Finally: The Fly (1986) and The Fly II (1989) Special Editions are coming in Fall of 2005! - Page 11

Hmmm. Interesting.

And speaking of those trailer screencaps...

The animation/graphics for the fly (as seen on Brundle's computer screen) seem a lot clearer in the trailer than they do in the film proper. Could it be that the trailer version had the animation spliced into it, whereas the film version was shot via playback on the console's video monitor?

And of course, I'm still wondering about the green flashes of light seen in the trailer (recycled in The Fly II's title sequence). Are they part of an unused main title sequence????

not sure, but it seems. I am not the person who found this at first.

Something I've also been wondering about, and I hope will be addressed on the DVD, is the Stage 4a makeup (when Brundle is first seen wall-crawling).

Cinefex # 28 states that several attempts were made to perfect that makeup. In the first, it would seem Brundle's arms were not exposed. For the second try, foam latex arms were made. For the thrid try, new arms were made, a Stage 3 headpiece replaces the Stage 4 headpiece (not the face), and foam bulges were placed under Goldblum's clothes.

Now, in most still photos of the scene, the makeup looks different than it does in the film. Brundle seems to have more hair, his arms are slimmer (and more discolored), his hands look more normal, and the face seems a bit different (color-wise, at least). Could these be images of the second prototype of the makeup? Was the scene reshot with the revised makeup? Or are all the photos from an on-set makeup test (with Geena Davis also on-set)?

Also, it seems to me (from the still photos I've seen) that the "lost" Stage 4-b makeup from the monkey-cat scene jives more with the "prototype" Stage 4a makeup than with the makeup actually seen in the film (it looks like he has more hair, etc.). Although the Stage 4-b makeup also seems to look different from photo to photo. I guess we'll have to wait for the DVD to know for sure.


Prototype(?) Stage 4a makeup:

http://www.davidcronenberg.de/cinemaflymaking.html
(Stage 4-a images are the second photo down, and the very last one, with Goldblum and Cronenberg looking at the insect leg bulge)

http://www.fortunecity.com/tattooine.../fly86/013.jpg



Screencap of Stage 4a from the actual film:

http://www.fortunecity.com/tattooine.../fly86/064.jpg



Stage 4-b screencap (from trailer) and photos:

http://www.fortunecity.com/tattooine...y86/horror.jpg

http://www.davidcronenberg.de/cinemaflymaking.html
(the 4th and 5th photos down are Stage 4-b)

http://www.davidcronenberg.de/fangofly1.html
(image of Stage 4-b Brundle wrestling the monkey-cat is about halfway down the page)

http://www.fortunecity.com/tattooine.../fly86/224.jpg


And speaking of makeup and makeup tests, I do hope photos and footage of early iterations of the makeup are included on the DVD. One such photo features Goldblum in his jacket/tie ensemble (from the first 20 minutes or so of the film, yet with an early version of the Stage 2 makeup on his face (this photo appears on the cover of one of the Fly/Fly II laserdiscs released in the UK years ago).

Well, I caught The Fly on WGN a few days ago. Looks like they used the old video transfer as the basis. The image was very washed out, and the sound mix was the one with the extra music stings and such. It had been a while since I'd seen the film full-frame (1.33:1, with more picture information on the top and bottom of the screen), too. And the swearing/violence were cleverly edited (as I'd guessed, Cronenberg didn't record any alternate dialogue with the actors during ADR--he does hate censorship, including tv broadcast censorship...).

interesting

Un-freaking-real!

Cronenberg had said in the past that The Fly would make a good stage play, but an opera????? Wow. It'll be interesting to see if and how this comes to fruition.

A few quotes from Shore himself:

http://www.operainfo.org/intermissio...nt_page_id=253

LS: So, Howard Shore and Martin Scorsese, thank you for coming and spending some time with us to talk about opera, we hope to learn about how opera influences your work. Let me start with Howard Shore because I know you have season tickets to the Met. Just tell us about, if you remember your first experience of opera, or what got you interested in it.

