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Criterion 4K set with Theatrical / 50th Ann. / Final Preview Cut |
Comparison between the 50th Anniversary Cut on Disc 1 of The Criterion Collection's US 4K/Blu-ray set and the 2005 Special Edition on Disc 1 of Warner's DVD edition Production history of Sam Peckinpah's PAT GARRETT & BILLY THE KID The casting of Kris Kristofferson as Billy dragged on and both the budget and shooting days were cut by the studio. Bob Dylan was actually only supposed to refine the score a little, but in the end he took over the entire soundtrack (in addition to a smaller role in the film) after arguments with Jerry Fielding, who was initially responsible for it. Peckinpah is said not to have been entirely satisfied with Dylan's input. Sam was also in the middle of a divorce at the time and his alcoholism was getting out of hand. It is more or less clear from various statements made by his collaborators at the time that the number of really productive daily hours spent working on Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid was significantly lower than on his other masterpieces. No doubt one or two of Peckinpah's personal experiences also flowed into last-minute changes to Rudy Wurlitzer's screenplay, which gave Garrett's character a more melancholy touch. MGM president James Aubrey also increased the pressure and Roger Spottiswoode, among others, was asked to complete the final cut in less than two months. In May 1973, Peckinpah was able to present a "preview version", which MGM clearly rejected. As a result, the film was literally snatched from him and there was a legal dispute over the theatrical release in July 1973. The reviews were not exactly sympathetic and there was an unexpected, apparently happy ending in 1988 when a preview version was shown on Turner Classic Movies (TCM) in the USA. Misleadingly, this was also sometimes marketed as a "directors cut", although Peckinpah was never able to have a final say in the editing room, as described. It was released on laserdisc and also as a bonus on the 2-disc DVD Special Edition in 2005. The main film on this release was another version reconstructed by film restorer Paul Seydor, which set its own priorities compared to both the theatrical version and the Turner preview version and is referred to as the "Special Edition". The 4K premiere has been available in the USA from The Criterion Collection since July 2, 2024 and there are three versions to choose from. In addition to a new scan of the theatrical version (which has not been released since VHS times), the "50th Anniversary Edition" as the main version of the release is virtually a further development of Seydor's 2005 Special Edition. In addition, a new final preview version can be admired on a bonus disc, unfortunately unrestored and in rather mixed quality. Editing-wise, it is very close to the Turner preview version, but has a few more deviations of its own. As we learn in the highly recommended documentary "Passion & Poetry: Peckinpah's Last Western" by Peckinpah uber-fan Mike Siegel in the bonus material, this cut was stolen from MGM's screening room by Peckinpah's close confidant Chalo Gonzalez, whereupon Sam kept it privately hidden under the title "The Racquet Club". A real sensation, so to speak, about which Gonzalez, who sadly passed away in 2020, also speaks out himself in the documentary.
Overview of the main releases and all versions 1. Turner Preview - 122 min (Theatrical / NTSC speed or 118 min PAL) 4. US TV version - 105 min (cinema/NTSC speed) 5. 2005 Seydor Special Editon - 116 min (Theatrical / NTSC-Speed or 111 min PAL) The differences between the two Seydor cuts In view of the many different versions, it is of course not so easy to get to the heart of what makes the version in focus for each report special. Here we will concentrate on the new 50th Anniversary Cut, which was created by Paul Seydor as a further development of his 2005 Special Edition, so that this was naturally recommended as the main version for comparison. Further reports will reveal the differences between both Seydor versions and the theatrical version / preview cut. The final preview from Criterion still has the label logo at the start.
+ 15 sec
Additional material in the 50th Anniversary Cut 00:22-00:36 / 00:07 After the MGM lion, the 50th Anniversary Cut has two more credits on a black background. + 13.7 sec
A rather strange decision, because the same opening credits as in the 2005 version continue to appear in the 8th minute, starting with the same fade-ins. So they appear twice in the 50th Anniversary Cut.
But back to the opening scene with the time jump: When the first fade-in appears at 00:44 / 00:16, the year has been corrected. Pat actually dies in 1908, so the reference to 1909 (which already appeared in the preview cut) has now been adjusted accordingly.
It should also be said in general that the 50th Anniversary Cut is completely black and white, whereas the picture in the 2005 Special Edition was still quite reddish and with color nuances.
