New restoration DVD
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Reeler — 20 years ago(May 21, 2005 07:37 PM)
I suppose the DVD will be the identical version to what I saw this afternoon at the theater nearest the local university. If so, it doesn't appear to be much changed other than the addition of a couple of scenes and a little extension here and there, plus the new score (minus the "Fall in behind the Major"). A few minutes are added at the beginning just prior to Dundee's mustering of the prisoners on the parade ground at night. What had been missing was Tyreen and a few of his men being brought back after escaping following their murder of a couple of guards (not shown). Later, when Dundee is discovered after having spent the night with a Mexican woman in Durango, that scene had immediately followed his having the arrow removed from his leg. Several minutes were added between those two events. All of it is with the Mexican woman, which probably didn't seem necessary to the (racist?) producers, but went further to understanding Dundee. Altogether, one has a better sense of what a flawed character he is after seeing the restoration. Not quite the heroic vision that the producers no doubt would have preferred Peckinpah to have provided.
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deanofrpps — 20 years ago(May 28, 2005 07:10 AM)
i must confess i did like the score
Fall In Behind the Major
it added to the character of major dundee as he might have liked to see himself
i came across these remarks by Charleton Heston:
"One of the most crucial, though none of us realized it at the time, was that Columbia, Sam and I all really had
different pictures in mind.
Columbia, reasonably enough, wanted
a cavalry/Indians film
as much like Jack Ford's best as possible. I wanted to be the first to make a film that really explored
the Civil War.
Sam, though he never said anything like this, really wanted to make
The Wild Bunch.
That's the movie that was steaming in his psyche."
i am anxious to see the restored film ,,, does the new version explore more about trooper ryan's journal?
a cheery cherio
HA Andrews -
hondo21 — 21 years ago(March 25, 2005 10:02 AM)
More details Film restorer Robert A. Harris interviews Grover Crisp of Columbia Pictures about the new Extended Version of MAJOR DUNDEE in his digitalbits.com column here:
http://www.thedigit albits.com/articles/ robertharris/harris0 32405b.html
It will feature an entirely new score. (Delete the blank spaces in the link) -
bullit2513 — 20 years ago(June 30, 2005 10:25 AM)
The new dvd will feature added material from the versions that have been shown on AMC and the Western Channel Recently. Look through this message board to see what has been added or check out www.dvdsavant.com for a great review of the extended version.
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bullit2513 — 20 years ago(July 04, 2005 11:33 AM)
I don't have the western channel so I can't be sure, but I don't think they're showing the extended cut. The DVD comes out Aug. 31 so I doubt the added footage would alreay be on television.
If it helps, here are a couple scenes in the extended cut.
-Upon returning from the Rostis ranch after the massacre, Major Dundee and his troop come upon Captain Tyreen and his men who have escaped from the stockade.
-What happens to Riago is shown late in the movie. Is he a traitor or is he loyal to Dundee and Potts?
-IMO, the best scene added has Dundee, Tyreen, Potts, Graham, and Gomez deciding what they should do; continue chasing Sierra Chariba into Mexico or head back to Texas?
Hopes this helps, teejay. -
Flashpants — 20 years ago(September 23, 2005 04:24 PM)
The have put a different score on Major Dundee as well. Which is AWFUL.
The original is still on there on the mono soundtrack, but would of been better in the remastered 5.1, but the new score is horrid.
The original was one of the best to ever go in a film. Then they change it for no reason.
New scenes weren't anything special apart from finding out what happened to Riago.
Still, the quality is great for it's age.
IN FUNK WE TRUST -
bullit2513 — 20 years ago(September 23, 2005 09:27 PM)
I actually liked the new score by Christopher Caliendo. It sounded a lot like a Jerry Fielding score, or at least more moody/appropriate for a darker Sam Peckinpah western.
