Oliver Stone's Alexander August 2 (1 Viewer)

[TravisR]

Personally, I think part of it is the gossip rag coverage of Colin Ferrel or Angelina Jolie. People just get sick of hearing about them and being told to be interested in them and their lives. I usually enjoy Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise but I cringe everytime I hear their names mentioned now thanks to the 'news'. I know this theory isn't an absolute (Mr. And Mrs. Smith did well but that had 'splosions and car chases to help sell tickets ) but I think it's part of the problem.

And probably the major part is that Alexander is just not a movie that most people would be interested in. Good or bad.

 

[Frank@N]

I usually get my 'new releases' at Hollywood Video 3/$25 sales.

So I stopped by to see what version they were renting (the DC only).

Decided to consider purchasing the TC and went nextdoor to WalMart.

To my surprise (due to content), they were selling both versions for $15.

Got the TC version, but won't open it for awhile just in case I change my mind or find a better deal.

Hoping the TC version is the more coherent of the two and has better A/V since it's spread over two discs.

Too bad the TC set doesn't have deleted scenes to include the restored DC sequences.

 

[Richard Michael Clark]

Can anyone with the TC answer the following?

1) Is disc 1 a dvd5 and disc 2 a dvd9?

2) What bit rate is the English 5.1 track encoded at?

Many thanks

 

[Garrett Lundy]

Angelina Jolie ruined it for me. Her idea of acting was doing an vocal impression of Bela Lugosi as Dracula.

 

[Richard_D_Ramirez]

I just heard an amusing comparision between the DC and TC versions of Alexander this morning. The radio station I listen to had "Mr. Skin's" weekly reviews of movies and DVDs, and Mr. Skin highly recommended the TC of the film, since the DC had some of Rosario Dawson's "footage" removed. :b So, if you don't want to miss any of Ms. Dawson's "assets", get the TC!

 

[Bill Williams]

Don't know if any of you have seen this or not, but if you get the DC at Wal-Mart, you'll find a bonus disc packaged with it that is, believe it or not, a 47-minute "featurette" (i.e. documentary) on how Colin Farrell transformed himself into Alexander.

 

[PaulP]

That would've been a nice one to put on the Director's Cut, since it just repeats extras from the Theatrical Cut.

 

[Frank@N]

Glad I got the TC, I read there's more of her in the DC.

 

[Nathan V]

Here are my (detailed) thoughts on the new cut, which I feel is far and away the definitive version of the film: http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...46#post2752746

Rosario Dawson's "assets" are very much on display in the DC.
There is neither more nor less of Jolie in the DC.
None of the homosexual content has been removed.
The primary differences in the new cut are:
-radical new structure, intercutting macedonia with india, etc; this creates fascinating new thematic parallels and solves serious pacing problems from the TC
-focus of film is now more clearly on the effect Alexander's parents have on him throughout his life
-Anthony Hopkins scenes are minimized, he now has only 2 major scenes
-removal of some narration ('show' vs. 'tell')
-some alternate takes
-reduction in number of scenes with Rosario Dawson dialogue (she now has 3 lines); same thing with Leto. however, both are still very much a presence in the film. the impact of either's relationship with Alex has not been minimized.
-elimination of various embarrassing moments, such as Alexander and Jared Leto's pre-battle hugging scene, etc
-Indian battle is spruced up, now significantly more intense than I remember.
-overall, the film flows waaaaayyy better than the TC, and is, IMO, comparable to Stone's earlier masterworks (never thought I'd be saying that after seeing the TC!)

video and sound quality are reference or near-reference. The commentary is outstanding. Stone literally talks almost nonstop for 3 hours. Haven't watched the doc yet.

 

[Ryan Wong]

After reading the professional comment from Nathan V, I confirmed that TC suit me more.

Can anyone answer Richard Michael Clark's question?

 

[PatrickDA]

Here are my thoughts since I saw the original cut in the
theater four times and named it by Best Picture of last
year.

1 - The Director's Cut will work better for those who didn't
like the original version nor saw the first cut when it was
in cinemas.
2 - Having watched both versions several times over the last
two days, I'll go on record as saying I'd give them the same
grade (A- / **** out of *****) and I also feel both deliver
the same message, but one is just more clear as to what that
is than the other one.
3 - The Wal-Mart deal is a total joke since you have to
buy the Director's Cut in Full Screen in order to get the
Discovery Channel 'Becoming Alexander' documentary. I went
for it just so I could get all the DVD versions of the film
and there are moments in the film where the full screen
image actually helped my understanding of certain events in
the first battle. The 'Becoming Alexander' documentary is
very interesting and gives you an up-close & personal look
at what Colin had to go through from June-September 2003 in
order to prepare himself both mentally and phsyically for
this all important part. Also, it makes up for the actors
being nearly absent from the three-part documentary that
Sean Stone directed, which is more about the crew than the
actors...so 'Becoming Alexander' & the Sean Stone doc will
give you a very balanced view of the production process of
this film.
4 - Colin's performance was quite good actually...I think
people expected him to be like Gibson in 'Braveheart' and/or
Crowe in 'Gladiator' and that would've been the wrong thing
to do. First of all, Alexander is much younger than those
characters mentioned above, which means you can't have a
Crowe or Gibson (even in their prime) play the part due to
their age. Secondly, Stone wanted to touch on the masculine and the feminine aspects of Alexander's character and Colin
took that to heart in giving a wonderfully new kind of
performance in this genre. Jolie and Kilmer were at the top
of their game and Hopkins was unfairly attacked since he
pulled the same act in 'Amistad' but was given an Oscar nod
for his efforts. Seeing Plummer have a second scene in the
Director's Cut was wonderful...more Plummer can never hurt!
5 - I was particularly moved by Stone mentioning Anthony
Mann's 'The Fall of the Roman Empire' as being a film in
this genre that he really liked. As a BIG TIME Tony Mann fan
I'm glad Mr. Stone mentioned that epic, which is much like
'Alexander' in terms of being a critical and box office
bomb. In fact, I think 'Alexander' is MUCH MORE like 'The
Fall of the Roman Empire' in style than any other epic in
the glory days of the genre!

 

[Frank@N]

Crap, up till now everything I read about the DC was bad.

Need to reconsider my TC purchase.

 

[PaulP]

Frank, get both.

 

[PatrickDA]

Yeah, Frank....get both! They can play as two separate films
in reality.

 

[R. Kay]

At what time marker does Rosario show her lovely self in the Director's Cut?

Want to cut right to the chase.

 

[Matthew Marino]

I'm too lazy to go and check the time but its in the chapter "different ways to love."

 

[Frank@N]

Something to think about...

Only other case where I did that was LotR series (TC/EE).

Apparently, Alexander was also shot on Super35.

In the case of LotR TC series, I got full screen so I could see more of the sets, costumes, and actors.

In the case of Alexander, guess I would have to get DC in full screen (if I were to do something similar).

 

[Matt Stone]

??

 

[TravisR]

LOTR was shot Super 35 so there was information on the top and bottom of the frame in the full frame version that you can't see in the widescreen version. Although that information wasn't really meant to be seen and, of course, you lose the intended information on the left and the right.

I'm sure there's a more longwinded, more technically accurate version of what I said

 

[Vincent_P]

Yes, and here it is:

Super-35 BAD!!!!!!! Anamorphic 35mm GOOD!!!!!!!



Vincent