Friday The 13th SEs/Box Set Info Coming on September 19th!? - Page 5

Michael Elliott · 09-21-2003, 01:05 AM

I never understood why people say Paramount treated these films with no respect. These films were on DVD (with great V/A) long before many other classic films like ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST, HUD and other classics. It was made very clear back in 1999 that the studio would look into SEs if the original releases sold well.

As for unrated editions, I'm really not sure. I'm hoping for the best but in my heart I really don't think there will be that much to release. The clips of part 7 that go around the country is a beat up workprint, which I doubt could be used for anything. Another thing people forget is that Paramount did not produce these films. If I'm not mistaken all eight were negative pickup deals.

I think LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT is a good example. We'll never see a real "uncut" version because the footage isn't out there. The only reason we have deleted scenes is because the director got tired of the footage lying around his place and he passed it off to a friend. New Line's recent LEATHERFACE disc is another to look at. Most of the stuff was cut from the negative and thrown into the trash. What is left is in workprint form and I really don't think they could do much with this except put it on the disc as an extra feature.

Paramount did a great job video/audio wise on the first releases. Now they are going to go back and do what they can to make them Special Editions. I really don't think they can be held up if uncut versions aren't available. There will be plenty of extras from what I've heard and some are already done. They have other studios out looking for cut material but it will be hard to find it.

Ryan Wishton · 09-21-2003, 03:37 AM

Michael,

If lesser known movies such as The Burning (came out the same year as F2) can be restored to their uncut form, I see no reason why the Friday footage wouldnt be able to do the same? Thats if they find it... Beat up footage can be restored even if it doesnt look pristine...

The Producer of Part 7 also mentioned that he has a reel and Paramount has a reel as well in their vaults... So, it's not just a workprint tape they have... They have the original reel...

There is a tape that is shown at conventions... But, that is just a plain old tape I believe...

Some of the movies might not be possible to restore as the footage could be lost forever... I fear this is probably the case with Friday 2... One of the ones I would most like to see uncut because so much was cut from it...

As of now, it is known that Part 1, 4, and 7 exist... It's the others that will be hard to find... Part 6 probably still exists... The director may possibly have it because an uncut Part 6 was talked about in Fango at the time of release... But, it never saw the light of day...

I assume Part 2 will be the most difficult to find... Part 3 is iffy... Supposedly they found the other ending, but did they find the cut violence (handstand notibly) as well?

Part 5 and 8 will probably be a pain to find as well...

Brandon Gantt · 09-21-2003, 10:14 AM

From the Friday the 13th Forum:

Quote:

Corbin D.:

Don't sweat it. They weren't asking about the uncut footage. Paramount is thick, but not that thick. No, they were asking for any footage concerning the series that anyone had sitting around on old tapes. Like maybe an old interview with Betsy Palmer from the early 80s or perhaps a Friday VII promo taped off cable prior to it's release. Just random crap like that.

Brandon Gantt · 09-21-2003, 10:43 AM

The existence of cut footage for part 7 is questionable. The director has a low quality workprint copy on VHS, but assumes that Paramount has the negative trims in their vaults which may not be the case. Basically don't get your hopes up just yet.

Michael Elliott · 09-21-2003, 03:19 PM

Ryan, we can certainly get lucky and hope they find the uncut footage. I believe the extra dialogue from FRANKENSTEIN (1931) wasn't found until the 1980's. MY BLOODY VALENTINE was found uncut but I think the uncut print was in the hands of the producer and not Paramount.

Another Paramount film, AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN was cut to avoid an X rating and in the commentary track the director says that the footage is lost because after they cut it, they never thought anyone would see it so they threw it away. Most movies in history has had something cut out of it and most of this is just thrown away.

I'm really not sure if Paramount would have any of this footage or not. However, many times director's are given their own prints of films. Hopefully some of the director's do have their own prints and these could be used for the upcoming releases. I'm rather shocked that Steve Minor doesn't want anything to do with the series.

This is just me personally but I really hope they don't find too much. I grew up watching these movies and I really love what I've been watching the past 20 years. I wouldn't mind seeing the gore put back into the movies but I really hope none of the director's try making these into new films by adding footage that was cut for a reason.

With part 4, I've seen the extra dialogue, which is on the TV version. I hope this doesn't go back into the film. I also don't think the mother's death should be put back into the film. The same with part 3. I would hate for them to cut out the current ending and add the alternate one. I'd much rather have these as deleted scenes than thrown back into the film.

Being a fan I'm really split on what I'd like to see them do with this set. I'm very happy with the current releases V/A wise so if a box set never happened I'd be fine with what's out there. I'm going to hold onto these just in case the new versions are "altered" in any way, which isn't for the best. The thought of a director not liking a gore effect and throwing some CGI in just makes me nervous.

Adam_WM · 09-21-2003, 03:21 PM

Well, I figure even if the cut footage isn't entirely found, there will probably at least be some Special Features on the discs this time around.

George_Pro · 09-21-2003, 03:42 PM

Quote:

The existence of cut footage for part 7 is questionable. The director has a low quality workprint copy on VHS, but assumes that Paramount has the negative trims in their vaults which may not be the case. Basically don't get your hopes up just yet.

Where did you get this information? Is it from John Carl Buechler?

Beau · 09-21-2003, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Don't sweat it. They weren't asking about the uncut footage. Paramount is thick, but not that thick. No, they were asking for any footage concerning the series that anyone had sitting around on old tapes. Like maybe an old interview with Betsy Palmer from the early 80s or perhaps a Friday VII promo taped off cable prior to it's release. Just random crap like that.

There's a website with footage of an old Siskel and Ebert review of The Final Chapter, and it's funny as hell, maybe that something that could be considered in this situation.

Robert Ringwald · 09-21-2003, 04:20 PM

I personally want the footage put back in. I already have 1-8 as theatrical versions. I don't want to re-purchase for some extra features...

Ryan Wishton · 09-21-2003, 04:40 PM

That I agree with... Their uncut forms should be available as thats the way they were meant to be seen to begin with...

But, Alternate endings and Deleted Scenes (like the Part 4 ones that were left out of the movie intentionally by the director) should be placed in the extras section, not inserted back into the movie...

Chuck West · 09-21-2003, 07:15 PM

Quote:

But, Alternate endings and Deleted Scenes (like the Part 4 ones that were left out of the movie intentionally by the director) should be placed in the extras section, not inserted back into the movie...

I agree. The only thing I really want to see re-edited back into the film is the gore and more violent shots. The rest of the scenes that were cut by the director should be shown seperately.