- This was the extended version of the film, and somehow it really did move along fairly quickly. I expected to be peeking at my watch at least a few times, and that didn't happen. No intermission either.
- I had been under the impression that Walter Murch would be in attendance. This was not the case. And what this truly means is that I could not have my photo taken with Mr. Murch, a photo that I would have forwarded directly to my film history professor, who would have promptly voiced his jealous hatred.
- I had seen the original version of the film years ago, and I remembered the general layout of what happened - the key milestones - but I had misplaced a lot of the details. As such, in some ways it was like seeing it for the first time. Quite an experience.
- Clearly the script is rife with absurdity, as perhaps was the war itself. Yet for some reason I felt like this was even more so the case in this extended version. Robert Duvall's character seemed more over-the-top than ever. The Playboy bunnies are soldiers in their own right (or so says a fellow festival-goer who saw that scene through a completely different lens than my own...) And the French plantation scene seemed like it just didn't belong.
- The projection was flawless; are James Bond and his partner back in the projection booth this year?
- Um, no possibility of a disclaimer stating that no animals were harmed during the making of this flick, that's for sure. The slaughter of an ox on camera? And people ask me how I get by without eating meat. Seriously?
- Post-film discussion panel was lead by David Bordwell. Face it, the man is fascinating. And Michael Philips is another favorite - I enjoy his humor and sensibilities. Here is a photo that I took from the front row of the Virginia Theater.
Photo: Ali Arikan, Michael Philips, (a gal whose name I did not catch,) and David Bordwell.
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