I am so sory, but I watched Pearl Harbor before this one. I wish I hadn't.
2) If you've seen this and either of the official versions, how do they compare?
Yours is by far beter than the original. The most interesting thing is, even though I watched the original before, I was thrilled by the action and the pacing of your edit. And one more thing: ther is definetly no need for us to edit this movie, since you did a terriffic job (but what the hell do I do now with that stupid original DVD I bought).
3) Is this re-edit an improvement of a bad film, or a genuinely good film on its own?
Well, on IMDB I would rate it as 7, which means it is good now. I don't want to see it in comparison to the original but fo itself and I think it is very entertaining, a bit to much hero stuff and it looses pace towards the ending. Still a good movie and one I will definetly give to my friends to watch. it is the best fanedit I watched so far.
4) If you've seen both and you saw the re-edit first, how did it affect you emotionally when you saw the official version?
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5) And vice-versa -- if you saw the official version first and THEN saw this re-edit, what did you think and how did you feel?
Just great. Because this is an example of what fanedits can be and why this nice branch of subculture is so valuable. You gave me something I don't want to miss. Also I feel relieved for having finally seen Pearl Harbor in a version that is not just bearable but entertaining.
6) What lessons can this give Hollywood?
To have other people decide what is actually good and what works. Sometimes people get so involved in their projects, they miss the storytelling, the action, the thrill, the entertainment. It is all there, but buried under rubbish and compromises between the parties all having a say. Less involved and but still gifted people could be of great help there. I am thinking of a new job, like movie-quality-manager. Directors and producers will hate these guys. Actors will try to kill these guys but the audience will benefit from them and soon there will be a new academy award for best quality management.