Mr. Gorman

CRIMSON TIDE (1995) Denzel and Gene battle it out for CONTROL! There's the 115-minute theatrical version and, in 2006, there was an expanded DVD release that ran 123 minutes. You can't miss the disc with the extended cut of the movie -- it's very prominent.

Then there is STRIPES (1981). Remember a decade or more back when there was a DVD-issue of STRIPES with previously deleted footage incorporated back into the film? I bought the disc to have both versions. I can see why the sequence with Murray and Ramis getting on the airplane and going off with other military members was cut from the theatrical print. I felt that sequence truly did not go with the rest of the film, but it was nice to see all the edited stuff put back in just the same. Viewers can make up their own mind.

This famous movie has 2 versions extant in the present day: A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE (1951) There's the original, theatrical version running 122 minutes and now there is the restored version with 3 minutes of cuts now added back. This was done in the early 1990s and now the run time is 125m. I bought both versions on tape last week from eBay. I did not have a copy of 'Streetcar' previously and now have corrected that. Got a 1985 Warner clamshell release and a 1994 Warner tape that mentions on the box front that it is a restored version of the film contained herein. All righty then.

Listening to various pieces of mostly instrumental music this evening courtesy of YouTube. Un'ombra Nell'ombra (English title: "Ring of Darkness") Filmed mostly in 1977. Released in 1979. Great opening theme music by Stelvio Cipriani. Only runs 2 mins 25 seconds if any readers want to have a listen on YouTube. Type in the Italian title and then Stelvio Cipriani then 'NannuSoundtracks'. I have this movie on tape. Lara Wendel is an evil daughter and Anne Heywood is her perplexed and worried mother. Lesson from this film: Don't sell your soul to Satan! You'll be sorry! Also listened to ALEC R. COSTANDINOS songs -- in full -- TROCADERO SUITE from 1978. The full version runs 16 minutes 14 seconds. Then it was time for the ROMEO AND JULIET SUITE running 15 minutes 27 seconds. Great disco-themed musical compositions for my musically-picky ears to absorb.

Looks like an or-gy of CGI.

Nice!

NICK DRAKE didn't even make the '27 Club'; dying at age 26 in 1974. I remember reading about Nick Drake and the article I read said there was no footage of him performing live -- which he didn't like to do anyway. If you were to listen to all the albums of various musicians who died at 32 (I'm thinking of you Keith Moon and John Bonham!) or younger you'd be ♦busy♦. There's so darn many of them it's hard to keep track. Nick Drake struggled to sell his albums in any significant numbers while he was alive.

I was in the mood to listen to a cheesy '70s song. With that in mind, one cannot go wrong with this one! "NORMA JEAN WANTS TO BE A MOVIE STAR" by Johnny Cunningham from 1975. Then I listened to the 'SUNDOWN COMPANY' recording of this song for the low-budget 1976 movie "Goodbye, Norma Jean" starring Misty Rowe. I can't make up my mind which version I like better. I like them both a lot.

I only type out posts on my large computer keyboard where my fat fingertips don't type out all manner of 'mis-spelled everything'. Besides, I only have a tiny 3G phone whose time will be up soon . . .

There's a 1995 straight-to-video movie directed by Stuart Gordon and starring Jeffrey Combs and Barbara Crampton called CASTLE FREAK. There's a decent write-up on the movie on Wikipedia. And there's also an [R]-rated and UNRATED version to pick from. I've not seen it myself. Yet. It was filmed at a castle in Italy owned by Charles Band.

SATAN'S BLOOD is not a 'slasher movie', Allhallowsday. I've seen FROM BEYOND three times, I reckon. It's pretty good. There was a little bit trimmed out of it to achieve an 'R'-rating at the time. Those small edits were later restored for the DVD release. I've wondered some time if I should buy the disc just to get those few seconds of extra footage not included on the old Vestron Video VHS. I'm still thinking about it . . .

There's a graduation scene in GOODBYE, FRANKLIN HIGH (1978).

Here's a movie to watch, Hallows, if you want to feel ♦un-clean♦: SATAN'S BLOOD (1978-Spanish) Color/84 minutes. There's a version that's been dubbed into English. I have this film on VHS from 'All-American Video', but since I bought the tape years ago the movie has since been released un-cut in the U.S. on DVD and I think on Blu-Ray, too. My feeling is such that even with today's viewers being desensitized to things considered shocking in 1978 this movie holds up remarkably well. It's creepy, sleazy, bloody and the wives display all they've got. Repeatedly. Two couples get together for a friendly weekend. Or so it seems . . . BLOOD will soon be shed!

GRAD NIGHT (1980)

Jeez. And I thought THE CAT FROM OUTER SPACE was based on a real-life incident . . . But, but, but . . . there are BLACK HOLES in the Universe so I know that one's accurate!

Have you seen the UNRATED version of "Re-Animator"? What the headless bad guy nearly does to Barbara Crampton involves . . . a box lunch.

Speaking of Shakespeare . . . there is a truly dreadful 1982 movie called OTHELLO - THE BLACK COMMANDO starring Tony Curtis, Joanna Pettet and Max H. Boulois (who also directed). I dare anyone to watch this mess and call it 'entertainment'.

