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Info Wanted: THE FAMOUS VAMPIRE KILLERS - Versions? Workprint?

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Hi all,

not much to say to this movie - one of the best of its genre. Polanski made an “original version” with 118 min., later cut it to 108 min., and it was shown in most parts of the world with or without some minor cuts. In the U.S. it had been cut for about 20 minutes and new dubbed. But since a couple of years there are a lot of fine uncut releases in original length of 108 min. (BluRays with 23.976 or 24 fps).

Two questions, I hope someone can answer:

1.There is an older U.S. VHS release, many copies on ebay, on the cover it says 111 minutes. Is that wrong?

  1. Is there some kind of workprint with the original length of 118 minutes? Or a release with these 10 minutes cut scenes?

Thanks for any hint!

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Its Fearless Vampire killers, Dude.

Check Warner Archive YouTube for alternate animated opening.

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Yes, FEARLESS, not Famous… Thank you…
Thanks also SilverWook, but this is not new to me. These are 12 minutes scenes that had been cut in the U.S. release. But additionally to these cut minutes even in the longer European version (108 min.) there are still 10 minutes missing from Polanski’s original cut (118 minutes!). That’s what I am searching for. 😉

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Wouldn’t hold your breath on this one, one that might be better is the very hard to find US cut that did get limited TV play at some point in the US with trimmed scenes and overdubbed voices for some of the characters as well as the alternate animated opening.

I’d love to get hold of this version to upgrade via the Blu Ray footage and use the soundtrack.

Totally different take is Im working on my own edit of this as a B/W Silent movie but with font words sliced in like a silent movie but using soundtracks from mostly Hammer Movies and giving it an old movie feel and frame rate.

Currently on 24hr encode in Premier Pro for the picture before I start on the soundtrack.

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Sounds quite creative. 😉
I read about this U.S. “dub”, but nothing for me, I’m German. Those additional 10 minutes of scenes would be interesting.
Why 24hrs? B & W, a few text tables, plus changing framerate sounds like realtime conversion?

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Got highest setting on plus multiple Fx adjustments running through it, colour changes, light beam effect, frame rate at 19 but processed at 23.97 to get silent movie effect, dirt and dust effects, noise slight effect, worn border effect to name a few, it did take me by surprise the length the longest I’ve ever had in truth. 6hrs and counting.

The soundtrack of multiple hammer movies plus some original soundtrack cues from the movie itself is the one thats going to take time but UK back in national lockdown for a month from Thurs so need some thing to keep me accupied.

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lorang said:

Wouldn’t hold your breath on this one, one that might be better is the very hard to find US cut that did get limited TV play at some point in the US with trimmed scenes and overdubbed voices for some of the characters as well as the alternate animated opening.

I’d love to get hold of this version to upgrade via the Blu Ray footage and use the soundtrack.

Totally different take is Im working on my own edit of this as a B/W Silent movie but with font words sliced in like a silent movie but using soundtracks from mostly Hammer Movies and giving it an old movie feel and frame rate.

Currently on 24hr encode in Premier Pro for the picture before I start on the soundtrack.

I think that version ran on Elvira’s Movie Macabre back in 1982.

You should start a thread for your edit instead of posting in this one though.

Forum Moderator

Where were you in '77?

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 (Edited)

@lorang
Sounds like everything I always have to fight against… Good luck then!

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SilverWook said:

lorang said:

Wouldn’t hold your breath on this one, one that might be better is the very hard to find US cut that did get limited TV play at some point in the US with trimmed scenes and overdubbed voices for some of the characters as well as the alternate animated opening.

I’d love to get hold of this version to upgrade via the Blu Ray footage and use the soundtrack.

Totally different take is Im working on my own edit of this as a B/W Silent movie but with font words sliced in like a silent movie but using soundtracks from mostly Hammer Movies and giving it an old movie feel and frame rate.

Currently on 24hr encode in Premier Pro for the picture before I start on the soundtrack.

I think that version ran on Elvira’s Movie Macabre back in 1982.

You should start a thread for your edit instead of posting in this one though.

Yes looks like Elvira’s Movie Macabre did show it in the first season so my personal seeking continues.