HS: It actually started around the same time that I was interested in writing for films, and I started in the late ‘70s actually. So in the early ‘80s I discovered opera and it’s a natural fit in a way the study of opera and the use of orchestras in drama, and storytelling with music. And it started to actually to creep into my work in the mid-eighties. I did a film with David Kronenberg called “The Fly” and it was actually the first symphonic score that I wrote, and I didn’t really realize it at the time, but I was using a lot of opera techniques. I was listening to Verdi and I had ideas about Rigoletto in “The Fly” and I started writing in these very dramatic ways for the film. Which was I think a style in the ‘80s that may have been a little out of date for the period. And I think, the producers at the time were very, you know, kind of confused as to why I would use those styles. And then, actually when the movie came out and it was successful, it all seemed fine at the time. (Laughter)

LS You’re working on an opera The Fly now, are you not?

HS It’s true, I am. And I’ve been sort of thinking about it for about fifteen years. I thought it was a good opera subject. I’ve sat in the first balcony at the Met for years and years, and I just let it all sort of wash over me, really. You know, I watched conductors, I watched the orchestra. I listened to the orchestration; watched the drama unfolding, you know, paid attention to pacing and things like that. And also, having written twelve hours of music for “Lord of the Rings” for the three films that used a symphony orchestra and chorus, and children’s chorus, and soloists, it seemed at the right time now for me to approach, you know, a theatrical work and use everything I had learned from writing for orchestra and singers in a new production.

Well, I caught "The 100 Scariest Movie Moments" special on Bravo recently, and was pleased to see The Fly take # 33 in the countdown. Various filmmakers, actors and critics commented briefly on the film (including Mick Garris), and the film clip shown was the maggot-baby birth scene.

Also, it would seem that Universal is releasing a 5-disc Cronenberg DVD set--see this thread:

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...hreadid=228642

Of course, this will likely include the Cronenberg films Universal has the rights to.

Still, couple that with The Fly SE, and it's a good time for Cronenberg fans...

I was recently contacted by pur pal, Chris Foster, keeper of The Fly Film Archive, and he's hoping to update and enhance the site as we draw closer to the Fly SE being released (it's collected dust for a while now). Any suggestions would be great.

And speaking of the SE, seems to me that it would have been officially announced by now (at least in France) in order to meet the Mat 13th date Jerome gave us. Hmm.

The Fly Film Archive

www.fortunecity.com/tattooine/zelazny/119/

Just a few things...

1. Dead Ringers is being re-released on DVD, with a few new extras and an anamorphic 1.85:1 transfer (the older Criterion DVD, which I have, was 1.66:1). Hmm. I thought Cronenberg's preferred ratio was 1.66:1.

2. I recently acquired another draft of The Fly's script (dated Sept. 5, 1985), and I'm after another one right now (Oct. 24, 1985). Still, I've never seen the shooting script (shooting started on Dec. 1, 1985), Pogue's *original* script, or even a continuity script/transcript. There was a first volume of a "David Cronenberg Colected Screenplays" book (collecting the scripts for his early films) published some time ago, but a second volume has yet to appear. It's really quite fascinating to see how The Fly's storyline evolved, although it seems Cronenberg is wary of letting early scripts and deleted scenes into the hands of the public (as was indicated in the booklet accompanying Criterion's Videodrome DVD).

3. It seems the site Jerome linked us to some time back was wrong in that The Fly SE is slated for a May 13th release (at least in France). There's been absolutely no news/announcements since David Prior graced with with his presence and some great info a while back. I do hope that an official announcement is coming soon, and I'm anxious to find out just what goodies this thing is gonna have. It's been a looooooooooooooonnnnngggg wait, but the juicy tidbits Mr. Prior was kind enough to divulge are very encouraging.

Anyone else have any news/info/thoughts?

Looks like you're right, Jacob. It would seem Mr. Prior let a bit more slip...

From www.horrorchannel.com

http://www.horrorchannel.com/dread/m...ticle&sid=1349



Fox Is Buzzing With New Fly: SE

"Cronenberg (and Brundle-fly) lovers rejoice! If you've been holding out for a special edition of The Fly, you're time has come, and we've got some details that will have you falling to pieces. (Make sure you put those pieces in little jars and show 'em to loved ones.)