What's the un-ruined theatrical cut of AMADEUS? (I've never seen the movie). Also: Here's a movie that was released in 2 different versions -- maybe 3? RE-ANIMATOR (1985). Vestron Video released the 86-minute UNRATED version in a video box with this color. Easily recognizable, I think. Vestron Video also released an [R]-rated version that apparently was created by director Gordon exclusively for the video market. It comes in a black box and runs 95 minutes and is noticeably missing some of the more gory and off-the-wall scenes of the shorter original. I bought both copies many moons ago. Then there is a DVD Millennium Edition I've seen for sale -- but I don't own this version. The only thing I recall reading about it was the inclusion of a dream sequence in the 'Deleted Scenes' section that was not in the UNRATED or [R]-rated versions. I reckon RE-ANIMATOR is on Blu-Ray by now.

There are a lot of movies with different cuts. ULZANA'S RAID (1972) is another. There's a U.S. cut and an 'International Cut'. One of the cuts was the one favored by the director while the other version was favored by Lancaster.

I remember an early '70s Italian Western with the English title of MASSACRE AT FORT HOLMAN. It starred James Coburn and Coburn was obviously voicing himself. Also with Telly Savalas and Bud Spencer. I've seen a DVD for sale of a longer European version released by a company called 'WILD EAST'. Coburn didn't dub his distinctive voice in the longer cut, however. It *is* dubbed into English apparently, but with one of those 'voice-over' actors covering Coburn's part. The title of the longer cut is "A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die".

Fangs a lot! I mean, Thanks a lot, o Lonesome Polecat for mentioning the joys of munching on fleshy bat burgers! Umm, gooood!

And then there DANCES WITH WOLVES (1990) that can be bought in its 181-minute theatrical version and an extended version running 237m. I believe both versions can be bought on tape and DVD depending on which version you prefer. As I type this I'm honestly not sure if there is a Blu-Ray or 4K release of "Dances With Wolves". I've never looked. I reckon I'll have to go eBay and find out . . .

I decided I ought to buy the 'Special Extended Version' of WYATT EARP (1994) when I saw it mentioned in Leonard Maltin's Video Guide. The theatrical version runs 190m and the Extended Cut runs 211m and is on a 2-Tape set from Warner Home Video. From what I've gathered the DVD release featured the extra footage from the extended cut as bonus scenes that are not incorporated back in to the movie.

ALLIGATOR (1980) Around 3 years ago I discovered the 1980 tongue-in-cheek horror movie "Alligator" had been released by a short-lived company called Catalina Home Video in 1983 [Cat. # CV 01] utilizing the television print instead of the theatrical version. Catalina was only in business from 1983-84 so the company didn't last long before going Bankus Ruptus! As far as I can tell Catalina released 11 titles prior to going under and "Alligator" was one of them. How this little company ended up acquiring and releasing a Tv print leaves me baffled -- but I'm glad they did. When I found out the Tv print was actually missing ♦very♦ little and had approx. 8½-minutes added I was keen on locating a copy because I like ALLIGATOR. I'd already had the 1985 Lightning Video VHS release for YEARS (which was the 'regular' [R]-rated theatrical version) and until the relatively recent past had no idea about that mysterious television version released by Catalina. It's nice to have both versions. The DVD release is the theatrical version. I don't know of any Blu-Ray release as of yet for "Alligator", but I could be wrong because it's hard to keep up with all the stuff that's made available on physical or streaming media. Recommendation: If you like ALLIGATOR, see if you can find the 1983 Catalina VHS release. For watching a tape with about 15 seconds cut out and a few overdubbed cuss words the trade-off is you get some cool extra footage to amuse you!

Here is a movie that is ♦pure♦ swill. If ever you've rented or bought a Paragon Video Productions tape back in the early 1980s and '90s chances are you've seen a "Paragon Preview" for this pile of amateurish sludge. It's BOARDINGHOUSE (1982)! Shot on ßetacam. Running time: 98 minutes. The Paragon VHS release I owned of "Boardinghouse" from 1982 was a transfer of the videotape and looked like a 1970s Norman Lear sitcom with goofy 'special effects'. A later 1985 Paragon release of "Boardinghouse" is a transfer of a film print so it looks a little different. → It seems that "Boardinghouse" somehow scored a theatrical release here 'n' there starting in October 1983 after it first appeared on video and so the videotape 'master' was transferred to 35mm film and screened. Paragon utilized a copy of the theatrical 'film-transferred' version and put this version tape, too. Can ya beat that? Code Red released BOARDINGHOUSE on DVD in 2008 and then circa 2013 a company called 'Slasher Video' released it in a 'Director's Cut' which was apparently the full-length ßetacam release running 157 minutes. Ye Gods! Having seen the 98-minute version of "Boardinghouse" twice (hey, I thought I was wrong and it wasn't as lousy as I remembered) was enough of a chore in itself . . . I've never felt the need to buy the disc of the 2hr 37minute version and torment myself further. I reckon if anyone reading this has a hot nut for what likely is the first 'shot-on-video' horror movie for the homevideo market then have at it! But you'll be sorry you did! Should be rated [J] for 'Junk'. Ugh!