MovieChat Forums > Zorro Discussion > Need the complete version...

Need the complete version...

posted 19 years ago by wildgoose419
15 replies | jump to latest

I have been very disappointed with all the recent issues of DVD of this movie. In fact, I am quite outraged at the merciless and idiotic cuts that trimmed this 2hr+ movie to a mere 90 minutes or less. Among the cut scenes were
- The introduction of Diego(Alain Delon's character) in the hotel where he met the soon to be assassinated governor.
- Diego's dinner conversation with Miguel's family and with Miguel's son the morning after Miguel's assassination.
- Diego and Joaquín surveying the streets and their run-in with Zico the little kid, and the subsequent scenes of Zico telling Diego about the legend of Zorro.
- Cut or much shortened scenes with Brother Francisco.
- Cut or much shortened scenes of troops rounding up laborers.
- Robbery scenes in the forest with von Merkel fighting Hueta's men, and Diego and Joaquín secretly lending a hand.
- etc, etc, etc...

The list goes on, and I've lost count. All this has significantly altered the storyline and changed the otherwise very entertaining movie into an incoherent and difficult to understand pile of sword-crossing that many reviewers seem to detest. I don't blame those reviewers for giving strong statements of not liking this, because there is nothing likable about the 87-minute version. To me this butchering of the movie is downright unethical(and all the other negative adjectives).

That said, I hope someone would release the complete(that is unmolested) version of this movie with fully restored picture clarity. It's overdue. If someone knows of such a version of DVD out there somewhere, by all means post a message here.

[–] boocoo217-1 18 years ago

I agree completely! I don't understand all the unnecesary cuts either. The main one I don't understand is when Don Diego meets the little kid who explains the legend of Zorro and how they need Zorro back to right the wrongs done there. It explains why Don Diego picks up the mask and outfit to do things under this guise and help the unfortunate. Otherwise one doesn't know why he just starts dressing differently.

[–] auntychris 18 years ago

I totally agree with you too!! I just bought a DVD of this and got the "texas chainsaw massacre" version. I will keep buying versions until I get the closest one to complete I can. I do still have the version I taped from TV in the 90's that I can still watch - it includes the wonderful "trumpet trials" escape alert. HA!

[–] the80ees 18 years ago

That explains why the plot takes seemingly puzzling directions at times. The editing is absolutely terrible and unwarranted!

[–] Dorta-1 18 years ago

Hello, I am Dan Orta, Chief Engineer of WACH TV in Columbia, SC. It is truly impossible to find the 124 minute uncut version of this movie in English here in the US. We have professional editing equipment here so it would be feasible to use the complete VHS version you have and make our own DVD. Of course the quality is still only going to be VHS, but it's better than that crap they're offering. Email me at [email protected] if you're interested in this.
Thanks,
Dan Orta
Chief Engineer
WACH TV57

[–] takethat-1 18 years ago

A complete version is available now in France:

http://www.dvdfr.com/dvd/f23215_zorro.html

It runs 118 minutes, with French/English audio, and French/English/Dutch subtitles. The overall quality is quite good, much better than all the US versions that I've seen.

I ordered the DVD from www.homecinedvd.com and I'm so glad when I got it!

[–] Dbusdriver71 18 years ago

wildgoose419, the complete version is now available on amazon.fr. I ordered it on the 1st of may and just received it today (12th) The dvd is excellent quality! All of the scenes you metioned that were cut out are all there! there is only one possible catch; it is region 2. Hopefully it will be released in america soon.

[–] kducklin2 18 years ago

Oddly enough, I recently obtained an absolutely beautiful uncut Italian promo DVD of this film on ebay. Sadly, there is no English soundtrack; however, comparing it with the French version there are still a few cuts, admittedly minor ones. For instance, at the beginning of the French version, when we arrive at the port, we see the establishment's sign, then there is a jump cut to Delon's entrance. In the Italian version we carry on into the foyer and spend several seconds taking in the varied array of people going about their business before Delon appears. This film reminds me of 'Ulzana's Raid' - no matter which version you buy, they're all different.

[–] Dorta-1 18 years ago

I am amazed that this movie has been cut as it has. I didn't know it would be almost impossible to obtain the complete (124 min) version in English. I first saw it back in 1976 or so, when it was broadcast on network television. I have to admit that I thought I was the only one who had an interest in this movie..(kind of silly isn't it? I am 61 years old and worrying about a Zorro picture; back to my second childhood I guess.!)

[–] runemesa (180) 4 years ago

Any idea how to get the Amazon France site to translate to English? I can't figure it out.

[–] saga_heart 15 years ago

Hello wildgoose, I hope you still drop by, since it has been 4 years since your post. I toosaw this movie back in the 70s; however, I did not remember it well enough. Then in the early 2000s I found it on DVD and bought it. I liked the movie and only had fond memories of it. The only and most obvious scene that I saw cut was when the bad buy falls from the tower.

Even so, I still had questions, such as why does the song say "Zorro's Back" when Zorro first appeared. There were other aspects of the film which I could not identify. The only sensation I got was that I seemed to remember that I enjoyed it more when I saw it in the 70s. Your post and other posts on this and other web sites explain this perfectly. Now I am too, in search of that complete version. It is now 2009 and I have found nothing.

Although I dislike downloading movies I will see if this is available for download somewhere. It seems that nowadays many good movies get watered down. Regards.

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] cinedream 14 years ago

I've got the french fullscreen version english and french dub and the italian version(italian only). The italian version is the longest about 2hr 10 minutes the french version is about 2hours. The actual longest version i've ever seen is one shown on tbs about 10 years ago.. that i recorded on vhs and since lost..it was 2hrs 30 minutes without commercials and in English and the print was beautifully restored..it was absolutely pristine..all the other versions look like crap except for the italian dvd.

[–] yafi-pl 12 years ago

Found that post on the net:

"Finally, the widescreen anamorphic full-length, uncut French version, with an English friendly option and the original score is being released by Somerville House:

http://www.amazon.com/Zorro-Blu-ray-Stanley-Baker/dp/B008VR7U0M/ref=pd_cp_mov_1

It's about twenty minutes longer than the re-scored cut-down American version which proliferates in cloudy public domain editions."

[–] JackOfCups 11 years ago

If anyone is still interested, the DVD released by Somerville House was made available from Amazon in November. It is shown in widescreen, and the picture quality is pretty good.

The DVD case says it is the "Original Unedited Version." It is 118 minutes long. It may be that only 118 minutes were dubbed in English.

All the scenes the OP listed were restored to this version, as well as some others--including the full ending of the swordfight between Zorro and Huerta.

[–] lunatictyme 11 years ago

Sommerville House's release of the film is very good, but is still incomplete. The 2006 release of the film on the MGM label in France (but containing an English audio track) contains sequences missing from the Sommerville print. But Sommerville also has stuff that the MGM print is missing, so fans are still in search of a truly complete English language version of this film.