Compared are the Special Edition Laserdisc by MGM and the Extended Version Blu-ray by Criterion


90 differences, among them
* 10 with alternate footage
* 8 recuts
* 3 with additional footage only in the Special Edition

Difference: 926.1 sec (= 15:26 min)

Background

About this classic from 1963 and the fans, who have been discussing the cuts for decades, we already made a detailed comparison between the Theatrical Version and the Special Edition. To jog your memory: the mentioned Special Edition from 1991, which is availabe on Laserdisc and VHS in the US, contains a version approx. 20 minutes longer with many scenes found in archieves back in the movie. But the original version from the "Roadshow" Events - longer than 3 hours - still wasn't reconstructed. And surpringly enough, the new US Blu-ray released by Criterion on 01.21.2014 adds a further chapter to that neverending stoy.

With a duration of 197 Minuten, one gets the longest version ever (15 minutes longer than the Special Edition and approx. 35 minutes longer than the Theatrical Version) in basically excellent HD quality, thanks to the 4K restauration of the Theatrical Version. In charge of this Extended Version was Robert A. Harris, owner of "The Film Preserve Ltd", who has been responsable for lots of commendable editings of movie classics since the 80s (e.g. Lawrence of Arabia, Vertigo or The Godfather). The numerous additional scenes here and there have been elaborately extracted from remaining reels of the "Roadshow" presentations and scanned in HD. In the process, the color got lost. As a result, some scenes are almost black and white. At least, the scenes that are purely extended could be digitally re-adjusted. Some scene have been taken from a source with a different aspect ratio. And every now and then, small Japanese subtitles can be spotted. There are moments with some kind of scene stills as well, only the audio track was usable for these ones.

Some people might not be convinced by that patchwork but it's obvious that quite an effort in order to get the best result possible has been made here. And it goes without saying that the result is quite superior to the old Laserdisc/VHS.

In addition to that, the new Criterion Blu-ray has a high-value packaging (2 Blu-rays / 3 DVDs), an essay absolutely worth reading inside and of course a lot of new bonus features. Definitely worth pointing out is the audio commentary track for the new Extended Version in which three experts supply the viewer with loads of information about the picture itself and the restauration process including an explanation about the particular additional scenes. Certainly one of the most interesting and best audio commentary tracks ever. The featurette about the restoration process (5 minutes long) gives a pretty good insight. Among other things, the color problem or the missing sound for some shortly extended scenes is explained quite well here.

Since there's so much more information that we could write a book about it, the following links below are recommended for further information:

Retrospectiv on Thedigitalbits.com with a list of the known "Roadshow" presentations and an illuminating interview with Robert A. Harris and others

Thread on Hometheaterforum.com with participation of Robert A. Harris who has e.g. posted interesting pdf files (parts of the script) here and here

An older preliminary article on Cinemassacre.com which is a good example of how euphoric fans had become about the new version.

The New Version

Let's say first that there was a lot thinking about comparing the new version with the original Theatrical Version or the Special Edition on Laserdisc. The Extended Version is based on the 4K master of the Theatrical Version which is why it made sense at first to use this for the comparison. But since it's more interesting what footage was really new and the new Extended Version follows the Special Edition recut-wise (good examples are the scenes with Melville/Monica and the intruder alert), the decision to use the Special Edition for the comparison was made. This also means that any single scene from the comparison between the Theatrical Version and the Special Edition is in the Extended Version as well even though they're not being described in detail. ALMOST any scene - but details about the three missing ones in the Extended Version will be delivered later on in this report.

What's conspicuous is (thanks to the decision to compare the Extended Version with the Special Edition) that many of the scenes added to the Special Edition are EVEN longer now. Often, the difference is just a few frames but it might as well be an additional comment. Quite interesting what had all gotten lost in the process of restoring the Special Edition which is why most of the differences are just that.

For the rest, there are a few entirely new scenes. Especially Spencer Tracy as Cpt. Culpeper has more screentime and his participation in the search for the gold makes more sense now. Among these scenes, there's one with no actual footage so stills have been used. One gets to see - or hear - a longer phone conversation between Culpeper and Jimmy (Buster Keaton). Another scene with the audio track and pictures from the set is the one Sylvester stealing his girlfriend's car. Furthermore, Mrs. Marcus complains in a few scenes, Hawthorne's fight with Finch is longer, Melville gets a few additional action scenes during the explosion in the basement plus Monica falls over the bench at the end which is quite funny.

