I rented “Identity” today and I’m not sure which version I should be watching. Extended versions are fun, but am I getting the intended impact if I watch that version, instead of the original theatrical cut?
I’m probably overthinking this. But I’d love some other opinions.
When in doubt, I always go with the Theatrical Cut. It’s what most other people experienced, and is generally the director’s original vision (imo, their modified visions, aka “director’s cuts” are rarely as good, and fuck with the pacing, among other things).
So unless someone comes in and states otherwise, stick with the original for now.
[spoiler]DONALD KAUFMAN: Okay, but there’s a twist. See, we find out the killer suffers from multiple personality disorder. Okay? See, he’s really also the cop and the girl. All of them. It’s all him! Isn’t that crazy?
CHARLIE KAUFMAN: Look, the only idea more overused than serial killers is multiple personality. On top of that you explore the notion that cop and criminal are really two aspects of the same person. See every cop movie ever made for other examples of this.
DONALD KAUFMAN: Mom called it psychologically taut.
CHARLIE KAUFMAN: The other thing is, there’s no way to write this. Did you consider that? I mean, how exactly would you show a character holding himself hostage?
DONALD KAUFMAN: Trick photography?[right]–Adaptation[/right][/spoiler]
Stranger
Wtf Stranger, the OP hasn’t seen the movie. I’d be pretty pissed if I read your comments in a thread which I stated explicitly that I hadn’t seen the movie.
And your comment isn’t even relevant to the specific question.
I added spoiler boxes to your post, Stranger On A Train. I’m assuming, based on the OP, that he hadn’t seen the film yet, so revealing a key part isn’t kosher (unless the OP is specifically asking for spoilers).
Personally, I believe the theatrical version is at least 20 minutes too long (by which I mean the last 20 minutes, which are just bad). I can’t imagine what an extended version could add to it.
My rule for movies is that unless the film is known for being screwed up by the studio and making the director angry (Brazil being an obvious example) then the theatrical cut is the way to go at least for initial viewing. “Extended” or “Unrated” cuts are rarely worthwhile. There’s a reason that the material was cut before and it’s usually because it dragged the pacing of the movie down. In some really egregious cases the extended version does some real damage to the flow of the film (Aliens and Star Wars come to mind; and you can make a really good argument that the extended versions of the Lord of the Rings suffer from this problem).
I’m with Just Some Guy, the two movies he mentions where tarnished with the extra scenes. I’ve also seen Identity in both versions and like the origional cut better.
It’s she…but thanks, SkipMagic. I’d like to go in knowing as little as possible.
Theatrical cut seems to make the most sense, so that’s what I’ll be watching tonight. Thanks for your input, guys!
The quoted dialog isn’t from Identity, but from the Charlie Kaufman-penned Adaptation, regarding the scheme by Charlie’s fictional twin brother Donald to get rich quick writing a hackneyed multiple personality serial-killer thriller screenplay entitled “The 3”, which subsequently gets sold by his agent for millions while Charlie flounders in his attempt to adapt Susan Orlean’s The Orchid Thief into “a movie about flowers”. (“Nobody’s ever written a movie about flowers, Donald.” “What about ‘Flowers for Algernon’?” “It’s not about flowers, Donald…and besides, it’s not a movie.” “Oh, sorry, I never saw it.”)
Never mind, enjoy the film. Just don’t expect much in the way of originality of it.
Stranger
Irrelevant. It still clearly portrayed what the ending to Identity is. Furthermore, not everyone has seen the same movies you have, and as such, may be more “original” to them than you credit.
I know where your excerpt comes from, Stranger On A Train, but you’re still revealing a key part of Identity. I’ve added spoiler boxes around your explanation because it, too, spoils the “big reveal” of Identity.
Fair enough. The “big reveal”, though, is for all intents and purposes revealed in the trailer for the film.
Stranger