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Description
The most expensive film ever made at the time of its release, Waterworld has thrilled audiences through the years with its awe-inspiring action scenes, gargantuan maritime sets and ground-breaking special effects.
A definitive post-apocalypse blockbuster, Waterworld stars Kevin Costner (The Untouchables) as The Mariner – a mutant trader, adrift in a dystopian future where Earth is submerged under water and humankind struggles to survive on boats and in ramshackle floating cities. The Mariner becomes embroiled with the Smokers, a gang of pirates who, led by villainous leader Deacon (Dennis Hopper, Blue Velvet), are seeking Enola (Tina Majorino, Napoleon Dynamite), a girl with a map to the mythical realm of “Dryland” tattooed on her back.
Famous for both its epic scale and the controversy that swirled around its production, Waterworld is a key cult film of the 1990s, and an essential entry into the subgenre of ecologically-minded blockbusters. Presented here in an exclusive new restoration, in three different cuts, and with a wealth of extra material, this high-water mark of high-concept Hollywood can now be enjoyed as never before.
TWO-DISC LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
• New restoration from a 4K scan of the original negative by Arrow Films, presenting the film in three cuts
• Original 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and 2.0 stereo audio options
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Six collector’s postcards
• Double-sided fold-out poster
• Limited edition 60-page perfect-bound book featuring new writing on the film by David J. Moore and Daniel Griffith, archival articles and original reviews
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Paul Shipper
DISC ONE – THE THEATRICAL CUT
• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of the original theatrical cut
• Maelstrom: The Odyssey of Waterworld, an all-new, feature-length making-of documentary including extensive cast and crew interviews and behind the scenes footage
• Original archival featurette capturing the film’s production
• Global Warnings, film critic Glenn Kenny explores the subgenre of ecologically aware Hollywood blockbusters
• Production and promotional stills gallery
• Visual effects stills gallery
• Original trailers and TV spots
DISC TWO – THE EXTENDED CUTS [LIMTED EDITION EXCLUSIVE]
• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of the extended US TV cut, which runs over 40 minutes longer than the theatrical cut
• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of the extended European “Ulysses” cut, which includes censored shots and dialogue
Release date 12/11/2018
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"The most expensive film ever made at the time of its release, Waterworld has thrilled audiences through the years with its awe-inspiring action scenes, gargantuan maritime sets and ground-breaking special effects."
I love how only 1/2 of this sentence is true.
I have not watched this film in many years, I have had no great desire to revisit it although I did pick up a dirt cheap HD-DVD copy when the last format war ended. (Still have the HD-DVD player stacked under my Blu-ray player, but rarely use it)
I am not (very) embarrassed to admit though that one of my guilty pleasures is Costner's other post-apocalyptic epic "The Postman"; a schmaltzy tale of a man with no moral center who unwittingly becomes a hero and the catalyst for the rebuilding of society.
I get a special kick out of the appearance of the late, great Tom Petty as a man who used to be famous – "I was once… sorta. Kinda. Not anymore" and the web of lies spun by the Postman including the "fact" that the U.S. government has moved into the (now non-existent) Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in my hometown of Mpls.
I may give Waterworld a fresh view on my old "red" disc one of these days, but it's doubtful I will drop any $ on this new release despite the inclusion of the extended cuts.
A 4K restoration? This is the very definition of the expression "putting lipstick on a pig".
“Blockbuster”? “Block-failure.”
Maybe, but thanks to overseas and video revenue, this film did make a tiny profit.
Anyhow it is about time we got a deluxe edition with a new extended edit in addition to the theatrical and TV cuts. Looking forward to it!
Remember, it was Costner himself who recut the film against the will of director Kevin Reynolds, so what we are gonna see in this new blu ray is the cinema equivalent of David (Reynolds) vs. Goliath (Costner).
Man, they're finally releasing a brand new 4K restoration of Waterworld!!! I can't wait! (said no one ever).