Basically, there's one long scene that's new which is worth a new section: the intermission in the middle of the movie now contains the cops talking on the radio. This was also in the "Roadshow" presentations while the audience had the chance to use the facilities. For example, one could hear a few announcements by the police. In the Extended Version, those announcements are in the movie during a black screen. One gets to know a few more things such as Finch and Hawthorne rented a blue Chevy plus Sylvester approaches his mom Mrs. Marcus. The references regarding Meyer and Melville on the other hand are causing a laugh.

As already mentioned, the order of events is rather close to the Special Edition. Moreover, a few scenes have been recut. For example, Benjy and Dingy pay Tyler a visit much later now and several other examples such as the conversation at the control room appear better paced now.


Last but not least, three additional scenes from the Special Edition missing in the Extended Version attract attention. Apparently, not any of the available footage could be processed in HD. Right at the beginning of the Special Edition, there's a conversation between the two detectives in which quite a sinister statement is being made: that the coyotes would take care of the body. Harris pointed out here that this very scene wasn't in the original script which is the reason why it has been intentionally ignored. Furthermore, two little scenes of the destruction of the gas station from the Special Edition are missing as well.
Looks like the good old laserdisc hasn't served its time after all if one wants to see all the footage - although the Criterion Extended Version will be the preferable one for eternity.



Time index refers to
Special Edition Laserdisc in NTSC / Extended Version Blu-ray

The Extended Version shows the MGM logo at the beginning of the movie.

+ 6.1 sec

Alternate Scene
00:06-03:09 / 00:00-02:28

Right after the MGM logo, the Special Edition Laserdisc (= SE) shows a short introduction. A speaker says that the Deleted Scenes of the movie were believed to be lost, however, have recently been found in a warehouse. In collaboration with Stanley Kramer MGM has reconstructed the material in order to reintegrate the 20 minutes back into the movie.

Then follows an overture. This is also included in the Extended Version by Criterion (= EV), however, it's presented during a black screen.

NOTE:
Even the Theatrical Version on Disc 1 of the Criterion release includes this ouverture over the black screen. This is the reason why this version is 3 minutes longer than the older DVDs/Blu-Rays that include the Theatrical Version.

Special Edition 35.4 sec longer

The colors during the opening are not all identical, however, the EV's colors also differ from time to time.
[As a reminder: At least the Theatrical Version on the (German) DVD constantly had a red background. They also talk about this in the audio commentary of the EV and call this a mistake in the older releases. The multi-colored version was the desired one.]

What is also interesting is the addition "In Cinerama" in the EV.

Special Edition	Extended Version (Criterion)

Special Edition longer
16:45-17:01 / 16:03

Here the EV misses out on a scene which is an addition of the SE (and thus can still only be found on the Laserdisc/VHS releases).

The two detectives talk a little longer.
The assistant says that they were only two to three minutes behind Grogran. His colleague (Norman Fell) sends him to the car in order to check if there are any messages from the headquarters. Meanwhile, he wants to make sure that the coyotes do not get the corpse.

+ 15.9 sec

25:53 / 24:56-25:04

The scene inside the car is a little longer. Via radio you hear: "Got it?"

The following conversation begins a little earlier and Melville at first says: "Look, what I'm trying to say is that, uh, this man that we were dealing with, may have been some kind of a screwball, you know what I mean?"

7.9 sec

27:46 / 26:57-27:05

Benjy and Dingy are shown slightly longer (with a disturbance of the colors). Then Finch says: "There's nothing to be gained by losing..."
Dingy: "You gave nothing to gain except free aides at 300.000 bucks."
Finch all of a sudden agrees: "He's right, it's not fair to him."
Mrs. Marcus: "You shut up!" (After that, the audio is missing. According to the subtitles she adds: "That's our money you're giving away.")

8.5 sec

Alternate Scene
27:59-28:00 / 27:18-27:19

After Mrs. Marcus hit Melville with her purse, the SE already shows a longer addition which was also adopted to the EV.
However, the SE at the beginning shows a short shot of Dingy and Benjy while the EV just shows the long shot.

Extended Version 0.1 sec longer

Special Edition	Extended Version (Criterion)

28:45 / 28:04-28:05

The group is shown slightly longer before the cut to Culpeper's office.

