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The Grudge UNRATED DVD later this year?? (1 Viewer)

Matt M

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According to an article I read on diabolical-dominion.com Fangoria had a review of The Grudge and mentioned that the commentary of Sam Raimi has him saying there will be an Unrated version out later this year. Has anyone else heard this? Why do studios feel they have to double dip just to provide us with an alternate version? Why can't they all do what they did with Butterfly Effect and The Forgotten and have both on one release? This is becoming a trend with Raimi, first Spiderman 2.5 (Whatever that means) and now The Grudge.
 

Jason Seaver

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Well, aside from it being more likely to be a studio decision than something you can pin on Raimi, I wouldn't be surprised if creating an alternate cut is sometimes difficult within the short windows between theatrical and DVD release that are now the norm. Sometimes you've got your R/NC-17 version ready, but I imagine sometimes the director/studio either doesn't have that cut on file or would like to revise it.

Of course, there's the alternate explanation that they want more of your money.
 

Aaron Silverman

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The Forgotten includes an alternate cut using branching; but the release info for The Grudge doesn't list an alternate cut or even any deleted scenes. I will definitely post here if I hear anything about another release from Sony (who are probably the Kings of the Double-Dip, to be sure).
 

Citizen87645

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Theatrical or unrated, there is some CRAZY bass towards the end of the movie.
 

Jack Johnson

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Terrific film. A tour de force of mood and atmosphere. I can see how its minimalistic style wouldn't interest some in an age of really busy films with more lavish visuals... But if you've been craving a subtle exercise in "goosebump" filmmaking, The Grudge is state of the art...even in its PG-13 cut. It reminded me of ALIEN in its quiet atmospherics and relentless suspense.

In the commentary, Raimi reveals that Takashi Shimizu will actually remove a scene or two from his unrated cut--which he says will follow the existing dvd in 'a couple of months'--that were designed to introduce American audiences to Japanese folklore concerning The Grudge. And, given that some of the pretty decent extras--including the entertaining commentary--may not be carried over...and the fact that I just couldn't wait...I had to snag this film now, probably dooming myself to a double dip.


--Jack
 

Ruz-El

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I agree completely Porfirio!! That was the whole point of Horror, to unsettle, upset and scare the crap out of the audience, by any means necesary. The whole point of Horror is not politaccly correct. This trend of PG-13 horror movies is depressing. I'm swearing them off. Why supoprt watered down horror in the theaters when you can buy the real thing on DVD for $13?

End of my rant. I did see Grudge in the theaters and thought it was not bad. I well hold out for a directors / unrated cut to buy on DVD.
 

Mark_TS

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Supposedly much was cut to make TG somewhat more palatable to the American consumer public-you cant have your movie patrons dropping dead in the cinema of fright...
I might give it a go.
 

Scott Temple

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What's the official release date for this title? DVD Empire says May 3rd. Amazon.com says May 17th. Anyway, this 'Extended Cut' is listed as being 98 minutes. That's 7 minutes longer than the 91 minute theatrical cut. Supposedly the differences include....

1. After Bill Pullman's death we focus on his dead face and the eyeball on the pavement has slightly popped out looking like a white gum drop.

2. The old senile lady when she meets Yoko (caretaker) is messing with tape and her fingers are covered in blood.

3. Later Sarah Michelle Gellar shows up and sees the bandaged fingers as well. It's a new plot point I believe showing that she was the one who locked Toshio in the closet.

4. During the Open House the sister hears things and finds a cat figurine in Toshio's closet as well as remnants of his drawings.

5. During the American couples first night in the house the wife hears the clatter of what she believes to be the mother but is really Toshio.

6. They show a bit of Jason Behr working and studying before a recently discharge SMG shows up at his work.

7. Ted Raimi meeting Yoko jawless in the hallway is extended and she even stretches back quite a bit to show down her throat quite a lot.

8. The Bill Pullman scene where he shows up at the house and finds Ayako's body is longer. She falls out of the closet and we stay on her for quite a while. She seems to follow him throughout the room. Her neck is making crunching noises.

9. The thumping that you hear from the hanging body in the next room reveals that Toshio is pushing his fathers feet into the wall and that's why we have the sound! I thought this visual was pretty eerie.

10. Here is what makes the uncut uncut. The father killing his family scene. He grabs Ayako and semi strips her and grabs her by the throat and in his rage twists her head to an almost 360 and it splinters and cracks as she spits blood.
The 'aaaaaaaacckkkk' sound is from her dying as her throat is distended. Toshio views the ENTIRE thing! This reveals why
he is always bug eyed when on the stairwell looking down because this is where he was sitting.

11. As SMG is saving her comatose hubby we see more of the family death. It looks as if he cuts the cats throat in the tub and then he slams its carcass against the tub walls. We then actually see Toshio being drowned. He even has a moment where he looks at his father before he dunks him in. Then there are jump cuts of where the father placed their corpses. These spots end up being where they congregate. Toshio is dead in his closet along with his mother in the attic.

12. I believe in the US version SMG yells at Jason Behr 'not to look at her'...in this version the dialogue wasnt there.
When Ayako is giving him the staredown of death.

13. In the aftermath of the fire we see a POV from SMG point of view in the ambulance as well as firefighters performing their jobs on the house.


I found that listing over at horrordvds.com.

 

Mark_TS

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what I want to know is what happens to SMG at the end, in the autopsy room-with doctors and aides just a dozen feet away-in the next room-pretty brave ghoul, that Ayako!
 

Donnie Eldridge

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I could see this DC coming a mile away. I sincerely hope that this trend in remaking Asian horror don't all wind up going this route. Most of these movies are better without everything explained.
 

Bob clamer

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So what are the pro and cons to the Director's cut as oppossed to the original release? Worth the DD?
 

David_Blackwell

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From reviews of the DC (from screenings in Japan), people have said it is better. I'm awaiting for my review copy to show up.
 

Inspector Hammer!

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Well, i'm glad to read that i'm not alone in loving this film. :emoji_thumbsup:

This whole notion of a horror film needing to be rated R in order to be effective is just pure and utter nonsense! :rolleyes

The R rating implies more gore, more sexual content and more profanity, things that are absolutely NOT essential to a horror film's effectivness. Those things are nice, but aren't crucial in the least. In a splatter film, those elements are necessary, but for true, brain teasing terror like The Ring, The Grudge and The Others they are not.

The PG-13 versio is already scary as hell to me, but I will pick up the new one just to see what they've added.
 

Jack Johnson

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It's going to be interesting to see whether the dropped material from the PG-13 rated version was of a graphic or explicit nature, or just thematically disturbing or more intense, or some of each (I have heard it suggested that the latter is true)...

AND:

Will additional material actually serve to lessen the fim's impact? Some things--and this includes no spoilers--will only serve to de-mystify some details which played frighteningly, cryptically...in the PG-13 cut. In that instance, sometimes less is more. That said, I loved this film and I plan on owning both versions just to see the uncompromised "Shimizu Cut".

Very, very glad that Shimizu's on board for the sequel. I hope he works with the very same production team. And it'd be fun to get Sarah Michelle Gellar back in some way, shape or form. And composer Chris Young did a terrific job too.


--Jack
 

Bleddyn Williams

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This is due next Tuesday and I've not seen one online review for this yet. That's a bit unusual..!
 

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