defeating A History of Violence - 6-3 (including my vote)
Maybe someday we'll get to see the original premiere cut or perhaps an even longer version. Wes Studi was quite vocal that a number of his scenes were cut.
Yeah, thanks for doing all this, Brook. Lots of fun!!
So, has there been any word about a longer cut DVD release of the winning film? I'm not a "more is necessarily better" kinda viewer, but as lengthy as this film was, I still felt that it could be fleshed out much more. Plus, I just love inhabiting the world Malick creates.
Hadn't heard anything Rich after the initial hopes that R2 would get the longer version proved false. I wouldn't expect anything else out of Malick, though; much like the fabled longer cut of Thin Red Line. Maybe after he passes on his movies will get "The Big Red One" treatment.
As interested in cinematography as you are John, I'm surprised you didn't see it when it was in theaters.
I just checked my Top-10 as posted in the Movies forum some time ago, and was a bit surprised that "The New World" was not on it. I did see it on DVD, so it's possible that my viewing was after that posting. Anyway, here's how my 2005 favorites stacked up some months ago:
Tropical Malady Caché Yes Junebug Rois et Reine A History of Violence Saraband 2046 The Squid and the Whale The Best of Youth
And that's not too far off from how I might rank 'em today. Unless I'm misremembering, the only films on my list that made it very far in this tournament are "Caché" and "A History of Violence". And while I'm very fond of "The Best of Youth", it's Bellocchio's latest film "Good Morning, Night" that really seems to have stuck with me most, and which may be even more insightful about that period in Italian history (even though it's story is much more insular and scope far more restricted).
And more than any of the others, I think I'm most passionate about "Tropical Malady" and "Yes". I suspect "Caché" would be among those two, as well, but for the fact that it broke through to such a wide audience and thus feels a bit less like that little film that sends one a'proselytizing!