|
buy this title
|
The cut US-vesion (represented by the UK-DVD by Columbia TriStar) has been compared to the uncut original version (represented by the German DVD by Ascot/Splendid)
-62 cuts, 3 editings - Cut length: 11:49 min Additional runtime difference results from differing logos For the US-release, a lot of plot scenes were removed from Jackie Chan's penultimate acceptable Hong Kong-film, before some disappointing Hollywood-productions. At least, the about 12 minutes shorter version was not additionally screwed up by a new soundtrack, like it happened for example with Rumble in the Bronx or Wheels on Meals. Also, Jackie dubs himself here again. Most notably in this version is that you completely see Jackie losing his memory in the very beginning. Whereas in the original version you can still puzzle along with the main charater, the US-audience is being informed about everything from the beginning and the later flash back is canceled abruptly. A pretty annoying change. Shots that show a specific stunt from a different perspective resp. repeat them were also removed. So the US-version uses a rather predictable editing-style while Jackie used this conciously as a stylistic device in the original version. Otherwise, except for several irrelevant scene-cuttings, especially the first half with the stay with the tribe in Africa contains several longer interventions - so you can get to the part of the film that is full of action. Fans should especially be angry about that not only many nice exterior shots were removed but also a little stunt in which Jackie escapes from a lion onto a tree. This US-version was not only released on the local market but also a.o. in Britain. The DVD released there was used for comparison. Timecodes are ordered as follows: UK-DVD in PAL / German DVD in PAL Connotation: The images of the UK-DVD were taken as they are, the images from the German DVD were afterwards cut to a 16:9 format (also in favor of the comparison in the beginning). Not only is the picture quality much worse on the German DVD, but also in 4:3 format and with bigger bars on the sides. The UK-DVD shows the Golden Harvest-logo, the German DVD has the Splendid Film-logo (boldly with the GH-melody in the background).
UK-DVD 5 sec longer
Already after that, only the uncut-version shows the opening credits interim during the first scenes
02:06 / 02:01-02:04 The beginning of the shot and consequently a tracking shot is missing - the US-version starts as you see the car. 2.8 sec
02:43-02:51 / 02:41-02:49 The title-overlay differs, the textoverlay shortly after is missing in the US-version resp. is not fixed on screen there.
02:58 / 02:56-02:59 A shot of the box was removed. 3.2 sec
03:00 / 03:01-03:10 Three aerial shots are missing before the box is dropped. 9 sec
03:14 / 03:24-03:33 Some more aerial shots (views of the helicopters) were dropped. 9.3 sec
03:29 / 03:48-03:53 More mercenaries rope down. 4.9 sec
03:32 / 03:56-04:05 Dito, before Jackie jumps. 9.4 sec
Alternative / edit 03:37-03:40 / 04:10-04:13 The uncut version shows Jackie in the net longer.
The US-version on the other hand shows two previously removed shots now.
US-version 0.3 sec. longer 03:53 / 04:26-04:31 More shots of boxes being carried away as well as a closer view of the helicopter. 5.2 sec.
04:01 / 04:39-04:41 The guns are loaded in a further shot before Jackie joins up. 1.6 sec.
04:07 / 04:47 Jackie is being instructed a moment longer. 0.4 sec. 04:23 / 05:03-05:11 A few shots of the team before it gets started. 7.8 sec.
04:45 / 05:33-05:34 The view through the infrared-device is a bit longer. 0.6 sec. 06:41 / 07:30-07:31 Jackie is first being called in a further shot by his superior ("523!") - moved on the US-version's soundtrack. 1.1 sec.
06:44 / 07:34-07:37 The order is a bit longer, too and Jackie answers "Yes, Sir!". 3.3 sec.
