sotiris2006 wrote:Disney Kid wrote:Between filmmaker intent and theatrical exhibition, I always side with the filmmaker.
I'd argue that both should be offered to the public, if possible. The filmmakers' intent is naturally and undoubtedly significant but also the original theatrical exhibition must not be tossed aside since when a work of art is released to the public it no longer belongs solely to the creators or the company but gains a life on its own. So, respecting the audience's experience with the original theatrical release is also essential. I would say 60% filmmaker intent and 40% original theatrical release.
See, I'd agree with that too, but not necessarily for the reason of "respecting the audience's experience". If the filmmaker wants to include the theatrical edition, by all means, I'm not stopping them. Yeah, it's nice to acknowledge the audience that helped make the film successful, but then what do we do about movies that the audience hates? Should that get the same courtesy even if the theatrical edition is an abysmal mess compared to a more-fleshed-out Director's Cut? I mean, who wants to see the 149-minute version of
Heaven's Gate when the 220-minute Director's Cut is much better? Should that truncated mess be available simply to appease any few and far between fans who say, "I like the theatrical version, why can't I get it on DVD?" They can't please everybody, so they might as well please what the filmmakers prefer, as the majority often will (or should) agree with the filmmaker.
With
Sleeping Beauty, the only difference between the two versions is an aspect ratio. And honestly, beyond the ardent fans here and cinema enthusiasts elsewhere online, the rest of the world doesn't give a rat's ass if it's 2.55:1 or 2.20:1. So Disney might as well release 2.55:1 since that's how it started its production before technical/economic issues prompted the shift to Technirama 70 and cropping to 2.20:1.
It's like how CAPS films are animated in 1.66:1, but shown in theatres in 1.85:1. And yet some of the same people who want the CAPS films in 1.66:1 are arguing that the original theatrical edition of any film should also be presented (which means matting CAPS to 1.85:1 as intended). So which version do they want? Both can easily be included, but again, when the difference between the two is minimal compared to a P&S of a Widescreen, then Disney will feel the need to only include one. Thus, some CAPS films are 1.66:1 (
Aladdin,
The Lion King,
The Emperor's New Groove, etc.) while others are 1.85:1 (
Beauty and the Beast,
The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and I think
Fantasia 2000).
Mike Duster wrote:In the case of Sleeping Beauty, the original theatrical version should be available, even in small limited quantities, because, that is how it was when Walt was alive, how he finally decided it would be (even though it's not what he originally wanted it to be).
Wait, I'm confused. So, we should always have what Walt wanted, but there are some things that Walt wanted that can only be in small limited quantities because it's not the same as what he wanted earlier?
Walt approved of
Fantasia in 1940, then he apparently approved of the censoring of Sunflower later on (though it didn't hit theatres until after he died). And there are other versions in between as well. So which version should we get mass produced? His first approval or his later approval or his much later approval? I mean, just look at the different official versions of
Fantasia during his time:
1940 Original Roadshow in Fantasound (124 minutes)
1941 Original Roadshow in Mono (124 minutes)
1942 General Release in Mono (81 minutes)
1946 Re-Release in Mono (115 minutes)
1956 SuperScope in Stereo (115 minutes)
1969 Censored Release (115 minutes)
Should all of them be available, simply because Walt approved of them? Then there's later versions after he died, all with the censored Sunflower:
1982 Digital Soundtrack (115 minutes)
1985 Digital Soundtrack Re-Release (115 minutes)
1990 Re-Release in 5.1 (115 minutes)
2000 "Restored" Roadshow in Fantasound (124 minutes)
Should any of these be available too for fans who want them?
albert