1.1 sec



Re-Cut
29:53 bzw. 30:15-30:19 / 29:13-29:18

Before Chief Aloysius comes through the dor, you see two police officers who transmit the description of the car over the radio.
This shot is shown roughly half a minute later in the SE, where it is shown a few frames longer.

Extended Version 0.2 sec longer



29:56 / 29:21-29:22

The just mentioned shot of Aloysius is slightly longer.

1.3 sec

30:15 / 29:41-29:42

As just mentioned, the shot of the two police officers is now also shown in the SE. This happens after Aloysius went to the map and asked "What is this?"

The EV instead continues to shot the shot of the map and thus gives us a comment on the question: "New freeway?"

0.9 sec

30:51 / 30:14-30:19

The conversation is a little longer towards the end.

Aloysius: "You think he told them something?"
Culpeper: "I don't think they stopped to play Shinny, Chief."

5.3 sec

38:23 / 37:51-37:52

The cop is shown a few frames earlier.
(This leads to an additional scene which was already shown in the SE.)

0.6 sec

39:07 / 38:36-38:37

At the end, Aloysius says "I'll be in my office" and leaves.

1.8 sec

40:47 / 40:17-40:44

After the shot of Benjy and Dingy in the sand there's some more of Mrs. Marcus' moaning and groaning.

She screams that Lennie would be going to see who the jury in court will believe more. After all, it's her word against his. Plus Finch and Emeline are also on her side. Finch interrupts her and tells her that while they just sit around and argue, the other four already made plans to get the money. Lennie says that they would need a car but there's no rental nearby. Then it comes to his mind that there's a bike in the van.

26.2 sec

Re-Cut
40:47-41:32 / 40:44 bzw. 41:40-42:25

The scene where Lennie opens one of the van's doors and several things fall out of it (at the end he finally finds the bike) is already shown now in both the Theatrical Version and the SE. In the new EV it is shown a little later after Benjy and Dingy meet up with Melville.

No difference in time.



42:28 / 41:39-41:40

Towards the end, the shot is slightly longer (including an ugly color change). Melville shouts: "Come on!"

1.3 sec

42:28 / 42:25-43:24

This is a very chaotic part. After the EV showed the scene of Lennie riding off with the bike there's the first extension that lacks a few frames. At first we see Mrs. Marcus and the others getting worked up over Benjy's and Dingy's car that passes them. Then we see the patrolmen.

Mrs. Marcus: "Hey, look, they're coming back. I bet they couldn't get a plane."
Finch: "Just the one car. The other two must have..."
Mrs. Marcus: "Stop them, do something to stop them! Make them give us a lift."
Finch: "Here they come. Hey, stop, hey, stop!"
Benjy and Dingy drive past them.
Mrs. Marcus: "The stupid idiots are not even going the right way."
Finch: "No..."
Emeline: "They've given up and they are going to the police. They just remembered there's such a thing as human dignity, that's all."

Police Officer: "7661, 7648. Listen, sheriff. Two guys in a Volkswagen, heading north. Do we tail 'em? Over."
Sheriff: "No. Pete and Sam can pick 'em up at Valley Center."

In the end we see Lennie on his bike, accompanied by "sad" music.

58.3 sec

Only the EV includes more music during the first few seconds of the following shot (showing Hawthorne who joined them).



44:23 / 45:19-45:21

Lennie's ride is shown longer.

2 sec

44:42 / 45:40-45:41

Lennie is shown a little longer with a worried facial expression before he gets back on the bike.

1 sec

45:39 / 46:38-46:39

After Monica startled because of the animal on the front seat of the plane the shot is slightly longer.

1 sec

46:14 / 47:14-47:16

After Mrs. Marcus' bad words Finch replies: "Then that's what we'll do."

1.7 sec

Re-Cut
46:37 bzw. 47:43-48:46 / 47:39-48:41

Before Melville persuades Monica to get into the plane, the EV already shows the scene with Lennie and Meyer. Both the Theatrical Version and the SE shows this scene after the two of them already take their seats in the plane.

No difference in time.



Alternate Scene
48:46-48:50 / 49:47-49:51

There's a new shot of the plane flying off. The image section is different and probably from a different (worse looking) master tape.
In return the beginning of the following shot was cut out.

