Alexander Revisited: The Unrated Final Cut -- Due 2/27/07 (1 Viewer)

[PatrickDA]

Full press release:

"Alexander Revisited: The Unrated Final Cut

From: Warner Bros./Reprise Records

More Than 45 MINUTES OF NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN FOOTAGE ADDED!

ACADEMY AWARD® WINNING DIRECTOR OLIVER STONE'S PERSONAL VISION AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST TIME...

Alexander Revisited: The Unrated Final Cut

THE MOVIE YOU COULDN'T SEE IN THEATRES TRIUMPHS
ON DVD FEBRUARY 27

All New Unrated Version of Oliver Stone's Incredible Epic Starring Colin Farrell, Angelina Jolie, Val Kilmer and More Takes the Film to a New Level of Realism and Intensity

Burbank, CA, December 18, 2006. At last, audiences can experience Oliver Stone's Alexander as he meant it to be seen, with Alexander Revisited: The Unrated Final Cut, available on 2-disc DVD February 27. Featuring more than 45 minutes of never-before-seen footage, the spectacle of Alexander is even more impressive with this all-new unrated version which brings the film to a heightened level of realism and intensity. Containing an introduction by Oliver Stone, the title will sell for $24.98 SRP. Orders are due January 23. HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc versions will be released later in the year.

The new introduction to Alexander Revisited: The Unrated Final Cut DVD reflects Stone's passion and attention to detail in getting this film exactly the way he envisioned. Says Stone, "Over the last two years I have been able to sort out some of the unanswered questions about this highly complicated and passionate monarch -- questions I failed to answer dramatically enough. This film represents my complete and last version, as it will contain all the essential footage we shot. I don't know how many filmmakers have managed to make three versions of the same film, but I have been fortunate to have the opportunity because of the success of video and DVD sales in the world, and I felt if I didn't do it now, with the energy and memory I still have for the subject, it would never quite be the same again. For me, this is the complete Alexander, the clearest interpretation I can offer."

Alexander grossed $167M worldwide during its initial theatrical run and previous DVDs have sold nearly 3 and a half million units to date, but Alexander: Revisited promises to be a whole new experience for audiences. Now restructured into two acts with an intermission, Alexander: Revisited is an epic of filmmaking in the manner of such cinema classics as Lawrence of Arabia and Gone with the Wind. Oliver Stone, one of cinema's most prolific innovators, and the recipient of three Academy Awards®, has directed such unforgettable films as Platoon, Wall Street, Born on the Fourth of July, JFK, The Doors, Natural Born Killers, Nixon, Any Given Sundayand his most recent, the moving drama World Trade Center

Alexander: Revisited takes a bolder, more in-depth look at Alexander's (Colin Farrell) life and his relationships with his mother, Olympias (Angelina Jolie), his father Philip (Val Kilmer), his lifelong friend and battle commander Hephaistion (Jared Leto), Roxane, his ambitious and beautiful Bactrian wife (Rosario Dawson), and his trusted general and confidant Ptolemy (Anthony Hopkins). The new film intensifies the beauty and unbelievable brutality of Alexander's pre-Christian world of social customs and morals so different from todays. The superb cast also boastsChristopher Plummer, Jonathan Rhys Meyers and many more.

Torn by the war between his parents (Jolie and Kilmer), Alexander left Greece to face massive armies in Persia, Afghanistan and India -- and was never defeated. "Fortune favors the bold" and Alexander was bold enough to command vast armies when he was just 25 years old. In the end, Alexander would face incredible battles that would re-shape the world as known today. A sweeping story of the greatest conqueror in history, this timeless saga comes alive with intense battle scenes, exotic locales and dramatic intrigue. It's a searing moviemaking achievement that the Chicago Tribune called "vast, riveting and madly audacious," while Gannett News Service hailed it as"a Hollywood rarity – a story of passionate people told with genuine, unadulterated passion."

The DVD release date of Alexander: Revisited is timed to leverage audience anticipation of '300,' the action-packed theatrical release from film and comics visionary Frank Miller. Every DVD unit of Alexander: Revisited will include a movie cash offer (a $10.50 value) for '300.'
In theaters March 9, 2007, '300' is the story of a legendary, warrior-filled battle for Sparta, set in the ancient world. Frank Miller commands a legion of fans himself for such works as SinCity and the graphic novel Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, among many others.


Alexander: Revisited
The Final Cut
Catalog #: 114351
Two Disc DVD $24.98 SRP
Running Time: 220 minutes
16x9 Widescreen, Color
English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround

Note: All enhanced content listed above is subject to change.
With operations in 90 international territories, Warner Home Video, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, commands the largest distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. Warner Home Video's film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Home Video and New Line Home Entertainment."

 

[David_Blackwell]

I still need to watch the DC. I have ownded it for 3 months. better get cracking before the final recut comes out.

 

[PatrickDA]

More from another press release:

"Stone revisits Alexander in new version
Warner's DVD to include 45 minutes of extra footage
By Susanne Ault 12/18/2006
DEC. 18 | Oliver Stone hopes the third time’s the charm with Warner’s Feb. 27 release Alexander Revisited: The Unrated Final Cut.

When Alexander originally hit DVD, Stone crafted a shorter director’s cut of the film, which bowed on shelves at the same time as the theatrical version in August 2005.

Alexander Revisited features an additional 45 minutes of footage that was sliced from the theatrical edition for its length and explicit content. Also, movie cash to see March 9 Warner theatrical 300 is packed into each disc box.

The new Alexander disc is priced at $24.98, with orders due Jan. 23. HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc versions are expected sometime in 2007.

