A Few Words About A few words about...™ The French Connection : Filmmakers Signature Series -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[SeanSKA]

I don't think edits like these are ever done to protect anyone, but rather purely to protect the image of the copyright holder.

One reason why I'm fine with those brief text intros one sees on streaming and disc. Just give people a heads up on possibly objectionable content and don't touch the film. These are an excellent idea since I think people not acclimated to older films will enjoy them more if they're expecting something like this. Or for more useful applications like warning about flashing/strobe effects for those with sensor affectations.

I think the reasoning is that they don't want to offend someone in the audience, which in turn they believe would reflect badly on the creators and owners of the work > In this case I'm just wondering who they think might be offended

 

[Robert Crawford]

I think the reasoning is that they don't want to offend someone in the audience, which in turn they believe would reflect badly on the creators and owners of the work > In this case I'm just wondering who they think might be offended

As a black man myself, it's about protecting their brand which is why I think Disney having control of the Fox film library is probably the worst outcome for film buffs and home video collectors. I wasn't offended when I first watched this movie back during its theatrical run and I'm not offended today when I recently viewed that particular scene 2-3 times on Blu-ray.

 

[Robert Saccone]

I can only imagine what might happen if Disney got their hands on The Godfather or Gone With The Wind.

 

[SeanSKA]

As a black man myself, it's about protecting their brand which is why I think Disney having control of the Fox film library is probably the worst outcome for film buffs and home video collectors. I wasn't offended when I first watched this movie back during its theatrical run and I'm not offended today when I recently viewed that particular scene 2-3 times on Blu-ray.

Totally agree here. I saw "The French Connection" when it opened in 1971, at age 10 . Not to get too political, but I think that scene did not offend, but actually confirmed what many in our community had experienced and believed.

As for Disney taking over the Fox library, I was saying when that was still a rumor that it would be a disaster for film fans. While Disney would have interest in "Home Alone(s)" and "Miracle on 34th Street" and "The Sound of Music", they have little use or concern with "A Hatful of Rain" or "Sons and Lovers" and "No Way Out" and 'Panic in Needle Park"

 

[cda1143]

Don’t Censor Racism Out of the Past

The classic movie "The French Connection" was stealth edited to remove an offensive exchange.

www.theatlantic.com

 

[Nelson Au]

Hey guys, just discovered this thread.

I’m confused by what RAH said from the original post. The post was about preferring to have the original award winning version of a film available in high definition blu ray. But then it reads like this Signature Series edition is not the original version?

I read over this thread, it seems there is a 2008 blu ray with purplish color grading that Freidkin said he did on purpose, then had an disagreement with the cinematographer, then later he denied this and the Signature Series edition is how he wants the film to appear.

Then I saw a post that Disney now owns the Fox and removed one line of dialogue. I presume the Signature Series version is pre-Disney, so this is not affecting the Signature Series disc, so what was changed from the Academy Award winning version on the Signature Series disc? I gather the difference is purely the color grading? Or was there some editing done?

I am not a French Connection expert, I’ve seen the film a few times, but not recently and don’t know it enough to tell if anything changed. I do have this Signature Series disc which I also picked up for about $10. It’s still sealed as I planned to watch it eventually. Thanks for any insights.

 

[Worth]

Then I saw a post that Disney now owns the Fox and removed one line of dialogue. I presume the Signature Series version is pre-Disney, so this is not affecting the Signature Series disc, so what was changed from the Academy Award winning version on the Signature Series disc? I gather the difference is purely the color grading? Or was there some editing done?

The Signature disc is the complete, unedited film with the original (or close to original) colour timing. The earlier disc is also unedited, but with revisionist colour. At this point, the edited version is only on streaming platforms like Disney+ and digital retailers like iTunes.

 

[Robert Crawford]

The Signature disc is the complete, unedited film with the original (or close to original) colour timing. The earlier disc is also unedited, but with revisionist colour. At this point, the edited version is only on streaming platforms like Disney+ and digital retailers like iTunes.

Not Disney+! Criterion and maybe a few others.

 

[TravisR]

Not Disney+! Criterion and maybe a few others.

I believe Nick is our neighbor to the North and he said previously that the movie is on Disney + in Canada. Surprised me too.

 

[Worth]

Yes, Disney+ in Canada. I think we get most of the stuff that ends up on Hulu in the US.

 

[uncledougie]

Don’t Censor Racism Out of the Past

The classic movie "The French Connection" was stealth edited to remove an offensive exchange.

www.theatlantic.com

That’s behind a paywall, but it’s a publication I follow on Apple News, so if anyone wants access that’s another way to read the worthwhile article.

