Extended Edition discussion thread

[Timstuff]

I think M. Night might be feeling a bit down after that really bad press conference in Mexico City. He pretty much got raked through the coals, and even though I think those reporters were way out of line going as far as they did, I think the days of Shyamalan being blissfully ignorant about the movie's problems are over. It's not like he'll never live it down, but he has lost the faith of the fans that had once been burning so brightly for this project, and now the only option is to either give up or try to win them back. The best way to do that will be to release an extended edition of the movie that addresses some of the biggest problems that the theatrical version had. Obviously, there's only so much that re-cutting and inserting deleted / alternate scenes can do, but if the movie at least goes from being "disappointment" to "pretty good," Shyamalan will win back a lot of fans.

[Son21]

I like these movie

[Crystal<3]

I like these movie

so do I welcome btw. I hope if we dont get a extended adition, that we get deleted sceens

[constant reader]

It's a little strange for Shyamalan to claim all his movies at the "director's" cut. He inserted additional scenes into the DVD of The Sixth Sense that he had cut originally. Just to include deleted scenses as a separate chapter of the DVD when this filmed release clearly is incomplete from a storytelling perspective, as I see it.

If I had a wish list for the DVD, I'd rather see a new edit of the film. That's what wishes are for. The muscial score was terrific, so maybe a segment about that. Special effects, of course, since it's cgi heavy.

But if the DVD is just the theatrical version (how cheap!) plus some standard extras, I'd have to think hard about buying it to keep. I've seen it plenty of times because I like it, but to toss a cheap version of it to the fans strikes me as arrogant and dismissive. I hope I'm wrong.

[Timstuff]

I can't really say I'd be interested in buying if it's just the same ol' crap I saw in theaters. I think that the missing scenes could be enough to save this film. It might not be great, but I am not picky, and I would settle for at least good. Personally, I'll be kind of surprised if the DVD comes and goes without any extended edition, because that's the kind of marketing stunt Paramount needs to get the fans who were let down by the theatrical cut (like me) to be curious about the DVD. I'll be happy to give this movie a second chance if they make an active effort to fix some of its problems when it comes out on DVD and Blu-Ray.

[Melon Lord's Revenge]

its a win win for paramount if they release an extended edition right off the bat. If they are listening they'll know they stand to make a lot more on dvd/bluray sales if they do. And your right, fans might settle for "better" than the theatrical cut and maybe it'll shed some light on why the movie we saw felt and truly was "incomplete." Paramount doesn't even have to say sorry, they just need to release it, end of story. I don't think they should even let M. Night have a say in it to try to block an extended cut.

[Timstuff]

Mass Effect 2 got announced for a PS3 release yesterday, which I predicted all the way back in May. Looks like I've got some good karma going on right now, so here's hoping that it means my Last Airbender Extended Edition predictions will come true as well. It's a long shot, but hey, I'm feeling lucky right now.

[Flying Camaro]

Somebody (an LAF member) with good writing skills, should make an "archive" (maybe a blog) that gives a full analysis on how the Extended Edition can improve the movie.
There are "rookies" all over the internet who are trying to promote the campaigns to get people to ignore the DVD (the one that comes out in November) and sign any petitions for the Extended Edition, but these rookies keep getting ridiculed by pessimists. And even though the pessimists are wrong, the promoters don't know how to stand up for their beliefs.

I would do write the archive/blog myself, but I'm not very confident in my writing skills. It should include:

1) analytical explanation for how it's obvious that the movie was cut rushedly (just by looking at the movie)
2) evidence of deleted footage from the TV-spots and the Trailer that was attached to How to Train Your Dragon (Even the Aang for a Day featurette shows evidence of actual storytelling and noteworthy acting from Jackson Rathbone.)
3) an "essay" that explains why the material shown in the movie only SEEMED poor/meaningless, but the the Extended Edition can make the viewers see and realize: "Oh! So THAT'S why [character] was acting weird earlier in the movie! It makes sense now!" and other similar revelations.

[BlackInk]

I get the feeling that even if someone does all that nobody will listen and it would all be for nothing.

[Mooseboy018]

2) evidence of deleted footage from the TV-spots and the Trailer that was attached to How to Train Your Dragon (Even the Aang for a Day featurette shows evidence of actual storytelling and noteworthy acting from Jackson Rathbone.)

Another updated/cleaned up version of my list (no more ugly links ):

deleted scenes for the dvd/blu-ray
1. "Talk to the Dead" ???
2. "Water Teaches Us Emotion" (#2)
3. "Water Tribe Battle" (#2)
4. "Field Ablaze"

shots/scenes that were missing:
1. the map from the intro
2. firebenders from the intro
3. Roku from the intro
4. Katara and Sokka from the intro
5. Zuko gearing up (#2)
6. "We have these powers for a reason."
7. "We have to fight back."
8. "How did you do that?"/"You can bend air!"
9. "For generations people have been searching for him."
10. "We can do this together!"
11. Katara and Aang hugging at the Southern Air Temple
12. "I don't deserve their praise."/"You will." (There isn't a shot for this, and it could have been dialogue just for the trailers.)
13. "I taught him that."/"Hey!"
14. Zuko finding Katara's necklace
15. "If he's real, he's just one person."
16. the Kyoshi Warriors (#2)
17. Katara training with Pakku
18. Katara training with other waterbenders
19. the fireball coming towards the screen
20. "I won't let you take him!"
21. Katara fighting during the siege of the Northern Water Tribe
22. Sokka fighting during the siege of the Northern Water Tribe
23. Katara and Aang hugging during the siege of the North
24. "Yue is dead! What did the spirits tell you to do?"
25. "WOOHOO!"
26. another shot of Aang and Katara hugging on the wall
27. the original epilogue

things from the novelization/manga/leaked script that were missing (some might have been just for the manga/novel though):
1. Aang asking Katara about her necklace in Southern Water Tribe
2. Katara losing her necklace and Aang getting it back
3. Sokka calling Katara a "baby-bender"
4. Zhao temping Aang with a bucket of water
5. The Dragon Spirit telling Aang about Sozin's Comet
6. The Dragon Spirit telling Aang to be careful about his feelings for Katara
7. Yue saying she'd tell Kanna that Sokka was her best friend.
8. Iroh saying Zuko is like a son to him.

other:
1. the rest of the intro...
2. the dancing villagers
3. the fortuneteller/medium
4. Sokka taking out a lot of guys in one shot to get to Katara
5. Sokka saving a kid