Fox Home Entertainment previously released David Cronenberg's remake-done-right as a double-bill disc in 2002. They rightfully paired it up with Chris Walas' follow-up and, at the time, it was about as dry at Stathis Borans' personality in the way of bonus material. Shortly after its release the studio came around to recognizing a special edition was needed and production on a new presentation began with producer David Prior (Fight Club, Blade II) at the helm.

Prior dropped us a line and gave us an update and it appears that work is nearly done on The Fly: Special Edition. Some time ago Cronenberg was quoted as saying that he wouldn't lend a commentary to a future disc release unless he had transfer approval. Apparently there was some confusion and Cronenberg was commenting on his disapproval of an early VHS transfer Fox had in their hands and not the sweet transfer on Fox's double-bill DVD.

That transfer was screened for Cronenberg and Fly cinematographer Mark Irwin. Both approved of it without any changes (so the SE will feature the same transfer) and Prior was subsequently able to record a Cronenberg commentary! The director, however, will not be part of Prior's 100-minute plus documentary Fear of the Flesh which will also be featured on the disc. Prior tells us Cronenberg was too involved with work on his latest feature History of Violence.

"The really good news is we've got the monkey-cat sequence," Prior says of one of the film's famous deleted scenes to be featured as part of the disc's extras. "I wrote Cronenberg an impassioned letter, basically begging him for his blessing. I don't know if that had anything to do with his decision or not, but he gave his okay to use it."

Look for The Fly: SE to land in stores this Halloween."



A 100-minute "Fear of the Flesh Documentary"? A documentary that's longer than the actual movie? Mr. Prior, you are the king.

Too bad Cronenberg won't be in that doc, but, as has been stated elsewhere, his audio commentaries are always *spectacular*, and basically negate the need for any other interviews, etc.

Freakin' A, man. Freakin' A. This is sounding better and better...

CANNOT WAIT!

Friggin' awesome.

I'm now almost glad that my old Fly/Fly II DVD was stolen last year. What better way to replace it? (and now without the unsightly Fly II adhering to it like one of Brundle's lesions).

--Jefferson Morris

Great movie, great news!

Extremely good news indeed

Indeed. One wonders what else will be included (featurettes, photo galleries, etc.).

Well, judging by the fact that it's on The Fly SE, as well as the title, I'd say it's a lengthy making-of documentary devoted completely to The Fly (in the same vein as the "Terror Takes Shape" documenary on the DVD of John Carpenter's The Thing).

Less likely, it's an overall look at Cronenberg and his work. We'll see.

Really great news (though the title of this thread grows increasingly out-dated!)

Mmmm hmmm. Hard to believe this thread started in 2003. It's been a veeeeerrrryyy slllloooooooowwwwww prrrooooocceesssssss.

nonetheless very rewarding

Yup. Can't wait to hear what else will be on there. might explain why it's taken so blamed long (the unofficial announcement that work was being done was in spring of 2003).

Yeah, we'll see how it's laid out. Maybe everything will be covered in the documentary. Maybe the deleted scene(s?) will be incorporated into it. Or maybe the scene(s?) will be separate, and there will be some featurettes dealing in more detail with certain areas (makeup, casting, etc.).

A thought just occurred to me...it may be possible that The Fly II might be re-released as a bare-bones cheapie around the same time as The Fly SE (or in the future). After all, those who buy The Fly SE (and are seeing that film for the first time) wouldn't want to get the existing double-feature set since The Fly's already on there, and it would be a double-dip...sort of.

Hah!


Anyway, I've heard some rumors that Cronenberg has perhaps a slightly ambivalent releationship with The Fly, as he does not consider it one of his "personal" films (like Naked Lunch or Dead Ringers). In fact, rumor has it one of the reasons he took on the assignment was so he could raise money to make Twins (which later became Dead Ringers). How true this is, I'm not sure, but perhaps his audio commentary will shed some light on this.