Amazingly, director Peter Weir voluntarily cut seven minutes out of
this film for its re-release in the late 1990s, but this shorter
version, sadly the only one now available, is not nearly as effective
as the longer cut.
While nothing of substance has been removed in terms of plot, by
tightening up an originally slow and dreamlike film, the poetic
dread and art film ambiance is largely lost. Now, instead of a
haunting film to stand next to the best work of Dryer and Antonioni,
we're left with a "professional" product with the shortcomings of a
US studio film but with none of the benefits. Were 115 minutes
really too long for a film like this? The longer cut hadn't even hit
the two hour mark! I almost expected Weir to have tacked on a
more mainstream ending than the haunting original. At least that
hasn't changed.
this film for its re-release in the late 1990s, but this shorter
version, sadly the only one now available, is not nearly as effective
as the longer cut.
While nothing of substance has been removed in terms of plot, by
tightening up an originally slow and dreamlike film, the poetic
dread and art film ambiance is largely lost. Now, instead of a
haunting film to stand next to the best work of Dryer and Antonioni,
we're left with a "professional" product with the shortcomings of a
US studio film but with none of the benefits. Were 115 minutes
really too long for a film like this? The longer cut hadn't even hit
the two hour mark! I almost expected Weir to have tacked on a
more mainstream ending than the haunting original. At least that
hasn't changed.