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Comparison between the theatrical version (e.g. included on the German Blu-ray from StudioCanal) and the extended version on the Australian Blu-ray from Imprint
- 19 differences
Sam Peckinpah's trucker adventure Convoy once again had a difficult production history. With the rough cut apparently still clocking in at just under 220 minutes, the producers eventually fired Peckinpah, who was suffering from severe alcoholism at the time, in March 1978 and worked flat out on a final cut for the premiere in June 1978. Only the version that was created in this way was then in circulation for years, and at least, unlike many other works by the exceptional director, there were never any problems with worldwide censorship. On DVD, a 2.5-minute shorter version (report) was also released, which, for whatever reason, is missing part of the interview scene. In the US, a 4K Blu-ray was released in August 2025, but even more interesting was the worldwide UHD premiere a little earlier in December 2024. This was available in Australia, and the special feature of the lavish edition from Imprint Films was that it included a longer extended cut on a bonus Blu-ray for the first time. Mike Siegel, known for his Passion & Poetry documentaries and for his general input into home cinema releases of Peckinpah films, made the discovery, according to the intro note to the extended version, that a Japanese 35mm scan was longer than all known versions of the film. It was used at the Japanese world premiere in early June 1978, before the US theatrical release followed at the end of June. As described at the beginning, time was a bit tight and EMI obviously continued to make changes until the very end. The version shown in Japan 18 days earlier was still 4.5 minutes longer than the theatrical version that became the standard worldwide. For the Australian bonus Blu-ray, the moments from a Japanese scan (with subtitles burned into the right side of the image, as is customary there) were added to the 4K master of the theatrical version. Admittedly, the additional material is not all that exciting, just a few small comments and dialogues here and there. The music montage for the finale is probably the most interesting part – or in other words: fans will probably be happy about every additional snippet of Peckinpah's original vision. However, there are no plans to release this version in other countries at this time.
Running times are listed according to the following scheme The extended cut starts with a few notes about the extended version...
...while the old Blu-ray with the theatrical cut initially has a reference to StudioCanal.
Extended 44.6 sec The reference to UA is different.
Here is a small image comparison between the old and new 4K image masters. Sometimes the color grading differs substantially.
06:44 / 07:29-07:35 Pig Pen talks longer on the radio in another view from the side. 6.5 sec
07:09 / 08:00-08:08 Here, too, is a shot of Pig Pen, Spider Mike, and Rubber Duck. 8.3 sec
27:11 / 28:11-28:17 Spider Mike takes a slightly longer breather and there are a few more cross-cuts to Pig Pen and Rubber Duck. 6.1 sec
33:04 / 34:10-34:14 Rubber Duck asks, “You're that kind of photographer?” 4.5 sec
Interesting, by the way: While in the previous difference, the identical beginning of the shot of Spider Mike could already be seen from the poorer image source, but here the image material changes noticeably in the middle of the shot.
34:36 / 35:46-35:48 Another shot of Sheriff Cottonmouth. 2 sec
35:30 / 36:43-36:50 Additional shots of the road and Rubber Duck reporting via radio that it will take another two miles. 7.1 sec
45:05 / 46:24-46:31 The truck can be seen in another shot, then Sheriff Cottonmouth again in pursuit. 6.6 sec
45:13 / 46:39-47:03 Some more dialogue: Rubber Duck asks Melissa how she likes it so far, and she asks when they will reach the next gas station. He jokes around a bit, and she laughs. 24.4 sec
67:23 / 69:13-69:16 The shot starts a little earlier, so you can see not only Peckinpah's shoulder (as in the theatrical version), but also his face. 2.2 sec
69:01 / 70:53-71:14 Only the extended version shows a quick TV report about the convoy. A trucker in a café sees this and enthusiastically tells his companion that he has to be there. 21.1 sec
71:13 / 73:27-73:53 The convoy is shown a little longer, then there are a few dialogues inside. Pack Rat tries to make Albuquerque appealing to Widow Woman, while Rubber Duck raves about Melissa in front of the truck (“400 horses”). 26.1 sec
80:31 / 83:10-83:17 Rubber Duck asks, “What can you guarantee us?” and gets the answer: “Right now? Your arrest in this state.” 7 sec
81:32 / 84:19-84:36 Rubber Duck pushes Haskins a little more, and he wonders who Spider Mike is. His wife briefly explains who he is and that he is also a trucker friend of theirs. A murmur goes through the crowd. 17.4 sec
82:51 / 85:55-86:09 Rubber Duck tells Melissa that he is sorry she won't get the story she wanted. 14.2 sec
94:01 / 97:20-97:27 Rubber Duck says, “To hell with them, if they can't take a joke, right?” His colleague laughs. 7.1 sec
95:46 / 99:11-99:15 A close-up of the tires and the subsequent tracking shot along the trucks begins a little earlier. The rest of the shot, including the cross-fade effect, can still be seen from the Japanese image master, although it is also included in the theatrical version. 3.6 sec
95:53 / 99:22-100:50 Shortly afterwards, another shot from above is longer, followed by more. As with the previous deviation, and continuing here on the soundtrack: Rubber Duck sings “Spanish Eye” while in the theatrical cut you hear some score. Melissa laughs and Widow Woman sings along. Melissa takes another photo and Pig Pen is seen laughing as the singing continues. 88.5 sec (= 1:28 min)
96:04-96:06 / 101:01-101:09 While the theatrical version reinserts the shot of the hippie bus (the very last shot of the previous cut), the extended version offers even more singing and shared laughter over the radio. Extended 5.8 sec longer
98:40 / 103:43-103:44 The man takes another step forward toward the police officer. 1.1 sec
After the identical credits, there is a small restoration note.
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