Classic Movies that could use a fan edit

[Gieferg]

There is not many movies older than me, I'd be interested in editing but I am editing one of them right now.

 

[asterixsmeagol]

I've always wanted to edit 2001 A Space Odyssey into something leaner that more closely resembles either the Arthur C Clarke book that was written alongside the screenplay, or how people remember the film as being (eg, having the "bone throw / orbital nuke" sequence mickey-mouse to the music). I know there's at least one edit that pares the whole movie down to about 80 minutes, but my aims would be slightly different.

The shortest version of 2001 I've ever seen is 75 seconds.

 

[Dwight Fry]

The Caine Mutiny - Remove the tacked-on "bulls**t love story" (Humphrey Bogart's words - even he thought it ruined the movie). I might do this one myself, if there's enough interest in it.

 

[Moe_Syzlak]

I've always wanted to edit 2001 A Space Odyssey into something leaner that more closely resembles either the Arthur C Clarke book that was written alongside the screenplay, or how people remember the film as being (eg, having the "bone throw / orbital nuke" sequence mickey-mouse to the music). I know there's at least one edit that pares the whole movie down to about 80 minutes, but my aims would be slightly different.

I’ll give my standard response. A big part 2001’s point is the slow, emptiness emulating space travel and suggesting the vastness of the solar system, let alone the galaxy, let alone the universe. You could probably edit Stalker down to half hour, but while the story could remain, the essence and the beauty of the original would be completely lost.

 

[The Scribbling Man]

I’ll give my standard response. A big part 2001’s point is the slow, emptiness emulating space travel and suggesting the vastness of the solar system, let alone the galaxy, let alone the universe. You could probably edit Stalker down to half hour, but while the story could remain, the essence and the beauty of the original would be completely lost.

You're right, but I think there's room for both. And it's arguable whether the indulgence is taken too far or not. Had the same film been released by Kubrick with each shot lasting an extra 2 seconds, you'd be saying the same thing if someone did an edit bringing the pacing more in line with what we have here in reality.

 

[Dwight Fry]

Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), watching this movie always disappoints compared to my memory of it. And Rooney's Japanese is awful.

I took a look at this one with editor's eyes to see if Rooney could be completely removed, but unfortunately doing so causes a plot hole: how to justify Holly getting arrested without his intervention?

 

[CaptainFaraday]

I’ll give my standard response. A big part 2001’s point is the slow, emptiness emulating space travel and suggesting the vastness of the solar system, let alone the galaxy, let alone the universe. You could probably edit Stalker down to half hour, but while the story could remain, the essence and the beauty of the original would be completely lost.

Edits don't need to be replacements for the originals per se; I love the original and wouldn't change a thing if I was in charge of making an official rerelease of the movie, but, I always enjoy alternative "what if"s of my favourite movies to see them in fresh new ways.

 

[MusicEd921]

Not a "classic movie" per say, but I've been mulling it over for a while and I want to edit The Getaway with Steve McQueen and Ali McGraw. I want to lean more into it's neo-noir routes by fixing up a couple of things (there's a big error with them crashing the car at one point and not a scratch on the car) and I want to edit back a little bit of McQueen being extremely mean to McGraw in a few scenes so that we route for them as a couple more as the movie goes on.

It being a Peckinpah film, I'm not a fan of the music and could easily replace most of it. The question is what with? I've thought about going black and white and adding in some 40's noir-ish jazz or going the Drive route and doing something a little more 80's ish sounding even though it's a 70's movie. Some suggestions would be highly appreciated for when I have a chance to sit down and work on it.

I've also thought about diving into editing the 60's movie Marlowe and doing the same thing with converting it to black and white and adding a typical 40's noir soundtrack, but also completely cutting out Bruce Lee because he adds nothing to the plot and his exit from the film just.....fell flat.

 

[Flint7]

Perhaps the Flash Gordon or Buck Rogers serials? Cut them down to a feature length film? Has that been done before?

 

[The Scribbling Man]

Perhaps the Flash Gordon or Buck Rogers serials? Cut them down to a feature length film? Has that been done before?

Billy Batson did an edit of one of the Flash Gordon serials, I believe.

