Anybody else recently see movie played on Sundance and recall a different ending with an adult Joshua voice-over on a train returning to Sagrado, ending more or less with the words "... then I'll know if I'm home." or something like that - discusses mother passing away, certainly more than just the train leaving the station" I looked up the book just to see if I was confusing that ending and I wasn't - anyone else recall?
Rick
Yes, Rick, I also recall the ending you describe. I saw this film at a theater in Texas in 1972 and the full treatment ending was included, and really makes a powerful difference. I've purchased a couple copies of this movie (VHS) since and each time I am stuck with the cut version. You can see the cut in the movie when the mother is sitting in the car at the end.
It is a heart-rending motion picture for me--and I can't really altogether pinpoint the reasons.
I saw this movie in the theater when it came out in 1971(?) and then saw it years later with the adult Josh voice-over on television. I am glad to see that Sundance went with the original but didn't see it when it just played.
I thought the addition diminished the ending and have looked forward to seeing the original for a long time. I think one reason that it was done was to somehow make it more like "The Summer of 42" which was a much bigger hit that same summer. I have often wondered what ever happened to Catherine Burns who was so great. One of my favorite movies from my youth ....hope it comes out on DVD sometime. Does it hold up or will I be disappointed some thirty years later?
I also saw "Red Sky at Morning" in 1971 in Biloxi, Mississippi when i was in the Air Force during my youth. I loved this film and have never forgotten it. I have written to Universal Studios (twice) requesting if this film will be on DVD in the future but never received any replies. I would love to purchase a copy of this film for my DVD collection. I have "Summer of 42" on DVD which is also one of my all time favirots. I also wonder if i were to view "Red sky at Morning" now in 2007 would it hold up and still be considered an excellent film or would i think differently?
Joe
I have a very old copy of this movie on VHS which I acqured from HBO many many years ago. Not the best video but the part you are mentioning is the start of the movie. Joshua is coming home and reminising about all the individuals for example he says I bet ole Stiny (sp) is the Obstetrician by now and he wonders if Marcia is still waiting for him. Then the scene goes to Mobile alabama where Joshua is sailing and it then shows the cast etc. Its too bad that when they show the movie they have to leave that part out.
Janie
Check the "alternate versions" link for this movie. It says Universal made two versions: one for theatrical release, one for TV. Only the TV version has the narration and the train scene added at the beginning. This is the first version I saw, and I managed to tape it back in the late 70s. The theatrical version aired uncut on cable a few years ago, and I made a DVD recording of it. It was rather jarring to not see the train scene and hear the narraton. I love the opening "I've always loved the desert, as much as my mother hated it. I'll retire in this part of the country someday. I always feel so safe this far away from the sea."
shareThe TV edition, aside from adding the needless narration by Josh as a much older man, changes a few other things. For example, the scene in which Josh falls into the dead cow's carcas is not nearly as explicit. Also, some of the dialog is more "family friendly" in the version edited for TV. We need a widescreen DVD which restores the original theatrical cut of the film.
shareJobla...the 100 million dollar question...will we ever see a Widescreen DVD? I have called Universal and was told to write them...and i did that but never received any reply.
shareI hated the voice over additions. Does anyone know if the DVD available is the theatrical release or the T.V. version? I think I saw the "television" version in a theater at a second release date. I want the original version.
shareSadly, there is no DVD version, no VHS version, no laserdisc version, and no MOD version. It has become a lost film, in terms of home video. It hasn't been released on foreign home video, either.
shareI have often remembered how heartwarming the original was in the theater and being so disappointed seeing the television version that interrupted the magnificent score and made the ending too "tidy" explaining away everything about his mother. If it was the television version released on DVD I don't know that I would buy it. Sad because so much junk is released every week and movies like this are forgotten. It would be great if Sundance or some other cable network would show the original.
shareNeither version of the film has ever been released on home video anywhere in the world (by that, I mean legal, commercial VHS or DVD). It's such a shame that the film has been kept in the closet for decades.
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