MovieChat Forums > The Eagle Has Landed (1976) Discussion > Alternative beginning

Alternative beginning

posted 18 years ago by TeamFilm
8 replies | jump to latest

Hi,

Could anyone please help me.

Many years ago (pre DVD) i watched the film (The Eagle Has Landed) and it had a different beginning.

In this beginning a man (a writer, maybe Jack Higgins) visits the church where all the fighting occurred. Now in this scene it is meant to be the present day (or the late seventies at least) and this writer visits this church for research and notices some filled in bullet holes on the church wall. He asks the minister what it is from and the minister states that he knows nothing.

The writer then goes outside and pokes around eventually finding a headstone in the bushes that refers to the bodies of several 'brave German paratroopers'.

The minister then goes on to explain the story and we go back in time to the beginning of the movie where we know it starts.

Soooooo,

Does anyone have any idea where one can get this previous version from? Who released it and why it is no longer included on any versions?

Very much looking forward to hearing from anyone who can help me out here.

Thanks,

[–] dgtosh 18 years ago

I went to the village of Mapledurham where it was filmed and had an interesting chat with a man who was around for the filming and he told me that the first part of the film was shelved as it was overexposed, thus never shown. I am surprised you have seen it, unless you are confusing it with the start of the book

[–] TeamFilm 18 years ago

Hi,

Thanks for your feedback. No i quite definately saw the beginning of the film as discussed.

It would be hard to believe that the first part of the film was overexposed in its entirety as given its (the scene) length it would have shot over 2-3 days. Each day the film would be processed and a neg report issued. One day i could believe, but several over exposed makesw no sense.

However, it does go someway to providing an explanation as to where the true beginning of the film has gone. Perhaps parts of it were overexposed?

None the less, i did see it on VHS, so it must have been as part of the film at some time.

Would love to know how to track it down and await further input...

[–] axecrox 17 years ago

OMG!!! YES you are so right. Ive seen that scene too im cetain of it. It must have been from one of my earliest memories of seeing this film. Maybe the very first time i saw it as a kid. WIERD. thanks for jogging my memory. I also thought i was going mad when i saw the DVD and it didnt have some good music playing thruogh the end battle but then i thought i must have imagined that too until on here i read that that scene was cut too.

Its so f-ing annoying when they cut films for no apparent reason, overexposed or not a DVD should show all the recorded material available on a bonus disc or something IMO.

Whats also wierd is that i now work in the Mapledurham Estate and as i write this on a sunday morning i am listening to them ring the church bells!!!!!!

Next time i go in there ill have a closer look around and ask if anyone knows about this scene. I know the holes wont be there coz they were obviously fake but its a nice church to look around anyway.

[–] paul-2397 17 years ago

Awesome story. Great stuff. I agree I HATE when they cut the films down it is dumb. I would have loved to see that beginning!!!! Hello from the USA

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] The_Khazi 17 years ago

Yes the beginning of "Went The Day Well"(1942) does start off in a churchyard with an old boy showing us some German graves.I must admit I`ve seen "Eagle Has Landed" on UK tv,video and now both uk dvd`s including the Carlton 2 disc version( which now includes all the omitted scenes)and I`ve never seen this particular beginning in TEHL.The Carlton 2 disc(beware the old rubbish 1 disc is still being sold in some places)has the original theatrical cut and a special extended tv version.

[–] Jonathan Dore 10 years ago

Yes, the OP is confusing this with a different film on a similar subject, "Went the Day Well?" directed by Alberto Cavalcanti. A super film, with a much more gritty and violent take on the desperate scrapping that would have gone on between civilians and invading soldiers. I recommend it.

[–] liberius 9 years ago

Yes, probably confused with WTDW.

That said, if Eagle had had such a beginning you can see why it might have been edited for subsequent releases. It's the type of scene that adds nothing of any importance unless it bookends an important plot point at the end.

Good Trailers from Hell review of WTDW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILq94STDqwM