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Director's Unrated "Vice"

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on November 17, 2006 at 05:38 PM

For those who had issues with Michael Mann's Miami Vice, or who so loved the fumes of it (like me) that it felt like perfectly calibrated adult escapism by way of a bad-ass drug-dealing movie, there's an Unrated Director's Cut coming on 12.5 that's definitely a different deal than what played last summer in theatres.

How exactly? I talked about it with a couple of Univeral Home Video publicists today and it's a little hard to describe. What it boils down to is that 7 minutes of never-before-seen extra footage have been added, making the Director's Cut 139 minutes long compared to the 132-minute theatrical cut. But a lot of stuff has also been re-edited and/or shortened or recalculated -- about 19 minutes worth, the publicists said. So if you add it up it's got about 28 and 1/2 minutes of fresh stuff...in a sense. Or if you want to be a hard-ass about it, 7 minutes worth with some editorial reshuffling thrown in.

Put it this way: Mann obviously knew that the theatrical version didn't work all that well with Average Joes, or not well enough, so he gave it another shot and what came out is a different movie, to some extent. It starts with a boat chase instead of a nightclub scene, for one thing. I was hoping there'd be more footage of Gong Li naked, but the publicists disabused me of that dream. Thanks, Michael...thanks a lot.

Comments

Anything would be an improvement from the snoozefest that was released this summer.

Posted by: jeffmcm at November 17, 2006 06:14 PM

Are you f**king kidding me?? That in medias res night club scene was the best opening of any film this summer. Now there's a boat chase? What a drag.

Posted by: Bilge at November 17, 2006 06:26 PM

I liked the opening rush, so that'll be an interesting change of pace for the start. He did a similar thing with "Ali," releasing something with a couple of minutes extra footage and tooling around with various other scenes, giving about a half hour of fresh stuff. It concentrated more on the politics of the thing in that edit.

Wasn't a huge fan of "Vice," but I'm looking forward to this all the same.

Posted by: Kristopher Tapley at November 17, 2006 06:31 PM

I am exited to see this again, especially the new cut...but I liked the niteclub scene at the beginning too....is it still in there and just not at the beginning now?

Posted by: Mr B at November 17, 2006 06:50 PM

Interesting news. I felt roughly the same about "Vice" as you did, Jeff. So the question is - which version do you prefer?

Posted by: Gabriel at November 17, 2006 06:51 PM

ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES OF THE YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: actionman at November 17, 2006 06:58 PM

Jeff, you really have to give us your opninion on this new version when you can. I share jeffmcm's sentiments regarding the opening of the movie. I thought starting with the Universal logo and then shoving us immediately into the nightclub scene was awesome and set a great tone.

The way you described it really sounded like Mann must have been unsatisfied with the final cut in theaters, which really dissapoints me.

Posted by: Geoff at November 17, 2006 07:24 PM

^^^Correction^^^ I share Bilge's sentiments regarding the opening.

Posted by: Geoff at November 17, 2006 07:27 PM

Jeff, one thing you neglected to mention is that the lion's share of the extras - including Mann's commentary and a bunch of documentaries- will only be included on the Director's Cut disc. It's looking more and more like this is going to be a make-your-own-two-disc-set, i.e. buy both versions. Personally, I was with you all the way on this - adored the theatrical version, couldn't understand why so many people disliked it with such vehemence.

And even if the DC does turn out better, I'm always for preserving the version shown in theaters. So it will probably end up being both for me for a makeshift 2-Disc SE.

Posted by: MarkVH at November 17, 2006 07:35 PM

I have yet to see Miami Vice, but when I do I will be seeing the theatrical version first.

Michael Mann does not have carte blanche with me after the debacle that is his Director's Cut of Last of the Mohicans. It's downright bizarre that his version is so much less powerful than the theatrical cut, and downright infuriating that the threatrical cut is not available on DVD in this country.

Director's cuts can mean a great deal. Ridley Scott's Kingdom of Heaven come to mind. But I think Mann's an example of why God created editors and professionals to better connect the musical score in his pictures.

Posted by: Adonis at November 17, 2006 08:30 PM

Starts with a boat chase?

So like the script, then...

Posted by: donnyboy at November 17, 2006 09:01 PM

The film was horrid, but I'll give this second
cut a try, if only to hear Mann's commentary.

Posted by: Patrick at November 17, 2006 09:06 PM

Michael Mann is a fuckin' genius!!!!!!!!

Posted by: actionman at November 17, 2006 09:13 PM

i can understand a film that audiences may not be receptive too, but re-editing your film so soon after its release might be proof that there wasn't a whole lot there to begin with...

Posted by: christian at November 17, 2006 09:23 PM

i can understand a film that audiences may not be receptive too, but re-editing your film so soon after its release might be proof that there wasn't a whole lot there to begin with...

