Leon: Various Cuts!

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 05 Jun 2008, 14:10

Discuss the Various Leon Cuts.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 05 Jun 2008, 14:11

Empty!

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 05 Jun 2008, 16:31

I'd rather have the TC for LEON.

Extended versions are rarely better.

Thankfully my Korean DVD contains both.

Ahh... the simple logic of options.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 05 Jun 2008, 16:41

The Leon DC is the DC though and in this case I think it greatly helps. Some of the cut scenes are excellent.

I do agree that sometimes longer doesn't mean better. Musa for example is better in it's shorter International form.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 05 Jun 2008, 17:03

Isn't it called Version Integrale? That means "complete" but stops short of claiming director's cut. The version originally released in France in 1994 was the same as everywhere else -no?

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 05 Jun 2008, 17:07

I definitely read Besson was forced to cut the film and the Version Integrale was the DC. If you prefer the TC though that' fair enough. I'm not one to only go with the Director's Cut because it's the Director's Vision.

My opinion comes first.

The version originally released in France in 1994 was the same as everywhere else -no?

I'm not sure sorry.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 05 Jun 2008, 17:19

I figured it was more of a James Cameron-T2/Aliens type deal whereby he extended the film as an alternate viewing option without decreeing it should replace the original cut. Marketing and internet hype has a lot to answer for.

Peter Jackson at least twice on the Sp. Ed of The Frighteners admits that the TC is his director's cut and that the extended cut is merely a fun extra for fans. Yet that didn't (and doesn't) stop Universal from marketing the ext. cut as his dir's cut. Too many untruths in the name of making bucks.

if you prefer the VI of Leon that's fine - I just wouldn't say it was MORE valid as a piece of filmmaking than the TC.

Shingster · Post by **Shingster** » 05 Jun 2008, 19:46

I thought everyone new the history behind the Version Integrale cut of Leon. Still, the IMDB is only a couple of clicks away folks:

A longer director cut, retitled 'Leon: version integrale' has been re-released in French cinemas on June 26, 1996. This version is 26 minutes longer than the previously release version and features all sequences that were removed from the film after disastrous tests with L.A. preview audiences.

Basically the hyper-intelligent L.A peeps reacted badly to Leon schooling Mathilda in the assassination arts, and they reacted even more badly to Mathilda trying to seduce Leon.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 05 Jun 2008, 20:20

Markgway wrote:if you prefer the VI of Leon that's fine - I just wouldn't say it was MORE valid as a piece of filmmaking than the TC.

Fair enough. I'd say it was a very valid piece of filmmaking.

As you know James Cameron likes to put out different cuts for fans. AFAIK no other director really does.

Shingster wrote:Basically the hyper-intelligent L.A peeps reacted badly to Leon schooling Mathilda in the assassination arts, and they reacted even more badly to Mathilda trying to seduce Leon.

Those are some of the best scenes, dumb backwards Americans!

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 06 Jun 2008, 00:28

Shingster wrote:I thought everyone new the history behind the Version Integrale cut of Leon. Still, the IMDB is only a couple of clicks away folks:

Lol, since when was the IMDB an accurate source of information?

A longer director cut, retitled 'Leon: version integrale' has been re-released in French cinemas on June 26, 1996. This version is 26 minutes longer than the previously release version and features all sequences that were removed from the film after disastrous tests with L.A. preview audiences.

That doesn't explain why the original French release was missing the 26 mins. It's a French film and you think they care what L.A preview audiences think? The "V.I" was released in French theatres TWO years after its premiere. AFAIK only the title was changed in the USA to make it sound less French. Every country got the same TC. The VI was an afterthought.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 06 Jun 2008, 00:32

Does it really matter? Get whichever cut you prefer.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 06 Jun 2008, 00:38

It matters if they don't release both cuts... duh!

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 06 Jun 2008, 00:41

I suggest we pause the conversation until we know what cut it is then

. Me, if they release just the TC I'll stick with my DVD. Like I've done with Natural Born Killers.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 06 Jun 2008, 01:42

NBK was different though... Stone was always pissed that the MPAA ass-fucked his film for an 'R'. (It deserved its original NC-17)

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 06 Jun 2008, 03:10

So did Leon

. It would be NC-17 if it wasn't Unrated right?

To be fair to NBK Stone could've released it uncut at NC-17, that's not the MPAA's fault specifically. Uncut it's definitely NC-17 material.

Killer Meteor · Post by **Killer Meteor** » 06 Jun 2008, 03:33

bradavon wrote:So did Leon . It would be NC-17 if it wasn't Unrated right?

To be fair to NBK Stone could've released it uncut at NC-17, that's not the MPAA's fault specifically. Uncut it's definitely NC-17 material.

Many cinemas and video stores won't show NC-17 films

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 06 Jun 2008, 03:35

I know

. I was just pointing it wasn't specifically the MPAA's fault.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 06 Jun 2008, 21:01

bradavon wrote:So did Leon . It would be NC-17 if it wasn't Unrated right?

No. The MPAA didn't request any cuts.

To be fair to NBK Stone could've released it uncut at NC-17, that's not the MPAA's fault specifically. Uncut it's definitely NC-17 material.

Agreed. Blame Warners for marketing it to the kiddies as they do with all R-rated films.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 07 Jun 2008, 00:10

Empty!

Shingster · Post by **Shingster** » 07 Jun 2008, 01:06

Markgway wrote:Lol, since when was the IMDB an accurate source of information?

WTF are you going on about Mark, the information I quote is pretty much 100% fact. The only incorrect bit of info is when they refer to the VI as the "director cut" . You think all the information on the IMDB is untrustworthy?

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 07 Jun 2008, 01:33

Shingster wrote:The only incorrect bit of info is when they refer to the VI as the "director cut" .

That's the bit I was talking about... isn't that what this conversation has been all about?

You think all the information on the IMDB is untrustworthy?

Not ALL of it.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 07 Jun 2008, 01:45

Shingster wrote:The only incorrect bit of info is when they refer to the VI as the "director cut".

So which is the Director's Cut then?

Shingster · Post by **Shingster** » 07 Jun 2008, 04:08

I don't think there is one, Besson's happy with the Theatrical Cut so you could say that is. He released the Version Integrale because he had all this footage keft over that was originally in the film when he played it to American test audiences, so decided to re-release it to French audiences. I don't think he has any preference to either edit of the film.

Markgway wrote:That's the bit I was talking about... isn't that what this conversation has been all about?

I couldn't care less what you and brad were jabbering on about, I merely posted clear concise information on how the VI edition of the film came about. Whether it is a true "DC" or not does not bother me in the slightest.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 07 Jun 2008, 11:24

Shingster wrote:I couldn't care less what you and brad were jabbering on about, I merely posted clear concise information on how the VI edition of the film came about. Whether it is a true "DC" or not does not bother me in the slightest.

Well, here it is from the horse's mouth: not some bollocks posted on the IMDB.

"Q: Why did you feel the need to do a director's cut?"

"LB: Let me remember why...I was happy with the first one, it was mine, my director's cut, no one asked me to cut it. But at the same time you still have 25 minutes that nobody has seen. I think it was the beginning of the summer; in the summer France is like a desert, the people are on the beach, but there are some poor guys who stay in the cities to work, so we decided to make a long version, an extended version, to play in a just a few theatres for the people who stayed. Why are you laughing? It's true!"

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 07 Jun 2008, 15:50

All I know is the Extended Cut is the superior film IMO. What is it about the Extended Cut you dislike Mark? There is some strong material in there.