Bad Boys (Sean Penn) question (1 Viewer)

[Rob P S]

I read that the DVD version is missing the scene when they are watching "Kiss of Death". Can anyone confirm if this is true?

 

[Dave Mack]

There are 2 DVD's.
Old one is missing like 25 minutes!!! New one by Anchor Bay is complete, uncut, anamorphic with Director's commentary.
Sweet!
D

 

[Mark Bendiksen]

There have been two versions of this film available on home video since the mid-80s. The longer theatrical cut made it to Laserdisc, CED disc and premium cable, while the shorter version was released on VHS and DVD. (As was mentioned, the new DVD is the full theatrical cut.)
Plain and simple: the shorter version sucks. We're not talking about cuts because of explicit content here. The film just seems to be randomly sliced left and right. Key scenes are missing. Other important scenes are cut in half. I've never heard a satisfactory explanation as to why the shorter version even exists.
Link Removed

 

[Ed St. Clair]

TV.

 

[Jon Hertzberg]

I wondered about this for years until I stumbled upon an old newsgroup posting that detailed the video history of BAD BOYS (1983). The short version was the version EMI released to theaters in England. When the film was first released on video in the U.S., by Thorn/EMI Home Video, it was mistakenly released in this shorter version. The company replaced copies of the short version with a corrected tape (running the full 123 min.) for customers who complained.

But for some reason there never was a full recall and, mysteriously, the short version continued to be distributed when rights reverted and the film was reissued on VHS by HBO/The Weintraub Group, then Republic, and finally Artisan. The lone laserdisc released by Image, licensed from HBO, was the 123 minute theatrical version.

All of this is now moot because Anchor Bay has released the "uncut" version on DVD and VHS.

Jon

 

[Mark Bendiksen]

The short version was the version EMI released to theaters in England.

This scene is completely missing from the shorter version, along with numerous others.

 

[Jon Hertzberg]

Mark-
I haven't watched the short version in several years, but I always remembered seeing the scene you mentioned, atleast on the Thorn/EMI & HBO VHS versions.
I watched that version many times and when I later got my hands on the laserdisc, I did a thorough comparison (this was one of my favorite movies I noticed lots of new additions like, "Tweety getting out," "Mick playing guitar," "comic book reports," "Lipshitz," "Paco's Dad," etc. But the scene you mentioned, as I recall, was always there. There is the possibility, with all the versions I have seen (tv versions, laserdisc), that my memory may be clouded. But I doubt it.
I have not seen the Republic or Artisan releases and the film may have been further cut for them.
One last tidbit: Director Rick Rosenthal mentions on the DVD commentary that he had to convince Universal execs (the U.S. theatrical distributor) that the scene should stay--not everyone understood the meaning or significance of it.
Great scene. I'm very glad it's there.
Jon

 

[Mark Bendiksen]

You may indeed be correct about that, Jon. As I recall there was at least something "near" that scene that was cut in the shorter version, perhaps immediately prior to or following the burning of the photo.