Conference bookie::movies

As far as I know it's only available on laserdisc. It's the first THX produced
software and shows it. The video and audio are terrific. It's the director's
cut with about half an hour of additional footage that substantially improves
the film. An entire plot element that was eliminated from the original release
(in order to get the running time down to around two hours) is restored which
makes the ending (which was the only weak part of the film) much more palatable.
Other additional footage adds to the enjoyment of the film too. There's also
a one hour "making of" documentary that's interesting and well done.


Randy

    I is great it can only truely be enjoyed on a great system 
    ie large screen tv,surround sound and a sub-woofer. The lasor
    disk made me so mad. This movie could have be as great as Dances with
    Wolves with the extra half an hour. I would lonve to see the whole
    movie at a movie theater.
                     Jeff Peters

    They have this on VHS video over here ( england) , they also do a two
    video set with the making of . on it 
    
    
    
    ED......

re .2

What?

re .3

The VHS release you're referring to isn't the special edition, it's the
theatrical release.


Randy

    
    I saw the movie in Hawaii the first day it came out, liked it but
    something was missing. From what I gather, the restored .5 hour fixes
    the movie. 
    
    I always wondered what happened to the giant tidal wave scene that was
    shown on tv ads prior to release. It got cut. 
    
    Don't have a laser unit, wish they would put the missing .5 hour back
    on a tape version.
    
    Dave
     

    I have a rather dumb question - Is it possible to copy from a laser disk 
    to a VHS recorder?  I know the image would not be as sharp, but it would
    still be satisfactory for my tastes.  If anyone who has a disk version
    of "The Abyss" and is willing to try it, I would pay for all expenses.
    I loved the theatrical release but if this extended version is even
    better, I'd really like to see it.  Also the extended version of
    "Aliens."
    
    Dave

    It is illeagal and in bad taste to ask a member of a computer company
    to break copywrite.
                     Jeff Peters

    (Re .7: Actually, it's "copyright," as in "right to copy," but yes, it
    is against corporate policy to solicit illegal activities.)
    
    Re .6: In this case, I'd suggest that you either offer to buy the pizza
    if somebody cares to invite you over to watch their laserdisc of
    "Abyss" with them, or perhaps look into renting a laserdisc player [I
    assume they're available, but haven't checked into it myself] and
    renting the appropriate disc yourself. [This latter might be dangerous,
    as, if you really like the quality and/or content of the laserdisc,
    you'll probably have to buy your own; that's one of the reasons I
    haven't tried this. Ye Olde Budget just isn't ready for any more new
    media. ;-)]
    
    -b

    
    I too saw a Widescreen with 28 minutes of restored footage VHS Video
    cassette in my local shop so it is available in that format in the UK
    
    perhaps its because Laserdisks are not that common over here.
    
    Oliver

    Does anyone know if whoever is responsible have any plans on releasing
    a VHS video tape version? I know I'd scramble to get one, and
    apparently there are a lot of people here who would agree......
    It's not like there's a shortage of interest....
    
    MBH
    

    The lengthened "director's cut" version has had a couple of theatrical
    showings here in the Bay Area recently.  I just missed it again over
    Labor Day weekend.
    
    - Dave

    Hello,  I just watched the "original" version I have on VHS tape for the
    20th time  and
    I still think this movie is UNREAL....the acting was excellent
    WHAT AM I MISSING???? in the restored version of this....
    Someone  do a spoiler  and spill the beans   quick!!!..... 
    
    M*!

    Spoiler Extended version
    
    There are little shots through out the movie but the big difference is 
    the out side world shots and the ending. In the extended version a
    Russian spy satellite is destroyed at the same time as the US sub is
    destroyed. The tentions arround the world are raised to a very
    dangerous level. The world is a the brink of world war when the end of
    the movie comes.
      The ending is greatly expanded from the movie release. Bud goes down
    and disarms the bomb. The he is picked up by the alien and they have 
    extened shots of the city. The discussion starts with him asking
    questions and the aliens answering with movie or tv clips they discuss
    How war like people are and how they want to live in peace but they
    will do what ever it takes not to have the planet destroyed. The they
    show live news casts of a tital wave that is several hundred feet tall 
    and miles long is rolls to the coast of florida and just gets ready to
    crest then stops in mid air. It hangs there for a few minutes then slow
    subsides. Then they have the sceen with the city coming up and taking
    everyone up with them. They extended that to discuss how they had been
    changed to not explode from the change in pressure and how they are not
    along on the world.
       The extended version is a great movie cut to be a good movie. It is 
    explain all the hanging or unrelated dialog in the movie version and fix 
    the ending by far the weekest part of the movie.
                           Jeff Peters  

    JEFF,    REPLY TO   318.13
    
    THANK YOU for the SPOILER,   now I would really love to see the
    WHOLE thing on VHS..rats!
    I still think  even the cut down version was  superb
    I remember coming home on a friday nite   really exhausted from the
    whole week     I looked at the  rental sitting in my living room
    that said  The Abyss   and thought to myself   ah well it will
    probably be  just ok to watch....and then made some coffee and sat
    down to relax for 2 hours.........
    
