MovieChat Forums > Thriller - En grym film (1974) Discussion > The true version doesnt include the 'por...

The true version doesnt include the 'porn scenes'


Something that needs to be cleared up about this movie is the discussion of leaving the hardcore sex in the movie or not. Many seem to believe that those infamous scenes of hardcore sex is the true version. The version the director intended it to be. The directors cut. That version is not part of the directors cut...

The "porn scenes" was not originally intended for the movie. The true, original version, doesn't include the hard core insert shots of real penetration. All those shots were added later on by a distributer, who thought it would spice up the film. Those scenes were not shot by the director nor the original film crew. The director never intended for those hardcore inserts of penetration to be in there at all. He never shot them. He shot those scenes without any closeups of penetration, since they only filmed simulated sex scenes with Christina. Christina never did any hardcore stuff and the director never shot anything but simulated sex, like in any other, ordinary, theatrical feature film. The distributer then later on added insert shots of hardcore penetration.

So the true version doesn't include the hard core, insert shots, of real penetration.

The eye scene is part of the directors version though! Hardcore sex is NOT!!!

Anybody arguing for the hardcore sex to be left in, intact, as part of the true, original directors version of the movie, is misinformed!


"Don't piss down my back and tell me it's raining"!

reply

Interesting. I'm not well-read on this movie, but your argument certainly sounds plausible because the penetration scenes seem out of place. They're so obviously spliced in, it's distracting.

reply

True, the full penetration scenes are distracting (not to mention some of the most banal and unappealing "porno" shots I've ever seen). My question is do you think that the inserts were shot at the same time as the film (perhaps with stand-ins)? The reason that I ask is that there is no discernible difference in the picture quality on those inserts- it appears to be shot on the same film stock and the color timing matches perfectly, as if it was shot and processed at the same time as the rest of the movie. Also, don't forget that at the time this film was made, Sweden was still the home of a majority of porno film production, as it was still in it's infancy in the US...

Magnificent B'stard

They say you're judged by the strength of your enemies.

reply

I seem to remember hearing (perhaps on the running commentary) that the director (or his staff) did shoot the porno inserts, and that the models (or stand-ins) were from Poland. I think Vibenius or crew picked at least the female off the street in Poland. The dude who performed anal on the female stand-in might have been the actor who was featured in that and earlier scenes (as well as his final appearance when Christina gets her revenge). But the female is most certainly not Lindberg. I don't abhor those scenes nearly as much as most people. Especially seeing it the first time not knowing what to expect I was surprised. I thought, "They did not just show this guy fuh ck her in the ass, pull out and come!" But low and behold, in what seemed to be a grindhouse but albeit mainstream film they crossed that line!

reply

[deleted]

I'm not surprised to hear this. It means that the yellow colored dvd is more true to the directors original idea, and i think the film is much higher quality without those scenes. I guess it is a matter of personal taste.

reply

You're right, The_Last_Outlaw. Something should be cleared up about this film. However, I'll let the director speak for himself.

On "Thriller", during an interview with Bo Vibenius, from Cinema Sewer, Issue #15:

"In the late 60's and early 70's there was a liberalization of porn in Denmark and Sweden, so I thought it was the right time to include hardcore elements in a regular film. But we didn't do it to arouse the audience. The situations where sex occurs are degrading. Very explicit. Though, it will be exciting to see how this plays today. The film has hardly been shown uncut since Cannes in May 1973."

"In Cannes, this American came up to me after the movie and cursed a lot and was very vulgar. Basically what he said was: 'that was a *beep* disgusting movie! When is the next show?' That man turned out to be Sam Arkoff of American International Pictures. They bought rights to the film worldwide. Then the morons not only removed all the sex scenes, but completely re-cut the movie into something very different."

Cinema Sewer: What were you thinking when you included the hardcore porn?

Bo Vibenius: "Well, I hoped that it would be shown the way it was made...there was a couple that worked in live sex shows. I ordered the material and some dude delivered it. I didn't direct those parts myself."

I hope that clears things up a bit, for those of you who were confused.

reply

[deleted]

Thanks a lot for this information.

reply

Yeah, based off what I've heard of the film the director always intended for the hardcore inserts in the film. That being said, since I wouldn't say this was a film intended to have an artistic vision placed upon it (the director himself considered this a throwaway film and an easy way to make a few dollars), so by "True version" it can be skewered in different way. One might mean "True Version" by directors intent (which includes the hardcore scenes) or "True Version" by which they refer to the one made popular in America during the Drive in and Grindhouse theater era. If they are referring to true version as the one that was successful before DVDs released Uncut versions of the film, then the one without the hardcore inserts is the way to go. And I believe it is this reason alone that Synapse distributed both versions- One which was the directors first intentions and the second which is the one that was most popular to American Audiences.

The debate to which is a better film is a separate issue also. Personally I would of like a Synapse DVD that gave both versions in one set. But I guess you can't blame a company who doesn't make tons of dough for trying to milk their catalogue whenever possible. They do make quality DVDs from films that are pretty much neglected, so don't think I'm trying to insult them.

But to the topic at hand: True version referring to the version that is most known would be without Porn scenes. Referring to the filmmakers "intentional vision" of the final product, it goes to the porn scenes. Although One could see how a distributor might be scapegoated. After all, they are ALL soulless, money whores who hate artists (or so modern audiences are convinced to believe whenever possible by cinephiles and pissed off filmmakers- Let's not forget we live in a world where things are either Black or white. You have to dumb things down like that for people to understand).

reply

The porn was intended to be in this film and I believe that it was shot by the director. He made another film after this one called Breaking Point, and it also has porn scenes in it that feature the actors in the film.

reply

[deleted]

Always thought they weren't needed.

reply