DVD Review HTF REVIEW: Gone With The Wind - Four Disc Collector's Ed. (VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED). (1 Viewer)

[Patrick McCart]

LTGC = Looney Tunes Golden Collection (The 2nd volume is coming out on Nov. 2)

This set looks beautiful. I can't wait to see the new transfer! I already sold the old DVD 6 months ago, so I'm looking forward to the new bonus material.

 

[GerardoHP]

Herb, I'm drooling!

In 1979 I had the opportunity to see an original nitrate print of GWTW and it blew me away. I remember sitting in the audience hypnotized by the eye-popping colors and the clarity of the detail. I heard that this print, which was owned by the Academy, no longer exists. I had never seen it looking so gorgeous before, and never did again. It sounds like this set might be the second coming.

Who cares how many times I've purchased this title -- happiness is on the way!!!

 

[Ravi K]

My dad loves this film. He will have a very happy birthday this year.

 

[Joe Cortez]

Wow, thanks for review this set, Herb. Can't wait to pick it up!

 

[Derek Estes]

I cannot wait for this! If any film deserves this kind of treatment GWTW is it! I grew up watching this movie, and yet, I feel this like I will be watching it again for the first time. What a treat for all of the people that will be seeing this for the first time. This release alone will generate interest from people that have avoided watching it.
Thank God for Warner Home Video!

 

[Tim Glover]

Great review Herb. As Chuck said in another thread, GWTW is a national treasure that appears to be given it's due on dvd. I'm all over this one.

 

[Tim_P_76]

According to the WB chat or the press release, There was mention of this. Original cut was around 6 hours. That would be a shame.

 

[Conrad_SSS]

Totally untrue.

GWTW was previewed at a length about 20 minutes longer than the ultimately released version. No credible evidence points to this material ever having been saved or being in existence. The Selznick archives, which were meticulously maintained, and are now housed at the University of Texas in Austin, have a great deal of screen tests, costume tests, etc., most of which is part of the LEGEND documentary that will be on Warner's DVD set.

There is an individual who has claimed for several years to have the deleted scenes to GWTW, but this individual has a very dubious reputation, and has never been able to substantiate his claims.

This has been discussed on HTF before by other individuals in previous threads over the years.

 

[Jefferson]

I may fall over in an emotional heap.
GWTW is one of a handful of classic films that i have
seen on the big screen,
and it seems this dvd incarnation is another
memorable experience.

 

[Ernest Rister]

"According to the WB chat or the press release, There was mention of this. Original cut was around 6 hours. That would be a shame."

Seems like people are confusing the term "original cut" with "original assembly". An assembly of the footage is put together as films are being made. While all the takes are svaed, the assembly is made from the moments when the director chose to approve a take -- "Circle that!"

The original assembly is the collection of "approved takes" and is the starting point FROM WHICH an editor and his team (and the director) start their task of MAKING A MOVIE. This is why so many people say "Movies are made in post". They are not half wrong.

The original assembly of Schindler's List's "circled takes" ran over five hours.

The original assembly of Empire of the Sun's "circled takes" ran nearly six hours.

Does this mean the true running times of Schindler's List and Empire of the Sun were 5 hours and 6 hours respectively?

No. These were the original pre-editing assembly times.

Sounds like the same thing happened with this phantom "six hor cut" of Gone With the Wind.

 

[Haggai]

Ernest, just to clarify--the 5/6 hour long circled takes assemblies you're talking about would have included a lot of multiple takes for the same shots? In other words, when a director says something like, "OK, we did ten takes, print takes 2, 3, and 6," those three takes will all end up in the "circled take" assembly, with the choice still to be made of which one to use?

 

[Darren Haycock]

Well, personally I'm a bit shocked at all of you. You're all getting excited to go purchase a classic movie released in FOOL SCREEN! What an abomination, you should all be ashamed...



I'm just kidding! I know that it's the OAR. Hey, give me a little credit here...

 

[AlanP]

1. So, there are no out takes ?
2. Is this making of the same old one as before ?
3. Considering the mystique and status of gwtw, I thought something new would have been uncovered ???

 

[Patrick McCart]

There are plenty of films with mystique, but all the mystique in the world isn't going to bring back stuff like the deleted material from The Magnificent Ambersons, Greed, or Bride of Frankenstein.

 

[DeeF]

I've got my copy! It's AMAZING!

The sound does seem remarkably different from the last release, richer and more dynamic.

 

[Tim_P_76]

The above review Is where I got the info. 6 hours is the original cut/ which could be a rough/assembly cut in a former video editor's opinion.:b I would assume outakes exist. Sound or no sound. Maybe someone can check the press release for mention of possible outtakes? Hmm.

 

[GeorgePaul]

Just out of curiosity, why would you assume that? This is a 65-year-old film we're talking about here, and one of the most renowned. If any outtakes from Gone With the Wind existed, I don't think there's any way we would have not heard about them by now. It is called the "cutting room floor" for a reason. Most of Stanley Kubrick's films--more recent works by far--have no outtakes.

I can't speak for musicals, because I haven't seen any of the That's Entertainment films yet, but it's a HUGE surprise when you can EVER find outtakes to a film from the 1930s--I've only seen one from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs so far. Hopefully, I'm not generalizing when I say that most filmmakers in that decade only had time to concern themselves with getting the finished film released--many didn't give a second thought to preserving what was cut. Why should GWTW be any different?

 

[Tim_P_76]

They may have existed if not now due to age. I don't seem to see anything wrong with speculating but then again none of us were around during the making. Right? The film was longer in its roughest forms so I would expect something would exist. On the subject of Kubrick (never heard of any outtakes for his films)and other directors. Alot of men know what they want when its time to shoot and alot of them edit the film in there head. So they shoot no more and no less. HTH

"Just out of curiosity, why would you assume that? This is a 65-year-old film we're talking about here, and one of the most renowned."

How about 1939's Wizard of Oz? Audio still exits for the Jitterbug sequence. I don't know about any other possible extra footage since i havent kept up with that film in about 10 years...Thats an outtake.

 

[Andrew Budgell]

I was in contact by e-mail with the Gone With the Wind collector in question that has stated he has in his possesion the deleted/extended scenes from the cutting room floor. He seemed very nice, and always answered my questions and nothing seemed suspicious to me. However, this was several years ago now, and his web site has been dismantled for nearly as long. I sure wish I saved those e-mails so I could post them for you all.

However, I do remember him saying that at the time he was in talks with Warner about a proper venue for displaying the deleted scenes, and he was worried that Warner would make a director's cut, and put them back in the film, which he was against. I suppose one way of disproving him would be to check with someone at Warner to see if they were truly in contact with this man, such as George Feltenstein. But who knows, maybe they're not at liberty to disclose such information. One deleted scene that he told me about that stuck out in my mind was the Atlanta Bazaar scene.

Andy

 

[GerardoHP]

Why, they gotta save something for the next re-release. Check back 'round 2009 -- 70th Anniversary Special Edition.