 

[Jeffrey D]

The Signature disc is the complete, unedited film with the original (or close to original) colour timing. The earlier disc is also unedited, but with revisionist colour. At this point, the edited version is only on streaming platforms like Disney+ and digital retailers like iTunes.

Wow- iTunes has the censored version too? In a situation like this- paying for one film as opposed to having a streaming subscription- there should be a notice to potential costumers that there has been changes made to the original version of the film/show.

 

[Nelson Au]

Thanks Guyes! Thanks Nick for clarifying the Signature Series and prior blu rays are unedited. Only difference being the color grading and the Signature Series disc being closest to the theatrical experience Color grading. Great!

 

[Robert Crawford]

Wow- iTunes has the censored version too? In a situation like this- paying for one film as opposed to having a streaming subscription- there should be a notice to potential costumers that there has been changes made to the original version of the film/show.

Not surprising considering it's a MoviesAnyWhere title.

 

[JoeDoakes]

Unfortunately, the first Blu-ray release (which it seems is the one you have) is absolutely horrible. William Friedkin lost his damn mind and decided that he wanted to give the film a "pastel" color makeover, where the entire movie is tinted in utterly bizarre hues (including purple flesh tones in many scenes) for no sensible reason at all. He claimed at the time that this was how he always intended the movie to look, and in fact that he would be doing the same to ALL of his movies, moving next to The Exorcist.

(Screencap borrowed from DVDBeaver.)

View attachment 187083

Owen Roizman, the cinematographer who shot The French Connection and The Exorcist for him, was horrified by this and called Friedkin out on it, saying that it was never, in any way, his or Friedkin's original intention for the movie to look like that. Friedkin then called Roizman mentally ill, and the two had a messy public war of words until they eventually mended fences. The Exorcist was thankfully spared the "pastel" treatment, and The French Connection was later reissued with a new color grade citing approval by both Friedkin and Roizman.

At the time of the reissue, Friedkin changed his story and claimed that the original Blu-ray was a total f***-up by someone at the studio and never what he wanted. That was of course a flagrant lie, as you can see him in a featurette on the first Blu-ray raving about how amazing he thinks that color transfer looks.

Friedkin's The Boys in the Band received the same "pastel" treatment (it was actually the first to get it), but he stopped doing it after Roizman shamed him.

Thanks. Maybe we should just be grateful that Friedkin didn’t insert a scene of Bill Hickman shooting at Hackman first.

 

[Malcolm R]

Can't believe I don't seem to own this title in any format at all. If you'd asked me if it was in my collection, I would have said "yes", but I don't find it in my database and it's not on the shelf where it likely would be.

I'm thinking I may have had the DVD version at one time, but may have got rid of it during a "purge" to regain space.

 

[Carl David]

Can't believe I don't seem to own this title in any format at all. If you'd asked me if it was in my collection, I would have said "yes", but I don't find it in my database and it's not on the shelf where it likely would be.

I'm thinking I may have had the DVD version at one time, but may have got rid of it during a "purge" to regain space.

Sometimes that can happen with movies.

It's a matter of getting around to buying certain titles or just in some instances forgetting about some films.

Still a few missing from my collection that have not got around to buying.

Ikiru, Barry Lyndon & Indiana Jones to name a few I don't have yet.

 

[cda1143]

Wow- iTunes has the censored version too? In a situation like this- paying for one film as opposed to having a streaming subscription- there should be a notice to potential costumers that there has been changes made to the original version of the film/show.

Agreed. It’s a form of bait and switch. We purchase one item, only to receive a different one; although we should be clear about the culprit. I doubt Apple has any legal option to offer the original version. Fault here lies fully with Disney.

It’s too late for this film, but if you’re concerned about the possibility of changes to other iTunes films: you can download and save a 1080p version of any film to a hard drive. This will preserve a copy of the current version if changes are made. (Unfortunately no 4K downloads yet)

if anyone does this, and a film does get edited, I would caution you to view your original version disconnected from the Internet. It’s possible that viewing while connected to Apple servers might get the download replaced.

 

[Lord Dalek]

Yes, Disney+ in Canada. I think we get most of the stuff that ends up on Hulu in the US.

Which is funny since its not on Hulu either.

 

[jayembee]

At the end of the day, is this really that different than a food company changing a classic recipe after discovering an ingredient once believed benign is actually dangerous?

Mountain Dew just hasn't been the same since they removed the propylene glycol...