The Book of Eli: Q2 Edition

The studio version of The Book of Eli wasn't bad it just suffered from the usual Hollywood excess. This version has stripped away subplots and other elements unnecessary to streamline what could have been an even better film.

Original Film Name: The Book of Eli
Film Studio Name: Warner Bros.
Film Release Date: January 2010
Original Runtime: 117 minutes
Fanedit Release Date: August 2010
New Runtime: 99 minutes
Amount of Time Cut / Added: 18 minutes

INTENSION:
I actually liked The Book of Eli when I saw it in the theater, but I did see several problems that could have easily been fixed. This version aims to fix and streamline the film by cutting nearly 20 minutes of material to tighten the narrative. The subplot of Redridge's interest in Solara has been completely removed, as is the (heavenly) protection Eli receives, and the "twist" ending. The reveal of what the book is has been pushed back as well. What has hopefully been achieved is a more down-to-earth version of an already entertaining film.

CUTLIST:
- opening with cat in woods cut (it was interesting visually but unnecessary)
- cut man hanging in closet, Eli dancing in dead man's shoes, and Eli talking to the rat (again, all unnecessary)
- cut close up of bandits riding away after killing couple on the highway
- cut Solara going to get Eli's canteen filled
- trimmed Eli and Solara saying grace together
- trimmed Carnegie talking to Solara and her mother
- tweaked gun battle as Eli tries to leave the town (removing shots of Eli getting shot)
- cut Solara negotiating with Eli and going to the fresh water spring
- cut Redridge telling Carnegie he wants Solara in exchange for his help
- cut Carnegie discussing with his men how Eli seems protected
- cut Solara trying to take the book from Eli while he's sleeping
- cut Redridge pleading with Eli to help save Solara
- trimmed Eli and Solara at museum/library (primarily shortening the shot revealing the "twist")
- tweaked overall ending so Eli's voice over extends over footage of Carnegie
- pushed back the reveal of what the book is until later in the film
- cut Solara's epilogue
- removed one too many bits of dialogue saying "the book" ... I wish I could have cut more

TECH-INFO:

RELEASE DETAILS:
AVCHD:
DVD-9, 720p @ 8000 Kbps, 2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Bonus Features: Text Commentary Track

DVD:
DVD-5, 480p @ 3500 Kbps, 2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen, NTSC, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Bonus Features: Text Commentary Track

AVI:
XviD, 720×405 @ 1800 Kbps, 2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen, Dolby Digital 5.1

HARDWARE USED:
Core i7 2.66GHz system with 6GB RAM using the HD source from the Blu-Ray disc

SOFTWARE USED:
AnyDVD HD, Ripbot264, tsMuxeR, Audacity, Adobe Premiere Pro CS5, Adobe Soundbooth CS5, Adobe Encore CS5, multiAVCHD (for AVCHD version)

Links to the containers currently down?

Omaru1982 said:

Links to the containers currently down?

Click to expand...

Looks like it.
Sorry, we'll work on it.

This is a solid edit, I saw a preview version and IMO its a much better film now.

The DLCs are here http://www.faneditfiles.dreamhosters.com/dlc/q2/

Seems that they are in the "wrong" folder.
They should be in the dlcMU folder so the url for the folder would be either http://www.faneditfiles.dreamhosters.com/dlcMU/q2/ or http://www.faneditfiles.dreamhosters.com/dlcMU/thunderclap/

I just checked the MU account and I noticed something very odd. Most of the files have been d/led once with the exception of part 15 of the AVCHD version. That's been d/led 78 times? WTF???

thunderclap said:

I just checked the MU account and I noticed something very odd. Most of the files have been d/led once with the exception of part 15 of the AVCHD version. That's been d/led 78 times? WTF???

Click to expand...

Maybe a jdownloader trouble somehow that restart 78 times the download during the day while the guy is at work. :razz: (not me, just guessing.)

Dude, part 15 TOTALLY ROCKS!!! I can't stop downloading it!

LOL

It looks like it was actually me.

JD downloaded parts 1-14 8:20pm till 9:25pm at which point JD kept trying for part 15 every few minutes even though it was reporting that I exceeded my daily download limit.

It finally succeeded at 3:02am and finished part 30 at 5:25am.

I guess MU made me wait about 5hrs after grabbing the first 2.8 GeeBees.