Alternative / edit 07:19-09:04 / 08:12 Here the probably most notable difference between the versions: The US-version shows, directly after the helicopter started flying, what lead to Jackie's memory loss. His team is being backstabbed and when Jackie wants to jump after a bad guy with a parachute, he loses his grip and drops into the trees. The uncut version shows this only much later as a flashback.(see 41:54 / 51:11-52:57). + 105.7 sec. 10:10 / 09:18-09:19 The shot was shortened a little in the end. 0.6 sec. 11:22 / 10:31-10:56 The first views of injured Jackie are missing. 24.9 sec.
12:05 / 11:39-11:47 A first view of the natives + cut to Jackie. The following shot starts in the US-version only as the chief steps up. 8 sec.
Alternative / edit 14:17-14:55 / 13:59-16:32 The US-version shows a scene earlier: The meteorite fragments are stored away.(see 34:49 / 43:05-43:26). Then, the conversation between Morgan and a henchman in the airplane follows, the former explains why he wants to shoot down the traitors himself.
The uncut version first shows the talk in the airplane (not picturized again), then a longer block of scenes follows, clarifying Jackie's initial clumsiness pretty nicely. First he wants to tell the meaning of a day to the little boy Baba and illustrates with stones how sun and moon rise and set again. He does not understand, though, and merely piles up some sand to a misunderstood cue and then leaves. (As you see shortly after, Baba meant the mountain, where Jackie's teammates were found dead and wants to lead him there) After that, Jackie discovers a lion baby and presents it proudly – while Baba already recognizes the danger and tries to warn him loudly. Sometime, Jackie also notices he made the adult mother angry and only manages to flee onto a tree in the last moment. From there on, he asks Baba helplessly to frighten away the lion. Finally, the two go back to the natives' village.
Uncut-version 115.8 sec. longer 14:57 / 16:34-16:37 A first shot before the other children come running. 3 sec.
15:52 / 17:32-17:43 The first part of Jackie's flash back is missing: His team moves ashore and explosions happen. Finally, remembering Jackie fir a short time, before the US-version also shows the helicopter flying away. 11.5 sec.
16:58 / 18:49-19:36 Jackie is shown in more shots sitting thoughtfully at the fire. Several children come and drag him away – after all, there is a celebration right around the corner. First shots of the dancing natives are shown and Jackie gets a place in their middle. 46.5 sec.
17:20 / 19:58-20:01 Two more shots of the party. 3 sec.
18:07 / 20:48-20:52 Before Jackie passes on the binoculars, there is another view of him + view through the device. 3.5 sec.
18:30 / 21:15-24:02 A longer scene resp. the entire, pretty nicely choeographed farewell-ceremonie to Jackie's honor, is missing. He is given a lucky charm and, in the end, runs back to grant his best wishes to the natives he has taken to. 167.2 sec.
20:06 / 25:38-25:50 The US-version does not show what Jackie forgot when going away resp. there they only wave over to him as Jackie turned around to their call. Actually, the shot is longer, Jackie stabs the stick into the ground and does a short, rehearesd dance. The natives reply this excitedly. 11.8 sec.
26:35 / 32:19-32:23 The beginning of the shot is missing: The US-version only starts as the camera moves resp. follows the cars. 4.2 sec.
26:41 / 32:29-32:47 A few views of the tracking shot through the desert are missing, the US-version continues in the middle of one, as the camera moves closer to the car. 18.2 sec.
27:24 / 33:30-33:44 Starting with an exterior shot, some more views of the tracking shot through the desers are missing. 13.5 sec.
27:41 / 34:01-34:16 After Aiji has recovered, the uncut version shows, again, more exterior shots. 15.6 sec.
27:59 / 34:34-34:36 You see the jump over the finish line a first time from a sideways view – the US-version only shows the second, frontal view. 2.5 sec.
29:04 / 35:41-37:07 The US version already moves on with the shooting range. The rest of the scene before is missing completely, and therefore also the explanation why Jackie comes to town after all. First the award ceremony. The plant lost its effect in the meantime and Jackie is able to talk again. He tells Yuki about his "name" Whoami and it is decided he has to visit an amnesia-specialist in town. As a result, she invites him into her car and only says that she'd drive this time. Finally, on the shooting range, you see a first view: The targets are moving back. 85.6 sec.
