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This was a major release for 20th Century-Fox.
The original roadshow release featured an Overture before the film started, a full Main Title sequence, an Intermission with Entr'acte music, End Titles, and Exit Music.
Ah....the good old days.
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Forgive me for saying this, but George Stevens jr. is an idiot.
His knowledge of his father's work is strictly on-the-job training.
I read an interview in which he laid claim to the current 3 1/4 hour version of "Greatest Story Ever Told" being the completely restored film.
He's only short by, oh - I don't know - about 1 1/2 hours.
So it doesn't surprise me a bit that he'd be at a showing of a truncated version of his father's work.
It used to be that when you went to a presentation at the Academy, you would see exactly what had been originally shown in theaters.
Oh well, so much for those good old days.
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Oh, Brian, you really think there was a four and three quarter hour version of Greatest Story shown in THEATERS? I think not. I saw it the week it opened and I do hate to burst your bubble but the film did not run four and three quarter hours.
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Posted: |
Sep 30, 2004 - 11:34 AM
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By: |
Joe Caps
(Member)
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the current three and one quarter hour is not even the roadshow version. the roadshow versions ran 3 hours and forty minutes - and indeed was shown that way in New York.
the original time in L.A. for all of two nights was 4 hours and twnety minutes. UA quickly pulled the plug on that one. All of this is in Ken Darbys book Hollywood Holyland.
The More the film was cut, the MORE alfew Newman music was put back in the film.
When the film was cut to three hours and, I think, twenty minutes, there were several different versions of that length, all with slightly different footage, running in New York.
I have a vid of the first run telecasts of that length on HBO, and I have the old Fox Vid of that same length, , the MGM laserdisc and the new dvds. All have different footage in them.
The new DVDs are NOT the original soundtrack but a remix from scratch, including one scene that restores an Alfred Newman piece (Uriah Walks).
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Posted: |
Sep 30, 2004 - 2:45 PM
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By: |
MichaelM
(Member)
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the current three and one quarter hour is not even the roadshow version. the roadshow versions ran 3 hours and forty minutes - and indeed was shown that way in New York.
the original time in L.A. for all of two nights was 4 hours and twnety minutes. UA quickly pulled the plug on that one. All of this is in Ken Darbys book Hollywood Holyland.
The More the film was cut, the MORE alfew Newman music was put back in the film.
When the film was cut to three hours and, I think, twenty minutes, there were several different versions of that length, all with slightly different footage, running in New York.
I have a vid of the first run telecasts of that length on HBO, and I have the old Fox Vid of that same length, , the MGM laserdisc and the new dvds. All have different footage in them.
The new DVDs are NOT the original soundtrack but a remix from scratch, including one scene that restores an Alfred Newman piece (Uriah Walks).
Joe, could you go into a little detail about scenes from the original 4 hour+ version that are missing from the current DVD version? At more than an hour of missing material I imagine it was more than just odds and ends cut out.
Thanks!
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I saw at least 3 different versions of it during its initial roadshow release. (I still have the original, hardcover souvenir program, as well as 3 sets of 11x14 color photos that were also sold in the theatre lobby.)
Stevens was famous for re-editing his films after their release. One of the aspects of GSET that got a terrible response was his use of well-known actors in cameo roles. Pointed out almost unanimously was the closeup of John Wayne, as the Centurion, filling up the Cinerama screen, intoning "This was the Son of God!," immediately after the death of Christ, which made for a ludicrous effect. This was changed at least twice, so that now, what we see is a medium shot of Wayne in shadow, with the line still on the soundtrack. But the image is different.
I wouldn't be surprised it there had been a lot more of this type of thing, which was later excised.
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Sorry, I don't care what Mr. Darby says in his book, this film never ran in a THEATER in LA at a running time of four hours and twenty minutes. I was there - apparently you weren't. It may have had some preview showing or screening somewhere, but it did not OPEN in its theater engagement at that length.
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Wouldn´t this be a wonderful FSM-release, Lukas? (I know you have all for this year ready, but maybe next year? This is such a beautiful and bittersweet score!
You could get rid of another (you know what) that is going around. Plus, you would make us all very happy, as you always do.
Philipp
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joe , that is absolutely fascinating ! where does all that flm knowledge come from? it really is so impressive.
Michael
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I have noticed that the two disc DVD version of GSET is gone now and only a one disc supplement free version sells.
Is any version of a longer cut still extant somewhere? I sort of recall someone (might have been you, Joe) saying the Library Of Congress or some other place had a long cut in not too good condition.
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