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Batman Forever - Virtual Workprint - HD Rebuild

Bobson Dugnutt

Bobson Dugnutt

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With all the recent news of an early cut being screened by Kevin Smith, I thought I'd go back and give one of my favourite BF edits a high-def makeover.

I won't link to the original forum post cause it has download links, but here is his description of it.

Hey guys, first time poster here. I just thought I'd share that I've been working on an extended cut of Batman Forever off and on for about a year now. I know there are a few other fan edits out there that incorporate the extra scenes from the DVD, but this one's a little different. The idea of this edit is to imagine what it may have been like to see an earlier, longer cut of the movie with as much extra footage included as possible. It includes all of the deleted material from the DVD + extra/alternate shots from the trailers, with some of the extra scenes just slightly re-edited to make them flow better since they obviously came from a very rough cut of the film. Extra special care has been taken with the editing to make sure the new material is integrated as seamlessly as possible, including completed sound design and score for all the extra bits. I utilized parts of Elliot Goldenthal's scores from Forever and Batman & Robin to complete the music, which is one of the main differences between this version and other fan edits (most of those had Danny Elfman's music laid under the extra scenes, which I never really thought fit). I also made some very minor adjustments to the original footage to reflect the kind of differences you'd find in an actual workprint. Anyways, just wanted to let you all know it's close to being finished and I hope to be able to share it with anyone interested once it's done.
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This is all rebuilt from the ground up using the most recent (2019?) Blu-Ray as a base, and matching it frame for frame to the original 360p edit. Any SD material (trailers, deleted scenes) have been upscaled and colour matched to the HD footage. I've only made 2 minor changes, one of which was desired by the editor but was unable to do at the time.

New changes are in italics.

CHANGELIST
- added alternate opening, showing the aftermath of Two-Face's breakout from Arkham Asylum
- added shot of Arkham from Batman and Robin as an establishing shot
- moved Edward Nygma's introduction at Wayne Enterprises to after the Arkham scene
- added Nygma's "Bruce Wayne, in the flesh" during their meeting
- added a new shot of the Batcave tunnel
- rearranged some shots too accomodate a new line
- added Bruce saying "I've left Wayne Enterprise en route to the Batcave"
- moved the Batman suit up (originally the first scene) to here. Bruce now goes straight from meeting Nygma to Two-Face's bank robbery
- cut Batman's response to Aflred's "can I persuade you to take a sandwich, sir?"
- cut Two-Face's "in your case, beer and pizza, HA!" to the guard
- cut Chase's "Hot entrance"
- trimmed a shot of Chase shaking hands with Batman
- cut Chase's "not every girl makes a superhero's knights table"
- reversed and reused a shot of Batman from earlier to cover the cut
- cut Chase's "and call me Chase"
- cut Chase's "Do you have a first name or do I just call you Bats" and Batman disappearing as she says it
- added extra shot of Two-Face celebrating as his goons blast the elevator
- added 2 alternate angles of Batman kicking the goons in front of the elevator
- added alternate angle of Batman seeing the guard in the vault
- cut the guard's "OH NO"
- cut the guard's "OH MY GOD ITS BOILING ACID"
- added alternate angle of Batman firing his grappling hook
- added Two-Face "if the Bat wants to play, we'll play, HAHAH"
- cut Two-Face "this'll fix him, agaghagaha"
- added shot of the helicoptor crashing through the eye billboard
- cut Two-Face "goodbye forever to that pointy eared night rat"
- added extra dialogue as Two-Face and Batman scuffle in the helicoptor, with Two-Face calling him a killer
- mixed some alternate angles of Two-Face putting the Club on the streering wheel
- cut some of the Carrey mugging when his boss is coming to
- trimmed the end of Nygma sobbing after handing over the suicide note
- added young Bruce falling through the ground
- cut Chase grabbing the Batsuit chest and some of the dialogue around it
- cut Batman's "women" comment after the Chase meeting
- trim Two-Face's sulking after he doesn't blow up the Batmobile
- added shot of Wayne Manor from Batman and Robin to transition into the next deleted scene...
- added Dick punching a training dummy with a picture of Two-Face on it, with Bruce trying to get him to open up
- added Batman on the way to stop Riddler and Two-Face, but getting hacked and redirected to a salon
- new VFX shot showing a Gotham map to the crime on a Batmobile screen
- cut 2 shots of Two-Face celebrating when he thinks he's killed Batman in the subway
- cut Bruce looking at videos of Chase in the Batcave and replaced with...
- added Bruce watching a news report, with the caster saying that Batman should retire. Bruce has a crisis of faith, not knowing what he should be doing
- added alternate angle of Riddler thrusting, now it's a closeup of his face, so it's less obvious and testicular of a shot
- cut Riddler grabbing his balls in the Batcave
- added Bruce suffering from amnesia, and going into a natural cave section of the Batcave to face his own psyche and identity, and realising he is Batman (forever)
- cut Alfred's "you really are quite bright despite what people say"
- cut the BatButt during the suit up
- cut the "Holy rusted metal Batman!"
- added additonal 'hero shot' of Robin after he beats Two-Face
- trimmed Riddler getting a brainful of the Box and his distorted face
- added alternate ending, with Chase in the car with Alfred, asking if Batman will ever end

Theatrical - 2:01:35
Virtual Workprint HD - 2:10:51

Cut - 0:24
Added - 9:40

Here's some upscale work.