You are incorrect on your parenthetical comment. I do quite like Waterworld in all of it's glorious disaster and would love to see the extended TV cuts in glorious presentations. I'm quite aware of why people dislike the movie (and The Postman), but I dislike quite a few of their favorite movies as well and would never suggest or make fun of not releasing a better version (Audio Video) or more complete version of those films. I never understood the allure of Rocky or Christopher Reeve's Superman, but was quite happy for those latter folks when Warner Archive released the long desired TV cut.
Relax David. I just forgot to include a glorious winky. 😉
I've never understood the hate for this film. I saw it on first release and loved it.
Ordered.
Yeah, let's cool it as it's only a movie. I always thought this film was harshly received and consider it a better film than many have said about it. An entertaining film to me. I just wish this was released on 4K/UHD disc as those ocean scenes would be beautiful in HDR.
Same here!
I also love this film. Great score too.
The film should not need restoration.
Maybe it got left under a leaky pipe. 😉
By the way this film earned $264 million worldwide in 1995
That’s $437 million in today’s dollars.
Vs a $289 million adjusted budget.
During one of our HTF Meets I remembered some of us going to the Waterworld exhibit at Universal Studios.
Count me among those who like this movie. I also like The Postman. Sure, neither are "great" cinema but they're more than serviceable post-apocalyptic movies and far better than many other examples of that sub-genre.
I'll be purchasing it for the TV and European versions. I've never seen that later one and the description is somewhat intriguing.
Isn't that "adjusted" budget the production number only? I think I read somewhere that it was more like $235 million (actual) once marketing and distribution costs were factored in.
Enough with the "restoration" for heaven's sake. Waterworld doesn't need a restoration – it needs other things like a good story and characters, but a restoration? Just because they're doing a 4K transfer of something doesn't mean they're restoring it. That word has simply lost all meaning.
Look, no matter how you slice it the film was a BOMB. It lost money. They can tell you whatever figure you like (very easy to lie about overseas grosses and they do it all the time when a film tanks here) – you have left off P&A – when that is added in, using the simple box-office formula, even if the numbers were correct it still lost money. And it never made what they're saying so it REALLY lost money.
No, I didn't leave off P&A. The $235 million figure I mentioned includes marketing and distribution costs, as stated in the post you quoted.
I love how they boast how profitable films are right up until the point that someone with points wants their cut – then nothing has ever made any money.
And so did I.:lol:
I actually liked this film okay. I liked the Postman better, the cameo of Tom Petty was pretty cool. Hopefully we will see that one coming out on the foot tails of this one.
I went off the $175 million production budget in 1995.
So back then probably 2x it’s production budget would have it break even.
So $350 million 1995 dollars was the break even number. It made $264 million.
Exactly! They do this all the time, this retro lying – the investors and shareholders and profit participants know the real story.
I don't believe it made anywhere near that figure, BUT – even if it did it seems to have lost $90 million. I'd say that was a rather substantial bomb. But I think it's much worse than that.
And as we all know box office does not equate to quality. Plenty of films that bombed were great films.
I wouldn’t necessarily call Waterworld great but I enjoyed it very much.
Why, Why Why …
View attachment 50162
It's not bad … it's not good …
What? Before the extended "Dances"? Now that's the Kostner for a UHD release.
It’s Costner.
No, it's Fronkensteen.
Anyway, I'm still working out the kinks from this spell-check app I picked up at Kostco.
My apologies to Cevin.:D
The theatrical version is my favorite.
Wait, Costner Cut the director's version to his own version?
I'm relatively indifferent about the movie itself but am tempted to get this just for the retrospective documentary: I have a soft spot for candid interviews and documentaries about notoriously troubled productions.
THE ULYSSES CUT?!?
This movie always makes me wanna pee. And what are they “restoring,” the original receding hairline they painted out on Kevin?
This wasn't even the biggest bomb of 1995 set in or on the water; that would be Cutthroat Island.
At least people remember Waterworld. Albeit mostly for the wrong reasons but Cutthroat Island has been largely forgotten.
