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ITS A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD restoration status? (1 Viewer)

Patrick McCart

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Gary: buy the DVD.

It's cheap and it gives more encouragement to MGM. I have no desire to watch the film in the condensed version, but I wanted to do my part by purchasing it.

The DVD is at least a nearly accurate representation of the film in its general release form. (It's missing the overture and has re-color graded opening credits)
 

Gary->dee

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It's cheap and it gives more encouragement to MGM. I have no desire to watch the film in the condensed version, but I wanted to do my part by purchasing it.
Are you suggesting that I need to support an ugrade to the existing title by purchasing the current version?

MGM should give us a 2 disc It's A Mad World Collector's Edition. No wait better yet make it a 3 or 4 disc affair that features an extended 3-4 hour cut with branching abilities. Initially screen the new version at the Cinerama Dome theater in Hollywood where it first premiered back in 1963. Hey it can be done, alas probably not in time for it's 40th anniversay though.

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Here's the nitty on the various versions from IMDB:

Original 70mm roadshow version ran 192 minutes (excluding overture and entr'acte music); this 70mm version was then re-edited to 162 minutes, and in the subsequent 35mm general release it was cut further to 154 minutes. The original video version was mastered off the 35mm negative and also ran 154 minutes. In the nineties additional 70mm footage was found in the form of an old theatrical print and was transferred to video which was then combined with the 35mm footage video transfer to create the new "video restoration" The original 65mm camera negative has not been restored and it would appear that the missing original negative segments have been irretrievably lost. The new "video restoration" runs approximately 186 minutes.


The current DVD release contains the General Release Version of 154 minutes. The 186-minute version has played occasionally on cable TV.


While the 186-minute version is occasionally shown, it is important to remember that it is a patchwork job including footage never intended to be shown in any version. The 154 minute version (161 minutes including intermission and exit music) is the only version currently authorized by Kramer.


A new print is being restored by Robert Harris, and so far 188 minutes of the original 192 have been discovered.

--
 

george kaplan

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This is most likely not true (based on earlier posts here by him), but if it is true, that would be great news beyond belief.

Robert, any truth to this?
 

Mark Zimmer

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Last word from Mr Harris was no go---the film elements will rot beyond repair within a year or so and no one has come up with the money to do the work. Unless something has changed that he hasn't mentioned, this statement is just wishful thinking.
 

Gary->dee

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Yes it's kind of surprising in the wake of their refurbished Westside Story DVD set. I guess Mad World isn't deemed as much a classic and hence isn't a priority.
 

JonZ

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I heard the Dir Cut first submitted by the director was 5 and 1/2 hours long.

I love this film. Too bad:frowning:
 

Greg_M

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Would love to see the five hour cut of "Mad World". "West Side Story's" original 70MM neg is also in danger of being lost forever. The DVD was from a 35MM neg.
 

Patrick McCart

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The 5 hour cut was the "rough cut."

Stanley Kramer's official cut was around 190-200 minutes. The extended laserdisc used some scenes from the rough cut which didn't make it in either the general release or the roadshow version.
 

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