29:40 / 37:43-37:46 Morgan puts the phone back and goes away. 2.3 sec.
31:11 / 39:17-39:19 You see the Doc a little earlier. 2.4 sec.
31:30 / 39:38-39:46 The two earlier in the hallway. Yuki offers Jackie to live at her brother's. 8 sec.
34:49 / 43:05-43:26 Only here, the scene the US-version already showed in the beginning of the meteorite fragments are stored. (So immedately before the enforced attempt of the researchers with the material goes out of hand) 21.5 sec. 36:24 / 45:01-45:02 The shot starts insignificantly earlier. 0.6 sec. 36:26 / 45:04-45:06 At least one of the many shots of weakly made explosions was kindly removed in the US-version. 2 sec.
36:29 / 45:09-45:11 Two more explosion-shots. 2.4 sec.
36:52 / 45:34-45:39 More explosions. 5.2 sec.
36:55 / 45:42-45:58 Ditto. 15.5 sec.
36:59 / 46:02-46:04 Moar. 2.2 sec.
37:10 / 46:15 Jackie insignificantly sooner. 0.4 sec. 37:18 / 46:23-46:26 A lot of things break in the hallway. 3.2 sec.
37:32 / 46:40-46:45 After Morgan was seen in the car, two more shots were removed. 4.5 sec.
38:02 / 47:15-47:19 Jackie talks longer to the man before his colleague sees the "Wanted"-sign. 4.3 sec.
41:54 / 51:11-52:57 Only the uncut version shows the rest of the flash back (the international group is being backstapped and Jackie drops out of the airplane), which the US-version showed in the beginning – so it is here shown straight. 105.8 sec. 50:58 / 62:01-62:03 The shot is longer, more tires spinning. 2.4 sec.
53:02 / 64:08-64:11 The first two shots of sliding through the dead end sideways are missing and the following shot actually also starts earlier. (The same scene from different perspectives) 3.4 sec.
54:00 / 65:09-65:12 The first shot is longer and the pursuer presses ahead. The following shot starts earlier, too and he rams our heroes a first time. 2.7 sec.
54:09 / 65:21-65:23 Two more shots of cars getting out of control. 1.8 sec.
54:11 / 65:25 The bad guys' car breaks through the crash barrier in one more different perspective. 0.5 sec.
54:12 / 65:26-65:28 Another view from a different perspective. The following shot starts slightly earlier, too. 1.3 sec. 54:32 / 65:48-65:53 The car flying is shown in only one single, logical sequence, the uncut version repeats from several perspectives. First longer from above, then a sideways view and finally the shot from skewed-below a little earlier. 4.9 sec.
54:34 / 65:55-65:56 Two shots in the end/beginning cut resp. the repeat removed. 1 sec.
75:40 / 87:02-87:03 After the view of Jackie in the shaft, a shot starts a bit earlier. 1.4 sec.
75:48 / 87:11-87:14 The next shot (Mr. Morgan puts down the notebook and takes a seat) starts actually earlier. 3.5 sec.
76:39 / 88:05-88:07 Another shot starts a moment later in the US-version. 1.5 sec.
76:49 / 88:17-88:23 Armano is shown in an additional shot and says his line onscreen – moved on the US-version's soundtrack. 6.1 sec.
78:13 / 89:47-89:48 Jackie goes a moment sooner to the table with coffeepot. 0.8 sec. 78:41 / 90:16-90:17 The business partners are shown a bit longer. 1.2 sec.
78:43 / 90:19-90:20 After the "Save the children Fund" was shown on the screen, another shot was shortened by a few first frames. 0.7 sec. 81:01 / 92:38-92:40 Armano a little earlier. 2.1 sec.
81:03 / 92:42-92:44 ...and the shot is also longer in the end. 1.6 sec. 81:06 / 92:47-92:50 After the cut to Frank on the ground, he is shown much earlier again. 3 sec.
|