Special Edition 0.3 sec longer

Special Edition	Extended Version (Criterion)

49:26 / 50:27-50:29

The additional shot of the plane with Melville and Monica begins a little earlier.

1.8 sec

49:42 / 50:45-50:48

The pilots are shown a little longer. One of them transmits a message over the radio: "You better tell MPA to pick his licence."
During this sequence, a part of the soundtrack is missing - "his licence" can only be read as subtitles.

2.8 sec

51:48 / 52:54-53:23

The scene inside the police office begins earlier. The audience understands Culpeper's motivation a little better since it is hinted at the fact that he is not satisfied with the fact that he is going to be retired soon.

Aloysius: "Oh, now, what is it? You know what the mayor is like. I don't want to keep him waiting."
Culpeper: "I'll make it fast. It's partly him I want to talk to you about."
Aloysius: "The mayor?"
Culpeper: "And the counselor. Now look, Al, you know next week the counselor is gonna start talking about pensions. And now, I know that you think that you know everything that I'm going to say. But you don't know the whole story. Al, in four months I'll be through. I'll be finished."

29.2 sec

54:12 / 55:47

The SE already showed the shot of Ray manipulating Meyer's car's tires 3 seconds longer towards the beginning. The EV adds 0.5 rather uninteresting seconds.

0.5 sec

Special Edition Longer
60:25-60:36 / 62:00

Another scene that can only be found on the US Laserdisc/VHS:

The fight is shown a little longer, thus we get to know why Irwin is on Lennie's shoulders.
He lurks on the steel pipe and wants to hit Lennie in the head, however, he misses him and becomes unbalanced.

+ 11.8 sec

Special Edition Longer
60:55-60:59 / 62:19

The same thing happens again: Ray and Irwin are shown a little earlier.

+ 3.6 sec

At least the third sequence at this point of the movie which was additional footage of the SE (compared to the Theatrical Version) made it into the EV. [Outside, more stuff is flying around and the police patrol arrives at the scene.]



Re-Cut
65:28-65:55 / 66:48 bzw. 82:03-82:31

Benjy and Dingy wake Tyler up who fell asleep in the shower. While the SE already shows this scene (as does the Theatrical Version), the EV postponed it to a later point.

The last scene (which includes a sudden change of colors) is slightly extended in the EV. Dingy shouts something which can't be heard, thus the subtitles have to help us out again: "He's out again, Benjy."

Extended Version 1.6 sec longer

66:00 / 66:53-67:06

The quarreling inside the car starts a little earlier.

Finch: "Now please, let's be reasonable."
Mrs. Marcus: "Reasonable? We're gonna sell it right now."
Finch: "Now look, this doesn't make sense. We were back there and we had a conversation and we straightened out the whole thing, Mr. Hawthorne and I."
Mrs. Marcus: "You mean that you two... You mean that you suggested that my son...?"
Hawthorne (stutters): "No, Madam, I..."

12.6 sec

Alternate Footage
69:28-69:29 / 70:34-70:36

At this point the SE included additional footage that was also included in the EV.
However, at first the SE shows a short shot of Mrs. Marcus, while the EV constantly shows the long shot.

Extended Version 1.1 sec longer

Special Edition	Extended Version (Criterion)

69:55 / 71:02-71:03

Mrs. Marcus and Emeline are shown a few frames longer.

1 sec

70:00 / 71:08-71:09

The plane is shown slightly longer. During this sequence, the color changes.

1.2 sec

70:58 / 72:07-72:09

The shot is shown longer and Melville stutters: "Gonna be OK."
(Even though this can be heard it still is subtitled.)

1.7 sec

73:22 / 74:33-74:34

During the transition to the additional scene of Meyer and the farmer in the car (which was also shown in the SE) there are a few additional frames.

0.5 sec

Note: Exact this scene of Meyer and the farmer now includes Japanese subtitles (which is not the case on the laserdisc). Thus, the scene was scanned from a different master. Here is a picture to clarify the difference:

Special Edition	Extended Version (Criterion)

74:13 / 75:25-75:27

Subsequent to this scene, Lennie is shown a little earlier inside the car.

2.1 sec

Alternate Footage
74:59-75:10 / 76:13-76:25

Lennie again asks Emeline: "You really got a brother down there?" (this was already an additional scene of the SE)
Both versions show this scene from a different perspective. The old SE suddenly shows a closer shot, while the EV continues the shot from before, thus showing Mrs. Marcus from the side.
Additionally, Lennie asks something else at the beginning of the sequence in the EV: "Is that true?"

