PHASE IV (1974) w/ original ending

[The Griff]

Hey hey.

Some of you might know that 101 put out a Region B blu ray of PHASE IV in the UK recently that included director Saul Bass' original extending ending (that was finally rediscovered about 10 years ago) as an extra. Unfortunately there is no option to watch it as part of the main feature so... I did what had to be done.

I essentially ditched the last reel of the movie and cut in exactly where the extended clip starts. While the majority of the extra stuff takes place in the final montage, there were enough extra little bits and pieces to make it worth swapping out the entire reel.

Videos were trimmed and merged with TMPGEnc smart encoder (so no re-encoding), the English SDH subs were converted to SRT and similarly merged, the original chapter points preserved (because there were only like 5 or 6 anyway), the audio commentary was jettisoned (for obvious reasons) and the whole lot was spat out as a BDMV folder using TSMuxer.

Oh yeah, and I kept the vintage closing Paramount logo from the theatrical ending.

Sorry folks, no fancy menus.

Even though the movie now runs longer, the file size is slightly smaller due to the extra compression they laid on the extended ending. The only way around that would be to get the French disc with the more generous bitrate on the original ending but that has Dolby Digital audio instead of LPCM and, well... life's too short.

Anyway, if anyone is keen to field test it for me, hit me up with a PM. I've got an MKV in the making but I thought I'd get this uploading before I turned in for the night. I'm on CDT (Cool Dude Time) so hopefully I'll get back to anyone who might be interested in about 8 hours. EDIT: The BDMV is now available.

Cheers!

[spoRv]

Even though the movie now runs longer, the file size is slightly smaller due to the extra compression they laid on the extended ending. The only way around that would be to get the French disc with the more generous bitrate on the original ending but that has Dolby Digital audio instead of LPCM...

Well, you could always use the French disc to get better video, and mux the PCM audio!

[The Griff]

Well, you could always use the French disc to get better video, and mux the PCM audio!

Ha. Yes. I did consider that. But besides the higher stats, there's been no confirmation that the French disc actually has a noticeably better encode. Also, apparently the theatrical version of P4 is available on iTunes in 4K, presenting another possibility for overall improvement. But, like I said, sometimes life is too short!

While I'm here, I may as well share a link to a short article from 2012 talking about the discovery and screening of the original ending. It was a very big deal to fans of the film at the time and we've waited years for it to finally be made available, only to have to make the compromise of watching it out of context with the film.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-v...unt-341449

[Bigrob]

from what i recall, 101 films were intending to branch the original ending into the main feature but was told by Paramount that they wasn't allowed.

[The Griff]

from what i recall, 101 films were intending to branch the original ending into the main feature but was told by Paramount that they wasn't allowed.

Yeah, I heard similar rumours. Don't know what the source was or whether it was 101 Films, themselves.

Dunno why Paramount would block it since they don't have much interest in the movie. Perhaps it's sheer laziness and a lack of desire to iron out any legal issues that may arise from certifying an alternate version of the movie with any other associated rights holders?

[bsucka]

I've been wanting the original version for years!
Can I have the link please?

[tim_p]

from what i recall, 101 films were intending to branch the original ending into the main feature but was told by Paramount that they wasn't allowed.

Yeah, I heard similar rumours. Don't know what the source was or whether it was 101 Films, themselves.

Dunno why Paramount would block it since they don't have much interest in the movie. Perhaps it's sheer laziness and a lack of desire to iron out any legal issues that may arise from certifying an alternate version of the movie with any other associated rights holders?

There was a poster on the movies section of blu-ray.com who was involved in the festival screening of Phase IV where the rediscovered original ending was premiered. He contacted Paramount who supplied the film and the original reel for the festival and was told in no uncertain terms that that was the best he was going to get - they simply wouldn't allow a new master to be struck including the original ending, which is why all the releases that include it only have it as an extra. Why? He didn't say...

[metalsonata]

Hi there--new to this forum, so my apologies if I'm breaking local decorum, but is this edit of Phase IV still available, and if so, where from? I lack the technical know-how to achieve something similar myself with my copy of the film, and it being a fast favorite of mine, I'd love to have a seamless definitive version that doesn't require me to faff around in blu-ray menus at just the right moment in the movie to get the proper experience. Thanks, and cheers--

[metalsonata]

Thanks to The Griff's generosity I've been able to see their edit of the film; and while I applaud their efforts, it does reinforce how big of a shame it is that Paramount is making viewing the film in this extended cut so difficult. It's just so evidently a more complete film with the original final reel restored, and seeing the prelude-to-phase-IV-montage fully integrated into its appropriate context, rather than as a blu-ray extra, is really special. This is clearly the way to watch Phase IV--not just for fans, but for any first-timers, as well. It's a shame that this is not how most people will be able to come to the film (doubly so that many people might still be coming to it via MST3K's dreadfully unfunny take on it).

As for this edit of the film itself, I did notice a few visual hiccups, which I've made note of (and double-checked to make sure that they seem inherent to the file):

1. At around 20:43-20:44, as Lesko is on the phone, there is a brief digital glitch that extends horizontally across the screen.
2. At around 55:28, during the close-up of the thermostat showing the temperature dropping after several of the solar siege towers have collapsed, there is a similar digital glitch.
3. At about 65:57 the aspect ratio appears to briefly fluctuate. (Possibly something to do with the insertion of the original reel?)

As I know essentially nothing about any of the processes involved in making this edit available, I don't know if any of the above can be addressed. Regardless, thank you very much for your efforts in putting this together--insofar as I'm concerned this is the definitive version of the film, and is the only version of it I'll be returning to. Cheers--

[SpookyDollhouse]

Thanks to The Griff's generosity I've been able to see their edit of the film; and while I applaud their efforts, it does reinforce how big of a shame it is that Paramount is making viewing the film in this extended cut so difficult. It's just so evidently a more complete film with the original final reel restored, and seeing the prelude-to-phase-IV-montage fully integrated into its appropriate context, rather than as a blu-ray extra, is really special. This is clearly the way to watch Phase IV--not just for fans, but for any first-timers, as well. It's a shame that this is not how most people will be able to come to the film (doubly so that many people might still be coming to it via MST3K's dreadfully unfunny take on it).

As for this edit of the film itself, I did notice a few visual hiccups, which I've made note of (and double-checked to make sure that they seem inherent to the file):

1. At around 20:43-20:44, as Lesko is on the phone, there is a brief digital glitch that extends horizontally across the screen.
2. At around 55:28, during the close-up of the thermostat showing the temperature dropping after several of the solar siege towers have collapsed, there is a similar digital glitch.
3. At about 65:57 the aspect ratio appears to briefly fluctuate. (Possibly something to do with the insertion of the original reel?)

As I know essentially nothing about any of the processes involved in making this edit available, I don't know if any of the above can be addressed. Regardless, thank you very much for your efforts in putting this together--insofar as I'm concerned this is the definitive version of the film, and is the only version of it I'll be returning to. Cheers--

It's like how Disney refuses to allow a restoration of Watcher in The Woods' original theatrical edition. These overzealous prideful studio heads are the worst!