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Azazel - a CBB fanedit of FALLEN

Wow, this is the best damn edit I've watched since "Killer Horizon"!! Amazing job Boon, I wouldn't have given thought to any minor flaws if I hadn't read Mollo's review. I still give it a 5/5!!!!!!
 
"Fallen" was not an enjoyable experience for me at all. With "Azazel", Boon has removed a lot of the problems I had with it, but it still ended up as an average thriller for me.

I agree with the points Mollo makes in his review, and, funnily enough, many of the obstacles Boon is dealing with in this movie are the same ones that Mollo faced with "Killer Horizon" which I just watched and reviewed. For example; a leaden leading man who won't come unhinged (even when he should); weak side characters; too many questions about motives/logic. And while both editors were able to correct some fundamental flaws in both of these films and make them much more watchable, some elements remain that prevent them from being completely immersive experiences for me. Let me clarify that in both cases I found the originals to be very, very bad. So bear in mind while my reviews may not be overwhelmingly positive, I consider both to be very well done. They have taken nearly un-watchable films and made them at least halfway decent.

Of course I have no complaints about the Video or Audio. Boon knows what he is doing. It all looks and sounds great. He did an especially amazing job with removing the voiceover, to the point that I forgot there was one. That is a very good thing. I can imagine the amount of work that went into it, because it was invisible to me.

I noticed the same video cut Mollo mentioned at the end, but it was not too big a deal. The new ending worked o.k. within the film, but I almost wanted it to feel a bit more panicked or desperate when it went into the last bit of "Azazel-vision". Maybe some more intense visuals or a demon cry of some sort. But if I really had my way, I would choose to remove the Azazel-vision completely. I thought it was a fairly gimmicky device that treats the audience as if they are a bit stupid, just like the excised voiceover. If it could be removed somehow for version 2...;) All of the other cuts Boon has made are definitely smart and to the viewers' benefit- although I feel it could use even a bit more trimming. The initial meeting at the bar with Gandolfini, Goodman and Denzel, for example, served no purpose to me- except to date the movie with beer brand references and make Gandolfini look like an idiot.

As I mentioned, a few of the characters and performances are still poor (Especially the Theologist) and there are some suspensions of logic made. But the real central problem for me is that I never really get a real sense of menace from Azazel, nor find out what is really driving him. Azazel is never really developed into a full character, so I can never quite buy fully into the proceedings. Why the hell IS he tormenting Hobbes? It is never made clear. And that is what unfortunately brings the film back down to average for me, even with Boon's considerable improvements.

Video/Audio Quality: 5
Editing: 4.5
Entertainment: 2.5

Total: 4
Much better than the original.
 
thanks, jmb. Nice review. Besides: the video issue in the end that mollo mentioned was corrected in the version you watched. :)
 
Really? It actually still seemed a little sudden to me, but like I said it was very minor. No big whoop :)
 
new xvid torrent on demonoid and mininova (same fanedit version as the DVD release)
 
I just posted on the main site.

*SPOILERS*
I'm actually a big fan of Fallen and just like joebshmoe, Azazel worked better than I expected.
I personally like how Fallen ended and didn't mind that Azazel had won.
Sure it was shocking, and I wanted Hobbes to win, but it still worked for me and is why Fallen is an unforgettable movie in my mind.

So I still prefer the original.
The reason being, as boon said himself in the desciption, now it's "just" a horror thriller" and that being the case, what made Fallen so special was removed and becomes something not as special and more of a mainstream movie that doesn't really stand out as much as it should.

BUT... with this fanedit, I can see how the original can be vastly improved.

For me, the "perfect cut" would be to use Azazel as the basis but add in a couple of elements Fallen back in.
I'd like to keep some of the original V.O. at the beginning and ending, as bookends, and maybe one or two in the middle (that don't hint at who's talking) so we don't forget about the narrator during the movie, and keep the cat at the end.

This would add back into Azazel what had made Fallen a stand out movie in the first place.. that mind bending ending which I feel is one of the best surprise endings, ever.

Also, boon asks, why does Azazel have Hobbes voice in the original V.O. since Hobbes is already dead.
Well, Azazel is a supernatural being.
So if it isn't that big a jump to think he has a fading heart beat at the end of this edit, we can easily make the jump to think that he can mimick whoever he wants to.
We don't really know all that he is capable of.

Having said all that, this is like a retail DVD.
Actually, better than many of them.
Beautiful menus, flawless video and audio, great extras.
Exquisite.
All the time, effort and passion put into this is undeniable.

The bottom line is, regardless of my personal preferences, boon achieved 100% what he set out to do with this movie.
He made a flawless (perhaps perfect), mainstream, horror thriller.

For that, it's a 10/10.

PS. Boon, if you ever revisit this amazing edit, perhaps you may consider a seamless branching version, with an ending of the viewer's choosing?
 
what a fascinating review, zeppelinrox. :)
And a huge kudos to you for granting an awesome rating to a version that you don't even prefer to the original. Feels like Christmas. :D
I for one cannot see a "best of both worlds" version working, because the 2 we now have both do their job pretty well. Keeping the cat scene at the end and some voiceovers would make it VERY similar to the original movie, especially because the first cat scene would also have to be kept. But I am interested in what you would then take out and why?
 
I loved this edit too, but never bothered to write a review, as it had all been said before. Boon mentioned a version 2.0 at some point, and I really hope this happens, because - while this is a great edit - I thought the picture quality was poor.

