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From: tgd@clyde.UUCP (Thomas G. Dennehy)
Newsgroups: net.movies
Subject: Voiceovers and unreleased films
Message-ID: <190@clyde.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 3-Oct-83 10:08:05 EDT
Article-I.D.: clyde.190
Posted: Mon Oct  3 10:08:05 1983
Date-Received: Mon, 3-Oct-83 23:42:53 EDT
References: <617@ritcv.UUCP> <92@princeton.UUCP>
Organization: Bell Labs Whippany NJ
Lines: 34

A recent submission states
with authority:

>'Apparently the voice over was added because...too subtle
>for the average viewer' or words to that effect.

CITE A SOURCE!!

If you presume to second-guess the artistic decisions of a film-
maker, at least back it up with some facts (I was having lunch
with Ridley Scott the other day, and for whatever madcap reason we
got to talking about the narration of Blade Runner, and he told me...)

I heard that when Florence Henderson was replaced by Skitch Henderson
it was decided that the musical numbers were dragging the film out to
unprecedented lengths.  Preview audiences were being put up in hotels 
for weeks on end just to get through it.  The numbers were cut, and
replaced with voiceovers from Heart of Darkness.  Skitch bolted and
was replaced with Harrison Ford, who found the narration was bringing
back painful memories of Vietnam so he rewrote in the hardboiled style
of 40s film noir.  Unfortunately, the rest of the film didn't suit the
narration, so it was reshot in English....

Sheesh.

A serious question now.  Has anyone seen the film "White Dog" on cable?
The movie concerns the training of dogs to kill blacks only, and stars
Kristy McNichol and Burl Ives (SERIOUSLY).  It previewed in Seattle and
Detroit, and was greeted with either indifference or outrage.  Since
it was now considered unreleaseable, the producers sold it to cable, but
now even they're having second thoughts about showing such an uncomfor-
table film.  HAS IT BEEN ON?? (source - Film Comment, June, 1983)
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	Tom Dennehy	AT&T BL Whippany, NJ	{clyde!tgd}