MovieChat Forums > Twice Upon a Time (1983) Discussion > John Korty HAD Final Cut

John Korty HAD Final Cut

posted 12 years ago by moviebuffmel90
4 replies | jump to latest

So this is an eventful day. Finally get the Verizon service back up at my house and was treated to seeing this in my YouTube PM:

"It always astounds me that anyone can pretend to have the true version of a history they got from gossip. The facts are that the original version of the film IS the one without profanity. Anyone who was there with me for the years of production at 200 Miller in Mill Valley knows that and will confirm it---including Bill Couturie.

I raised money from investors with the stated purpose of making a film that could be seen by children as well as adults. I had a legal obligation to deliver that. And we did. But while I was away directing another film, Bill panicked about the box office chances and had the actors record the Adult Dialogue, which was spliced in for purely commercial reasons. In B movies they used to shoot nude scenes later and splice them in for the same reason.

HBO did broadcast the version with profanity, but I never made any protest to them. They are a giant corporation. I had no power. I simply went to the vault and found the original version for making VHS and Laser Disc copies to sell. Of course, it should be on DVD, but it is not worth the cost to Warners.

Please take down your totally false "explanation" or there will be legal action.

John Korty"

Thus, being the polite and respectful person I am, removed a few things from the cut I uploaded...on the plus, its good to know Korty is alive...on the downside, I hope nothing bad comes of this.

At least its interesting to know that what theaters got wasn't the version originally intended...so...in a way, that changes the history of things. Life can have strange turns sometimes...

[–] brandon-caplan 11 years ago

The problems with the cut of the movie on tape and Laser Disc are:

-The movie is presented in 4:3 (full screen) instead of its original widescreen aspect ratio.
-Some footage is missing for no discernible reason (instead of just having the clean dialogue, some scenes were trimmed, even though they were present on the censored Showtime and HBO airings).

I hope that Korty would agree to allow the full-length version to be released in widescreen on DVD/BD, even if it's just the one with the clean dialogue. Hopefully, he'd be willing to let both the clean AND the dirty versions be released (either on separate discs in a special edition or through seamless branching). Please, if anyone ever happens to get a chance to speak to George Lucas, Korty, Charles Swenson (the film's co-director), and/or Bill Couturie, pleasepleaseplease remind them that this movie is only available in a truncated, full-screen version, and that there are a number of fans who would love to see a good, well-rounded DVD release.

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Blueghost 10 years ago

The thing that gets me is that there's the nude model in both versions, as well as the blowup doll with the nuns in the elevator. Erm, I'm not too sure that's "children's" fare.

[–] cinemacats 9 years ago

I had the privilege of seeing a very early cut of the film still in production while touring the studio as part of an animation class at the California College of Arts and Crafts. I remember we all loved the movie and we were all watching for it to be released.

It wasn't until I happened to see a listing for a screening at the Castro theater did I see it again. I took my father and couldn't wait for him to see this charming movie. I was absolutely shocked and taken aback when this loud, raucous, profanity-filled movie was screened. There was next to NO profanity in the original cut I saw, so John Korty is completely correct. I didn't think the additions added anything to the film and was really sad to see it had gone in this direction for some bizarre reason. I was completely frustrated at the changes, I can only imagine how he felt about it.

I do hope this movie can someday get the release it deserves in the original version as it was originally intended.