I understand that this was an early edit, and I have no doubt whatsoever that this was caused by the source materials and not the faneditor, but to be brutally honest the picture quality did affect my enjoyment of the edit somewhat. Had I written a review it would have been a 9/10, with the missing point simply being due to the picture quality.
 
boon23 said:
what a fascinating review, zeppelinrox. :)
But I am interested in what you would then take out and why?
Click to expand...
Well, as I had mentioned, I would use Azazel as the basis and add in those few choice elements from the original so as to retain the original's mind fuck.
I wouldn't add in the first cat - why ruin and added surprise at the ending?

Oh I had checked out imdb's comments for Fallen and in the first 4 or 5 pages, mostly all glowing reviews, not a single bad one.
So it isn't THAT flawed but terribly overlooked.
And in the FAQ, they just chalk up Azazel having Hobbe's voice as artistic licence, much like giving him a heartbeat at the end of your edit.
 
zeppelinrox said:
boon23 said:
what a fascinating review, zeppelinrox. :)
But I am interested in what you would then take out and why?
Click to expand...
Well, as I had mentioned, I would use Azazel as the basis and add in those few choice elements from the original.
I wouldn't add in the first cat - why ruin and added surprise at the ending?
Click to expand...
because it needs still to be plausible. I don't think an audience will believe that Azazel can turn into an animal, when he has never done it before. The original made this particularly well by showing us the first cat scene, but letting us all then forget it ever happened, only to strike back at the very end with everybody agreeing that it is absolutely plausible.
Keeping such important things from the audience until the very end will make them feel as if they have been mocked the entire time - and not in a good way.
 
I edited my prior post just now.

I suppose that is a valid arguement, as it could be viewed as a "Deus ex machina" device which can sometimes backfire.
But can "god from the machine" backfire in a supernatural movie? :eek:

I can see it working both ways though, and wouldn't really see it as a problem to leave the first cat scene to play it on the safe side.
 
I actually feel a bit of a cretin having watched this without seeing the original, I'll probably end up buying a 2nd hand copy to compare it with (I like the idea of more Elias Koteas), but I really liked this cut, the original ending sounds like a cop out to me placed for the sake of getting something extra out of the audience.
 
Omaru1982 said:
I actually feel a bit of a cretin having watched this without seeing the original, I'll probably end up buying a 2nd hand copy to compare it with (I like the idea of more Elias Koteas), but I really liked this cut, the original ending sounds like a cop out to me placed for the sake of getting something extra out of the audience.
Click to expand...

Well, you really ought to have done that before you saw the edit, as you need to own the original to legally watch a fanedit.
 
Captain Khajiit said:
Omaru1982 said:
I actually feel a bit of a cretin having watched this without seeing the original, I'll probably end up buying a 2nd hand copy to compare it with (I like the idea of more Elias Koteas), but I really liked this cut, the original ending sounds like a cop out to me placed for the sake of getting something extra out of the audience.
Click to expand...

Well, you really ought to have done that before you saw the edit, as you need to own the original to legally watch a fanedit.
Click to expand...
thanks, CK. People have no idea how much they bring the fanedits into trouble, when they violate copyrights willingly. Is it really so hard to follow the most basic rule: you must own the original before watching a fanedit. and posting here and telling this community about it as if this was just ok to not do it... makes me just shake my head and is worth a warning for bad behavior.
 
Sorry about that guys, of all the edits I've watched this is the only one I actually don't own and my amazon basket is in the process of rectifying that. Sorry for breaching the terms & conditions.
 
this is now available through USENET (or newsgroups).
I will upload most of my fanedits there now, because there they are safe from deletion for at least 2 years. Download and upload are easy and super fast (but not free). Enjoy!

NZB should be on fanedit.info soon. Or you can search on binsearch or newzleech for "fanedit"
 
boon23 said:
this is now available through USENET (or newsgroups).
I will upload most of my fanedits there now, because there they are safe from deletion for at least 2 years. Download and upload are easy and super fast
Click to expand...
I was thinking about newsgroups. Is it acceptable to release there? If so, I shall do that from now on. How easy was it to upload there, Boon? I have never done it so far.

EDIT: Thanks for the PM.
 
I was mostly delighted to watch Azazel (CBB's take on Fallen) this afternoon.
Since I had anticipated this would be pretty definitive, I didn't watch my original and don't intend to.
From watching the official trailer, I was afraid the thrown at us repeatedly "time is on my side" motto would ruin it for me. Fortunately, Boon trimmed the unnecessary bits (I have a rather clear picture of that from reading the add / cut list), and I don't think someone familiar with the original movie would notice the new transitions and deliberate omissions.

Denzel W. is completely at ease with the material, it's a pleasure to see him share his religious views and expose his down-to-earth manners when confronted to Embeth Davidtz ambiguous character, on the phone or at her apartment. Similarly, her enticing of him to study the malign supernatural force or influence at stake instead of conducting a standard investigation is convincing (she reminded me of Julia Roberts in the Pelican Brief, at times).

Of course, John Goodman delivers in the supporting role, as he usually does when he's given the opportunity to. Fallen obvious references (Se7en comes to mind) are dealt with in a subtle manner. Such ancient-mysteries-meet-sad-realities-of-life elements are nicely interleaved to the basic plot. I think it may appeal to Denzel W. seasoned fans just as to neo-noir films ones.

As a side note, I am unable to comprehend how it got R-rated. No sex scene, no atrocious murder... Hard to say :roll: .


Closing comment :
Bearing a superb cast, Fallen is a meticulously crafted thriller that doesn't take itself too seriously.
More people should watch it, especially in the nearly-perfect Azazel incarnation. Thanks CBB!
 
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