James Schamus today spoke about the upcoming DELUXE DVD

[belbbmfan]

Besides, Ang's rationale for leaving the deleted scenes out could apply to every movie ever made.

Yes, deleted scenes are deleted for good reason. But putting them on the DVD -- as extras, of course, not reinserted into the movie -- would not only help satisfy the craving of fans for every morsel of footage they can get their eyes on, but would be very educational in terms of understanding how a great film director makes decisions about editing and narrative and so on.

I watched the deleted scenes extra on the DVD of "Gosford Park," accompanied by Robert Altman's explanations for why he chose not to use this or that. Even though I was only mildly entertained by the movie itself, I found Altman's commentary informative and enlightening.

So, boo, Ang!

And why are there deleted scenes on the DVD of Sense And Sensibility? Another movie by Ang Lee, produced by James Shamus. There's even a commentary by both of them with Ang explaining why he shot certain scenes the way he did.  I would love to hear that about Brokeback Mountain!

 

[opinionista]

And why are there deleted scenes on the DVD of Sense And Sensibility? Another movie by Ang Lee, produced by James Shamus. There's even a commentary by both of them with Ang explaining why he shot certain scenes the way he did.  I would love to hear that about Brokeback Mountain!

 

Good point. I'd like to hear that about BBM too.

[Meryl]

Here's something interesting.  A new critical edition of "The Ice Storm" is due out on DVD in March, and they're including, among other things like new commentaries from some of the actors, the following:

Audio commentary featuring Lee and producer-screenwriter James Schamus

Footage from an event honoring Lee and Schamus at New York's Museum of the Moving Image

Deleted scenes


If Ang and James agreed to do this for "The Ice Storm," could there be some hope for an eventual critical editon of BBM?  *Hopes* 

[belbbmfan]

That's interesting news indeed Meryl.

We can only hope...

[LauraGigs]

But if they wait as long after the initial release of BBM as they did for Ice Storm, that means it'll be almost a decade. 

I don't WANNA wait that long!!!  [whining, stamping foot]   

[Ellemeno]

Half empty, half full - gives me hope! 

[belbbmfan]

But if they wait as long after the initial release as the did for Ice Storm, that means it'll be almost a decade. 

I don't WANNA wait that long!!!  [whining, stamping foot]   

Me neither.

This thought just popped up. What if the commentary by Ang Lee and Schamus tells us that we've been reading way to much in certain aspects of the movie. You know, the whole 'sometimes a cigar is just a cigar' thing?   Would I want to hear Ang Lee say THAT? hmmmm, don't think so.

On the other hand, the commentary on Sense and Sensibility was very interesting. He was telling about the way he shot certain scenes with Emma Thompson's character. The way she was 'framed' by a doorway to demonstrate the more 'closed inn' and repressed character. I really liked that. And it made me think of the opening scene in front of the trailer immediately.

So, yeah, the commentary NOW please!!

[Ellemeno]

Me neither.

This thought just popped up. What if the commentary by Ang Lee and Schamus tells us that we've been reading way to much in certain aspects of the movie. You know, the whole 'sometimes a cigar is just a cigar' thing?   Would I want to hear Ang Lee say THAT? hmmmm, don't think so.

On the other hand, the commentary on Sense and Sensibility was very interesting. He was telling about the way he shot certain scenes with Emma Thompson's character. The way she was 'framed' by a doorway to demonstrate the more 'closed inn' and repressed character. I really liked that. And it made me think of the opening scene in front of the trailer immediately.

So, yeah, the commentary NOW please!!

Fabienne, I think your example of Emma Thompson being consciously framed by the door shows that there must have been plenty of that deliberately in BBM.  And if there are actually revelations that we've discovered that Ang (or any of the others who were part of the creativity) never deliberately meant to have in the film, then I guess It Was Meant To Be. 

[serious crayons]

I think we should make an effort to see the commentary/deleted scenes in Ice Storm and try to determine what his comments might imply about the cigars in BBM.

On the other hand, I've realized a couple of things since I last contributed to this thread.

1) Ang is not the world's most articulate person when he's speaking, at least in English, at least in interviews. Sometimes his descriptions of the plot of BBM seem almost ... oversimplified. So it's possible that a commentary would be disappointing because his actual work as a director is much more nuanced than he would describe it, speaking.

2) Having since read the screenplay of the deleted hippie scene, I'm not sure I'd even want to see it! 

[belbbmfan]

2) Having since read the screenplay of the deleted hippie scene, I'm not sure I'd even want to see it! 

Oh, I know. I read that the actors were almost embarrassed shooting the whole thing. That is was that obvious just how bad that scene was.