PAYBACK: STRAIGHT UP - director's cut

[sonnyboo]

I didn't see a thread, so if it's a dupe, feel free & delete.

I just bought PAYBACK: STRAIGHT UP: the director's cut and I'm about to delve into it. Anyone else have this yet?

[minstrel]

I have it. I was drunk the other night and tried to watch it, but fell asleep half way through.

One thing I approve of, though: It doesn't have that blue filter effect that I found so annoying about the theatrical version. I think it looks better because of it.

[WinslowLeach]

I didnt really like the regular cut but people have said the director's cut is way better.

[TheAllSeeingEye]

It's nearly the same movie. I was expecting a totally different cut. The only massive difference is the ending which I thought was a little bit boring. It was nice to see though.

[sonnyboo]

Okay, I just got done watching the new cut. It's not bad, but I can totally see why they re-shot the whole ending. It feels very anti-climactic in the new cut. That's not bad per se, but it was not wholly "better" than the theatrical cut.

I like both versions of the movie now. When I saw the original, I thought the opening scenes were very telling as to a different kind of character, and halfway through the movie, Porter (Mel Gibson) becomes the prototypical Mel Gibson-esque likable character. In this Director's Cut, he remains a lot more unlikeable, thus maintaining a consistency and continuity that the theatrical cut seemed to be lacking. I prefer a character who has less traditional "likable" qualities.

Overall, the two versions are very similar, and the scenes at the beginning between Mel Gibson and Debra Unger are different and more along the lines of the intent, and then the only real difference seems to be some music cues and the entire ending.

[WinslowLeach]

I still like Point Blank more.

[Vegeta]

Love Payback, and I highly doubt that I'll ever watch the director's cut... especially if the ending is not as good.

"Let her work!"

[TheAllSeeingEye]

I like that they made Porters character more of an asshole. As seen when he gives his heroin addict wife a knuckle sandwich.

To be honest, from what i'd read, i was hoping they'd give more of a Get Carter persona..speaking of which, Get Carter is the ultimate gangster flick...

And i mean the original...not that shit with Stallone.

[John-Locke]

It's been a good few years since I watched the original cut of the film, I must have watched it a half dozen times back in the day and the prospect of seeing a darker/truer version of the film excited me.

Damn



I'm sure I'd notice more new things if I had seen the film recently but all I noticed was the good stuff that was missing, like the bomb (gotta love explosions) and the excellent torture scene with the hammer and the toes on the cold concrete floor. Porter is more of an asshole in this version but the film just seems too short and I was hoping for something wildly better than the theatrical cut.

They should just make an ultimate version where you get the more badass Porter in the earlier scenes and then have the more exciting latter half to the film, next time I watch Payback I'm going to watch the Theatrical cut.

I also missed the blue tint to the whole film

[wonkabar]

It's been a good few years since I watched the original cut of the film, I must have watched it a half dozen times back in the day and the prospect of seeing a darker/truer version of the film excited me.

Damn



I'm sure I'd notice more new things if I had seen the film recently but all I noticed was the good stuff that was missing, like the bomb (gotta love explosions) and the excellent torture scene with the hammer and the toes on the cold concrete floor. Porter is more of an asshole in this version but the film just seems too short and I was hoping for something wildly better than the theatrical cut.

They should just make an ultimate version where you get the more badass Porter in the earlier scenes and then have the more exciting latter half to the film, next time I watch Payback I'm going to watch the Theatrical cut.

I also missed the blue tint to the whole film

Boy, you said it.

Like the Amadeus DC, I have to say I believe this is another case where the theatrical-cut is a better film. All the Gibson/Hays additions flesh the the story out. More "Hollywood" less "gritty"?...Bullshit I says. In those 70s movies you rooted for the assholes (Porter/Gibson is so assholian in Straight Up that you actually start to not give a shit what happens to him) and they pretty much got away with shit too. So, the theatrical in some ways is actually more in line with what Helgeland was going for IMO. Plus Kris Kristofferson is great and more screen-time for Coburn and Devane is always a good thing.

Btw I just got "Straight Up" and while it was interesting and had some nice bonus features, right away it made me yearn for the theatrical.

To my amazement I found that Amazon had none in stock...other than "Used from these sellers". And when I went to Circuit-City (they had three copies) the guy tried to ring me up and said something like, "it's not letting me sell it to you". He had to run off and get a manager and they fucked around for another ten minutes on the computer....needless to say, I was getting kinda pissed.

So, head's-up to PAYBACK-fans....if you haven't seen the DC version yet, my guess is you will most likely dig the D-cut less. And if you have yet to purchase the PB-DVD....the version you know and love, then my advice is to get one NOW. I don't know if they're planning to re-release the theatrical at some point (it did come out way back in 99) but at this point it seems it's being pulled in favor of Straight-Up, which would be a shame cuz the TC is much better I think. At the very least a more satisfying, fuller experience methinks.

[caruso_stalker217]

Watched BRIAN HELGELAND'S PAYBACK: STRAIGHT UP: THE DIRECTOR'S CUT OF THE FILM BY BRIAN HELGELAND. It's been about ten years since I originally saw PAYBACK so I could only remember enough to know that a lot of stuff was different. I guess I'll have to watch the theatrical version to compare the two, but I really enjoyed this one.

[caruso_stalker217]

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