"Can anyone in the industry confirm where the lost footage came from? Has the B&W footage from the 1998 DVD been colorized and edited down or are the original elements from the Lyle Conway footage indeed intact."
I saw the theatrical screening at the New York Film Festival this weekend, so I think I can answer you.
The restoration guy was actually annoyed that Internet rumors existed that the footage was merely a colorized version of the DVD footage, and said "You can obviously see that isn't true, right?" which was answered with wild applause.
He then specifically detailed the year-long search for all of the elements (the infamous salt mines were mentioned, among other places), culminating with the last minute discovery of the until-that-moment-lost "disco dancing" shots (where "fancy condos in Beverly Hills" is in the song). He said that they, indeed, find the original negative for everything which existed as of the final test screening cut.
The only slight rub there might be is that the background work for the models shot was not 100% completed when the ending was cut out. According to Frank Oz, three of the shots in this cut have some form of CGI enhancement, simply because the shots were never completed. However, having sat and watched it, I couldn't tell you which shots these were.
"or is the original ending just tacked onto the end".
It's this, but your question implies something which simply isn't the case. The restoration guy was pretty clear, this cut recreates the cut that was presented at the final test screening. The other changes which you mention had, according to Frank Oz, already been made. The rumors that these things were done to soften the movie after the ending was changed are, apparently, completely untrue. That isn't to say that the decision wasn't made to soften the movie, just that those decisions were made prior to the test screening.
I can confirm that, prior to the moment when Seymour bursts in to save Audrey from being eaten, there was only one change made to the film, and it was a mixing change which was apparently done in error. When the disc comes out, see if includes the "Da-Doo" in the score at the end of the John Candy scene. (It was missing from our screening.)
"I am wondering if it is back in or as a supplement."
I should say, I wanted to ask this at the Q&A but it was not a public Q&A, Scott Foundas just asked a bunch of dumb questions. I can't say for sure that it won't be included, but the sense I got was that the sequence was discarded early enough that it was never anywhere near completion. So, unlike the ending, it would've required artistic work (as opposed to technically recreating artistic work). I would love to see it, but if they didn't do it now, I doubt they ever will.
It also occurred to me, for the first time, that the Moranis section of "Meek Shall Inherit" [which is my favorite performance he gives of any of the songs] actually doesn't fit with the arc in the movie; the whole thing is him deciding, "Okay, I will continue to kill people to feed the plant and accept these financial offers." The next thing he does is to yell at the film crew and say he won't do that anymore. Which is where he is at the beginning of that song, but not if they include his section. So character-wise, it's better without it. But it's a tough cut, I love that song.
reply
share
martymcsly2k1
12 years ago
Thanks for the rundown! Have read another account of the screening that says "Mean Green Mother's" been beefed up too. Any details?
reply
share
victoria-everglot
12 years ago
Mean Green Mother ran longer. There was more footage of the little pods singing back up to Audrey II that was mostly what I noticed that had been added to that sequence.
Fangbanger
Official Angelique
5/11/2012
reply
share
martymcsly2k1
12 years ago
Longer than the b&w cut on the 98 DVD? Did any of the additional lyrics from the soundtrack version make it in? Thanks!
reply
share
victoria-everglot
12 years ago
In all fairness it had been a couple years since I'd watched the movie so I might not be the best person to answer this question.
After I got home I went on youtube and watched the b&w footage and I don't recall seeing much of anything in the restored version that wasn't present in that footage. Again I could be wrong, but from what I remember I think most all of it has been available in b&w.
Fangbanger
Official Angelique
5/11/2012
reply
share
VinnieRattolle
12 years ago
Literally been waiting decades for this, so for all the info, GuamGuy!
Gotta say though, I kinda disagree with you about the transition in "The Meek Shall Inherit." As the song begins, he's being enticed into becoming a celebrity. In the deleted portion of the song, Seymour resigns himself to keep killing for the love of Audrey I. BUT the ending montage that remained in the film shows him becoming completely and totally overwhelmed by the fame, so it sort of makes sense that he'd go postal on the TV crew at that juncture. Plus we're going on the assumption that the aforementioned scene was intended to directly follow the song -- since the sequence has only been released in its entirety on the album (which wildly deviates from the film numerous times), it's not out of the realm of possibility that it was a little different and/or more than the just song itself was whittled down.
I find it hugely disappointing that all WB bothered with was the ending (no doubt because of its You Tube popularity and legendary status) and that they didn't directly involve Oz with the restoration (instead opting to work off of his original notes) but at least it's finally coming out...
reply
share
hu675
12 years ago
I got my copy today, the original intended cut looks great. I am happy, both cuts are on the disc. The model work on the director's cut on the third act is fantastic. This is all Pre-CGI stuff, this Blu-ray is worth owning. I am going to watch it tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
reply
share
Sic Coyote
12 years ago
I've just seen the intended cut of this.
