Greatest Story Ever Told 224 minute version? (1 Viewer)

I have read a few things about a longer cut of the movie, longer than the current dvd, that resides in the Library of Congress gathering dust.
This taken from IMDB Message Boards "See the UNDERSTANDING GREATEST STORY post for more info. There seems to be no surviving prints longer than 196 minutes except at the Library of Congress where a 224 minute version lies gathering dust. And no one seems interested in restoring the roadshow print. There was never a 260 minute + print to my knowledge."
Does anyone know truth to any of this?
I love this film, btw. I am a huge fan of biblical epics and would love to see this longer cut restored, or, crossing fingers, the original roadshow version.

This is one of three classic MGM movies that I am wishing to get released in their roadshow versions with the other ones being The Alamo and It's A Mad Mad Mad World.
I have the extended Laser Disc of The Alamo and it seems like I may just need to hook up the LD player into my final cut and make my own dvd in dvd studio pro.
I hate doing this since its not supporting the studio at all, but I want this version to be preserved somehow, just incase the LD ever goes.

I would love to contact MGM about the longer print, as there is a good chance they don't know about it. Although from what I'm hearing, its in iffy shape and would probably require a great deal of restoration.
Maybe if enough of us mention that it would interest us, MGM might then determine that it is worth their effort in restoring it.

the 224 minute version was the roadshow version shown New York.

the shorter 199 min version MGM/UA home vid markets as the restored roadshow version on their dvd. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The mgmg dvd is a remix of the soundtrack and it brings up Alfred Newmans score to a slightly higher level than it was in the original.

I would like to see the long version of the film but it would be tough to put together.
Who knows what condition the Library of Congress 70mm print is in. Remember, it is Eastman color and probably gone pink by now.
And you can;t just taking missing sections and patch them in to the existing short vid mastere, as the music was changed between the two versions.
To go fuarther, I would like to see a special edition that includes and restores ALL of Alfreds missing and cut music dubbed back into the movie, maybe as a second audio track? The film works far better with it in.

Funny, I just saw this movie for the first time the other day and was wondering the same thing... although I thought "King of Kings" was better.

I have more information about the film on this page of my web site - The Greatest Story Ever Told