This thread serves as an obvious reminder that there isn't a bad movie that exists that isn't loved by someone somewhere or a great movie that isn't disliked (I've come across a lot of Citizen Kane haters). Not a judgment, just an observation.
Its Star Trek The Motion Picture all over again… >_>
Let us not forget that weather or not someone chooses to give any particular film a home in there library doesn't mean someone else can not see what others do not see in any particular movie. I have this movie on HD-DVD and it was a movie I picked up on DVD but I think back then I got it because my wife at the time liked the movie. I am not against adding this title in 4K but it is not high up on my list and other titles will get purchased before this title unless I find it really cheap. That being said it is not a bad movie and there are some places I find that are good and I also find the story line itself to be good. Is it a great movie IMHO, not really but movies are subjective and beauty is in the eye of the beholder. One mans pig with lipstick is another mans masterpiece.
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I own copies of both. I'd watch Waterworld any day over Citizen Kane. I've seen Citizen Kane once and hope to never watch it again. I keep the copy in case any of my grandkids ever want to watch it. I firmly believe everyone should form their own opinion of movies and I keep mine to myself where they're concerned if I don't like a particular movie only giving my opinion after they've seen a movie.
My family rented this movie back when it first came to VHS. I hardly remember anything other than thinking it was boring. I was 9 or 10, so maybe I wasn't the right age to enjoy it. Considering the cult following it has acquired I may have to watch it again, if only to see if I like it as an adult. If I like it I may be interested in picking up this release.
Only on the HTF there will be a discussion about Waterworld and Citizen Kane in the same thread.:D
Wowie, Howie.
There are a lot of cinematic sacred cows I intensely dislike but I won't name them here as not to detract from the Waterworld discussion. Personally, while I think Citizen Kane is a cinematic masterpiece, I'm more likely to watch Touch Of Evil or The Magnificent Ambersons if I'm in a Wellesian mood.
Which I also enjoyed. 😀
Yeah, I would hardly say 'thrilled' is an accurate descriptor of what the movie did in 1995. I don't hate it. But its hardly memorable. Arrow's claim of a 'restoration' is odd – very!
Now that you mentioned it, I remember even more how the hype and controversy around this movie coincided with the publicity over sale of Universal from Matsushita (who bought its old parent company MCA, who had owned it since the 1960s) to Seagram's.
Unfortunately, the idea that a recent film (i.e. one made in the last 30 years) would need to be restored or could be lost isn't too farfetched. At least this has a studio to call home who's willing to foot the bill (or at least part of it) for a multi-cut Blu-Ray (see, Disney, that wasn't so hard).
"For anyone wondering, all three cuts of Waterworld are sourced from our new 4K scan"
https://twitter.com/Frangipane13/status/1045748048243167236
Criterion does this too – everything Criterion puts out is a “restoration” even if it’s a five year old movie that was shot digitally.
They are the Enemies of the People!
I still own the bare-bones Universal theatrical-cut BD as well as the 2-disc Extended Cut DVD set that came out in late 2008, but my "go-to" version for a long time now has been my burned DVD-R of the fanmade "Ulysses Cut." And now it is a fan-cut no longer. I'm still practically in tears as I type this. OK, maybe not. But this is amazing news. Never dreamed in a million years that Universal would actually authorize this.
As someone unfamiliar with the Ulysses Cut (or even the extended version), can you offer a quick description of its merits? I have to admit I’m more curious about this release than I thought I’d be.
Basically, the Ulysses Cut takes the Extended TV Cut and re-inserts all of the censored stuff that ABC trimmed out due to Standards and Practices (like showing Costner peeing from the theatrical version), including nudity, profanity, etc., plus other theatrical-version stuff snipped for pacing (like the Deacon shooting the "Naaaaaaaaahhhhhhwwwwwww!!!"-dude following the atoll-attack).
Consider it an "ultimate edition" of Waterworld, similar to the Spicediver re-edit of Dune (which…holy crap…could now also theoretically get officially released by Universal or Arrow, if this disc somehow opens the door wide for that kind of thing).
