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Cinema Review - Alexander: The Director's Cut
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DVD Video Review
Alexander Unrated Final Cut (R1) in February - Artwork added
27-01-2007 11:52 | 11216 views | Dave Foster | Show Backlinks
Warner Home Video have announced the Region 1 DVD release of Alexander Revisited: The Unrated Final Cut for 27th February 2007 priced at $24.98 SRP. Featuring more than 45 minutes of never-before-seen footage, Oliver Stone’s Alexander can now be experienced as he meant it to be seen with this all-new unrated version which brings the film to a heightened level of realism and intensity.
The two-disc set features a new introduction by the director which reflects Stone’s passion and attention to detail in getting this film exactly the way he envisioned. Says Stone, “Over the last two years I have been able to sort out some of the unanswered questions about this highly complicated and passionate monarch -- questions I failed to answer dramatically enough. This film represents my complete and last version, as it will contain all the essential footage we shot. I don’t know how many filmmakers have managed to make three versions of the same film, but I have been fortunate to have the opportunity because of the success of video and DVD sales in the world, and I felt if I didn’t do it now, with the energy and memory I still have for the subject, it would never quite be the same again. For me, this is the complete Alexander, the clearest interpretation I can offer.”
Now restructured into two acts with an intermission, Alexander: Revisited takes a bolder, more in-depth look at Alexander’s (Colin Farrell) life and his relationships with his mother, Olympias (Angelina Jolie), his father Philip (Val Kilmer), his lifelong friend and battle commander Hephaistion (Jared Leto), Roxane, his ambitious and beautiful Bactrian wife (Rosario Dawson), and his trusted general and confidant Ptolemy (Anthony Hopkins). The new film intensifies the beauty and unbelievable brutality of Alexander’s pre-Christian world of social customs and morals so different from todays.
The film (now running 220mins) is presented in anamorphic widescreen with English DD5.1 Surround audio and optional English, French and Spanish subtitles. The sole extra is a new introduction by director Oliver Stone.
HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc versions are planned for release later in 2007.
The two-disc set features a new introduction by the director which reflects Stone’s passion and attention to detail in getting this film exactly the way he envisioned. Says Stone, “Over the last two years I have been able to sort out some of the unanswered questions about this highly complicated and passionate monarch -- questions I failed to answer dramatically enough. This film represents my complete and last version, as it will contain all the essential footage we shot. I don’t know how many filmmakers have managed to make three versions of the same film, but I have been fortunate to have the opportunity because of the success of video and DVD sales in the world, and I felt if I didn’t do it now, with the energy and memory I still have for the subject, it would never quite be the same again. For me, this is the complete Alexander, the clearest interpretation I can offer.”
Now restructured into two acts with an intermission, Alexander: Revisited takes a bolder, more in-depth look at Alexander’s (Colin Farrell) life and his relationships with his mother, Olympias (Angelina Jolie), his father Philip (Val Kilmer), his lifelong friend and battle commander Hephaistion (Jared Leto), Roxane, his ambitious and beautiful Bactrian wife (Rosario Dawson), and his trusted general and confidant Ptolemy (Anthony Hopkins). The new film intensifies the beauty and unbelievable brutality of Alexander’s pre-Christian world of social customs and morals so different from todays.
The film (now running 220mins) is presented in anamorphic widescreen with English DD5.1 Surround audio and optional English, French and Spanish subtitles. The sole extra is a new introduction by director Oliver Stone.
HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc versions are planned for release later in 2007.
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* The Theatrical Cut
* Director's Cut - Stone goes into detail on the commentary explaining why this is his preferred cut
* Extended Cut - Assuming this is based on the Director's Cut I'm guessing Stone no longer considers the DC his preferred cut and wants it longer.
Speaking of which, any news if the Extended Cut is based on the TC or DC? The DC is dramatically different in tone and flow of the film. IMO very much to it's detriment.
I can see why they haven't done it but really to save confusion it should be called "The Extended Director's Cut".
I'm definitely interested either way but will be disappointed if this is based on the inferior DC (which I'm guessing it will be).