Alexander was not a huge hit in the U.S., grossing $34 million at the box office, but Warner officials believe another edition is worthwhile. To date, the two earlier Alexander disc releases have sold 3.5 million units.

“Most director’s cuts and special editions are typically two to 10 minutes longer, and here we have [an extra] 45 minutes,” said Jeffrey Baker, Warner senior VP and general manager of theatrical catalog. “Oliver really wanted to show the viewer what these battle scenes were really like, and the extended scenes of the battles give you the realism and sheer horror of them. There are [also] salacious scenes, heterosexual and homosexual, which tell quite a different version of the story than what we saw in theaters.”

Warner hopes the rollout of Alexander Revisited will enhance the studio’s reputation as a dominant force in catalog DVD. In November, Warner released the hefty seven-film Superman: Ultimate Collector’s Edition, featuring a new version of Superman II created by Superman: The Movie director Richard Donner.

“What we did with Donner and now with Alexander really reinforces the fact that, where it makes sense, we are supportive of getting filmmakers’ visions onto the small screen,” said Baker. “The studio is very responsive to consumers who are looking for special versions of movies.”

 

[Ruz-El]

This sounds great! I liked the original film, loved the DC.

Can't wait!

 

[Nathan V]

Stone is a man ahead of his time. Alexander is one of a kind- wildly ambitious, undaunted by commercial concerns, like nothing before seen- a $150 million indie. I found the Director's Cut exhilarating.

As far as what battles should have been included, it's important to remember that like all historical pictures, this one functions more as a dramatic piece, rather than an informational one. Alexander the Great is a ripe subject for multiple narrative translations, but Stone states his intended focus early on and stays with it.

A couple of misconceptions people I've spoken with seem to have-

The DC does not remove the film's homosexual content. It changes the film's structure back to what was intended in the original script, in addition to minor additions and snips to nearly every scene (detailed in the commentary).

It should also be (re)stated that the film did quite well at the international box office.

I hope this thread isn't closed due to hot-headed opinions.

Regards,
Nathan

 

[PatrickDA]

http://www.dvdactive.com/news/releas...revisited.html

Fantastic cover art! It brings in the blue color from the opening credits
as well as the eagle from the film and original teaser poster! Great job WB!

I can't wait for this release...counting the days!

 

[joshEH]

As long as this new version contains 45 totally new minutes of Rosario Dawson's sweet, sweet poop-cutter...count me in.

 

[Anthony Thorne]

I can smell the excitement already.

 

[Roy Batty]

According to this news bit, this release has been postponed with no new date set.

Anybody knows what's the deal here?

 

[Jack _Webster]

That news is dated the 25th, yet WB supplied Davisdvd.com with hi-res front & back artwork on the 27th, with no news of a delay. I'll wait for further confirmation before getting too worried.

EDIT: Also, that news has to do with the HD release, so perhaps the Standard DVD is unaffected?

 

[TravisR]

Where do you see that it's only related to the HD release?

I want that free ticket to 300 so it better not be delayed.

 

[PatrickDA]

I'm not sure what this delay is about, but I can say that a UK WB site
lists a release date of April 2nd, but it's hard to tell that it's a Region 2
release date. So, maybe people are getting confused. I certainly haven't
heard anything offical from WB about a delay and wouldn't understand why
one would have to occur other than to drive ME out-of-my-mind.

 

[Patrick Mirza]

WHV still has Alexander listed for release on 2/27/07. I have no idea why this other DVD news site is reporting otherwise.

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

I have already been contacted by WB publicity about a review screener, and all of their material indicates the February release date. They have also indicated that HD-DVD and Blu-ray editions will follow at a later date, so that is probably what is going on with the separate European date.

One could speculate that they could have delayed the standard-def release so that the hi-def formats could be day and date, but did not want to lose out on the cross-promotion with "300".

Regards,

 

[David_Blackwell]

I just saw the DC last week and I wonder if the Final cut will fix any of the problems I had with the film like a better resolution, less or no Anthony Hopkins telling the story, and more of Kilmer/Jolie.

 

[PatrickDA]

Based on a few rumors, we'll be getting more battle action, more
sexual stuff with Farrell, and extended scenes of minor sub-plots
involving supporting characters that were cut out of the first and
second versions. Stone did have a five-hour working print of this thing
during the spring and summer months of 2004. Also, look for MORE
of Sir Tony, not less.

 

[Dave Simkiss]

Has anyone found this up for pre-order anywhere yet?

 

[TravisR]

Amazon has had it up for quite awhile.

EDIT: Deep Discount DVD, Best Buy and Circuit City all have it listed too.

 

[JonZ]

"For gods sakes. When is he going to realise that the material filmed was too flawed to edit into something good? Its a bit pathetic to watch the man desperately try to re-edit the film to make something out of it. Just let it go. I am amazed that Warner financially backed this move. How many people bough the first so-called Directors Cut?"


I think your being a bit harsh. He said in a interview that the film has its fans and its for them he made this cut. Plus this film isnt universally hated. It was much better received overseas than it was here in the states.

Ive never seen the shorter Dir Cut, but I have seen the theatercial. Its not a great movie, but Ive found myself watching it a few times when it was on. Ill get the longer cut and be openminded and see how it is.

 

[Mike Heenan]

I wonder if he says the same thing about Star Wars eps 4 through 6... lol. While I somewhat enjoyed Alexander, I didn't think it was that great hopefully the new version makes it better. As long as the original theatrical version is avalable (and it is, I believe) who cares how many times he re edits it, no one is forcing you to buy them, just get it on netflix if you're curious.