This has the potential to put "Wreckage and Rage: Making Alien 3" to shame. 😮
I'll probably buy this. It took a fine editing job to condense an overlong movie down to the theatrical cut which ends up being a half decent action adventure flick.
Killer soundtrack by James Newton Howard, though the legend is the first soundtrack was rejected and JNH was brought in at the 11th hour.
My go-to version of Waterworld is North by Northwest.
My go-to version of Waterworld is The Road Warrior.
…and yet…I think I’m gonna buy this. I haven’t seen the movie since the 1990s but I’m intrigued by the idea of alternate versions and extensive making-ofs.
Saw it at the movies. Liked it enough.
Bought it on dvd then Bluray.
Had no idea there was a long cut put on dvd or I would have boiught that too.
The only thing that is a problem with this set that I see is that now its unlikely there
will be a 4K disc released. which I would also buy.
I have photos somewhere of the Trimaran (sp) of when it was kept in the lake at UniversaL Olando.
I remember years ago one of the premium movie channels like Starz would drop the extended cut.
I never was able to catch it though.
Oh, anyone have a purchase link yet?
Yup — Mark Isham was the original composer, but the filmmakers weren't down with what he was turning out, so he got the boot and James Newton Howard was brought in to replace him (and did a fine job, IMHO).
I like this film well enough (although I could do without Dennis Hopper's idiotic, over-the-top character), but one would think after all this time that a commentary track could be included that would detail the conflicts between actor/producer Costner and director Reynolds.
To me, it's Hopper's over-the-top performance that helped makes this film fun for me.
The movie has always had an atmosphere and subtle appeal to me. I recall watching the original BD when it was released and that was a while ago. I wouldn't mind revisiting this and seeing the extended for the first time…especially with a new transfer.
These days, its doubtful if the marketers at Arrow and Criterion even knows the differences between an ibid, Ibsen or ISBN.
It's ironic that two of my favorite film soundtracks are from composers who were brought in at the last minute to replace a rejected score.
One is James Newton Howard for Waterworld (although I love just about any JNH soundtrack), and the other is Patrick Williams for Used Cars. Of course the Twilight Time release for Used Cars is nice as you can hear the original Ernest Gold soundtrack.
The JNH soundtrack for Waterworld is perfect for the action adventure movie that it was edited into. :razz:opcorn:
Too bad WATERWORLD doesn't have a commentary, but I guess 2+ hours of the filmmakers saying "WTF were we thinking?" would get old.
Don't be. I agree, it's a solid post-apocalyptic flick. And, IMHO, miles better than WATERWORLD.
🙄
So, do you mean they are still playing that at Universal Studio? Took my daughter in 1998 (I think) and enjoyed the tour and the Waterworld show tremendously.
And to be clear, saw the film when it came out, wasn't too too happy with the usual slam-bang ending, but absolutely loved the first hour or so, when we're just establishing the world and the characters. Intriguing that the Ulysses Cut originated as a fan thing. Does this mean that there's hope we will see a release of Heaven's Gate: The Butcher's Cut?
No, that HTF Meet was almost 20 years ago.
Uh-oh. Seem to remember Arrow releasing The Apartment at the same time last year at the same price. Pre-order price suddenly drops by under half on Amazon.com. Suddenly release gets delayed a week – or was it two? Suddenly Amazon.com "sold out" (how could 6000 copies of The Apartment possibly have sold out!) and cancelled orders. Arrow closes their office for the holidays and go home. Queue 20 pages of thread with furious HTF members panicking, conspiracy theories, gnashing teeth and hair-tearing. Arrow came under heavy fire for not having somebody on point responding why they had allowed this debacle to occur over the holidays and that it reflected really terribly on them and their views toward their customers. Amazon.com was no help at all. Took a month before peace and decorum returned. Can't wait to see what happens this time round…
I pre-ordered and received Arrow's release of THE APARTMENT, from Amazon.ca, with no issues at all. Didn't realize there had been any. Sounds like I was lucky to get it.
