- Post
- #1589137
- Topic
- The Arrow Video / Shout factory un-official preservation thread.
- Link
- https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/1589137/action/topic#1589137
- Time
Total Recall (1990)
This film is a bonafide Classic and it’s pretty perfectly constructed. I don’t have much in the way to critisize this film at all. It did however suffer censorship cuts which should now be waived.
The problem seems to revolve around the Master print that was created which was by and large the same around the world and a distribution rights issue. When the Austrailian censors demanded further censorship cut’s this caused issues with releasing the film there and not wanting to deviate from the Video Master. However the further cut’s that were demanded were made for the Austrailian release. These censors are a bit whacky though. Yes I can tell that eyes popping out of a dummies head is not real. I know all these things are not real but I want to appreciate the art that went into the make up and special effects. It might be gory but we know it is all a bit of fun. The only other cut’s relate to whilst Quaid and Melina run away near the big glass window on Mars Quaid asks something like “what have you been doing since I saw you last?” She replies “Modelling for Recall…” this explains her image on the computer at Recall when the girl asks “what type of women do you like?”.
The teaser trailer animatic was meant to be inserted on the black screen before opening credits play.
Censorship cuts were:
- Benny’s death is optically cropped to remove the exiting drill erupting from his stomach.
- The innocent bystander used as a shield was bloodier before trimming.
- The stabbing of Helm in the bar had the bowie knife slicing up his stomach. Stills of this were actually featured in Fangoria magazine at the time of the film’s release. (Noticeably)
- Several shots of the scientists being killed by Quaid after he breaks free from the implant-machine were shortened. (Noticeably)
- The scene of Richter’s arms being severed was shortened.
We got Commando and Robocop uncut but not this. Seems pretty trivial not to restore this just create a deleted scenes section or put new conformation cut together.
The only thing I would tag on to this would be the UK Arena TV documentary on Phillip K Dick. Extremely interesting and Highly Reccomended.
Also
Gladiator (2000)
Ridley Scotts theatrical cut was his preffeted version yet the extended cut is much better I think however censorship cut’s remain. I think both should be retained but using the extended cut as the basis a 3rd version should be assembled.
The Physical Bronze opening crawl is really good but no wheat field after that straight into battle.
Most censorship cuts are available in the extras across various releases some in poor quality some are reasonable. Some missing material alters the structure of the edit but only within the scenes themselves.
Opening Battle extra catapulted fireballs people burning and shot by arrows.
Missing death of Barbarian with Big hammer (unreleased) and Maximus does not fight in slowmotion.
Most major censorship cuts happen in Morrocan gladiator fight and the chariot Fight. The morrocan Chain gang fight was shortened quite a bit and re-edited. Build up was better to door opening into the ring Arm Severed shot missing and impalement on spike missing. Flow of sequence is disrupted / disjointed due to the cut’s made A Ceremonial killing happens at the end for those suffering barely alive after the battle by blunt club to head.
When a chariot flips up one of the women is impaled on the gate spikes above with splash of blood. This is crppoed out. The beheaded soldier on chariot is more graphic and runs a bit longer. Probably some more cuts in that fight. This fight does not feel disrupted by edits however.
A vulture pecks a dead gladiator in morrocco.
You see Maximus son trampled by a horse (CGI)
There could be more cut’s I am unaware off there is also some very well shot scenes which are non violent. Joquien phoenix riding through forest to see his father. The caravan to the morroccan arena. The Red Dye passage to the arena before fight. Theres quite a few really good shots which are cut for time.
That’s more or less it for Gladiator. These 2 are not B-Movies but certainly deserve to be served up uncut and censorship waived. There are more special features that remain unreleased and some of it was done by national geographic for gladiator.