voice over the Italian version and sequencing, inserting his introductions, while cutting that fourth-wall breaker ending.

I second that.

[Andrew Monroe Pallid Hands Find all posts View Profile Close Andrew Monroe]

Franco Giraldi's A MINUTE TO PRAY, A SECOND TO DIE comes to mind. It was cut by about 18 minutes or so, most significantly affected was the ending. SPOILER......
Alex Cord is pardoned and rides away a free man in the shorter cut that was the better known version, in the longer one, he's shot dead outside of town by bounty hunters. Obviously, it drastically changes the film from an upbeat, happy ending to a crushing, downbeat ending that is right up there with THE GREAT SILENCE.

[Paul L Scholar of Sleaze Find all posts View Profile Close Paul L]

Franco Giraldi's A MINUTE TO PRAY, A SECOND TO DIE comes to mind. It was cut by about 18 minutes or so, most significantly affected was the ending. SPOILER......
Alex Cord is pardoned and rides away a free man in the shorter cut that was the better known version, in the longer one, he's shot dead outside of town by bounty hunters. Obviously, it drastically changes the film from an upbeat, happy ending to a crushing, downbeat ending that is right up there with THE GREAT SILENCE.

Good call, Andrew!

[Gary Banks Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Gary Banks]

I love BLACK SABBATH both ways, but I would prefer a hybrid which applies Karloff's voice over the Italian version and sequencing, inserting his introductions, while cutting that fourth-wall breaker ending.

Same here. I'd settle for just his own voice in the Italian cut.

[Apronikoff Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Apronikoff]

Same here. I'd settle for just his own voice in the Italian cut.

Yeah, that's the version I'd want. Personally I love the Italian ending, but I always miss BK's voice.

[Roderick Butthorn Find all posts View Profile Close Roderick]

The Abyss
Equinox/The Equinox: A Journey Into the Supernatural

[Scott Intellectual Carrot Find all posts View Profile Close Scott]

Lisa and the Devil/House of Exorcism

Star Wars Special Editions *shudder*

[Paul L Scholar of Sleaze Find all posts View Profile Close Paul L]

Lisa and the Devil/House of Exorcism

Good choice, Scott!

Also, the English-dubbed version of Argento's DEEP RED - the cuts remove pretty much all of the film's play on gender politics. It's been a long time since I've seen it, but as I recall CREEPERS plays out quite differently from PHENOMENA too.

[Andrew Monroe Pallid Hands Find all posts View Profile Close Andrew Monroe]

Also, the English-dubbed version of Argento's DEEP RED - the cuts remove pretty much all of the film's play on gender politics. It's been a long time since I've seen it, but as I recall CREEPERS plays out quite differently from PHENOMENA too.

I was thinking of these too, Paul. Both are significantly cut - CREEPERS is about 30 minutes shorter! - ...now in the case of DEEP RED, I actually prefer what is referred to as the international version, slightly shorter than the so-called director's cut at 105 minutes. The 126 minute director's cut version gets tedious for me at times.

[John Bernhard Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close John Bernhard]

POOR PRETTY EDIE / HEARTBREAK MOTEL
TO BE TWENTY

Both of these 2 also have their radically different alter egos.

[Lalala76 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Lalala76]

Hammer's Kiss of the Vampire has two different versions.

And don't forget

Fearless Vampire Killers/Dance of the vampires

[Richard--W a straight arrow Find all posts View Profile Close Richard--W]

John Cassavetes' THE KILLING OF A CHINESE BOOKIE (1976). The Criterion edition includes both the director's original 135-minute cut and his 108-minute compromise.

The film is about strip-club owner Cosmo Vitelli, played by Ben Gazzara, who owes money to The Boss, a loan shark played by Morgan Woodward. To wipe out his gambling debt, Cosmo must kill a Chinese bookie who is well-guarded. This he will do, but the act of murder is not so easy, and getting away with it is even harder, since The Boss can't afford to let him live afterward. But Cassavetes being Cassavetes is more interested in exploring eccentric characters than in moving the plot forward. Every time the story starts going, Cassavetes drifts back to Mr. Sophistication, the impresario at a rival strip club played by one Meade Roberts, whose onstage skits are supposed to be some kind of commentary on life that will guide Cosmo. The problem here is Mr. Sophistication and Cosmo are essentially the same character fulfilling essentially the same function, and that Mr. Sophistication's infantile, priggish skits utterly fail to comment on Cosmo's moral dilemma or mortal danger. At some point viewers start asking themselves why Cosmo keeps visiting a rival strip club instead of attending to his own. There may be a separate, short film in the story of Mr. Sophistication, but Cassavetes doesn't see it, or he doesn't have the heart to cut away from Meade Roberts. After a disasterous release, Cassavetes must have have realized that Mr. Sophistication had to go. So Cassavetes was forced to trim 27 minutes of Sophistication.

The 135 minute version doesn't move, talks too much, and is unwatchable. Or should I say Mr. Sophistication is unwatchable.

The 108-minute version is a structured story focused on Cosmo. There are still a few cringe-inducing scenes with Mr. Sophistication, but they are brief. Although the 108-minute compromise drifts into tangents from time to time, I think everyone would agree it is a compelling crime / suspense film that still explores character, which was always the most important thing to John Cassavetes.

Watch the 108-minute version.