logo Sign In

Info Wanted: Is anyone doing a "Virtual" Lost Cut?

Author
Time
 (Edited)

It has sort of been mentioned here a few times. Truely a project that gives way to some creativity. And a few have mentioned wanting to do it. I was just wondering if anyone has really starting working on such a project?

Author
Time
The Right Rev. Beastly has done some preliminary work on it for starters. I've done my own on VHS a bunch of years ago, but not anything that would qualify as a lost cut. Just added cut scenes and moved some footage around.
Author
Time
Deleted Magic basically re-constructed the lost cut, though it is obviously abbreviated and mixed in with the behind the scenes stuff. Was very interesting--and much more boring than i had thought. I guess theres a reason those first screenings were disasters.
Author
Time
Originally posted by: zombie84
Deleted Magic basically re-constructed the lost cut, though it is obviously abbreviated and mixed in with the behind the scenes stuff. Was very interesting--and much more boring than i had thought. I guess theres a reason those first screenings were disasters.


I'm thinking different than Deleted Magic.

Remove special effect matte shots so that you see just the physical parts that were built on set. This could be done superimposing from still shots found in videos and magazines over the years.

Actually create scenes like the old woman who yells at Luke as he speeds by in the landspeeder.

Make it in black and white and add grain to the film to match know lost cut footage like the early cantina scene from Behind the Magic

Remove music cues when possible

Use WW2 dogfight footage for the space battles.

etc..etc..etc..

In my opinion apples and oranges to Deleted Magic.





Author
Time
Sluggo has elements for creating the original crawl and Trooperman has found what may have been the original temp music.

I love the sound of this project-- eliminating effects is an interesting twist.

I think "aging" all the footage might not be necessary-- because work-print tends to be damaged in portions-- not all the way through. So the original "lost cut" would have had scenes that were dirty and scratched as well as scenes that were clean and new.

It would take some research to figure out what dogfight material to use for the space battles. Is there any resource for seeing what was used?

Author
Time
Originally posted by: MTHaslett

It would take some research to figure out what dogfight material to use for the space battles. Is there any resource for seeing what was used?


Yeah, I can't remember where I've seen it but it's a splitscreen thing, with the Star Wars footage and the WWII footage. Maybe a special feature on one of the DVD's.
Author
Time
I think I've seen the dogfight footage in a split-screen format as well.

I thought some was in Deleted Magic.

If it 's not there, then maybe in Empire of Dreams.

You know of the rebellion against the Empire?

Author
Time
The temp footage used for the air battle was Dam Busters and 66 Squadron, both of which Lucas took the plots from.

Music, i thought there was none.
Author
Time
As much as I'd love to see this, I'd also like to see it all in a finished form as well. Sort of like a novelization version, since the book is closer to the shooting script than the movie. I think the story as protrayed in the scripts and the novel are a better story than the finished movie, but much more boring. It would be interesting to watch a boring movie once in a while.
Author
Time
Originally posted by: zombie84
The temp footage used for the air battle was Dam Busters and 66 Squadron, both of which Lucas took the plots from.


I was actually going to metion this. The line "I'd say about twenty guns. Some on the surface, some on the towers" is almost a direct lifting from the Dam Busters.

You know of the rebellion against the Empire?

Author
Time
The idea of finishing shots (or un-finishing) is pretty cool. One of the scenes that I've wanted to see is the "mini-Flash Gordon" scene from the Holiday Special matted into the wider picture that the Insider published years ago.

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a117/Sluggomatic2000/flash_gordon.jpg
Author
Time
Originally posted by: Sluggo
The idea of finishing shots (or un-finishing) is pretty cool. One of the scenes that I've wanted to see is the "mini-Flash Gordon" scene from the Holiday Special matted into the wider picture that the Insider published years ago.

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a117/Sluggomatic2000/flash_gordon.jpg


This is exactly the kind of thing I'm thinking of. Those images of shots (minus matte paintings) have apeared in numerous publications over the years. There are shots of the sandcrawler underbelly where there is nothing above (later filled in with a painting).

I think another fun aspect would be to actually shoot extra footage or use stuff from other films to represent alternate shots. the Lost Cut was said to be "documentary" like. So there are probably lots of scenic shots in it.

This would truely be a project that would have to involve a number of individuals.
Author
Time
I particularly like the way ocpmovie combined the Radio play audio with the tredwell scene,. The radio audio would be a great source for a reconstruction.

I really like the sequence with luke and the treadwell, throught him meeting his friends who dismiss his enthusiasm and the scene with biggs. In fact deleted magic is a great place to start from, full of exrta angled shots and extended takes.

Regards
WM
Author
Time
Just found this info re the lost cut, is this the same crawl text that sluggo was trying to recreate?


From Starlog #120, July 1987:

This issue was dedicated to the 10th anniversary of "Star Wars." In
it, there is an article by Roy Thomas entitled, "How I Learned to Stop
Worrying and Love 'Star Wars' (Within Limits)" (nice "Strangelove"
homage), which features his recollections of working on the "Star
Wars" comics for Marvel.

"...anyhow, soon Howard, Steve and I were sitting in the front row in
George's private screening room while the Hollywood heavies slouched
further back with George, and the rough cut began.
It opened with a 'crawl' of copy meant to suggest the old Flash
Gordon serials that had influenced the movie. But this was NOT the
crawl with which moviegoers are now familiar, nor was there any 'Long
ago, in a galaxy far, far away' lead-in. Rather, the crawl consisted
of totally different copy telling the movie's backstory. (If you want
to know what it said, all you have to do is pick up a back issue of
Marvel's "Star Wars" #1, since the caption there was taken from that
original crawl. George evidently had last-minute thoughts and changed
it just before the opening. In fact, one ILM worker told me that the
story was that, on opening day, George would probably be in the
projection booth at Mann's, pasting on some last bit of film.) [NOTE:
Original crawl text follows this entry.]

