Upcoming DVD Releases

[TheMcGuffin]

R Kadin,

How could you tell that the Mr Arkadin is the one that Corinth owns. I know that the Corinth Version has been available on VHS but is out of print, but I read hte description and found no mention of it being anothing other than the Public Domain Version. The 99 min run time seems to support that.

[R Kadin]

McGuffin - I'm not certain, hence the emphasis on the "might" in my posting, previous. There's precious little description of it on the site, which is par for the course there, it seems. Also not obvious is reference to its status as a "restored" version. Noteworthy, as well, is the listing of a second, 92-minute version in addition to the above. The lack of certainty is enough, therefore, to make me want to check further into it and report back here.

BTW, the Corinth version also runs at 99 (i.e., "100) minutes - although Corinth's website erroneously bills it as 110 minutes.

I've also bid for and "won" a used VHS copy of Chimes, the English version - supposedly unretouched. It hails from Japan, originally, which means Japanese subtitles throughout, I'm afraid; but as it cost but a fraction of the "Movies Unlimited" price for a North American version, one's expectations have to be realistic. At least I'll be able to compare it to the Spanish "Chimes" DVD when it, too, arrives soon.

Lastly, I couldn't help noticing a DVD version of "Macbeth" on the xploited cinema site. Its claim to be a "restored" version, with Welles's original dialogue track back in place, certainly makes it an interesting prospect to pursue. Anyone out there know it first-hand?

[Sir Bygber Brown]

Can it be? I'd also be interested in that - Macbeth would much more accessible to me if not for the Scottish "accents." I wish Lady from Shanghai came in an all-American dialogue track.

[colwood]

When Macbeth originally was released, the studio cut 20 minutes and redubbed all the actors voices with an american accent. In 1980, UCLA put back the missing 20 minutes and redubbed the voices to their original Scottish "accents." So even though this seems to be the only version available for the last 24 years, it is often described as a "restored" version.

BTW this is the Macbeth dvd at the xpoloitedcinema website that someone in another thread was looking for and couldn't find.

[Wilson]

Colwood is correct, though it should be noted that UCLA didn't do any re-dubbing, as the original soundtrack existed. The "restored" meant restored to the original, Scottish soundtrack and full length Welles intended. The American accented version was available on videotape way back when, but was supplanted by the original (ie Scottish) version. Tapes of it are floating around, but watch out; some of the them say 84 minutes or whatever the American accent version runs, but actually have the restored version, as the packagers were just lazy and didn't correct it.

[R Kadin]

Okay - re Arkadin, "Movies Unlimited" has cited this site as its source for the video in question. What I found there doesn't exactly fill me with hope in terms of unearthing anything more than the public domain version; but perhaps others out there might better recognize what's on offer. I invite them to check it out and advise, accordingly.

Got the "restored" Macbeth yesterday from xploitedcinema and it's exactly as Jeff indicated - complete with Scottish accents. There's not much evidence of any attempt to enhance the visuals, although I've seen far worse quality out there. The soundtrack is an improvement over my 15-year old VHS copy (which still plays quite well, I must admit).

Also got the Spanish Chimes with it and a preliminary viewing of it promised much delight ahead of me. It will be rather nice not to have to ignore a stream of Japanese sidetitles throughout, as currently intrude on my VHS version of same.

And, for the h*ll of it, I sprang for an old copy of It's All True on laserdisc just to snag it for my collection and in advance of any release on DVD. Should make for an interesting experience, if and when I get hold of an LD player. I'm particularly anxious to take in the colour footage in a format that offers some hope of decent colour separation and fine detail.

[mmrabin]

re MacBeth on dvd: is this available only in Region 2 format? thanks.

[Wilson]

The only available version is the Region 2 UK disc, yes, unless I'm forgetting one.

[mmrabin]

thanks!

[Roger Ryan]

When Macbeth originally was released, the studio cut 20 minutes and redubbed all the actors voices with an american accent.

Just thought I would point out that Welles himself made the twenty minute cut in MacBeth in '48, at the studio's behest of course. Richard Wilson warned Welles in correspondence that the studio would recut the film themselves if Welles wasn't more pro-active (Wilson brought up the fate of both "Ambersons" and "Shanghai" in his warning). After some stalling, Welles returned to Hollywood (after completing shooting "The Third Man") to re-edit "MacBeth" and, persumably, oversee the redubbing as well.

[colwood]

As has been noted in the news section and here on the boards, It's All True is being released on dvd on November 30. It's now on amazon for about $10. While this is a good release, I'm guessing that at this price it's not going to have any extras.

[Sir Bygber Brown]

That's a safe guess, i'd say colwood.

[mteal]

Not a bad price, though. Use one of those 20% Borders coupons and you can get for $8.