Odd not to see a commentary, the commentary for the TC and DC were different but equally shared much the same footage (i.e - part the same, part different).
This will be my fourth version I've owned :D (and second I'll currently own).
Originally Posted by Aretak:
Well, look what a director's cut did for Kingdom of Heaven...
From what I recall KOH: TC did fairly well, both cuts of Alexander have done woefully badly.
The DC and this EC are both very much for the fans.
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I for one really liked Alexander, thought it improved on the 2nd viewing. I never bought or watched the DC, as it seemed like it was just made to earn some money back after the TC bombed in the US.
Certainly the DVD releases made it seem like the TC was the one to get. It was a 2 disc set, while the DC had just the commentary and was labelled with something along the lines of "now with more action!"
I doubt this will make as much a difference to the film as KoH's DC did. Ridley Scott was basically forced to release a shorter rubbish version of his film into cinemas. KoH for me improved from 2/5 to 4/5 with the DC.
Stone got to deliever the cut he wanted for the TC. He tamed it down for the DC just to make some money back to keep in the good books of the Studios.
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5327214.stm
Certainly looking forward to seeing this "final" version. Especially like the idea of an intermission! :)
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Originally Posted by JimDriver2:
I for one really liked Alexander, thought it improved on the 2nd viewing. I never bought or watched the DC, as it seemed like it was just made to earn some money back after the TC bombed in the US.
To be fair it is a very different cut.
Originally Posted by JimDriver2:
Certainly the DVD releases made it seem like the TC was the one to get. It was a 2 disc set, while the DC had just the commentary and was labelled with something along the lines of "now with more action!"
The R1 was 2 discs for both cuts. With the DC first disc for the film and second disc extras.
They messed the TC right up by including the extras also on disc 2 but oddly splitting the film (it's only 8 minutes longer). I used to own the DC and it's gorgeous. I now own the Korean TC which has a nowhere near as good transfer but at least is on 1 disc.
Originally Posted by JimDriver2:
I doubt this will make as much a difference to the film as KoH's DC did. Ridley Scott was basically forced to release a shorter rubbish version of his film into cinemas. KoH for me improved from 2/5 to 4/5 with the DC.
Agreed, on both fronts.
Originally Posted by JimDriver2:
He tamed it down for the DC just to make some money back to keep in the good books of the Studios.
Not so at all.
The DC is no tamer, it is a greatly different cut though with scenes shown in a completely different order. Which to this viewer makes it far inferior and has no real logic to the new order. It's literally all over the place.
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Originally Posted by bradavon:The R1 was 2 discs for both cuts. With the DC first disc for the film and second disc extras.
They messed the TC right up by including the extras also on disc 2 but oddly splitting the film (it's only 8 minutes longer). I used to own the DC and it's gorgeous. I now own the Korean TC which has a nowhere near as good transfer but at least is on 1 disc.
I don't remember a weird break between discs on the TC. I do think one disc was longer than the other but it wasn't that bad.
Personally I can't understand people choosing having 1 disc over a decent transfer. Only takes a few secs to change a disc, and with a 3 hour film having a loo break is always helpful! I can see why people might want all of a film on 1 disc (to skip around and just watch lots of bits) but over a decent transfer? :confused:
Originally Posted by bradavon: Not so at all. The DC is no tamer, it is a greatly different cut though with scenes shown in a completely different order. Which to this viewer makes it far inferior and has no real logic to the new order. It's literally all over the place.
While I never did see the DC, i'm sure I read that Stone changed it so the whole "Alexander was prob bisexual" subplot was minimised, as that was what killed it in the States on the Theaterical release.
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Originally Posted by JimDriver2:
the whole "Alexander was prob bisexual" subplot was minimised, as that was what killed it in the States on the Theaterical release.
Where did you get that idea? I would think that the bad reviews, the poor word-of-mouth, and the general consensus that it's a terrible movie would better explain its failure. Was this film successful anywhere else in the world?
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Now this Final Cut is coming out and I'm going to have to check it out!
Can't wait.
Psycho :D
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I don't remember a weird break between discs on the TC. I do think one disc was longer than the other but it wasn't that bad.