Extended Version 0.9 sec longer

Special Edition	Extended Version (Criterion)

75:25 / 76:40-76:53

The truck drives away a little longer. Then we see Hawthorne and Finch a little earlier.

Mechanic: "No, I'm sorry. The nearest place you can get a wheel for this thing would be at Canyon City. About 45 miles."
In the background, somebody says "Excuse me". Then the man leaves.
Hawthorne: "45 miles? The bloody machine will never do it."
Finch: "I was just..." (the audio suddenly stops and the subtitles say "thinking perhaps...").

13.1 sec

Re-Cut
76:45 bzw. 77:48-77:50 / 78:13-78:16

After Mrs. Marcus unsuccessfully tried to call Sylvester we see her gasping in frustration before the cut to Lennie and Emeline in the car (as seen in the SE). By the way, parts of the sentence of her dialog partner is also missing in the SE. The EV now concludes the sentence via subtitles: "...Santa Rosita number."

This scene follows later in the SE. Lennie's bad words shortly interrupt their conversation – not so in the EV, which shows the entire scene without cuts.

Extended Version 0.9 sec longer



77:30 / 79:01-79:03

After "I was 15 years old" the Laserdisc included a minor jumpcut – parts of Lennie's monologue are obviously missing.
The EV has all the footage, however, they could only save parts of the soundtrack. Lennie starts by saying "That's what I wanted...", followed by silence which gets subtitled with "...that money for."

1.6 sec

78:17 / 79:48-79:52

The shot inside the car is a few frames longer. Then follows an additional shot of them driving away.

4.4 sec

79:37 / 81:12-81:13

The additional shot of Meyer (which was already included in the SE) starts a little earlier.

1 sec

79:49 / 81:25-81:27

The last shot of Meyer is also a few frames longer. The subsequent shot of the plane begins minimally earlier.

1.7 sec



80:24 / 82:02

The last shot of Melville inside the plane is a bit longer. According to the subtitles, Melville says "...now we get it all." (the audio is absent).

After that, the EV shows – as was already mentioned – the scene of Dingy, Benjy and Tyler in the shower which is the reason for the difference in time of 28 seconds in the next section of differences.

0.6 sec

80:39 / 82:45-82:46

The birds-eye-perspective of Melville stuck in the mountain is a little longer.

1.1 sec

81:37 / 83:44-83:45

A few additional frames at the beginning of the additional scene of the boy getting in the car.

0.5 sec


81:51 / 83:59-84:00

At the end there are a few more frames, too.

1.2 sec



82:51 / 85:00-85:07

Towards the end of the scene the color changes to black and white – the frames obviously originate from a different master. After that, Hawthorne and Finch drive away in an additional shot.

6.2 sec

84:30 / 86:46-86:47

Due to bad cutting in the SE, the insertion of a short additional shot of Melville and Monica running through the store resulted in cutting out the last half second of the previous sequence. This was corrected in the EV – the exterior shot is as long as in the Theatrical Version.

0.8 sec



84:34 / 86:51-86:52

They run a little longer.

1 sec

85:10 / 87:28-87:30

Before cutting to Finche and Hawthorne inside the car, the EV shows a shot of them riding along the street. This sequence originates from a master with a different image section.

2.5 sec

88:19 / 90:40-90:52

Melville hits the wall with the hammer a few more times (just before we see the additional dialog between him and Monica that was also included in the SE).

12 sec

88:57 / 91:30

A few more frames towards the end of the scene.

0.8 sec


91:02 / 93:35-93:36

At the beginn of this additional scene there are a few more frames towards the beginning – Melville is shown a little earlier on the forklift.

0.7 sec



92:40 / 95:14-95:16

Melville riots a little longer during the end/beginning of two shots. Monica comments: "I was just thinking..."

2.1 sec

92:52 / 95:28-95:36

After Monica said "What about the damage?" Melville is shown a little earlier.
From off-screen she Monica asks: "Won't they make you pay for the damage?"
Melville (angry): "Damage? Make us pay..." (The audio stops and the subtitles finish his sentence: "...for the damage?")

8 sec

93:08 / 95:52-96:03

Melville stumbles around much longer and he suffers an electric shock. He screams "Help me!" and other things.

