MovieChat Forums > Where Eagles Dare (1969) Discussion > Intermission?

Intermission?

posted 11 years ago by grambax
10 replies | jump to latest

I asked this question here ages ago, but the thread has now disappeared.

But can any fans of the film who were older than me on release, or who saw the Videodisc, remember exactly where the intermission came?

My recollection is that it was in the middle of the "table" scene, and there is a reel change still visible on the DVD immediately after the phone call, and those usually coincided with intermissions. But I seem to recall someone saying that the interval was IMMEDIATELY preceding that scene, just as they open the door.

I do remember that, as a six year old, it confused the hell out of me.

Can anyone confirm?

Thanks!

[–] Hazekiah 11 years ago

On the DVD, it's at 1:41:50.

http://www.clinteastwood.org/forums/index.php?topic=4063.0

:)

[–] grambax 11 years ago

Appreciate the feedback.

Is that on NTSC (US), or PAL (Europe)? Looks to me like that might be at the end of the "table" scene...

[–] Hazekiah 11 years ago

Sorry for the wait...I had to borrow the DVD back from my grandma before I could check it out for sure, lol. Her copy is a US/NTSC copy which is at least post-2005, according to its copyright info. There's no intermission, but there is indeed an edit between scenes at EXACTLY the time indicated in the link above (although not a chapter break for the DVD), so it seems like a likely spot for an intermission, albeit an otherwise poorly-timed and awkward one, as has been suggested. It's RIGHT when Clint booby-traps the door to the interrogation room and closes it behind him with the tripwire active and RIGHT before they attempt to lead the bound spies up the stairwell occupied by the descending german soldiers. Hope that rings a bell and helps settle things for you! :)

[–] grambax 11 years ago

Hi,

Many thanks!

I do remember the break was around that scene. So far there are three theories -

1) That it comes immediately BEFORE the table scene, which seems to be what someone with the Videodisc, which still contained the Intermission, suggested.

2) That it comes immediately AFTER the table scene - Your own, Hazekiah, (Which I respect and Thank You for), but I'm not quite sure why you think it (although you may be right). I'll have to dig out my own DVD (PAL, but autographed, so stored safely away)

3) That it comes DURING the table scene, right after the phone call - That was my own theory/memory - I first saw the film as a six year old, and probably last saw it with intermission three or four years later. Certainly, of all the films I ever saw with an interval, WED's was the most awkwardly placed. Like Chitty Chitty Bang Bang's, it comes mid-scene rather than at the more usual natural story break.

In the case of WED, to a child, it made an already complex story harder to follow. Which is partly why I felt it interrupted the table scene. Plus, for obvious technical reasons, Intermissions were usually also reel changes, and there is clearly one still visible on the DVD immediately after the phone call.

Now the idea that the break was either immediately before or after the table scene seems sort of OK with me; it might even seem vaguely familiar. But my limited projection knowledge was that a 35/70mm reel lasted around 14 minutes. There was clearly a break after the call. Is the "table" scene long enough to have reel changes both in the middle AND immediately before or after? (Of course, prints with intermission mission may have been broken down differently).

I'll take a closer look at the three scenes and see if I can figure out anything further.

Meanwhile, I appreciate the feedback Hazeiah, and I welcome anyone's further comments...

[BTW. I was just explaining to my partner why this issue frustrates me so much. Most of my favourite films from childhood which had intermissions, I can both remember clearly where the came, and they have been released on DVD with Interval intact. One of the other rare examples where the Intermission has been removed is Kelly's Heroes, and I assume by your sig Hazeiah that you are a fan. But in that case I can clearly remember where the interval came. I assume you know, or don't care, but if you need any info, let me know! ]

[–] Hazekiah 11 years ago

by - grambax

2) That it comes immediately AFTER the table scene - Your own, Hazekiah, (Which I respect and Thank You for), but I'm not quite sure why you think it (although you may be right). I'll have to dig out my own DVD (PAL, but autographed, so stored safely away)

Oh, make no mistake...that's not MY theory!

I never knew anything about an intermission before coming here and finding your thread. I just like military movies, Clint Eastwood, Richard Burton, the song "Where Eagles Dare" by The Misfits, etc., and I love sinking my teeth into the details and geeking out on imdb. So when I saw it on my grandma's shelf I just HAD to check it out, and any time I watch a movie now I hop on imdb really quick afterward and see what's what and take a peek at the boards.

