Transformers - UA Edit

In 2007, fans of the original 1980's television show and Hasbro toys were both eagerly anticipating and skeptical of the Michael Bay directed blockbuster -  Transformers.  As evidenced by the critics score of 57% and the audience score of 86% on RottenTomatos.com, fans were able too look past the film's obvious shortcomings that ostracized those who watched the film with a more objective eye.

Fan editor Uncanny Antman has set out elevate the film's credibility by excising the film's more demonstrably low-brow elements to make the film "less stupid" - without losing any of the fun.  Join Beezo as he reviews his edit to see if these goals were met!

Transformers

Transformers: UA Edit

Star Wars - Episode 5 - The Empire Strikes Back - The Despecialized Edition

Three years after the smash hit Star Wars, George Lucas returns with a stunning sequel, Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back.  This expansion of the original story did not rehash its predecessor, but instead further explored the universe and deepened the emotional stakes of the saga.

Since the 20 year specialized versions were released in the late nineties, along with improvements in home theater technology including DVD and Blu Ray accessibility, fans have been relentless in asking for a high-definition version of the original trilogy in its original theatrical form.  Fan editor Harmy stepped up to the plate and has created what Lucasfilms would not - despecialized versions of Episodes 4, 5 and 6.  

Join Beezo and Greg as they discuss the Empire Strikes Back and Harmy's efforts in preserving the original trilogy of Star Wars.

Star Wars - Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back 

Star Wars - Episode 4 - 2004 Special Edition Revisited

Star Wars could be argued to be the most culturally impactful movie ever made. It's significance can not be understated, nor can it be seperated from fan editing itself.  It is a great film with but a handful weaknesses that are overshadowed by its strengths.

It wasn't until 1997, when the Special Editions of Star Wars hit the screens, that a slew of controversy arose around added material that either distracted, hindered, or otherwise ruined the prestige of the original film.  Fan editor Adywan set his eyes at making the Special Edition that George Lucas should have released.  Join Beezo and Greg as they discuss what is arguably the most favorably reviewed fanedit of all time -Star Wars Revisited, by Adywan.

Star Wars

Star Wars Revisited

Star Wars - Episode 3 - Dawn of the Empire

Concluding the prequel Star Wars trilogy and serving up the most anticipated transformation within the saga - Anakin Skywalker to Darth Vader - Star Wars - Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith proved to be competent addition to the franchise and a sweet salve to the bitterness of Episodes 1 and 2.  However, it still carried with it marred performances, unnecessery exposition and pay-offs that never quite reached the elevated status the filmmakers aimed to convey.

L8Wrtr's prequel trilogy does well to correct many of their inherent shortcomings and when it comes to Episode 3 specifically, his goal was to make a "more compelling, tragic and emotionally satisfying take" on the material.  Join Beezo and Greg as they dissect the L8Wrtr's Star Wars - Episode 3: Dawn of the Empire to see if these ends were met.

Star Wars - Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith

Star Wars - Episode 3: Dawn of the Empire  

Lone Ranger: The Movie

Marred by bad reviews and a lengthy run time (149 minutes), Gore Verbinski's The Lone Ranger was quickly discarded as an over budgeted miss-fire of an action movie.  Johnny Depp's stardom hurt rather than helped, as it appeared that he was rehashing a version of the face-painted swash-buckler of the Pirates of the Caribbean, and unneccessarily taking away the focus of the movie from the film's titular character to his own - Tanto.

Faneditor Modernknife has set out to correct these errors.  While paying homage to the original Lone Ranger of the 50's, he's set out to correct the "schizophrenic tone in action, comedy, drama, slapstick and historical tragedy."  Listen to Beezo discuss what works and what doesn't between the original and Modernknife's fanedit titled The Lone Ranger: The Movie.

The Lone Ranger

The Lone Ranger: The Movie

The Cell - Scary as Hell Edition

Though visually stunning, the 2000 film The Cell starring Jennifer Lopez, Vincent D'Onofrio and Vince Vaughn, failed to wow critics and movie goers alike.  Though its story is strong, its mixed genre design - merging sci-fi and horror - is a mixed bag in which neither are very satisfying.

3Raz0r tackles these issues striving to make the film "more convincing and scarier" then the theatrical release.  Join Beezo and Gary Buseytown Massacre co-founder Donna as they watch and review 3Raz0r's The Cell: Scary as Hell Edition.

The Cell

The Cell: Scary as Hell Edition

Star Wars - Episode 2 - The Phantom Edit

Star Wars - Episode II: Attack of the Clones carried over some of the same problems from the first installment and then layered on a few more.  Fans were certainly satisfied with many of the film's action set peices, including a lightsaber wielding Yoda, large army on army battles and the first mass Jedi attack.  However, its convoluted plot left many scratching their heads as character motivations seemed without consistency.  The brewing love interest between Anakin and Padme features some of the most laughably bad dialog in any major motion picture.  And even the action set peices felt hollow as all of them are nearly 100% computer generated.

The Phantom Editor, praised for his landmark fanedit of Episode 1, returns to the Star Wars franchise to make Star Wars - Episode II: Attack of the Phantom.  Listen to Beezo and Greg Attaway discuss this fanedit to see if it succeeds in turning this lackluster film into a worthy addition of the Star Wars canon.

