Bob Gu
Screenwriter
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2006
- Messages
- 1,822
- Real Name
- Bob Gudera
Found a nice Spanish version upload of COMMANDO-1962 starring Stewart Granger at YouTube. I don't think this will lead to a disc release in R-1, but maybe R-2. COMMANDO was only around in a ghosted, bad reception, VHS copy, from probably an 80s TV broadcast, of the version released in the U.S. by American International Pictures and it was missing 15 minutes . In 1964, I saw it double-featured with TORPEDO BAY, starring James Mason. Both films were multi-national productions. (COMMANDO was listed on a Public Domain war movie DVD collection, but it turned out to be COMMANDOS-1968 with Lee Van Cleef.)
The story was about French Foreign Legion commandos in modern day Algeria. It's grim and sentimental. The movie is memorable because of the Nini Rosso trumpet theme, 'Concerto Disperato', played throughout the picture. The tune was haunting, sad, and strangely uplifting.
Spanish version: MARCHA O MUERE- (March Or Die).
Bad reception short AIP English version: COMMANDO.
When looking over both of these videos, I was surprised to see actual different versions of the same scenes??? Different camera placements. There was even a short action scene missing, from the end in the longer Spanish version, that was in the AIP version.
For example: In the AIP version, when we first see Stewart Granger's character he is sitting in his office, drinking and pretty drunk. He has to pull himself together, when his aide tells him the big brass wants to see him. In the Spanish version, he's drinking, but is standing and not drunk.
In a bar scene, for a bet, a Legionnaire , in the AIP version, shoots a belly dancer in the navel, with a slingshot. She screams and doubles over and runs away. In the Spanish version, the Legionnaire throws a knife at her, pinning her veil to a post, She screams and runs away. The veils of the her costume are placed differently in the two versions.
I would not have thought a B-war movie would take the time to make different versions of scenes. Was it done for the perceived sensibilities of different countries?
I like the Spanish version better.
The story was about French Foreign Legion commandos in modern day Algeria. It's grim and sentimental. The movie is memorable because of the Nini Rosso trumpet theme, 'Concerto Disperato', played throughout the picture. The tune was haunting, sad, and strangely uplifting.
Spanish version: MARCHA O MUERE- (March Or Die).
Bad reception short AIP English version: COMMANDO.
When looking over both of these videos, I was surprised to see actual different versions of the same scenes??? Different camera placements. There was even a short action scene missing, from the end in the longer Spanish version, that was in the AIP version.
For example: In the AIP version, when we first see Stewart Granger's character he is sitting in his office, drinking and pretty drunk. He has to pull himself together, when his aide tells him the big brass wants to see him. In the Spanish version, he's drinking, but is standing and not drunk.
In a bar scene, for a bet, a Legionnaire , in the AIP version, shoots a belly dancer in the navel, with a slingshot. She screams and doubles over and runs away. In the Spanish version, the Legionnaire throws a knife at her, pinning her veil to a post, She screams and runs away. The veils of the her costume are placed differently in the two versions.
I would not have thought a B-war movie would take the time to make different versions of scenes. Was it done for the perceived sensibilities of different countries?
I like the Spanish version better.
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