Ok, I do know that a 141 minute Taiwanese version exists. But, I've heard conflicting things over which is the preferred version. I read somewhere that the final shorter cut is actually his preferred cut, shortened for pacing. I have also read that the 141 min. version is actually the version he wanted people to see, but he was forced to cut it down. So which is his true preferred cut?
shareOK, I'll try to explain this quickly...
Woo wanted to show the similarities between killer and cop by having them fall in love with the same girl. In the end, there was supposed to be a scene in which the cop flies off to Canada with the singer (or where ever she was going to have her eyes fixed). However, Woo was unable to shoot this ending, because actress Sally Yeh prefered to spend some time in Switzerland with her boyfriend instead of finishing the movie. So Woo was forced to change the ending. He made some additional cuts to scenes between the cop and the singer, who in the Taiwanese version have a similar relationship as the singer and the killer, which were, due to the changed ending) somewhat needless. So it wasn't just shortened for pacing.
The shorter version IS his prefered version. I guess the longer version would have been the version he would like people to see, if it hadn't been for the ending he was unable to film. (I've heard that Woo still is plenty pissed at Sally Yeh for ruining his original vision.)
Well, theres defintely more to it than I expected! Thanks for the explanation
shareHello four years ago,
What it should actually mean is that Woo had a longer cut in Taiwan. This version he cut himself after initial release and he likes this version more.
Sally Yeh has nothing to do with it. His filming time was cut shorter as she and Chow Yun Fat had a very tight schedule. Woo wanted to film an ending with Li taking Jennie to North America to get her eyes fixed. This never happens and was not filmed as there was no time to shoot it.
Anyone know where you can find this longer cut?
shareWow, I don't think I would have liked such an ending and such a storyline. To me the movie works best when Jenny only loves Ah Jong and Shrimp Head only wants to protect them both without any extra feelings involved. That way it's a simple allegory of brotherhood and justice. And I love the sudden ending, because it leaves so much out in the open. What happened to Shrimp Head? Was he able to talk his way to innocence? Was he able to give the money to Jenny? Cutting from the shoot out to Ah Jong playing the harmonica was perfect, so this is one of the few times I'm glad the director was forced to make cuts. I was wondering why the blu-ray version was the shortest one out there. Now I know why, and I'm glad I have that version.
shareHmm, I didn't know there was an alternate version, the film itself is already great, so I'm not sure what's in the alternate cut
shareI recall seeing a longer version on VHS a while back. Specifically, it had an ending I haven't seen anywhere else. Jong has a different death scene where he's shot square in the chest by Wong Hoi with an assault shotgun and bleeds out to death.
share