Re-ordered scene 02:12 or 02:53-03:00 / 01:43-01:52 In the 50th Anniversary Cut, the shot from above, which explains the time jump with a second place/date insert, is pushed back a little. It only appears here after Pat's shots and his “Hello, Bill” and is then also a little shorter. 2005 SE 1.6 sec longer [.jpg] Additional material in the 50th Anniversary Cut 04:17-04:21 / 03:50 The scene inside begins a moment earlier with a shot of the girl cooking. + 3.9 sec
Additional footage in the 50th Anniversary Cut 19:43-19:51 / 19:12 After Billy's “Sweet Jesus, I repent”, Bob speaks to him at length: “Not till you taste the fear of the Lord. I'll show you.” Bell can be heard off-screen: “Bob, stop.” Bob: “I'll take you for a walk across hell on a spider web. Your trouble, boy, is you don't know about God!” Note: Also included in the preview versions. + 8.5 sec
Additional material in the 50th Anniversary Cut 22:29-22:35 / 21:49 Billy comes up the stairs a little earlier. As a result, the dialog between Billy and Bell has been shifted slightly, but is still identical at the beginning. + 6.1 sec
In the identical part of the shot, you can hear some additional dialog in the 50th Anniversary Cut after Billy addresses Carlisle's death. Bell: “I heard it from Sam Deadrick.” Billy: “Yeah. And now I'd like you hear it from me.” This moment also appears in the preview versions and the audio commentary for the 50th Anniversary Cut emphasizes that Sam's intention to portray Billy in cold blood comes across better here. Additional material in the 50th Anniversary Cut 22:47-22:51 / 22:01 The same shot is also longer. After the additional sentence from Billy just mentioned, Bell looks up at him skeptically for a moment and it takes a moment for the dialog to continue identically from a different perspective, saying that Billy shot Carlisle three times in the back. + 3.8 sec
Additional material in the 50th Anniversary Cut 86:03-88:49 / 85:13 After we saw Pat/Alias inside and before Billy comes in as the savior during the rape, the “bunkhouse scene” follows: Poe has a heated discussion in the shared safe house, during which he learns Billy's current whereabouts with some force. Man 1: “I told you! You face the Iikes of Kid and you give.” Cody: “Why don't you shut up? I don't wanna hear no more of that whiny talking.” #2: “I never would have.” #1: “You faced with Bonney, you give. AII there is to it.” #2: “I'II give him buckshot.” Cody: “AIways knew you had it in you before seeing you. Ain't nobody gonna take my hat and rifle. Nobody.” #1: “Shit.” Poe: “You run across Bonney?” #1: “Over at Seven Rivers. A lot of people said he's going to Mexico, but that ain't what I see'd.” Cody: “If he much as stomped his foot, you'd spooked right up your own ass. Shit.” #1: “I ain't afraid of the Kid. AII he could do is blow my damn head off, and being with you makes that Iook Iike a blessing.” Cody: “I'm tired. Tired of Iooking for yellow rocks. Tired of trying not to Iook at your ugly face. Tired of seeing the Iand get crowded up. Tired of being snapped at and sunstruck, waiting to be killed.” #1: “Looks Iikely you're tired, all right.” Poe: “Where you figure the Kid is now?” #1: “Who wants to know?” #2: “Yeah. Who wants to know?” Poe: “I do.” #1: “Listen, fella. When I start talking about Billy the Kid, I don't go shooting my mouth off to strangers.” Poe: “I want you to watch this, and then I want you to tell me if I'm a stranger.” He pulls Cody up and punches him in the face. #1: “You ain't no stranger, all right.” Poe pulls him up too and says, “You baldheaded old bastard, you. Where is he?” #1: “Fort Sumner!” Poe punches him in the face; “Obliged.” #2: “You handled a crude situation with remarkable skill.” Poe walks out. Note: Throughout the scene, the shaving foam on Poe's chin is constantly moving back and forth, obviously depending on which takes the footage was edited from. The scene is also included in the preview versions and is slightly longer here. + 166.4 sec (= 2:46 min) .
95:30 / 91:55-93:24 After Pat's brief interrogation of prostitute Ruthie Lee (which, by the way, is missing in the preview versions), there is the “fun part” of the visit for Pat (which, again, apart from the introduction with Ruthie Lee on the bed, is included in the preview versions). More prostitutes join them and slowly undress first themselves and then him. At the beginning, an hourglass is also turned over. While Pat continues to drink, they romp around a bit and then scrub Pat in the small bathtub. Pat says, among other things, while taking off his pants: “Excuse me. Clean it off real good, now. We're getting to the best part. You gotta pull hard there. They've been on for a long time. Oh, yes, where's that, uh... A little trouble there, girls? Jesus.” 89.3 sec (= 1:29 min)
The credits are slightly longer in the 50th Anniversary and extended at the beginning to include more cast details. There is also a different copyright at the end. And curiously, the shot in the background freezes a little earlier in the 2005 version, so that you can still see the boy (right) in the picture. In the 50th Anniversary Cut, it runs a moment longer so that he is no longer in the picture. For comparison: Both the theatrical version and the preview versions also fade out before the boy is completely out of the picture. In the theatrical version, the credits fade to images of Pat and Billy, while in the preview versions there is a time jump to the later frame story.
Booklet notes on the versions:  |
