The Big Chill - What happened??? (1 Viewer)

[Frank@N]

Because I refuse to watch movies on TV and rarely go to the theater, sometimes I end up seeing good movies for the first time many years after their release.

So, I'm watching the The Big Chill - 15th Anniversary edition and enjoying the flick. Even more unexpected were the interesting extras and interviews, which tend to be sparse on catalog releases.

But during the interviews, the director talks about a deleted flashback sequence which shows the characters during their formative years. I recall the director saying the scene was shoot at a college location with 60's hair and makeup. As far as I could tell, the function of this sequence was to provide an idealist contrast to their disillusioned adult lives. More importantly, the viewer would get a chance to see the Alex character who is referenced constantly in the movie and was still alive in the flashback. This was also an early role for Kevin Costner and would be of interest to many, I'm sure.

So, I'm happily watching the montage of numerous and somewhat trivial deleted sequences waiting of the one sequence that the director had specifically mentioned....

Guess what, it's not included!

Does anyone know what happened?

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

Given the studios' cavalier attitude towards their own product, there's always the chance that the footage no longer exists. (I haven't seen this DVD so I don't know what deleted scenes are included.) If the Costner scenes were cut early in the process, for story reasons, and the deleted scenes on the disc were cut during the preview process or for time just before the final release, I can easily remember the latter surviving while the former did not. It is also possible that Costner, who still carries a bit of clout in the industry, objected to the Kasden including the scenes, much as Eric Stoltz reportedly objected to the use of his Marty McFly footage on Back to the Future. Finally, it may be a money issue. The terms of Costner's contract may be such that he'd have to be paid now if they used his scenes, and the studio either couldn't or wouldn't pay.
He does appear in the film, of course - as Alex's dead body during the opening credits.
Regards,
Joe