Re: can you answer CHICAGO question?

"Cujoe" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> Quite surprised, really, that you found the originals to Aliens, The
> Abyss and T2 "superior" to the extended versions. In these 3 versions
> especially, I found the extended versions had much more depth and helped
> fill in some of the gaps - as well fulfilling the intention of the
> director. Cameron did not revisit/revision these films - the scenes
> added were done during the original production.

Yeah, I know he filmed those sequences originally.  I guess I could say he
revised the editing, whereas Spielberg and Lucas have gone back later to
revise their films overall.  I don't like Cameron's extended films...I think
they're bloated and reintroduce things better left on the cutting room
floor.  For example, the sentry guns in Aliens are "cool", but unnecessary,
and break up the previously tight editing of that whole sequence.  They
really have nothing to do with the rest of the movie, and I find the whole
thing distracting.  The additional exposition added to The Abyss and T2 is
heavy-handed and obvious, and serve more to defeat the intended message than
anything else.  This is especially true of T2, where the added material is
just plain corny.  The little speech given to Ed Harris at the end of Abyss
is also rather cringe-inducing.  Cameron's forte is action, suspense and
melodrama, and he should stick to those things and not try anything too
profound.  :)  Just my opinion...

> On the other hand, I 100% agree with you about Lucas and Speilberg -
> they are/were revisionist (remember the "special edition" of Close
> Encounters?!). And the silly release with new digital effects that Lucas
> did with Star Wars? These 2 people specifically took perfectionism to a
> new low. In the case of Speilberg (and others) they essentially tried to
> "change" the story line.

Yeah.  I really hate that these guys do this to their otherwise wonderful
movies.  At least Spielberg has generally given us the option to watch the
original releases, and has even demonstrated that he understands the
importance of preserving his original titles (such as when he went to bat
for the ET regular edition, insisting that Universal include the original as
well as the revised version on the same release).  Lucas, unfortunately,
doesn't seem to "get it", and still plans to stifle the original Star Wars
films that millions thrived on.

> However, enough rambling, we're off topic here - this subject is worthy
> of its own thread...

Yes, of course you're right.  :)

Mike