The long or the short version?
If you`ve seen them both,which version do you prefer?
shareThe long version was by far the more satisfying and thrilling experience. Admittedly this may partly be to do with the fact that I saw the long version at the cinema, and the short version on a very bad DVD-R. The short version (Out 1: Spectre) is an interesting work in its own right, with its own rhythm and mood, but it's amazing how truncated and insubstantial this version seems (even at 4 and a half hours!) in comparison with the monolith that is the long version. As others have said, the main themes that emerge in Spectre concern the idea of the quest and of impossible-to-resolve mysteries. Out 1 (the long version) is so much more than that in terms of its political and self-reflexive dimensions. Perhaps the most crucial omission in Spectre is the extraordinary theatrical rehearsals that occupy so much of the length of Out 1, and comprise some of the most powerful scenes...these rehearsals engage all kinds of ideas about performance versus 'real life' (which can be related to the film's own documentary approach), group activities, regression, etc, etc. The ending of the long version is also vastly different and for me far more interesting.
Perhaps had I seen the short version first (as many have done, given that originally it was only Spectre that got any kind of release), I would have loved it. As it is, it seems a pale shadow of its monolithic parent film.
I agree completely,having seen both versions within a month albeit on rather mediocre copies.The short version certainly condenses everything down nicely and is a good resume if you can`t find the original or can`t face the length,but part of the fascination of the complete version is the way the plot keeps expanding,the characters disappearing and then reappearing.For the first hour or so I found it slow moving and then you gradually find yourself adjusting to the rhythm and pace;if I remember correctly,I think it was a favourite film of Stockhausen and there is something very musical about the developing structure. A masterpiece certainly and it could have gone on for even longer perhaps. At least with the retrospectives awarded to Rivette in the last year,more people are seeing it and talking about it.
Where did you get a DVD-R of "Out 1: Spectre"? I'm dying to get this in my collection in any way. I saw the full version at AMMI in March. Hopefully the full thing will come out one day, but I'm fascinated to see the differences that Spectre creates...plus I'd love to see any bit of the film again. Any clues or leads on how to get a copy?
In heaven, everything is fine.
A few copies appeared last year on eBay.The quality was poor but it was an opportunity to compare and contrast with the long version,rather like "La belle noiseuse" where there was also a long and a shorter version.
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