I went to Universal Hollywood last year. The Waterworld show was still there.
It's been years since I was at Universal Hollywood, but I do remember is being a pretty good show.
It had been awhile since I’d been too, even though I live in SoCal. We went because I wanted to take my kids on the tram ride. The stunt work in the Waterworld show is still very entertaining.
Will keep this film on 4K on my radar for after I return to work and get other titles first.
Yup. It was there when I visited last year but skipped it. Wonder if it has changed in over twenty years.
I never did get the Arrow release of The Apartment. My order is one of those cancelled by Amazon, and I wasn't going to pay a higher price for the disc. I'm still waiting for another Arrow single disc release for a lower price (like they did recently with Donnie Darko).
WATERWORLD is probably best described as a “cult” film (a category that really needs a dedicated forum here). It’s one of those movies that tends to polarize people. You either love or you hate it, there’s not much in-between.
I'm not so sure about that as I like the film, but don't love it. With that said, I never understood the hatred for it either.
Every horror, sci-fi, and fantasy film has a devoted cult of some size. You'd never define a forum for it.
Same here.
I find it quite serviceable and enjoyable although somewhat derivative. Maybe that's where the "hate" stems from or that it's essentially "Mad Max" on water having many similar plot points (and co-writer David Twohy says "Mad Max 2" was a major inspiration). I tend to think people were looking for something new but didn't get it.
Roger Ebert, in giving it a 2.5 out of 4 rating, said:
I agree with him 100%. Anytime anyone asks me about this film I essentially tell them "It's not bad but don't spend money on it until you've seen it or you can buy a copy for the cost of a rental or less. Would you like to borrow my copy?"
With theatrical rentals at probably 50% only about $218 million (adjusted) went back to the studio from the box office gross.
There were the additional costs of prints and marketing, maybe $50millon (adjusted) so costs might have been about $340 million (adjusted) and box office rentals around $218 million (adjusted) meant a possible loss of $122 million (adjusted).
Still a financial flop.
Of course. No one said otherwise.
It’s just not the financial disaster that people think/thought it was.
And then add whatever adjusted dollars for TV rights, Video Rental, VHS/DVD/LD/BD sales, Digital rentals and 'sales.' I'm not sure what playing on various TV station multiple times per week for 25 years might be worth. Who knows it might even have broke even in the very long run
I don't know, losing about $120 million+ on it's theatrical run is a pretty big disaster – even today, not Heavens Gate but still huge at the time. I remember seeing it on its first run, there were high expectations to return to the profits of The Bodyguard and respect of Dances With Wolves and Waterworld didn't cut it critically and comercially. Costner needed a better film after the failures of Wyatt Earp and A Perfect World – Waterworld sank like a stone. IMHO Wyatt Earp was a much better film.
OK you can all flame me but, I don't like the color on the Arrow release – too much green.
Universal
View attachment 54547
Arrow – green hair?
View attachment 54548
Is that on all three?
It seems like that's the new norm. Everything is timed toward green or blue these days.
I'm still purchasing a copy as it's the least expensive (only?) way to get the TV and Ulysses cuts on BR. At least with nothing on the screen with it to compare it's likely the timing towards green will pretty much go unnoticed by me.
Eh, I actually kind of prefer it in that shot at least. Ironically I always thought that guy had probably the reddest face I had ever seen in movies.
Cinematographer Dean Semler supervised and approved the color timing on the new Arrow release. It looks absolutely stunning. The previous HD versions released by Universal don't come even remotely close to this visually.
Vincent
No reason to think the old master color was accurate. A lot of old masters had a red/magenta push. People think things have been "teal'd" when they get closer to their actual color, but they haven't. Terminator and Aliens are good examples where everyone thought they were revisionist and then photos of actual release prints were posted online and showed those movies were always teal, it was the old home video masters that were wrong.
That said there certainly are revisionist teal releases like Thief.