You Haven't Seen WHAT?! - Page 7

Gemini Cricket · 07-20-2006, 02:42 PM

Here's my AFI have not seen list:

44. THE BIRTH OF A NATION (1915)
54. ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (1930)
57. THE THIRD MAN (1949)
88. EASY RIDER (1969)

A friend of mine that I went to college with said that we saw 'The Birth of a Nation' for class. But I do not remember it...

Gemini Cricket · 07-21-2006, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gemini Cricket

Here's my AFI have not seen list:

44. THE BIRTH OF A NATION (1915)
54. ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (1930)
57. THE THIRD MAN (1949)
88. EASY RIDER (1969)

I just added these to my Netflix queue. Must see all...

innerSpaceman · 07-20-2006, 07:14 PM

Before I get to the list .... my hand is forced by earlier posts to lay down some smack fact on Close Encounters.

The Criterion version is NOT the 1977-release version. Two scenes are missing, and haven't been seen on TV, laserdisk, VHS, DVD or theatre screen since 1978 when the original film went out of release.

In doing the Special Edition, Spielberg was told by the studio folks to speed things up, and get rid of all those damn references to things reminding Roy Neary of Devil's Tower. In the Special Edition, there is but one left - - when the kid, Barry, is building a dirt mound at the hill where everyone returns to see if UFOs will do likewise. Roy recognizes the shape ... but, quite importantly, this version of the film includes no scenes of Roy building such a mound himself, in his house. The 'mountain of mashed potatoes' is the first time in this version - and all subsequent versions - that we see Roy "building" his own version of the mountain. The absurdity of the situation may still be funny, but the joke is lost without the set-up - - namely that Roy has been obsessively building a mountain in the midst of his model train layout.

The most recent "Director's Cut" restores the scene where Roy first perceives the shape (in a pillow) and restores the scene where he goes bananas and takes apart everything outside his house as raw materials to build a GIANT MODEL of Devil's Tower to replace his small train set version.

But - the mashed potatoes scene is STILL the first time we see Roy making his own version of "the shape." His obsession with the shape, which featured prominently in the original film, was toned waaaay down ... and remains a reletively minor plot point to this day.

Bah.

In the first missing scene, Roy and his wife Ronnie are getting ready to go to the AirForce News Conference and we can see that Roy has turned the playroom into UFO Central, with dozens of cut-out articles and a couple of Star Trek models. Most importantly, it's the scene where we see that Roy has added a prominent mountain to his model train layout.

The second missing scene immediately follows the army's plans to stage the phoney chemical spill. It has just been revealed to the audience that the target of the UFOs is Devils Tower. And even though you may not have ever seen Devils Tower before you've seen Close Encounters, you know what it looks like as soon as you see that shot of the Wyoming contour map.

The next scene, the missing scene, is of Roy in his playroom making desperate modifications to his mountain. The suspense here is great, because the audience now knows exactly what must be done. Just lop off the top and score the sides of the mountain with ridges. And just as Roy begins to scrape grooves into the side of the mountain, he is called away to dinner ...

In the only version of this sequence that is available today, the film would have you believe that Roy's mashed potato mountain is the first sculpture that he does. And it is not until later that you see his miniature train set mountain for the first time. This is totally wrong.

* * * * *

Oh, and one word about the insertion of that nervous breakdown scene that was not in the original version: Roy does not attack his wife. He is sitting in a bathtub the entire time and is rather submissive and pathetic. It's Ronnie who gets hysterial, angry, and screaming. She yells at the kids, the kids start yelling, and Roy is the one pleading for calm.

It is a disturbing scene. Once you've seen it, however, you realize that the following scenes have some logistical and story continuity errors if the "nervous breakdown" scene is missing. I think Spielberg may have left it out of the original because it makes the family seem far more dysfunctional, and tends to give away the ending that Roy would choose an unknown outer space adventure over his life on earth.

Sorry for the length. Great films butchered by editing is a particularly peevish peeve of mine.

Motorboat Cruiser · 07-20-2006, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

The 'mountain of mashed potatoes' is the first time in this version - and all subsequent versions - that we see Roy "building" his own version of the mountain.

