The long version is excellent: here's why

I originally saw the 82 min. Tidal Wave back in the seventies. I always wanted to see the uncut version and finally, I thought I had. But I was disappointed to discover it was still short of 30 minutes, the "uncut" bearing of the dvd not correct.

Well, I finally got the truly uncut version. It's available from Showa Video with english subtitles and you must get it. I was hesitant because what could 30 minutes add to what I felt was a mediocre film. Well, I found out.

SPOILER ALERT FROM HERE!!!

The biggest difference was the removal of most of Reiko Abe's role in the film. Cut is her first meeting with Onodera, his telling her he never intends to marry, her offering herself to him anyway. When Reiko leaves a message for him in the cut-down we have no context for it. And when he quits his job and goes to France for another job, it is not apparent he is running from her and his family like it is in the uncut version.

Also cut is their accidental re-union which was when he felt most guilty at his secret knowledge of Japan's imminent destruction which he cannot warn everyone about. But he can warn her and realizes he misses her. This is when he falls in love for her.

Missing is their decision to leave Japan together(it is incomplete in the short version I saw) and her inability to hook up him due to the Volcanic eruption is more tragic.

In the final scenes, seeing her on one train, surviving but in another country and then seeing Onodera in another completely different country, you know that neither of them will ever see each other again. Yet it was his love for Reiko that changed Onodera into the heroic and better person. This tragic ending is heavily diluted in the short version.

Also, missing are scenes that explain the old man. In the cut down, he asks Dr. Tadokora about Swallows not nesting in his home. Then he asks about scientists best and none of the conversation makes sense. In the complete film, we find out the old man sold his wealthy collection of paintings to finance the work of Dr. Tadokora, making the visit a financial expedition and giving it some sense. The old man has a much more expanded part.

The film is also paced much better. One of the complaints I heard was nothing happens for the first fifty minutes. This is due to the cut down version missing some disaster scenes. In particular, the first volcano which goes off after Onodera makes love to Reiko. It had to be cut or it would make no sense why Onodera was on a beach with a bikini clad woman.

There are also additional scenes explaining each aspect of the impending disaster. It may sound boring, but it works because each disaster is presaged by one of these scenes making it more impactful. For example, in the cut-down, we see a volcano erupting. In the extended version, this is presaged by an explanation that the next volcano will herald a furthering of the disaster and how the Earth's crust is affected.

Finally, there are more scenes of the UN trying to decide what to do and many political statements bring meaning to this film that were eradicated by the missing 30 minutes.

It is a must-see in the long version. A truly great film, destroyed by trimming and editing due to it's length.