10.3 sec

93:28 / 96:23

The last shot of Melville is shown a little longer.

0.6 sec



Re-Cut
96:09 bzw. 96:28-96:33 / 99:05-99:12

The additional scene of Sylvester worrying about his mother and throwing his hands up in depair is in the EV shown immediately after he hung up the phone. In the SE it was (much less appropriately) shown a few seconds later after Mrs. Marcus told Lennie and Emeline about the phone call.

Extended Version 1 sec longer



96:33 / 99:30-100:57

Another extension without moving images. There are quasi three scenes in a row: Mrs. Marcus decamps and so does Sylvester. Then we see Melville in the cellar.

- Mrs. Marcus compares Sylvester to his dad and then says that she has to go.
- Sylvester steals his girlfriend's car. She complains that this is her husband's car. Sylvester is only able to think about his mother and drives away.
- Monica says that she and Melville have to make up a story that could explain away all the damage they caused. Melville continues to rage and tries to justify his behavior. He wants to use other techniques to burst the door open.

86.9 sec

Alternate Footage
97:56-98:01 / 102:20-102:24

Just as a few times before, an additional scene that we already know from the SE is introduced differently. While the SE included a re-cut (in this case an aerial shot of the plane), the EV shows a longer sequence without cut. Dingy walks to the unconscious pilot.

Special Edition 1 sec longer

Special Edition	Extended Version (Criterion)

98:21 / 102:44-102:45

The end of the additional shot is a little longer and includes more of Benjy's grimaces.

1.7 sec

100:45 / 105:09-105:12

In the additional scene of the SE, Schwartz' dialog is minimally longer: "(Your daughter, Sir, she's on the other line) and I think there's something..." - the audio stops and the subtitles conclude: "...wrong."

2.6 sec

101:00 / 105:27-105:28

Culpeper longer on the phone: "Oh, no, sweetie, will you just...". Then Schwartz shuts the door.

1.2 sec

Alternate
102:36-102:49 / 107:05-107:18

A further familiar alteration: additional scene from the SE (Lennie exercises his authority after being treated badly by Mrs. Marcus) but from another angle. The shot has been zoomed in in the SE while it hasn't in the EV (similar to the previous and subsequent shot).

Extended Version 0.6 sec longer

Special Edition	Extended Version (Criterion)

103:02 / 107:31-107:36

Mrs. Marcus may now finish her sentence: "(And that's the first thing I'm gonna tell the police) if you don't get back in this truck and drive us to Rosita Beach State Park."

4.4 sec

104:24 / 108:58-109:00

Extended shot of the stairs going up in flames (additional scene in the SE).

1.8 sec

104:54 / 109:29-110:03

Extended shot of Hawthorne and Finch fighting resp. the latter manages to get up. Being out of breath, they yell at each other and throw a few punches without hitting anyone.

Subsequently, earlier at Culpeper's office. An eymployeé storms in: "Captain! I'm sorry, the Chief wants to see you."
Aloysius: "You wouldn't believe it. You couldn't believe it."
Culpeper: "What?"
Aloysius: "I'll tell you, I've never been so disgusted my whole life."

34.8 sec

105:41 / 110:50-111:00

After Aloysius left, the EV sticks with Culpeper looking speechless at his two phones - from which one can still hear his wife debating with Billy Sue.

9.7 sec

Alternate
107:43-111:49 / 113:02-123:09

Intermission and a long music track.
In the SE, the color of the background is different for the former one. And as for the latter one, the bavkground stays black in the EV while a text box appears in the SE.

But the actual difference are the radio conversations on the radio in the EV. They're split up into three sections with some radio silence in between each.

#1:
- "Central to all units. Central to all units. Report, all units. Over."
- "2-1-6-8-2-1-5-4. Finch and the Englishman stopped fighting. They're back on the road and they're getting right in the beer truck. Over."
- "F7 to Central. There's a fire in the basement and a lot of smoke's coming out of the ventilator. Over."
- "4-2-7-Echo to Central. We can see the man Otto Meyer now. He found a shallow spot in the creek but that kid is throwing rocks at him. Over."
- "2-1-7-6-2-1-5-3. The man Pike is down by the breakdown truck now. Mrs. Marcus is still inside it. She's crying but she just hit him again. Over."
- "3-8-9-Daisy to Central. There's something wrong in that plane. They've been flying upside down for four minutes. Over."
- "2-1-8-4-2-1-4-9. Sylvester Marcus is still moving east on Highway 94. He's hitting over a hundred now. It's all we can do to stay with him."
- "F7 to Central. We think they've put the fire out now. It's all quiet in the basement. Over."

