And it's not a coincidence that 42 is the number of minutes cut when MAD WORLD went from 210 to 168.Moe Dickstein said:Joe - we all know the secret, it's 42
Well, since I've waited 50 years for a restoration of the original version -- if that's what this is going to be, which hasn't been verified yet -- I can surely wait a while longer.Charles Smith said:Same here. You all leave me no choice in the matter.
How could I possibly not hold this one in my hands and load the disc at the first possible minute?
You won't. I don't understand how any fan of comedy movies can even find this unfunny, much less painfully unfunny. But by what logic would you think having more of something you don't like would make it better? That's like saying, "I don't like cleaning the bathroom, but maybe if I clean a bigger one I'll like it."JohnMor said:I'll be the odd man out here: since I find much of the film painfully unfunny, I'll be waiting for the B&N sale. I am anxious to see if I like the film any better in this upcoming version.
Well, only parts of it, Joe, not the whole film. I'm hoping it will flow better to me with a different cut. I just find a lot of scenes (painfully) forced, which, to me, kills humor dead. I just saw about 30 minutes of a film on TV the other night that I hadn't seen since it came out theatrically, Clue, and it reminded me of a lot of IAMMMMW. Lots of famous talented people running around trying to be funny. Simply running faster and shouting louder doesn't necessarily make something funny to me. Bombast doesn't always equate to wit. Comedy is a very subjective genre. What tickles one's funny bone doesn't always tickle another's. I like portions of IAMMMMW a lot, and I love seeing the all-star cast and locations. But other portions, like Dick Shawn's dancing scene or the ladder climax don't even get a smile from me. It reminds me sometimes of a long Here's Lucy episode.And hey, if I don't like it any better, I don't. But I'll have given it a try. I recognize that I am in the vast minority with my opinion of the bulk of it.Joe Lugoff said:You won't. I don't understand how any fan of comedy movies can even find this unfunny, much less painfully unfunny. But by what logic would you think having more of something you don't like would make it better? That's like saying, "I don't like cleaning the bathroom, but maybe if I clean a bigger one I'll like it."
I can now answer my own question. I've seen a trade review of the film. It was shown to the press on 7 April with a quoted running time of 195 minutes. So it had already been cut when it opened in London.Douglas R said:"The Greatest Story Ever Told" opened at the London Casino Cinerama on Friday April 9 and I saw the film next day on the Saturday evening. Since then, I've never been sure whether that was the 221 or 194 minute version. When I went to book tickets two weeks earlier I saw the 70mm cans of film arriving in the theatre. Was it cut that early?
Curly left the group after suffering a stroke in 1946. He died in 1952. That's Curly Joe in the film.Ronald Epstein said:Speaking of The Three Stooges...
I was never a big fan of them, though I do now own all
their collector DVDs.
I know Curly left the team somewhat early on.
I am trying to remember....
That shot of them in fire gear --- is Curly in it or is it
Curly Joe? I am guessing the latter knowing that Curly
had a stroke in the mid 40s.
Really, up until now, I never really thought about which
stooges were represented in the film. I guess that's
because I wasn't a big fan, and for me it was simply a
sight gag that I never closely examined.
I was there that night and it was amazing to see it with a huge crowd. I'd seen it countless times in 35mm, 16mm and video, usually with a small group (there was one memorable outdoor 35mm show where we set the screen up over a pool - had a visit from the police after neighbor complaints, one of the cops said "I love this movie...but can you turn it down a little."), but the large audience really sold it.Bob Furmanek said:I've had the good fortune to see this film many times on the big screen with a large and appreciate audience. It never fails to bring down the house.
I used to program film at the Loew's Jersey, a huge movie palace in Jersey City. This was to be the main feature of our opening Classic Comedy weekend in 2001. It was the first time that 35mm film had been shown in the original auditorium since 1986. The Managing Director fought me every step of the way and said the film wouldn't draw. I insisted that it would and presented evidence of the crowds it continued to pull around the country at revival showings. He finally admitted that he didn't want to play it because the film was "mean-spirited and not funny."
Well, one hour before showtime, the lines went all the way around the block on Journal Square and we drew over 700 people. The laughter was non-stop.
Never underestimate the experience of seeing a great comedy on the big screen with a large audience. It makes all the difference in the mad, mad world.