11 replies to this topic

[TheLazenby]

Recently, I came to realize that the SpyGuise "Collector's Edition" VHS of Casino Royale is far from perfect, for three reasons...

* Except for the extended ending, which is high contrast, the whole film has a very dull look to it. While the film print appears to be in better shape than MGM's version (on the original David Niven DVD, where it's noticeably dirty and scratched), everything has a similar grey hue. There's no depth, and no contrast. MGM's version has distinct lights and darks.
* In a couple spots, the SpyGuise version loses lock and jumps about like a TV with bad vertical hold. The MGM version doesn't have this issue.
* The addition of the longer ending results in a noticeable jump cut - Valerie suddenly moves closer to Le Chiffre. (Not to mention, the visual appearance of the movie shifts entirely.)

So, I've decided to make a definitive edition, by joining the bulk of the MGM version with the SpyGuise ending. HOWEVER, one notable feature of mine will be the restoration of the missing Valerie frames. See, those frames do exist - in fact, the abbreviated MGM version fades to black over them, and completes the fade just as Le Chiffre would grab her. Using Adobe Premiere, I am going to reverse the effects of their fade-out, frame by frame, restoring each frame to its proper brightness and contrast. This will create a much cleaner transition to the additional footage.

Of course, you might wonder... why not just adjust the contrast of the entire SpyGuise version? Well, because they stamped their "SG" watermark over the entire movie, and I want to eliminate as much of that as possible.

This shouldn't take too long to create - I only have 19 frames worth of Valerie to deal with.

Edited by TheLazenby, 31 August 2011 - 03:48 AM.

[TheLazenby]

OH! Also, I'd like to have an EXTREMELY RARE bonus feature - an alternate audio track featuring updated sound effects and (if I remember correctly) musical score.

Some years back, an anonymous fan made a quite horrendous (but nonetheless intriguing) attempt at crafting a serious movie out of CR '67 by cutting out a ton of material and using all of CR '54 as flashbacks. (Assumedly, Barry Nelson was meant to be Niven's Bond in the past? It's never certain.) He also dubbed in new music and sounds, so I'd like to find a way to sync these to my definitive edition.

[doublenoughtspy]

Sounds like a great project. Good luck and please keep us informed.

I'm looking forward to the results!

[AMC Hornet]

As I mentioned in the thread about a 93-minute edit of CR 67, I made my own 65-minute edit - not in an effort to make a 'serious' film of it, but just to make a relatively coherent little spoof.

I dropped everything between Sir James delivering M's toupe to his widow ("It can only be regarded as a 'hairloom'" - priceless!) to the start of the milk float chase. Then I lopped out Sir James' foray into India and Mata's dance, retaining only his packing her off to Berlin (London taxi driver: "East or west?" Bond: "West." Driver: "Oh well, that's all right then!" Vroom...). I saved the scene of Vladek Sheybal shooting at a fleeing car, and stuck it in after Evelyn Tremble drives off in his Lotus Formula Three ("hee hee!"). Vesper invades Evelyn's dream and shoots the pipe band, but does not shoot Evelyn. After a SMERSH agent shoots Le Chiffre, cut to London and Sir James going in to #10, then Evelyn enters Vesper's flat for the 'Look of Love' sequence. They sink into the floor together and...the end.

No pheasant hunt, no FANG, no blackmail auction, no Dr. Noah and no brawl below the casino or in it. Sure, it seems like something's missing, but compared with what was available to include, I'd rather be left wanting more than getting it (who knows? The same might be said of QoS?).

As for CR '54, what I'd like to know is:

How can I download and store the original ending from YouTube - or is that illegal?

[Pete]

I don't know if it's illegal or not but I downloaded it and edited it on to the end of what was availible CR 54 and now have the whole episode. The quality is good enough to view on the pc / ipod. I used real Player and converted it to windows movie maker. Simples!

[larrythefatcat]

In terms of legality, I don't know if Spy Guise somehow owns the last scene of CR '54, but I'm fairly certain the rest of it is public domain as it has been released as a $1 DVD. (I know, I have a copy of it along with the original CR '67 DVD that has it as a special feature and the Spy Guise VHS, as well)

I don't remember the Spy Guise VHS being much worse than the MGM/Dollar DVD version (I'm fairly certain they're from the same encode, but I'm not certain about that either) but it's been a while since I've watched it. I also don't remember the SG watermark being placed throughout the "film" but I guess that's another thing I've forgotten from not having watched it for however many months.

I'm very interested to see this hybrid '54/'67 version... I've heard about it (I think that was back while it was in development) but I haven't had the pleasure of a viewing. I'm guessing it's available on Fanedit Forum, but I don't know how that site has been going after the "crackdown" on fanedits being labelled as piracy. So ridiculous.

[Binyamin]

The '54 project makes sense -- but as for '67, just let it be and enjoy it in all its psychedelic confusing glory, I say!

[TheLazenby]

The '54/'67 hybrid edit USED to be available on Fan Edit Forum - they took it off because it didn't meet their quality standards. Seriously.... it was about the lousiest excuse for an editing job you would ever see. The Niven scenes were just absolutely incomprehensible - every line seemed to be from another shot. They also tried to force the idea that the "woman in his life" was Tracy (rather than Mata Hari) - and then that Tracy and Valerie Mathis are apparently the same person?! Yeah, it's confusing like that.

Though, since I'm doing a definitive edition of '54, I wouldn't mind doing a retooled '67 as well. Not changing the tone of the movie, per se, but just to try and put it in a more logical order. Moving Sellers' introduction to AFTER Mata Bond's story is a big help.

[Mr. Blofeld]

As an aside, I would personally suggest moving the "pre-titles sequence" (Sellers meeting up with Mathis in the pissoir) to its logical location; i.e., after Sellers enters France and beats up the customs agent, and before Sellers gets into the car with Mathis and they go through that bizarre car-wash thing -- the "sequence" was very obviously moved into that slot at the last minute when it was discovered they didn't have a proper "Bondian pre-titles sequence".

As for a new PTS, why not slide the whole "M going to see Sir James" sequence in there? Just prune out his "Debussy time" and a couple of the awkward pauses, and you've got a sequence that goes into the titles with a bang -- literally.

And speaking of titles, you might want to make some new ones; the current ones used for the film are ghastlier than even AVTAK's!

[TheLazenby]

Oh yes, I was going to move Tremble's scene. (Since it fades in and out of blackness, I was going to brighten those frames with the same technique I used for '54.) As for the pre-titles sequence... the whole M section would be pretty dull there. I was actually going to shift things around, and have the milk truck chase BEFORE the titles.

I refuse to change the opening titles though (except for moving David Niven first) - oddly enough, that is one of my favorite Bond title sequences, because I love the animated letters.

[Mr Twilight]

Btw...It's 59 years today since the broadcast of the first CR with Nelson

[Simon]

...and did TL ever complete his edit?