    WELL....I was so floored by this movie    and I had read only lousy
    reviews on it prior to viewing....I just got a big surprize...and
    I thought Ed Harris  and the rest of them  were  awesome
    
    I hope I'll get to see the longer version  sometime soon. 
    
    Thanks again 
    

    
     One heck of a surround sound movie. They really to care in perfecting
    the sound effects. Nearly blew my surround sound speakers off their
    mounts.
    
     It's suprising, but quite a lot of people have not seen nor heard of
    this film.
                    
    Dave
    

re-entered as spoiler by moderator request...




Does Michael Beihn's character still die in this version ?

    
    
The expanded version does change anything it just enhances everything.
                      Jeff Peters



>                                -< No changes >-

oh piffle...




:-)

    
    
    If it is still unobtainable on VHS in the States then maybe one could
    get a contact to buy 1 4 U here (they're everywhere) & send it over and
    u could convert it to NTSC.  Because u bought and paid 4 a copy then
    perhaps the copywrite problem could be avoided.  (rather like buying a
    CD and taping it on to cassete for your own use)
    
    Just a thought...
    
    
     

    RE .13
    
    > Russian spy satellite destroyed at same time as US sub.
    
    I have the Abyss - special edition and agree that it helps a great deal
    with the story line. However, on my video there seem to be no reference
    to any russian spy sattelite that i can remember. Will view again to
    check this
    
    Does anybody know of any other specail edition , directors cut movies
    that are available. 
    
    I already have Aliens and Lawnmower man
    
               thanks daks @lzo (Leeds, England)

    Who directed and produced this.

    James Cameron was the Director, I think the Producer was Gale-Anne
    Hurd.
    
    Clive

    Cheers,  I thought it was.  That has settled an arguement - someone 
    was trying to convince me the other day that it was that guy from 
    Starsky and Hutch (Paul Michael Glazer ???).
                                             

    Hello. I found all these informations in Internet :
    
    Abyss, The (1989)
    USA 1989
    Produced by: 20th Century Fox
    Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo SR .
    Genre(s): Sci-Fi Action Thriller Adventure scuba-diving sea
    Filming location(s): Gaffney, North Carolina, USA
    Certificate(s): UK:15 USA:PG-13
    Color .
    Running time: 140 UK:164 (VV) (Special Edition)
    
    Directed by
       James Cameron
    Cinematography by
       Mikael Salomon (AAN) (ASCN)
       Dennis Skotak
    Music by
       Alan Silvestri
    Written by
       James Cameron
    Production designed by
       Leslie Dilley (AAN)
    Costume design by
       Deborah Everton
    Edited by
       Joel Goodman
    Produced by
       Gale Anne Hurd
    Also
       Hoyt Yeatman (special effects)
    
    Cast in credits order. Believed to be complete
       Ed Harris ......Bud Brigman
       Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio ......Lindsay Brigman
       Michael Biehn ......Lt. Hiram Coffey
       Leo Burmester ......Catfish De Vries
       Todd Graff ......Alan "Hippy" Carnes
       John Bedford Lloyd ......Jammer Willis
       J.C. Quinn ......Sonny Dawson
       Kimberly Scott ......Lisa "One Night" Standing
       George Robert Klek ......Wilhite
       Christopher Murphy ......Schoenick
       Adam Nelson ......Ensign Monk
       Richard Warlock ......Dwight Perry
       Jimmie Ray Weeks ......Leland McBride
       J. Kenneth Campbell ......DeMarco
       Ken Jenkins ......Gerard Kirkhill
       Chris Elliott ......Bendix
       Peter Ratray ......Captain
       Michael Beach ......Barnes
       Brad Sullivan ......Executive
       Phillip Darlington ......Crew Member
       Joseph Nemec III ......Crew Member
       Joe Farago ......Anchorman
       William Wisher ......Bill Tyler
       remainder of cast listed in alphabetical order
       Captain Kidd Brewer Jr. ......Lou Finler
       Frank (II) Lloyd ......Navigator
    
    I hope you will find what you wanted to.
    
    Cheers.
    Flo

    
    On May 4th the Sci Fi channel will be showing the directors cut 
    of this movie. Letterboxed. Run 4 hours. Includes those scenes
    cut from the theatrical version ie: tidalwave etc.
    
    should be nice to see.
    
    Dave