#2:
- "Central to all units. Central to all units. Come in, all units. Over."
- "F7 to Central. There's some pounding in the basement now. He's using the sledgehammer again. Over."
- "2-1-6-8-2-1-5-4. The beer with Finch and the Englishman has stopped outside the Avis rent-a-car agency in Canyon City. They're going inside. Over."
- "2-1-7-6-2-1-5-3. Pike and Mrs. Marcus and her daughter are back in the tow truck and proceeding west on Highway 80, doing 70. Over."
- "3-8-9-Daisy to Central. The plane's still in the air but they just bust a state highway and caused a four-car-smash-up. Over."
- "F7 to Central. He has stopped pounding with the sledgehammer now. It's all quiet in the basement again. Over."

#3:
- "Central to all units. Come in, all units. Over."
- "2-1-7-6-2-1-5-3. Pike and the two women are now proceeding west on Highway 94. Over."
- "2-1-8-4-2-1-4-9. Sylvester Marcus still moving east on 94. Looks like he may be meeting his mother preety soon. Over."
- "2-1-6-8-2-1-5-4. Finch and the Englishman rented a blue chevy and are on their way again. Over."
- "4-2-7-Echo to Central. The man Meyer is still sitting on a rock in the middle of the creek. He's shouting at the kid but the kid's been gone for 20 minutes. Over."
- "F7 to Central. We can hear the moving in the basement again. They must be trying something else. Over."

Extended Version 361 sec longer

Special Edition	Extended Version (Criterion)

116:03 / 127:23-127:45

Earlier at the control room.

Dingy on the radio: "Can't you understand we're in real trouble?"
One of the men recognizes the plane in the sky: "There it is. Let me."
He reaches for the radio and instructs: "Rancho Conejo Tower, listen. We've got you spotted, we can see you. Now you've got to hold that course. You think you can hold that plane on course long enough for us to get something organized? Rancho Conejo, over."
Dingy: "No, listen, I keep telling you. We can't do anything, you gotta get somebody else to do something!"
Benjy whiningly from the background: "Can we parachute?"

22 sec

119:20 / 131:02-131:03

After an additional scene with a discussion about Culpeper's desire to get a Chocolate Fudge Sundae, there are few more irrelevant frames.

0.5 sec



119:31 / 131:14-131:21

The interior shot of the cockpit starts earlier resp. Benjy keeps flying around the forest regions in a dangerous way which drives Dingy almost nuts.

6.8 sec

121:00 / 132:50-134:09

After the plane almost hit the control tower, there'a another additional scene without actual footage. One gets to hear a phone call between Culpeper and Jimmy. This conversation reveals what Culpeper was up to sooner.

Jimmy: "Hello."
Culpeper: "I was afraid you weren't gonna be at home, Jimmy."
Jimmy: "Is this who I think it is? Is this Captain Culpeper? What are you calling me for?"
Culpeper: "Why, I was wondering how the ??? aunt is these days."
Jimmy: "Well, she's fine. But why?"
Culpeper: "Well, I was thinking about a little trip, Jimmy."
Jimmy: "You? You mean with me?"
Culpeper: "I thought we could just slip quietly out and sort of cruise to the south. You know, Jimmy?"
Jimmy: "You mean a round trip or just one-way?"
Culpeper: "Just one-way, Jimmy. Could we go right away?"
Jimmy: "Oh, sure. Uh, but wait. Is there something in it for me?"
Culpeper: "There's something in it for everybody, Jimmy."
Jimmy: "Listen, if you are throwing me a curve."
Culpeper: "No, I wouldn't do a thing like that. I won't be long. Thanks a lot, Jimmy."
He hangs up, playful music starts playing.

78.6 sec

Some information from the commentary track: it's being admitted that cutting the scene made sense for the further course of events (because Culpeper's intention won't be revealed till the end of the movie) but regarding Buster Keaton's screentime reduced to a single sentence, it's being explained:
"It's a shame that Buster Keaton, the great Buster Keaton, master of the kind of comedy this film celebrates, has less screen time than Coca-Cola."