 

[MusicEd921]

Perhaps the Flash Gordon or Buck Rogers serials? Cut them down to a feature length film? Has that been done before?

I have an unreleased rough draft of the first one cut to movie length. I wanted to do something a little more than just trimming it down, like maybe change the music up, but couldn't fully decide on something. One idea was to use the Giacchino Star Trek score, but I wasn't sure if that was too recognizable that it would take you out of the movie.

 

[lapis molari]

Perhaps the Flash Gordon or Buck Rogers serials? Cut them down to a feature length film? Has that been done before?

I looked at Buck Rogers, because of course I did, and decided against editing it.
Whether in the original serial format or edited down to a feature-length film, I have watched it and don't intend to watch it again. It's too hokey even for my Buck Rogers loving standards.

 

[wonderwhy]

My wife and I recently watched Michael Mann's hugely celebrated Thief, and despite enjoying a lot of his movies, especially Heat, she found the pacing unbearably slow. I didn't mind it so much, but there were a few scenes where I found things dragging (e.g. the lengthy scene in the diner).

I also thought the final scene was just begging for someone to replace the score with Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb. That searing guitar solo would finish that movie off brilliantly, at least in my head. Curious to see how it would work in practice, but I'm guessing that would require a *lot* of sound effects replacement.

I've been really impressed with new developments in the audio world in terms of separating layers, like how Spectralayers or RX can split out a single stereo file as drums/bass/vocals/everything else. I'm hopeful that further refinements in that field will make dialogue and sound effects isolation a breeze!

 

[Moe_Syzlak]

My wife and I recently watched Michael Mann's hugely celebrated Thief, and despite enjoying a lot of his movies, especially Heat, she found the pacing unbearably slow. I didn't mind it so much, but there were a few scenes where I found things dragging (e.g. the lengthy scene in the diner).

I also thought the final scene was just begging for someone to replace the score with Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb. That searing guitar solo would finish that movie off brilliantly, at least in my head. Curious to see how it would work in practice, but I'm guessing that would require a *lot* of sound effects replacement.

I've been really impressed with new developments in the audio world in terms of separating layers, like how Spectralayers or RX can split out a single stereo file as drums/bass/vocals/everything else. I'm hopeful that further refinements in that field will make dialogue and sound effects isolation a breeze!

Ooh, I like Thief quite a bit but I haven’t thought about it in years. When I lived in Chicago in my late 20s, I used to go to the Green Mill (that they pretended to blow up) all the time to see late night jazz. I’d love to see an edit. I think the idea of Comfortably Numb is great so long as it’s just the solo with no vocals. Do it!

 

[wonderwhy]

I haven't tried my hand at an edit yet; my background is in audio production which takes up most of my spare time, but this might be a good one to start with!

 

[fiftyeighthens]

I've always thought It's a Wonderful Life (1946) could use an edit. It's paced very slowly and takes forever to actually get to the famous bits. Haven't given it a shot myself yet.

 

[DigModiFicaTion]

I've always thought It's a Wonderful Life (1946) could use an edit. It's paced very slowly and takes forever to actually get to the famous bits. Haven't given it a shot myself yet.

👀 It might make for an I teresting twilight zone episode trimmed and ending without the resolution. Personally I think it's a perfect movie as is.

 

[The Scribbling Man]

👀 It might make for an I teresting twilight zone episode trimmed and ending without the resolution. Personally I think it's a perfect movie as is.

Yeah, I rewatched it recently and I thought it was pretty much perfect. Holds up very well.

It probably would work very well for a Twilight Zone edit, though somehow it feels wrong to take such a good-hearted film and give it a dark twist!

 

[fiftyeighthens]

👀 It might make for an I teresting twilight zone episode trimmed and ending without the resolution. Personally I think it's a perfect movie as is.

Yeah, I rewatched it recently and I thought it was pretty much perfect. Holds up very well.

It probably would work very well for a Twilight Zone edit, though somehow it feels wrong to take such a good-hearted film and give it a dark twist!

Well, this sounds like a challenge! Will report back when I re-watch the film.

 

[ArtisDead]

Are you still intending to report back, @fiftyeighthens?