JOURNEY INTO FEAR
Some other observations on the Original Screenplay

DINNER SCENE
(Howard feels his tooth)
Stephanie: 'Your mother's too young to have her teeth pulled from rhuemetism.'
Kopeikin: 'Your husband and I have some "affairs" to discuss'.
(EVIL-LOOKING TURKS in uniform in the shadows, start to trail Kopeikin and Graham)
Graham calls Kopeikin 'Serge'. The uniformed Turks are still trailing them as they enter the caberet.

CABERET SCENE
Kopeikin: 'You should see the girlies' (changed to 'You should see the chorus', to soften the implication that the nightclub is really a whorehouse in disguise)
Kopeikin: 'They got plenty of girlies'.
***** RED INK NOTE: 'Shoot (this line) so it can be cut without hurting the rest of the scene.'.
Pavlik, the Russian owner of the 'nightclub', speaks Russian with Kopeikin. A girl sits down.
Kopeikin: 'Ah, my little Jane, a Eurasian, she's recovering from a sore neck'.
Girl wants tip too. Graham gives her 100 piastres.
Kopiekin: 'Fifty would have been plenty' This line was cut as a possible insult to Turkish critics. Fifty piastres was then the equivelent of about 37 cents.
Josette joins them.
Kopeikin (to Josette and Graham): 'I drink to you both. You're both going to Tiflis. You're both friends of mine so you have (pats his stomach) much in common'
***** RED INK NOTE: 'Please cut this action (patting his stomach)
During the magic act, an angled cross is brought on stage, resembling 'a relic of the inquisition', as the magician prepares a trick tought to him 'in the mountains of India'. Also, a coffin is brought out.
MY NOTE: Interesting that Kopeikin wants Graham to assist the magician.
Graham is fastened to the cross. Graham winds up in the coffin, the magician dead on the cross. (Graham comes out of the coffin (a mock resurrection?). Kopeikin takes Graham to

HAKI'S OFFICE
Kopeikin: 'Haki was a deputy in the provisional government in '19, one of Atakurk's men.'
CHANGED ON 1/24/42: All the people waiting for Haki were at the nightclub. They were all rounded up for questioning.
'Col. Haki will see Mr. Howard Graham' (Before, they just went into Haki's office alone and unannounced)
Graham (to Haki): Nobody tried to kill me.'
Haki looks quickly at Kopeikin
Kopeikin: ' I didn't tell him anything! He thinks I'm hysterical.'
Haki: 'It's the fate of you Russians to be misunderstood.' (to Graham) 'Iyi dir! The military situation demands that the new equipment and torpedoes be in our dockyards by Spring. Suppose you had been on the magician's cross when the shot was fired. If a new man is sent, the spring will be here and the ships in Izmir and Galipoli will not have their guns and torpedoe tubes. Alive, you're worth something to the Turkish republic.'
A plot to kill Graham was discovered in Galipoli.

MISSING SCENE: Brief scene of Stephanie crying because Howard is missing (Kopeikin tells her).

HAKI'S OFFICE
Banet is a Roumanian province, obviously not his real name. They traced his activities from Sophia. By train, Graham would have gone to Tiflis. By boat, Batum (boat is called "Persephone").
Josette and Gogo speak to each other in Basque.
Haki mentions that Graham will have Josette for company. Graham replies 'I'm a married man'. Haki: 'The American point of view- one cannot reason, one can only stand amazed.'
****** THIS LINE WAS ORDERED CUT AS IT 'PRESENTS A TURKISH RANKING OFFICIAL AS BEING WITHOUT MORALS'.

ON SHIP
As Graham enters boat, a Cockney man and a French woman are heard argueing about whether the sheets are damp or merely cold.
INSERT CUT OUT: Graham looks at his revolver, which says 'Made in U.S.A.', by an American typewriter manufacturer (storyboards indicate REGAS).
Josette and Graham together: Josette says she and Gogo will starve if they can't get a dancing engagement in India. Many dance places are closed because of the war. Josette philosophises that 'Starving is good for the figure. One grows fat in Istanbul.'
Graham tells Josette he is married in LINES CUT.
****** RED INK NOTE: 'If Josette does NOT know Graham is married, the censorship problem is vastly reduced.'
Josette: 'I tell you everything. Abut you I know nothing, except that you have a nice house.'

DINNER SCENE
Kuvetli introduces himself to Graham as a tobacco seller.
LINES CUT:
Josette (to Graham): 'They are heathen animals, these Turks. In the last war (America) fought against them. They killed babies with their bayonets.'
Graham: 'Personally, I like the Turks.'
****** RED INK NOTE: 'Mr. Breen cautions that not only censorship, but our own State Dept. will strenuously object to this!'

MISSING SCENE: Haki implies to Stephenie that Howard has run off with another woman.

