Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by TA (A) on April 17, 2002 at 20:53:47

In Reply to: "Mullholland Drive"...Lynch Censors DVD of own Film ? posted by mikenyc on April 17, 2002 at 10:21:42:

I do think it's unfortunate, but we don't have much choice if we want to see the movie at home.

Since David Lynch is behind making this change, would condemning it make one like the busybody producer who encourages him to change his "vision" in a final cut?

Peter Wier's director's cut of Picnic at Hanging Rock on DVD is shorter than the theatrical release. Does that make it worse, or a "tighter" film?

Would you prefer that the Storytelling DVD leave in the big red rectangle because that was the theatrical release we saw (and the artist's F-U statement to the MPAA)?

What about Stanley Kubrick preferring 4:3 framing for the video release of some of his films (shooting with both theatrical and standard TV framing in mind)? Kubrick preferred tall pictures.

I don't think it's a clear black and white issue. Director's intent vs theatrical release, historical record vs DVD changes. E.T., Star Wars, Touch of Evil, Suspicion, etc.

I recently saw Scorsese interviewed about whether he'd like to fix up some of his films for DVD release, like undoing the faded colors for the end of Taxi Driver. He said that for whatever reasons he had to make any changes (pressure from MPAA, studio heads, etc.), he prefers that his movies be left as is. I was surprised to hear that.