(I'm trailersic on youtube who did an edit of the ending using footage from the original but I took them offline after WB attacked one part for Copyright earlier this year)
Differences I noticed:
Audrey & Patrick Martin are looped compared to the workprint version so have some different inflections in their lines, not better or worse I guess but I'm a little too familiar with the workprint.
Things I was a little disappointed about:
They didn't use the darker soundtrack version of the opening narration for the darker intended cut(though not surprised)
They didn't have a complete Meet shall inherit song.
The Funeral March seemed to lack some of the sting of the original version.
The new mix of Mean Green Mother again lacks some of the sting.
They possibly could have edited in the 3rd verse of mean green mother, with "I'm just a mean green mother from outer space so just give it up it's all over ace", since this seemed to be a complete reconstruction, which would have been nice to re-edit that in.
The added "urgh" they put in-between the final "I am" and "Bad". It was FINE we didn't need an extra sound while the mouth closed, the plant is taking breath, if that makes sense.
They should have cut it a bit differently where Seymour is put into Audrey II's mouth. To avoid some of the slightly jarring repeats of music(not as jarring as the workprint, but could still be better).
They left in the shots of buildings collapsing which didn't have plants in them that just seemed like unfinished footage to me and needlessly extended the ending.
The final shot of the statue of liberty looks like a modern after-effects job, should have been done more simply to look like the 80s.
The above notes have to obviously be taken in context as from a person who has analyzed and picked apart both endings and created his own edit of the ending.
Overall though it's great to have a version of the ending that looks as awesome and colourful as this one with a completed 5.1 mix.
----
Even if you hate Uwe Boll, give Postal a try, be offended or entertained.
reply
share
SpicyD
12 years ago
Thanks Sic.
I just watched yesterday. I was wondering what the shot by shot breakdown differences were. I had watched the work print for years but not the way you did.
I think what Warner Bros. released is the best we all can hope for. The people who made the film in 1986 don't exist anymore. There was only one moment in time to make that movie the way it was supposed to be made and it seems to me that Frank Oz was never really interested in going back.
Frank Oz has said that the audience hated him for killing characters they loved so much and of course that is still the problem with the cut of this film. The only way to ease the transition to the harsh ending would be to make the first 75% of the darker. Just a few things come to mind:
- Replace the narration at beginning of the movie
- Although it is a wonderful score Miles Goodman's score needed to be darker
- Put the blood back in the dentist office
- Show Seymour feeing the plant body parts
- Make Seymour more of an accomplice to the plant - it's okay that Orin's death is an accident (as on broadway and the original) but Seymour needs to manipulate Mushnick into the plant. He needs to do something to be punished for.
- Insert the number Mushnik and Son (never even shot or included in script) because it shows a darker manipulative side of Mushnik.
- Meek Shall Inherit should have been reshot (Oz has said in interviews he cut it - because it wasn't working). The scene lays out Seymour's dilemma and that he is choosing to dance with the devil to keep Audrey.
- Cut the scene were Audrey and Seymour plan to elope (I believe part of the reshoot)
The irony of all this is - if they had cut the film this way LSOH might not be my favorite movie. If they never even shot the original ending the film wouldn't have become a 25 year obsession for so many of us. So this flawed WB reconstruction is a wonderful gift. I'm pleased.
Now we all get to complain about the Joseph Gordon Levitt version. Since we have the perfect happy ersion already - I hope they go full dark on the new one.
reply
share
Sic Coyote
12 years ago
Funny you should say about the eloping scene, in my edit I made I used the dark narration and cut out the eloping scene as it seemed to pre-empt the happy ending. It was shot in the part of the set that they had left standing for the re-shoots of Audrey, Seymour and Belushi. So I thought it was part of the re-shoots.
I just cut straight from Seymour running out to nighttime and sneaking through the room.
Also I also used similar musical stings, taken from Mushnik being eaten, on the Patrick Martin scene in my youtube edit, but I used the instrumental 'suppertime/meek shall inherit' music (from the music only track on the dvd) to play over Patrick Martin as soon as he starts speaking. I think it's nice to have silence when Seymour is standing on the edge as it's the darkest point in the movie, but as soon as Patrick Martin speaks that changes things.
There will still be many (most) people who don't like the dark ending, but myself I prefer it as it fits much better.
----
Even if you hate Uwe Boll, give Postal a try, be offended or entertained.
reply
share
punkychick7
12 years ago
Personally I don't mind the scene of them planning to elope being included with the original ending. It actually makes it all even more tragic, how close they came to achieving Audrey's dream. Plus, the image of Seymour dressed as a groom feeding Audrey in a bridal gown to Audrey II is just plain haunting, at least to me.
reply
share