Posted by: christian at November 17, 2006 09:23 PM

i can understand a film that audiences may not be receptive too, but re-editing your film so soon after its release might be proof that there wasn't a whole lot there to begin with...

Posted by: christian at November 17, 2006 09:24 PM

but i don't understand why the comment function repeated this...

Posted by: christian at November 17, 2006 09:25 PM

This enrages me. Those of us who loved the movie right off the bat have to live with a compromised, pandering-to-the-lowest-common-denominator cut because the movie didn't make the hundreds of millions Universal anticipated. At the very least, they could offer the theatrical version as an option. I'm mad even before seeing this because of how incompetent the director's cut of Ali was. It sucked all the subtlety out of the original and replaced it with a really in-your-face, dumbed-down, carelessly-structured massacre of the film. Here we go again...

Posted by: JD at November 18, 2006 12:32 AM

Before u get your panties in a bunch, the theatrical version will be available as well. It only takes a second to google amazon.com to find out.. probably less than the time it took you to write that rant.

Posted by: Chad at November 18, 2006 01:07 AM

"Before u get your panties in a bunch, the theatrical version will be available as well. It only takes a second to google amazon.com to find out.. probably less than the time it took you to write that rant."

Yes, but it does sting more than a little that the two versions aren't together in one package. You can either buy a rated or unrated disc, so anyone who loved the theatrical cut but is interested to see the unrated version will have to shill out double the moolah. That sucks.

Posted by: Reint at November 18, 2006 01:49 AM

I agree with Chad, and am resigned to having two copies of this very interesting but not earth shatteringly awesome movie on my shelf. On the plus side, Mann's movies are eminently reviewable. I've watched Heat at least ten times all the way through and segements of it probably dozens more.

Posted by: OddDuck at November 18, 2006 05:02 AM

Also, WTF with the new opening? The nightclub scene opening (cheesy intro music notwhithstanding) was PERFECT for this movie -- this immediate immersion right into a case sets a tone and vibe that lets the viewer know what kind of movie this is gonna be, and I loved it.

Posted by: OddDuck at November 18, 2006 05:09 AM

Gong Li's naked in it? Now Im definately gonna watch it!

Posted by: CrayonPie at November 18, 2006 06:25 AM

how many directors have re-edited their works of art for a version to make it play for spike tv audiences? i dunno, maybe he could find a better version of the film but to jazz it up like the tv show to play for a tv audience...seems full circle.

Posted by: christian at November 18, 2006 09:25 AM

"The way you described it really sounded like Mann must have been unsatisfied with the final cut in theaters, which really dissapoints me."

Mann is a tweaker; almost every movie he's made has an alternate cut released. He disowned 'The Keep', and he actually did prepare an alternate, longer cut of 'Heat' for television, but it was never used. Plus 'The Insider', I think. There are alternate cuts of 'Thief', 'Manhunter' (several), 'Last of the Mohicans', 'Ali' ... it's a weird thing with him, he's always tweaking, and it always seems to piss people who loved the theatrical cuts off.

Posted by: Sean at November 18, 2006 10:57 AM

well at some point you have to say, here's the film.

Posted by: christian at November 18, 2006 12:07 PM

I too loved the dance club opening sequence and still feel like it's one of my favorite films of the year... I don't get why the re-tooling. Plus, I'm getting tired of defending the film's gorgeous look. I'm really beginning to become a fan of some digital cinematography. I'm guessing the people who complained about the film's "murkiness" didn't see it in a theater with digital projectors. I saw it twice... first in true digital that was breathtaking, being able to make out the purples and oranges of the sky as well as the blacks and greens... then saw it on a regular screen and thought the colors were de-saturated a bit.

Posted by: JosephB at November 18, 2006 11:30 PM

I'll definitely have to get both (Theatrical on DVD and Director's Cut in HD-DVD). I'm glad he's doing the same thing here that he did with Ali. I loved the theatrical cut of Ali when I saw it...until I saw his director's cut of said film. It improved it greatly.

I'm sure he'll do the same here, eventhough I thought the theatrical cut of Vice was one of his best films. But, I am a bit sad that the director's cut doesn't open with that badass, totally unexpected, jarring as hell night club opening.

From the Univeral logo to the club...the best opening of a film this year by miles.

Posted by: Cory at November 19, 2006 05:22 AM

It's interesting how Miami Vice has so divided people when its essentially just a decent cover of a very familiar cops and robbers tune. I liked it, actually I really liked it, but I didn't think it would be a huge IT'S BRILLIANT! IT SUCKS! conversation piece between people. As far as the double dip goes, just netflix the new cut, watch it and buy whatever you like better. I really liked the original's abrupt non-beginning and non-ending, but I'm curious about the new cut.

Posted by: The Movie Man at November 19, 2006 10:49 AM

u r drunk JD if you think the director's cut of Ali is a mess

Posted by: actionman at November 20, 2006 12:37 PM