I did grab something else from MU earlier tho so maybe the daily limit is now about 3 GeeBees before MU makes you wait. (parts 15 to 30 is just over 3 gb and came down pretty quick at 2hrs and 20 minutes)

I'm having a helluva time downloading the AVCHD. Unlike anything I've ever experienced from JDownloader and megaupload in all the years I've been downloaded fanedits. Parts 1 and 11 must have lost their connections 20 times in the last 10 minutes, and every time I resume part 11, it restarts downloading it from the beginning. I haven't downloaded any more of the package because if I can't part11 to download all the way, it's not worth sitting here all night babysitting JDownloader. Sucks, because I'm REALLY looking forward to this edit. :x

Is this a problem with megaupload's server, or the dlc package, JDownloader... what could it be?

EDIT: I finally managed to get the whole thing. Must have been a hiccup on MU's servers.

a review:

POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT

I was not aware (until shortly after the film came out) that this was inspired by a graphic novel. I was also unaware of the film's plot. I saw the trailer once or twice (and being a fan of post apoc material it got my attention). It was not until I finally saw the film (dvd) that everything fell into place and despite some of the film's overtones I think overall the feature worked well and I enjoyed it quite a bit (I would even go as far as saying I would love to see a super long extended cut of this someday, which some of the dvd's deleted scenes suggest). Naturally when Thunderclap then gave us an edit of a film I thought was fine to begin with I had to check it out.

I really do not want to spoil anything and it makes writing up this very short review a bit more difficult. However I can break it down like this. The edit moves very smoothly along. I also did not miss anything he removed. In fact the film now has stronger pacing and I do prefer this over the original. The original's twist ending is gone and though I liked that removal, Thunderclap's fixing of this twist did not ruin the film and as he mentioned gives it a more realistic feel (no "supernatural overtone"). It worked well. He also ended this film where it should have (the original gave us what you thought was an ending only to extend it for another, not terrible at all, but not really needed scene).

Video, editing and audio were all a 9+ with no issues that I could notice. He also gives us an optional text commentary which I need to watch next.

My only real gripe is the film having no chapter stops at all

All in all if you did like the original I have a strong feeling you will enjoy this as well, and by the same merit if you did not like the original you might find this version to be a bit of fresh air

9 stars--

Dudes, sorry for being such a putz about this, but this is my first AVCHD download too, and my first JD Download on MU...in my case, Part 4 only pulled down 348kb...is there a way for me to "resume" just that one file or reinitiate that one file? I'm pretty clumsy with this stuff and am dying to watch this cut.

Zackalope said:

Dudes, sorry for being such a putz about this, but this is my first AVCHD download too, and my first JD Download on MU...in my case, Part 4 only pulled down 348kb...is there a way for me to "resume" just that one file or reinitiate that one file? I'm pretty clumsy with this stuff and am dying to watch this cut.

Click to expand...

If it didn't complete it should auto resume. If not, delete the links in JD and then re-open the DLC and resume from that file.

I managed to get that Part 4 to "resume" and it sputtered along very slowly until it "aborted" again. This time I made it to 593.41 kb of the 199 mb.

I've used JD for maybe 20 fanedits to date and have not had any other problems. Interestingly, the rest were all Rapidshares.

You think restarting from scratch might be the way to go?

Zackalope said:

I managed to get that Part 4 to "resume" and it sputtered along very slowly until it "aborted" again. This time I made it to 593.41 kb of the 199 mb.

I've used JD for maybe 20 fanedits to date and have not had any other problems. Interestingly, the rest were all Rapidshares.

You think restarting from scratch might be the way to go?

Click to expand...

Probably not necessary. It's probably on MU's end. Sometimes it hiccups. Just give it time and it should fix itself.

Roger Wilco, Thunderclap.

You're very kind to help.

Thanks.

you can always rightclick the file in jd and select "resume" or "reset".

elbarto1 said:

you can always rightclick the file in jd and select "resume" or "reset".

Click to expand...

Well sure, if you want to take the EASY way out.

Thunderclap and company, I finally got Part 4 and am looking forward to watching on VLC...it looks magnificent and I already love moving right into his journey on the highway.

FYI, I live in Santa Fe New Mexico, a recent movie making hotspot as you might know (Cowboys Vs Aliens is filming here...Thor wrapped this summer) and Book of Eli did some shooting outside of town and around NM. Denzel W. was regarded a genuine hero, too, when he made some a large donation to a NM Boys Club...something like $10,000.00 He did it quietly when the film wrapped.

Thanks again for all of your hard work "fixing" or perfecting these movies. You are artists of your own merit.

Z.

Just got through watching this edit and really enjoyed it.

good work thunderclap!

but whats Q2 stand for?