It's been a few years, but for some reason, I thought the first time he saw the shape was in the shaving cream while he was shaving. Or is that after the mashed potatos? Or am I creating this whole thing from a false memory.

I'll accept any of these as plausable.

flippyshark · 07-21-2006, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

Before I get to the list .... my hand is forced by earlier posts to lay down some smack fact on Close Encounters.

The Criterion version is NOT the 1977-release version. Two scenes are missing, and haven't been seen on TV, laserdisk, VHS, DVD or theatre screen since 1978 when the original film went out of release.

Consider me humbly smacked. I could swear my Criterion ld claimed to be the theatrical cut (it also claimed exclusivity on this point, as I recall) but I foolishly sold the damn thing, so I can't check the label. If even that was a tampered print, then things are indeed totally out of whack with this picture.

I'm also stunned at how badly I've misremembered that added "mad' scene - guess I hated it so much I made it worse in my head. You're right in that it adds good reason for Roy to leave his family behind. (Also interesting that Spielberg, in the doc on the latest editions, says that he would never make this film now that he has a family of his own. I'm glad he did so before he got domesticated.)

Hopeless innacurracy is the price I pay for writing posts from work when I'm too tired to fact check.

For what it's worth, I do remember those two scenes you describe. I hope Columbia will do right by this title someday. For anyone here who has never seen it, I think even the bastardized re-cuts are worth your time.

innerSpaceman · 07-20-2006, 07:20 PM

As for the list, I've seen everything except "The Third Man," "The Jazz Singer" and "A Place in the Sun."

Like I posted earlier, I'm not the kind of person who hears "You haven't seen WHAT??? very often.

innerSpaceman · 07-20-2006, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Motorboat Cruiser

It's been a few years, but for some reason, I thought ...

Ah yes, correction indeed - - the shaving cream is first (a few moments before the pillow) .... and, technically, since he plays with it ... mashed potatoes is the second time he tries to make the shape in revisionist versions of the film.

Ghoulish Delight · 07-20-2006, 07:28 PM

I've seen those scenes. It was a while ago, the first time I saw it, which was probably 5 years ago. I vividly remember him making the all important final modifications. And I was particularly puzzled the next time I saw it that the mountain-building seemed so...missing. So unless I saw it in utero, your claim of "not seen since 1978" seems suspect. But I am glad to finally know I wasn't imagining things when it felt like there was a lot missing, especially since it was on TMC, which usually doesn't do that kind of chopping.

innerSpaceman · 07-20-2006, 07:34 PM

Actually, having just watched all of M. Night's movies in preparation for tomorrow's opening of LitW, I find Sixth Sense to be my least favorite ... though it is obviously his most popular film.

As for any in utero viewings of Close Encounters ... all I can say is that I have not been able to monitor every single TV airing of this film ... but I have sat longingly through more television viewings than is healthy, and I have never seen those missing scenes aired on TV.

I'm postive, however, that they've never been released on any home video version ... and I call BAH, and Shenanigans on the esteemed "Criterion Collection" edition for falsely advertising itself to be the 1977 version of the film. Filth and lies, my friends, filth and lies.

Motorboat Cruiser · 07-20-2006, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

Actually, having just watched all of M. Night's movies in preparation for tomorrow's opening of LitW, I find Sixth Sense to be my least favorite ... though it is obviously his most popular film.

Just out of curiosity, what was your favorite? That is, if you liked any of them.

