Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid -- Knockin' on Heaven's Door

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by Tuco, Mar 15, 2017.

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  1. PhilBorder

    PhilBorder Senior Member

    Location:
    Sheboygan, WI
    I'm not against everything Seydor did (or didn't do). But his own extensive self justifications and rationales are inconsistent. Granted it was a very complicated situation, exacerbated by personalities, and the strange and tragic decision by Aubrey to rush a film out simply to generate some cash for MGM (why are these guys ever hired?). Someone had to, for better or worse, take some kind of ownership for the film, or it might still be languishing. Seydor clearly loves the film and admires Peckinpah. But he made some outrageously presumptous (bordering on arrogant) decisions and then does backflips to justify them. So, while it could be worse, the sad fact remains there is still not a available version of the film that it could and should be.

    I'll try to track down the theatrical version. It's certainly not a chore for me to watch PGABTK! You might check out Seydors book too. Aside from the editorial controversies it's quite illuminating about the travails of production and post production.
     
  2. Richard--W

    Richard--W Forum Resident

    I can't agree with your characterization of Paul Seydor. I used to be his harshest critic, online and in print, but had to change my mind when I learned the facts. So many charges have been leveled against him by people who don't understand the situation that he can't possibly refute them all. As to your point about someone having to take ownership of the film, Paul Seydor did. He rescued it. He took the risk and accepted the heat. The surviving cast and crew people from the film, including Peckinpah's editors and family, endorse Seydor's effort.

    The shoot ended with an unfinished film, and then Peckinpah had to finalize his edit for the theatrical release, which was done. Although butchered, the 1973 theatrical release is the only finished version; a finished version of a shoot that was never completed and an edit that was butchered by the studio head. The preview / workprint was not finished, either. If anything, it was even more raw, more unfinished than the 1973 theatrical release. Remember, for nearly twenty years all we had to go by was the 1973 theatrical release. The 1973 theatrical release was Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid for a generation until the vhs was discontinued and laser disc of the preview version replaced it in 1989. Then another generation grew up with that, and had no reference to the 1973 theatrical release. Yes, I have read the book and contributed a minor thing or two when he was writing it.
     
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