AT DINNER
Dr. Holler: 'The French lady called me a filthy Boche. Greek cooking is monotonous without conversation.'
Graham: 'I agree'
Holler came from Persia, investigating pre-Islamic cultures. He says he has proof that 'the tribes that moved into Iran 4,000 years ago preserved and assimilated Sumerian culture intact and preserved it after the fall of Babylon...but the world is too preoccupied with it's own destruction to worry about such things. A condemned man is only interested in himself. I helped in the search for a logic of history. We should have made of the past a mirror with which to see around the corner that seperates us from the future. Unfortunately, it no longer matters what we might have seen. We are returning the way we came.'
Gogo: 'War! Makes it difficult to earn money. Let Germany have all the territory she deserves. Choke herself with it. Then let us go to Berlin and enjoy ourselves.'
***** RED INK NOTE: 'Again, Mr. Breen cautions about State Dept.. The contention being that the picture will be seen by thousands in Latin America where agreement with speeches could bring applause and then riot.'

Gogo's 'I take no sides' was originally, 'In the (Spanish) Civil War, I took no sides.'
Breen obviously did not want Gogo marked as a Spaniard.
Mathews: 'But if the Reds had won...'
Mrs. Mathews: 'The Reds violated nuns and murdered priests.'
***** RED INK NOTE: 'The Church Legion of Decency will object to the end on this. Also, very delicate (politically). REDS ARE OUR ALLIES'
Mathews: 'War is the last refuge of the capitalist.'
Mrs. Mathews: 'Take no notice. He is a good Englishman.'

GRAHAM AND JOSETTE WALKING ON SHIP
Graham tries to get Josette to go with him and Kuvetli as she probably knows the ports well. She is insulted by this as she didn't know he meant her dancing.'
Josette and Graham talk about Gogo's attitude that 'Humans are animals'. He is amoral, indifferent to morality.
Josette: 'He (Gogo) says it was the people who are safe and well-fed who invent good and evil so they don't have to worry about those who are hungry and unsafe.'
The boat docks and Graham gives the steward a letter for Stephanie saying he loves only her.'
Haller and Graham talk about Kuvetli while Banat's French record is heard.'
When Mrs. M talks about the Greek woman's husband who was shot by soldiers, she says it was the 'will of God'. To which Mathews replies, 'He (God) is a comedian. I have noticed it before.'
***** RED INK NOTE wanting this statement rephrased as a question: 'He is a comedian. Don't you agree?'
Mrs. Mathews: 'Don't blaspheme.'
Mathews: 'It is you who blasphemes. You talk of God as if he were a waiter with a flyswatter...but the good God is not like that. He does not make wars and tragedies. He is of the mind.' Mathews then says how the Greek woman is the heroine of a tragedy. But she tells the story of her son to ease her mind with an audience.
Mathews: 'Without an audience, there is no tragedy.'

CAPTAIN'S ROOM
The Captain thinks Banat is a Greek businessman, and tells Graham they cannot radio Haki as they are no longer in Turkish territorial waters.'
The Captain speaks only GREEK in the script. In the movie he speaks several languages.
Just as Breen did not want Gogo marked specifically as a Spaniard, he also did not want the Captain marked specifically as a Greek.

DINNER SCENE
Mathews: 'Banking! What is it but usery? Today the userers are the Gods of the Earth, and the only mortal sin is to be poor.'
ORDERED CUT FROM THE FINAL SCRIPT: 'Bankers want banking to be a mystery too difficult for ordinary men to understand. How else can they make two plus two equal five? The bankers are the real war criminals. Others do the killing while they sit in their offices and make money.'
Gogo imitates an aristocratic Englishman while ordering a drink. Josette tells him to stop, but Graham defends him: 'Many Englishman who've never been to the Pyrenees think all Basques smell of Garlic.'
Banat originally had a couple of lines with Kuvetli about where he was going.

GRAHAM AND JOSETTE
Graham and Josette discuss her stealing Gogo's gun as Graham's is now missing. Josette says Gogo will play cards with Banat while Graham searches Banat's room. They kiss.
Graham searches Banat's room, comes back to find Holler in his room with Banat's gun.
Holler: 'My only embarrassment is the half-wit Armenian lady posing as my wife.'
Holler tells Graham that, thanks to earthquakes, Turkey has a Typhus epidemic, so Graham can be scuttled away, pretending to have it.' Holler promises Graham that Josette can be made to come to if he agrees to the 'six-weeks holiday.'

GRAHAM AND KUVETLI
Kuvetli, in his conversation with Graham, takes it in stride that Graham is fooling around with Josette. He threatens Graham with the accusation that he took bribes to sabotage Turkish naval preperations.
Kuvetli: 'I fought with Gazi for my country's freedom. Could I let one man endanger the great work we have done?'

BATUM
Holler (to Graham): 'This matter of the Adonis myth...the weeping for Tammuz was always a focus of pre-historic religions. Tammuz, Osir, Adonis are the same Sumerian diety, but the Sumerians call him Dumizida. So did the pre-Islaamic tribes of Iran. They had their own variation on the Sumerian epic of Gilgamesh and Enkidu.'
The Catholic Legion of Decency had problems with Josette and Gogo being married. So they made them partners instead.'
Batum is in Russia.
Stephanie says she has a dinner date with Haki, who travelled all the way from Istanbul with her.