Besides the Mitch Miller "Fall in Behind the Major" song and that annoying twing that sounded when anyone said "Until the Apache is taken or destroyed," I liked the original score by Danielle Amphitreaof, but I thought Caliendo's was better overall. My one complaint about the new score was in the final battle. It was too quiet where the original had an excellent chaotic feel to it.
It was great to see the added footage. The scene of Dundee, Tyreen, Potts, Gomez, and Graham discussing what to do with the Apaches and the truth about Riago was the best scene added. It was good to see the lost weekend in Durango, Tyreen's escape in the beginning, and a few other shorter scenes.
Great DVD and well worth the wait.
"I don't mean to be a sore loser, but if when it's over, I'm dead, kill him." Butch Cassidy -
Flashpants — 20 years ago(September 25, 2005 07:02 AM)
I jut felt the original score brought more punch to the film. It brought more tension and excitement. Especially towards the end. Yes, I agree the twang when anyone said "until the Apache is taken or destroy" was annoying, mainly because it was over used.
I haven't really got any complaints about the new scenes, I only wonder what's missing in the other 17 minutes that we never seen.
Still, do you not think that adding a new score without the directors consent is butchering the film? I suppose it can be seen as an added feature as the original is on the DVD in mono. But still.
IN FUNK WE TRUST -
bullit2513 — 20 years ago(September 25, 2005 12:12 PM)
On the commentary on the DVD with the Peckinpah historians, they say that the massacre scenes were probably never filmed. They do concede that Peckinpah worked on the Rostes massacre scenes at some point, but they were either not up to snuff or never finished for a final product.
Indiana, I agree about being disappointed about never knowing the full version, however long that may be, that Sam intended. On the original 1965 trailer, several brief shots are shown that are not in any version I've ever seen. Check out dvdsavant for a deeper look at the movie, including some things that didn't make it into the final cut.
"I don't mean to be a sore loser, but if when it's over, I'm dead, kill him." Butch Cassidy -
ruggedrascal — 20 years ago(September 25, 2005 04:14 PM)
Peckinpah reportedly did not like the original score (the composer was chosen by the studio), so that's the reason behind the new score, to bring it closer to Peckinpah's own taste in movie music. Personally I think they should just have adapted the original score to keep some of it in but take out the "twang" and the stupid march and some of the bad orchestration but since the original score is there on the DVD, I don't think it matters much.
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Hancock_the_Superb — 20 years ago(October 02, 2005 05:42 AM)
Well, I bought the DVD on the cheap from my local Wal-Mart yesterday. Don't plan to watch the whole movie for awhile, but I did view the special features, and I watched a few scenes mostly to see how the new score came off. I haven't seen much yet, but I like what I've seen so far. If you like the film, it's worth getting regardless.
"It is recognized that you have a funny sense of fun." - Claude Rains, "Lawrence of Arabia" -
wohara1 — 20 years ago(October 02, 2005 11:25 AM)
I think that the new, extended version is much more in line with what Peckinpah intended, but it's still incomplete. I would like to see the initial massacre at the Rostes ranch reinstated. It was filmed. I don't think that the set would have been burned down on camera if they weren't done with it. I'd also like to see the Potts/Gomez knife fight somehow reinserted. That was a shining moment for Coburn.
As for the new soundtrack, it took a couple of sessions to set in, but that annoying tinkerbell squeal is out of my head and I don't miss a chorus of all male singers cheerfully exhorting me to fall in and mind the major while watching bloody corpses fester in the sun. The real howler is that the major will bring all of us back! He hardly brought anyone back.
We deal in lead, friend. -
Hancock_the_Superb — 20 years ago(October 02, 2005 02:24 PM)
Well, I like the "tinkerbell squeal" and the "Major Dundee March". They're campy but fun. I watched about half the movie (all of the "good parts") today and I enjoyed the score, I think it's better than the original one to be sure. The knife fight - between my two favorite characters - should've been longer and definitely should've been put in the movie.
"It is recognized that you have a funny sense of fun." - Claude Rains, "Lawrence of Arabia"