MovieChat Forums > The Chocolate War (1988) Discussion > DVD finally on the way!/Comment on endin...

DVD finally on the way!/Comment on ending


Hi all. Just to let you know, I'm currently working on a DVD release of the film. Don't know the specific date yet, but Sony/MGM is aiming at the spring.

By the way, I try to address the frustration some people have with the ending on the commentary and an interview. I've always been confused when people see it as a 'happy' ending. That certainly was NOT my intention.



SPOILER ALERT!!!!





Yes, it's different from the book, but, when you have your main character realize that his actions turn out only to serve the very system he's fighting, it's far from happy. (Jerry's last line: 'I should have just sold the chocolates. I played their game anyway')

In fact, to me the film was in part a response to 'Karate Kid' type films where the hero 'won' by beating up the bad guy. My idea was that here, in beating up Archie, Jerry is doing exactly what the system wants him to, and by pitting the two most challenging minds in the school against each other, the system effeciently protects itself. Obie as head of the Vigils wil be petty and stupid and cruel, and no threat at all to rock the boat.

I sometimes feel people have a knee-jerk reaction to seeing that the ending is different, and assume I was trying to create a Hollywood ending. But I think, if you look closely, you'll see that, while different (and perhaps not satisfying to some), it certainly isn't 'happy'.

My feeling was, if I stayed with the book's ending, without the literary ability to be inside characters' heads, it would have felt not just dark, but purely nihilistic. 'Life sucks and then you die'. I wrote a draft that way, but it felt empty and overly-simplistic. It works great in the book, but I'm not convinced it would have made for a good film.

Thanks,

Keith Gordon

reply

movie ending,
it was amusing and i like how it wasnt rushed

book ending,
it shows that sometimes the underdog doesnt always win

not trying to be a purist, but i prefer the book ending
it just shows how powerful the Vigils were.

-
you may praise a tail
you may touch my striped back
do you anger me?i fierce
i scratch you!

reply

I enjoyed the books ending better maybe you could make the book ending into an second ending to your movie when you release the dvd.

reply

And the saga continues! The rights for the DVD have now been transfered to Fox from Sony. They promise me they'll get it out 'soon', and let me know as soon as they lock in a date. They seem to mean it. I hope.... (oy)

reply

Great to hear an update. I'm eagerly waiting the release of the DVD!!

reply

Any current news on the DVD release? Would it be safe to wager that it will be on the shelves for Christmas? :)

reply

I'm glad FOX is releasing the dvd. They will handle it much better than SONY.

reply

Wow! That is GREAT news! I've been wanting this movie on DVD forever. I still have my VHS screener copy that was sent out as a promotional tool, back in the late 80's/early 90's, when I was working at a video store. I just watched it the other day and loved the fact that John Glover (AKA Brother Leon) does a kind of behind-the-scenes/self-promotional piece (giving some background to the book the movie is based on, etc.) at the beginning. It's practically a featurette and I think would be a GREAT 'extra' on the DVD release, if that's possible. I've always loved the movie, it's gray/hopeless look and, of course, the soundtrack. Yaz's 'Upstairs at Eric's' has been one of my all-time favorite albums ever since.

In addition, I just saw you on the Encore special "Hitchcocked!" and thought you were great. Though I think you've got great vision as a director, to me, you'll always be the smart-alleck kid on the catamaran in Jaws 2, the vigilante who sprays homemade mace in Michael Caine's face on the subway in Dressed to Kill, the car-(p)obsessed underdog in Christine and of course, one of my all-time favorites, Billie Jean's movie-crazed "hostage" in The Legend of Billie Jean.