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BF-conform-TC-to-WP-00-01-45-06-Still035.jpg

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BF-conform-TC-to-WP-01-46-18-19-Still031.jpg

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Always loved the sound design of this edit compared to other edits. Never been a fan of other cuts that add Danny Elfman or other Batman composers.

Here's the new opening!


And the whole cave inside the cave section.



I've got a preview up if anyone would like to watch it before I make it widely available. Just let me know and I'll shoot it your way!

batmanforever.png
 
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Bobson Dugnutt said:
Never been a fan of other cuts that add Danny Elfman or other Batman composers.
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Same, unless the goal is explicitly to make it like a Burton film or something.

I will say I would put the title card after the prison break, personally.
 
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Reactions: Nic
Ender said:
Same, unless the goal is explicitly to make it like a Burton film or something.

I will say I would put the title card after the prison break, personally.
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I'm a little torn. I just saw the 15th Anniversary Edition of the Red book edit, and while putting that scene before the credits worked their, it's only because an action scene immediately followed. I'm not sure the deleted opening, title, Nygma at WayneTech, then Bruce suiting up flows well. Maybe hold onto the title until the end of the beginning action scene?
 
Really interested in this reconstruction. The BF Virtual Workprint is by far my favourite edit of the movie and I feel one that really highlights the pulpy, exaggerated-yet-profound tone of the original.

Good luck! Looking wonderful so far!
 
Wow! This is very impressive! I've seen so many Batman Forever edits. I'm excited for this one.
 
Ender said:
I will say I would put the title card after the prison break, personally.
Click to expand...

Nic said:
I'm a little torn. I just saw the 15th Anniversary Edition of the Red book edit, and while putting that scene before the credits worked their, it's only because an action scene immediately followed. I'm not sure the deleted opening, title, Nygma at WayneTech, then Bruce suiting up flows well. Maybe hold onto the title until the end of the beginning action scene?
Click to expand...

For this edit, I'm staying true to the original edit and leaving the title card up front. Funnily enough, the recent "Schumacher Cut" has the title card after the "I'll get drive thru" line in the batcave, before cutting back as he drives the Batmobile out of the cave. The shooting script makes no mention of where the title card would go, so it seems like it never really had a concrete spot to go.

Personally I think it would be interesting to put it between leaving Wayne Ent. and arriving at the Batcave. Maybe I should make my own from scratch one day.

vinie12 said:
your editing skills are so fucking good
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Canon Editor said:
Really interested in this reconstruction. The BF Virtual Workprint is by far my favourite edit of the movie and I feel one that really highlights the pulpy, exaggerated-yet-profound tone of the original.

Good luck! Looking wonderful so far!
Click to expand...

ArtisDead said:
Wow! This is very impressive! I've seen so many Batman Forever edits. I'm excited for this one.
Click to expand...

Love the enthusiasm!

If anyone wants to watch it, please shoot me a message. I'm almost certain everything is in tip top shape, but would love a 2nd set of eyes to look over it.
 
I'll happily give you my set of eyes! Shooting that message now.
 
Do you have plans to add the going up line batman says after they shoot the elevator?
 
VERsingthegamez said:
Do you have plans to add the going up line batman says after they shoot the elevator?
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It wasn't in the original fanedit, and the editor never mentioned a desire to add it back in, so I have left it out of this version.
 
Bobson Dugnutt said:
It wasn't in the original fanedit, and the editor never mentioned a desire to add it back in, so I have left it out of this version.
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Makes sense. Looking at an other edit that did add it back in and it feels like it's missing a second or so to make it breathe a bit better. Maybe the edit that was shown by Kevin Smith had it flow better but was curious to see if it was possible to make it breathe. Regardless looking forward to seeing this edit.
 
VERsingthegamez said:
Makes sense. Looking at an other edit that did add it back in and it feels like it's missing a second or so to make it breathe a bit better. Maybe the edit that was shown by Kevin Smith had it flow better but was curious to see if it was possible to make it breathe. Regardless looking forward to seeing this edit.
Click to expand...

Based on my notes and research from that screening, that line was definietly in that cut.
 
Bobson Dugnutt said:
Based on my notes and research from that screening, that line was definietly in that cut.
Click to expand...
Oh it definitely was there. Here's hoping we got a release of that version of the movie one day. Anyway I'd love to preview it unless it's about to be publicized.
 
Batman Forever Virtual Workprint is easily the best version of BF. I watch it regularly (made some trims too). I'm definitely looking forward to this. Improving the best BF edit can only make it even more of a fan edit classic. Great idea.
 
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