Original opening crawl as published in the Marvel adaption of "Star
Wars" #1:

"It is a period of CIVIL WAR in the galaxy. A brave Alliance of
UNDERGROUND FREEDOM FIGHTERS has challenged the tyranny and oppression
of the awesome GALACTIC EMPIRE. To crush the rebellion once and for
all, the EMPIRE is constructing a sinister new BATTLE STATION.
Powerful enough to destroy an entire planet, its COMPLETION will spell
CERTAIN DOOM for the champions of freedom. Striking from a fortress
hidden among the billion stars of the galaxy, REBEL SPACESHIPS have
won their first victory in a battle with the powerful IMPERIAL
STARFLEET. The Empire fears that ANOTHER defeat could bring a THOUSAND
MORE solar systems into the rebellion, and IMPERIAL CONTROL over the
galaxy would be LOST FOREVER."

Then in came the spaceships. Even in the rough cut and on a
relatively small screen, it was an impressive beginning, and I was
only moderately surprised months later at Mann's Chinese to hear the
shocked gasp of the audience when Big Ship came after Little Ship.
Next, the fight: stormtroopers vs. rebels. But there were no rays
zipping back and forth across the screen in San Anselmo. Just the
flicker of hand-drawn arrows on the film, to show where the FX would
go.
Soon, Darth Vader came on and began to speak--with a British
accent. (This was actor David Prowse's own voice, before James Earl
Jones' sepulchral tones were laid in.)
The movie went on. I noted with chagrin that one scene in the
script--between Luke and some childhood chums, near the beginning--had
been CUT, though it was currently being printed in the comic's first
issue. (And a few irate readers would later castigate us for inserting
things into 'George's Movie.')"

From Screen Superstar magazine #8, "Star Wars: the Full Story," 1977:

"His editors, including his wife, Marcia (Lucas' daughters had earlier
appeared in the film as Jawas), had put together a rough cut. With
Lucas they trimmed it down to preview size. And the previews were VERY
successful. Excitement spread at Twentieth, and through the movie
colony--Lucas had a winner!
But winner or not, Lucas still wasn't entirely satisfied. The
film ran for over two hours (123 minutes), and Lucas wanted maximum
audience turnover. Thus, the film had to be UNDER two hours, so back
went Lucas and the editors, and six minutes of Biggs Darklighter,
Luke's boyhood pal and fellow rebel pilot, were trashed. The film was
finished."
Author
Time
Yup. Same text, only the comic book switched the order around somewhat.

And the last paragraph is wrong as the Biggs footage was already trimmed before a preview was screened.
Author
Time
Is there any chance someong is still working on something like this?
Author
Time
I've been gathering materials and such but I have nowhere close to the skills to do it. The film is in my imagination, but that isn't helping much. I've been waiting for Jambe to finish his untitled project to see what goodies he has in store before I start pushing this further.
Author
Time
Originally posted by: Sluggo
I've been gathering materials and such but I have nowhere close to the skills to do it. The film is in my imagination, but that isn't helping much. I've been waiting for Jambe to finish his untitled project to see what goodies he has in store before I start pushing this further.



Do you have a link to his project? Or can you expand on it?
Author
Time
Linky

Don't be distracted by the title suggestions that are posted ad nauseum.
Author
Time
His project sounds very interesting. But I'm still hoping for a "Virtual" Lost Cut someday. I think it would be really cool to see a retro-type edit and even turned it into rough B&W for overall effect.

I hope you realize your version one day.
Author
Time
Yup.

The tough part of this project would having it be watchable all the way through. Honestly, I think I'd enjoy it more with annotations about what each scene was like in the rough cut. Maybe an option of watching it all the way through as well. We'd have to try a few options and see what works. But that is a ways down the road.

I think the best way for the project to get rolling would be for individuals to start cracking individual scenes and have a master editor splice them all together. Someone could tackle the "mini-Flash Gordon" scene for instance. I've got plenty to suggestions if anyone wants to jump on something.

Much of the project would end looking like Deleted Magic just without the annotations.

EDIT: I've got a version of the rough cut opening crawl in the works as well to go with Jambe's project. So we can (basically) cross that off the list.
Author
Time
Originally posted by: Sluggo
Yup.

The tough part of this project would having it be watchable all the way through. Honestly, I think I'd enjoy it more with annotations about what each scene was like in the rough cut. Maybe an option of watching it all the way through as well. We'd have to try a few options and see what works. But that is a ways down the road.

I think the best way for the project to get rolling would be for individuals to start cracking individual scenes and have a master editor splice them all together. Someone could tackle the "mini-Flash Gordon" scene for instance. I've got plenty to suggestions if anyone wants to jump on something.



The multiple editor thing was the way I was thinking as well.

Maybe you should post the list of ideas. That could get people started and mayby then it will happen.
Author
Time
Really the main thing we would be doing would be a reconstruction of Deleted Magic. One thing that comes to mind is the final space battle. DM has a great rendition of it, although it might need a small bit of refining. I'll dig out more ideas when I get home tonight and look at the master list.
Author
Time
I have some of the dogfight footage on my Malaysian bootleg ROTJ DVD. (which also has "Backstroke of the West" style subtitles )
It's not much, but if anyone wants it for such a project I'll gladly send it.

Author
Time
This edit almost needs its own forum to get it all together.