Star Wars - Episode 2: Attack of the Clones

Star Wars - Episode 2: Attack of the Phantom

Man of Tomorrow

Bryan Singer's Superman Returns left fans confused and deflated.  It was a bloated film that hinted at a subtext it never had and avoided the more sensational tendencies of the comic legend.  What we got was a dumb supervillian, a bland Superman and endless discussions about how implausible it would be for Supes to lift a CONTINENT of kryptonite into space.

Editor Kal-el with his Man of Tomorrow fanedit seems poised to take on these challenges.  While core problems with the film can only be massaged so much, this is an ambitious attempt to make this film a worthy sequel to its predecessors.  Listen as Beezo reviews Man of Tomorrow to see if such an accomplishment is done.

Superman Returns

Man of Tomorrow

Star Wars - Episode 1 - Shadow of the Sith

Star Wars - Episode 1: The Phantom Menance was the most anticipated movie of all time.  While enjoying huge success financially, the film has become derided by even its most loyal of fans.  Being the first film that had a huge discrepancy between expectations and outcome, coupled with the timing of modern technology, it, more than any other film, is responsible for launching the hobby of fan editing.

Join Beezo and guest commentator Greg Attaway as they discuss the legacy of Episode 1 and how L8WRTR's edit - Episode 1: Shadow of the Sith - goes to make right what was so, so wrong.

Star Wars - Episode 1: The Phantom Menance

Star Wars - Episode 1: Shadow of the Sith

Pacific Rim - Jaegerbomb Edition

Guillermo Del Toro released his homage to the Japanese city-destroying monster genre in 2013 with Pacific Rim.  Spectacular effects and cinematography makes this the most visually stunning large-monster movie ever made.  However, it's tone is undermined by it's convoluted mind-meld plot contrivance along with a B-plot that seems more geared towards laughs than staying true to the movie's seriousness.

Faneditor RangerKris felt as much himself when he said the main problem of the movie is that it, "suffered from a long, complicated second storyline involving organ harvesting and bad humor which was really not crucial to the plot."  Does removing it make for a better movie?  Join Beezo along with Gary Buseytown Massacre podcast co-founders, Ethan and Donna, to find out!

Pacific Rim

Pacific Rim: Jaegerbomb Edition

Blade Runner - Danse Macabre

Blade Runner has gone through multiple iterations since its release in 1982; US Theatrical Cut, International Cut, Director's Cut, Final Cut, etc.  While the movie is universally praised for its cinematography and set design, it is unmistakably boring, which explains all of the attempts to "get it right."

In this episode, Beezo presents his first cut of his own fanedit of Blade Runner titled Blade Runner: Danse Macabre.  Gary Buseytown Massacre regulars Ethan, Donna and Adam provide feedback as to what works and what doesn't work so that a final edit can be completed.

Blade Runner

Blade Runner: Danse Macabre

Raiders of the Lost Skull

Nineteen years after the great Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Harrison Ford reprises the role of Indy in the 2008 film, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.  Nostalgia helped hide the film's shortcomings upon release, but its inability to merge fantasy with realism like its predecessors has left this film with the legacy of not only being the worst of the Indy movies, but a bad movie altogether.

Faneditor NJVC has set out to correct this problem by "(making) Indy 4 watchable again. To restore dignity to this great character. To see if it is possible to make Indy 4 feel anything like Raiders of the Lost Ark."  Does he succeed?

Listen to Beezo review the original Indy 4 followed by his commentary on NJVC's edit, Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Skull.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Skull

Man of Steel - Recut

In 2013, DC released Man of Steel, its first major foray into building a cinematic franchise comparable to that of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  While largely welcomed, the film was criticized for its inconsistent fantastical nature, weak plot and it's general "take" on Supes himself.

Inspired by the Smallville television series, AVID 4D has set out to make an edit of Man of Steel that "...make(s) the story of Man of Steel more believable in terms of how Clark deals with his abilities."  His fanedit is titled Man of Steel Recut V2.

This episode features Beezo as well as Gary Buseytown Massacre co-founder, Ethan Billips.

Man of Steel

Man of Steel Recut V2

Icarus

The Pierce Brosnan era of Bond ended in 2002 with Die Another Day.  From the great film Goldeneye, the quality of his next 3 Bond films got progressively worse.  Die Another Day was largely a mixed bag.  Many felt the film's action set pieces were worth the price of admission, but many more were repelled by its lame jokes, over the top euphemisms, and shark-jumping action sequences.

This episode is about Last Survivor's fan edit of Die Another Day titled Icarus.  In his own words, "Icarus attempts to give Pierce Brosnan the Bond swansong he deserved."  Listen to find out if this was achieved!

In this episode Beezo is joined with Gary Buseytown Massacre co-founder Ethan Billips.

Die Another Day

Icarus

Babylon AD

Babylon A.D. was a bit of a disaster when it premiered in 2008.  After fives years of work, director Mathieu Kassovitz became so disillusioned with the final product due to studio interference that he ultimately decided to disown the movie.  With a RottenTomato score of 6%, it seems obvious why.

As a science fiction picture with great visuals but troublesome narrative inconsistencies, it seems poised for a fan editor's hand.  This episode, our first to be exact, will be covering Macs Voltage's fan edit of Babylon AD.

Because this is the premier episode of Feature This - A Fan Edit Podcast, Beezo spends the first part of the show talking about the show itself as well as covering fan editing in general.

Enjoy!

Babylon AD