THE KEEP (1983), Where The Hell Is The DVD?! (Lend Your Support) (1 Viewer)

[SWFF]

When I woke up this morning, like usual, my eyes landed on my DVD Tower, and the many VHS covers lining the doors. This time was different, though, I couldn't get my eyes off the one of THE KEEP, and, I thought, 'That's it, I've had it up to here with it not being on DVD.' Hence this post, and this petition, to get one of the greatest movies NEVER released out on DVD.


Over the years I've heard rumors that Michael Mann's initial cut ran over three fuckin' hours. In a perfect world, this is the version I'd like to see, but since I can't miss what I never had, in this case, what I never saw, I'll settle for a nice version of the threatrical cut. And, I say that because I've heard Mann has pretty much disowned this movie. Too bad.


I know Paramount owns it and I can't tell who's to blame for it not being on DVD, Mann, the studio, or both. Suffice it to say one of these 'entities' needs to take the bull by the horns, and say 'fuck it,' and get the ball rollin' for the world to get this insanely awesome flick out on DVD.


So, who's with me? Lend your support below.

 

[Jeff Swindoll]

The theatrical version was on Netflix FYI (haven't checked recently but I watched it there months ago).


I might add a third selection to your poll because I'd vote "both."

Does the extended cut even exist?

 

[SWFF]

All I heard was that Mann's initial 3 hour cut was rejected by the studio, when he turned it in back in the day. Don't know if there's a workprint of it around, or not. Would love to have Mann show this flick some love, which I suspect, is why it's not making it to DVD.

 

[Professor Echo]

I recall this film having tons of sound issues when it was released to theaters. There were lots of complaints from critics and the public at that time stating that the sound was unintelligible for a good portion of the film. This did not help its reputation at all. I remember watching it on cable not long after its theatrical engagement and didn't have any trouble with the sound. Interestingly, similar complaints were lodged against Mann's recent PUBLIC ENEMIES in various cities where the sound was said to be muddled to the point of distraction.

 

[RickER]

I posted in this thread once, and voted...but its all gone now? Whats up with that?

Hell, i even love the movie!

 

[SWFF]

I also posted this thread in the Blu-Ray cat; maybe, you posted there, and got confused, or something. I don't know.

 

[RickER]

Originally Posted by SWFF

I also posted this thread in the Blu-Ray cat; maybe, you posted there, and got confused, or something. I don't know.

OH, that could very well be. It just LOOKED like the same thread.


Anyway, i hope this movie gets some love!

 

[Nebiroth]

I have a sort of love-hate relationship with this film. I hate it because of the mess it makes of Wilson's story, which could have easily been translated to a movie with few changes and because of that it didnt bring a bunch of people to the books which it could have.


On the othe rhand, I love it as a piece of art - quirky, weird but beautiful in it;s way. The lovely imagery and location work, the gorgeous Tangerine Dream music and it's sheer darn oddness as a movie all of these I find attractive. I was introduced to it decades ago when I rented out the VHS as a random pick and was a covert even though I spent a lot of the time saying "what the hell is this all about?"


You don;t really need to understand the plot to enjoy the movie. And if you read the book you do understand what's going on because it fills in so many gaps as to what is happening although at the same time you keep wonder "how the hell did they turn this bit of the book into THAT?"


And on another level, I praise the films because it brought me to the books. THE KEEP is probably the best of the Adversary Cycle novels, Reprisal and Reborn are IMHO a bit slow and lacking in comparson, but Nightworld is great. And I love the way that the other books like The Tomb and The Touch all interlink into it.


There's a great site about The Keep here www.the-keep.ath.cx



Great film, and a darn shame it's not on an extras laden DVD - or even Blu.

 

[Mark Cappelletty]

I remember hearing about work on an SE, but that was five or so years ago and it could have just been a pipe dream. I'd buy even a barebones version of this in a heartbeat.

 

[SvenS]

If anything gets produced it BETTER BE Blu-ray! I would love to get this film on Blu-Ray, it's one of the best atmospherically filmed movies I have ever seen.

 

[Bob Cashill]

Olive Films is about the only hope for this, unless Criterion decides it's worth it.

 

[ahollis]

I think it is down to just Criterion now. It seems as Olive has bowed out of the Paramount releases.

 

[Bob Cashill]

Can't see Criterion going for it. Netflix Instant has it in HD, so clearly there's some decent element for it. Perhaps Olive will drop back in; whenever I give up the Universal Vault Series for dead it reemerges.

 

[cineMANIAC]

This movie was OK. Towards the end it felt like I was watching a weird alternate version of Raiders of the Lost Ark. I haven't completely ruled out the possibility of the film ever making it to digital, partly because of the pedigree behind it, but I'm not interested in watching a truncated version of it. I understand there's a longer cut floating around? If Paramount ever plans to enter the MOD market it will most likely end up there. Until then, I think Shout is the obvious frontrunner to release it because of their ties to the studio.

 

[Bob Cashill]

Shout has ties to Fox; I don't think Paramount. Anyway I still have my LD of the film.

 

[cineMANIAC]

Shout has ties to Fox; I don't think Paramount. Anyway I still have my LD of the film.

Shout has licensed a number of Nickelodeon titles, who are owned by Viacom - Paramount's parent company. Shout is also supposed to be "looking into" licensing at least one other Paramount property, The Boogens, a 1981 horror flick. I didn't know Olive Films was done with the studio. I was hoping they'd do a Blu of Escape From Zahrain.

 

[Nebiroth]

I gave up and bagged a recording of it from one of our UK movie channels. Although it has a bizarre cut in it - when Professor Cuza first meets Molassar, there is some dialogue that goes something like "They thought I could find what was killing their soldiers. I have - haven't I? "I needed them to build my strenght and power" followed by "I need an ally. But you - you collaborate!" When Sky Movies showed this, the italicised line is missing! It was fully intact when the movie was shown on the BBC some years ago (which I have on S-VHS!) Neither included the additional footage, some of which is very rare and has only been seen once, on a US cable broadcast. It includes scenes that shown Glaeken to have survived following the "finale" and having had his reflection restored (as happens in the novel) It's a confusing muddle of a film, but a lovely piece of cinematography. The location work is stunning and, of course, there is the superb and highly atmospheric score from Tangerine Dream.