124:48 / 137:57

Phase-out of an additional scene in the SE: the group in the car slightly longer.

0.8 sec

130:05 / 143:14-143:16

Extended shot of Hawthorne climbing up.

1.5 sec

Recut
130:05-130:16 / 143:16 bzw. 144:36-144:47

The cut to the inside of the cockpit ("Why don't we just shoot 'em down and be done with it?") is missing in the EV resp. the EV sticks to the group outside. The subsequent cockpit scenes run without any interription now.

Extended Version 0.6 sec longer



131:34 / 144:34-144:35

Extended shot of Sylvester shooing the people to their cars in the additional scene from the SE.

1.3 sec

131:48 / 145:01-145:02

Phase-out from the SE block of scenes: extended shot of the relieved men at the control tower.

1.1 sec

Alternate
134:02-134:16 / 147:16-147:31

The additional SE scene with instructions for Benjy Dingy by the Colonel are being presented from a closer angle. The EV sticks to the further distance and so do the previous and subsequent shots.
That's why there's an additional comment of the Colonel right at the beginning: "Now just hold it a minute."

Extended Version 1.2 sec longer

Special Edition	Extended Version (Criterion)

134:37 / 147:52-147:53

The Colonel adds: "The chips are down!"

1.2 sec

141:20 / 154:36-154:41

Extended shot of the cab driver, again with a different aspect ratio.

The black guy (Eddie Anderson) says: "Sort of piques your curiosity, don't it?"
His counterpart (Peter Falk) shakes his head.

4.8 sec

144:39 / 158:00-159:08

Additional shot of Monica and Melville wandering around. She has an "out of the box idea". As a result, she stumbles over a bench.

Monica: "Melville, I've got it."
Melville: "You've got it?"
Monica: "Yes. When we were kids and we lost something all we did was close our eyes real tight, then turn around three times fast and walk straight ahead and there it was. It was always there."
Melville: "Monica, that's kids' stuff. We look for the big W, don't you understand?"
Monica: "We can't do any harm we haven't done yet."
Melville: "Monica, what..."
Monica does what she suggested with bandaged eyes: "Now don't worry, let me try. One, two, three. And now I walk straight ahead."
At the same time, she's approaching the cliff but she stumbles over a bench before reaching the cliff.
Shot of the two cab drivers in the bushes who witnessed the entire thing.
Melville runs over to her: "Monica, Monica! I can't understand why you did that. What's the matter with you? Monica, will you stop playing games?"
Monica: "But it always worked when we were kids."
Melville: "Uh, here's your bag. Come on, let's go. Hurry up, huh."
They leave, Culpeper comes out from behind a tree.

67.9 sec

156:10 / 170:39-171:01

After Culpeper identified himself, the EV contains an additional medium long shot.

Then Aloysius earlier on the phone, he's defending Culpeper: "Captain Culpeper is the best single policeman in the history of this department. He has the best record in the force. He is the only completely honest man I ever met. So, as a reward for a lifetime service he gets pushed around now by you and a crummy crowd of..." (the sound stops, subtitles appear on the screen: "...crooked councilmen.")

22.2 sec

Recut
159:41 bzw. 160:03-160:15 / 174:32-174:48

In the EV, Culpeper gets in his car in the very shot while he doesn't do it in the SE until the following extended scene of the group conversation at the cab has finished. All in all, the scene is longer in the EV.

Extended Version 3.6 sec longer



160:03 / 175:10-175:12

Sylvester comes to defend his mom: "Will you get off my..." (the sound stops, subtitles appear "...mama's foot.")

2 sec

168:31 / 183:30-183:36

Aloysius also says: "Tell her."
His collegue radios: "Attention, all units. Arrest Captain Culpeper."

6.3 sec

168:51 / 183:56

Phase-out from the additional scene in the SE: a few more frames of Culpeper running off.

0.6 sec

172:16 / 187:21-187:22

Extended shot of Mrs. Marcus pushing the cop.
(Further phase-out from an additional scene in the SE).

1 sec

Alternate
179:44-182:10 / 195:00-197:36

Similar to the intermission: first another blackground color, then a text box only in the SE for the exit music. Meanwhile, the EV contains information about the restoring process and finally an MGM logo.

Extended Version 11 sec longer

Special Edition	Extended Version (Criterion)