07-20-2006, 02:42 PM	#1
Gemini Cricket ... Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 13,244	Here's my AFI have not seen list: 44. THE BIRTH OF A NATION (1915) 54. ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (1930) 57. THE THIRD MAN (1949) 88. EASY RIDER (1969) A friend of mine that I went to college with said that we saw 'The Birth of a Nation' for class. But I do not remember it...
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07-20-2006, 07:14 PM	#3
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	Before I get to the list .... my hand is forced by earlier posts to lay down some smack fact on Close Encounters. The Criterion version is NOT the 1977-release version. Two scenes are missing, and haven't been seen on TV, laserdisk, VHS, DVD or theatre screen since 1978 when the original film went out of release. In doing the Special Edition, Spielberg was told by the studio folks to speed things up, and get rid of all those damn references to things reminding Roy Neary of Devil's Tower. In the Special Edition, there is but one left - - when the kid, Barry, is building a dirt mound at the hill where everyone returns to see if UFOs will do likewise. Roy recognizes the shape ... but, quite importantly, this version of the film includes no scenes of Roy building such a mound himself, in his house. The 'mountain of mashed potatoes' is the first time in this version - and all subsequent versions - that we see Roy "building" his own version of the mountain. The absurdity of the situation may still be funny, but the joke is lost without the set-up - - namely that Roy has been obsessively building a mountain in the midst of his model train layout. The most recent "Director's Cut" restores the scene where Roy first perceives the shape (in a pillow) and restores the scene where he goes bananas and takes apart everything outside his house as raw materials to build a GIANT MODEL of Devil's Tower to replace his small train set version. But - the mashed potatoes scene is STILL the first time we see Roy making his own version of "the shape." His obsession with the shape, which featured prominently in the original film, was toned waaaay down ... and remains a reletively minor plot point to this day. Bah. In the first missing scene, Roy and his wife Ronnie are getting ready to go to the AirForce News Conference and we can see that Roy has turned the playroom into UFO Central, with dozens of cut-out articles and a couple of Star Trek models. Most importantly, it's the scene where we see that Roy has added a prominent mountain to his model train layout. The second missing scene immediately follows the army's plans to stage the phoney chemical spill. It has just been revealed to the audience that the target of the UFOs is Devils Tower. And even though you may not have ever seen Devils Tower before you've seen Close Encounters, you know what it looks like as soon as you see that shot of the Wyoming contour map. The next scene, the missing scene, is of Roy in his playroom making desperate modifications to his mountain. The suspense here is great, because the audience now knows exactly what must be done. Just lop off the top and score the sides of the mountain with ridges. And just as Roy begins to scrape grooves into the side of the mountain, he is called away to dinner ... In the only version of this sequence that is available today, the film would have you believe that Roy's mashed potato mountain is the first sculpture that he does. And it is not until later that you see his miniature train set mountain for the first time. This is totally wrong. * * * * * Oh, and one word about the insertion of that nervous breakdown scene that was not in the original version: Roy does not attack his wife. He is sitting in a bathtub the entire time and is rather submissive and pathetic. It's Ronnie who gets hysterial, angry, and screaming. She yells at the kids, the kids start yelling, and Roy is the one pleading for calm. It is a disturbing scene. Once you've seen it, however, you realize that the following scenes have some logistical and story continuity errors if the "nervous breakdown" scene is missing. I think Spielberg may have left it out of the original because it makes the family seem far more dysfunctional, and tends to give away the ending that Roy would choose an unknown outer space adventure over his life on earth. Sorry for the length. Great films butchered by editing is a particularly peevish peeve of mine.
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07-20-2006, 07:20 PM	#6
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	As for the list, I've seen everything except "The Third Man," "The Jazz Singer" and "A Place in the Sun." Like I posted earlier, I'm not the kind of person who hears "You haven't seen WHAT??? very often.
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07-20-2006, 07:28 PM	#8
Ghoulish Delight I Floop the Pig Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alternative Swankstyle Posts: 19,348	I've seen those scenes. It was a while ago, the first time I saw it, which was probably 5 years ago. I vividly remember him making the all important final modifications. And I was particularly puzzled the next time I saw it that the mountain-building seemed so...missing. So unless I saw it in utero, your claim of "not seen since 1978" seems suspect. But I am glad to finally know I wasn't imagining things when it felt like there was a lot missing, especially since it was on TMC, which usually doesn't do that kind of chopping. __________________ 'He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.' -TJ
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07-20-2006, 07:34 PM	#9
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	Actually, having just watched all of M. Night's movies in preparation for tomorrow's opening of LitW, I find Sixth Sense to be my least favorite ... though it is obviously his most popular film. As for any in utero viewings of Close Encounters ... all I can say is that I have not been able to monitor every single TV airing of this film ... but I have sat longingly through more television viewings than is healthy, and I have never seen those missing scenes aired on TV. I'm postive, however, that they've never been released on any home video version ... and I call BAH, and Shenanigans on the esteemed "Criterion Collection" edition for falsely advertising itself to be the 1977 version of the film. Filth and lies, my friends, filth and lies.
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