Regardless of how they split it considering the gorgeous print used for the DC which is only 8 minutes shorter it wasn't necessary and frankly incredibly annoying.
All Warner Brothers Theatrical Cut DVDs have this odd split.
Personally I can't understand people choosing having 1 disc over a decent transfer. Only takes a few secs to change a disc, and with a 3 hour film having a loo break is always helpful! I can see why people might want all of a film on 1 disc (to skip around and just watch lots of bits) but over a decent transfer?
Agreed if it actually means an improved transfer. After seeing the transfer used for the DC which fit it all on 1 disc I seriously doubt 8 minutes would make the transfer suddenly much worse. Check out the DC and you'll see it's easily a 9 out of 10 transfer.
I hear the French DVD which retains it all on 1 disc is equally gorgeous, not by Warner Brothers but unfortunately having all captions in French only.
Personally if the film is 3.5/4 hours then I see the logic but a 3 hour film can easily fit on 1 disc and that's also what narks the hell out of me.
While I never did see the DC, i'm sure I read that Stone changed it so the whole "Alexander was prob bisexual" subplot was minimised, as that was what killed it in the States on the Theaterical release.
Nope the bisexual tones are very much the same, a bit of extra cuddling if I remember correctly but that's about it. Actually thinking about it I'm not even convinced that's the case.
The biggest change by far is the swapping around of a big portion of the pivotal scenes. I didn't care for it.
As you're a fan of Alexander you should check out the R1, get that as it retains all the extras on a second disc. You'll also then see how good it looks.
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Leave it alone now, that's enough.
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Director's Cut - here is the chance for the director to set things straight, hence the "director's" in the title. No studio interference, total control to the man behind the helm.
Final Cut - now we wonder, who was the director of the Director's Cut if not the director himself and why didn't he use his preferred cut for that edition?
Special Edition - here are the cuts where things really get out of control, walkie talkies and Gungans are inserted and sequences loved by fans everywhere get snipped, but we do get new EX Ultra ES surround sound tracks and CGI beyond our wildest dreams. Directors with the names Lucas and Spielberg are often associated to this kind of cuts.
Ultimate Edition - not so much of a new cut of the film itself, more an oportunity for the studio to release it again on DVD and throw in every extra available and make it a "Limited 3 disc edition".
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Originally Posted by laserdog:
Originally Posted by JimDriver2:
the whole "Alexander was prob bisexual" subplot was minimised, as that was what killed it in the States on the Theaterical release.
Where did you get that idea? I would think that the bad reviews, the poor word-of-mouth, and the general consensus that it's a terrible movie would better explain its failure. Was this film successful anywhere else in the world?
I get the idea from remembering reading a whole load of press about it when it came out. I'm pretty sure I remember reading something Stone said about the bisexual subplot being too much for the US given the current cultural climate.
As for your other points, Alexander did get a good few bad reviews, but more so in the US than anywhere, and basically (IMO) it was because the critics fancied giving someone a kicking and Stone (never that popular) turned up with a big controversial epic. So he practically stuck a bulls-eye on his back.
Over here it got some better reviews (Empire was a 4/5 which was later downgraded because they didn't want to stick out). But the bad critical word of mouth meant it never really got a fair shake over here. I remember in particular (for example) Mark Kermode just laughing at it and saying it he hadn't seen it and wasn't going to bother because he'd heard it was so bad. I know I remember this because it annoyed me so much at the time. He never actually reviewed it because he was away the week it came out (James King reviewed it on Five Live) and he only mentioned it briefly in the normal 10 ten run down they do on that slot.
As for "general consensus", as you can see above a good number of people liked it. Something that's mirrored on the dvdforums as well.
The film was never successful, critically or commerically, but it was pretty darn good IMO, and deserves this real DC finally.
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Let it go Oliver. Let it go...
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Sure it has flaws but the worst film ever made, far from it.
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Or why Angelina Jolie seemed to be auditioning for Bride of Dracula, complete with coiling serpents in every scene she's in. Very ham-handed characterisation.
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