Thanks for all the timeless memories and for seeing that The Chocolate War finally makes it to DVD! :)

-Kirk

reply

I've been a huge fan of the Chocolate War ever since I first saw it in the late 80's. I have the vhs and watch it at least twice a month. You can imagine the wear and tear on the tape. I've been waiting forever for the dvd. It's now September 22, 2006, any ideas on a firm release date? Everyone sounds so confident its coming , yet nowhere in sight!

reply

[deleted]

So, here we are almost a year after finishing the DVD, and I'm STILL waiting for a locked in release date. ARRGGHH!! Now they're saying Spring, probably April.

Sheesh, DVD's will have gone the way of VHS by the time we get this out.

Sorry for all the wrong information. As soon as I get something solid I can trust, I'll report in.

Keith Gordon

reply

Thanks a million for the update, Keith! I'll try to be patient...

reply

Keith- It's a pleasure to see you on these boards. I'm a huge fan of Robert Cormier's books, in fact I only discovered them as an adult (and that is thanks to seeing a scene from The Chocolate War by chance one night on TV)

I just wanted to tell you that I absolutely love your adaptation of the book (which is quite rare, because I'm usually a stickler for detail when it comes to film adaptations of books I love)

And as for the ending: I think you made a wise decision (I agree with what you said above)


Have you ever read Robert Cormier's book 'Tenderness'? Now THAT is just one book that is screaming to be made into a film.

reply

Thanks, everyone, for the kind comments.

I believe 'Tenderness' is being made right now, with Russell Crowe. Looking forward to seeing it.

Keith

reply

i can't wait to see this film!
i really fell in love with "Waking the dead" (one of my favorite films,period) and "A midnight clear" was a beautiful film too.

reply

Keith,
Love both Chocolate War and Midnight Clear. I actually wondered about a few things. How did you choose the music for the film? I'm a big fan of Yaz and Moyet's icy yet soulful vocals. Also wondered if you ever saw the Adventures of Sebastian Cole? Another one of my favorite high school related films. Also, any advice for fans of films that are still not out on DVD? I'd love to see the Reflecting Skin, A Shock to the System and Bad Ronald released on DVD some day. Do we have any voice in what gets released at all? I actually wrote Criterion a few years ago to see if they'd consider trying to release your film.

Brent Fisk

reply

Hi Brent.

The music was all music I loved and was listening to while I was writing the script. So I actually wrote a number of those cues right into the script ('In My Room', 'We Do What We're Told').

In retrospect that could have been a bad idea, since it can be expensive to get specific tracks (or simply impossible if the artist or their managers aren't interested), but I lucked out and it worked out OK.

I knew I didn't want to do a score, but to use existing music. I didn't trust that I could get a decent score that would be what I wanted for the tiny budget we had. Also, my memory of being a teenager was listening to songs that sort of became the 'soundtrack' of my life.

I never saw 'Sebastian Cole', but I remember hearing good things about it. Maybe this will get me to actually go out and rent it.

In terms of getting DVD's out there, I don't think sending emails or letters can hurt. (BTW, I really like all 3 films you sighted). If companies know someone wants to see it, it might goose them into action. You could write to the 'parent' company that first made the film (assuming that company is still around). As my grandma would say 'it couldn't hurt'.

But as I've found with this and 'A Midnight Clear', it's often issues of rights and copywrite and confusion about who even technically owns the film that keeps older films off DVD.

Happy New Year,


Keith

reply

Oh wow- thanks for letting me know. The director, John Polson, is Australian (he's also an actor).

Will definitely be keeping my eye out for it.

reply

Hi Keith

I'm still waiting for the Chocolate War (one of my favourite movies ever!) to be released on DVD. Any idea when?

Best wishes for 2007.

Regards,

Barry

reply

Hi barryyau,

Well I just talked to Fox this week. They're saying April. God knows it's sounded set before, but I'm supposed to be getting packaging materials, etc. to look at next week. Always a good sign...

I'll report back when it gets more solid.

Keith

reply

Keith,
Keep us posted as the release date is firmed or pushed back. Also thought I'd tell you that Shock to the System has been released on DVD and it's budget priced-- well worth picking up.

Brent Fisk

reply