So after reading your thread I went ahead and googled "Where is the intermission in Where Eagles Dare?" and the info and link I posted above was one of the top hits, that's all.

After that, I skipped back to that scene and discovered the timestamp matched with a cut from scene-to-scene at roughly the right time you remembered it happening so I figured it was probably right and passed it along.

Upon further scrutiny of the discussion within the link I provided above, it turns out the plot thickens. Here's the full quote from that post:

The intermission on the laserdisc is right at the end of Side Two. You see "Intermission" on the screen for about a minute, then it's the end of the side. When you put Side Three on, the first thing is the "Entr'acte," which lasts a couple of minutes.

On the DVD, it's at 1:41:50.

However!

The same guy posted THIS later:

I wonder, though, in this case ... is it possible that the laserdisc version moved the intermission, for practical reasons ... to put it at the end of Side Two, where there had to be an intermission so you could change discs? (Those discs could only handle about two hours of a movie per disc, an hour on each side. I have one of the "advanced" machines that could change sides automatically, at least ... otherwise, you always had to get up after an hour and turn the disc over.)

I didn't re-watch it, but it just seemed as if the spot where the intermission comes on the laserdisc isn't a really natural place for an intermission.

On the other hand, the first disc only has about 51 minutes per side, leaving some 56 minutes to go on Side One of the second disc, so maybe it's more likely that they adjusted the length of the first disc to fit with where the intermission comes.

So, yeah.

It's apparently a mystery for the ages with EVERYONE, lol.

And I agree with the idea that it would likely have coincided with a reel-change, btw. Logistically speaking, that would seem to make the most sense, for what it's worth. Like you (and someone else in that link) mentioned, though, there may well have been longer and shorter edits of the film which had the reel-changes placed in different spots, too. Ugh.

Good luck, man! Hope you figure it out for sure someday, make sure you post a follow-up if you do. Now I want to know too, lol.

[–] Hazekiah 11 years ago

[BTW. I was just explaining to my partner why this issue frustrates me so much. Most of my favourite films from childhood which had intermissions, I can both remember clearly where the came, and they have been released on DVD with Interval intact. One of the other rare examples where the Intermission has been removed is Kelly's Heroes, and I assume by your sig Hazeiah that you are a fan. But in that case I can clearly remember where the interval came. I assume you know, or don't care, but if you need any info, let me know!]

Whoopsie, missed that!

No need to explain an interest in minutiae or in reliving your first experience with a movie, I'm all about that stuff! If you click that link I posted and read through you'll find a fun story from the OP explaining why HE wanted to know where it was too, lol. Good stuff.

It's a shame no one seems to care about preserving stuff like that for home release sometimes.

:-\

And Kelly's Heroes is one that's been on my list of Must Watch stuff, I just haven't stumbled across a copy yet. Is there a character named Hazekiah in it or something? Just curious what the connection might be. I was initially active on message boards online for the band Marilyn Manson and registered under the name Hazekiah there due to some pretty obscure and neat references he made to a Hebraic angel of the same name and it just kinda stuck, so now I use it everywhere else, too. Definitely interested in knowing how the name relates to Kelly's Heroes, though! And, like I said, I'm a fan of Eastwood and his war movies anyway, so I was planning on watching it someday. I think that one just got bumped to the top of my watchlist!

:)

[–] wwestar 8 years ago

I recently showed the 70mm version of the film and the Intermission comes Just after the table scene. That doesn't mean there was an Intermission in the 35mm version. The film was planned without an Intermission, one was put in for the Roadshow release (70mm) so that MGM could charge a higher ticket price and make it appear more prestigious, not dis similar to what they do today by putting it out in IMAX.

[–] johnmarti59 (2356) 4 years ago

Table scene?

[–] shukocarl79 7 years ago

I saw WED for the first time in the 1975(?) UK re-release. The Intermission came on as Clint closed the door after connecting the trip wire. Loved the film ever since and watching it now!

[–] johnmarti59 (2356) 4 years ago

I don't know but I would think the intermission would during the pow wow with the general and the three prisoners.