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The Abyss: Revisited Edition

seciors

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something is down there ... something not human.

TARE_Cover.jpg


Original Running Time
138 mins (OTR) / 171 mins (SE)
Original Release Date
1989 (OTR) /1993 (SE)
Fanedit Running Time
141 minutes


The Abyss is a movie that flirts with greatness, yet has many flaws. It is a movie that I've always liked for its parts as opposed to the sum. It has so many strong elements, it is even more disappointing to have an ending that is such a letdown. Actually, TWO endings that are unsatisfactory. While the "Special Edition" adds back James Cameron's original ending, it still does not live up to the heights he brought us to during the prior 2+ hours.

This edit seeks to get as close as possible of making this a truly classic "first contact" movie.
Fear, hate, faith, and love are the ultimate themes that pervade this story, and hopefully this edit makes the movie a bit less "1980s summer blockbuster" and more of a timeless first contact story that can be compared to "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," "2001," and "Contact."

My intent with this edit is three-fold:
1. "Fix" the ending as best as possible, to at least make it more palatable than the existing ones. In this respect, I have chosen neither original ending (though it most closely resembles the theatrical release). My ending rides on the crest of the emotions generated by events just witnessed, and gets us to the finish line much sooner -- removing almost all dialog -- while still giving the audience the happy-ending "payoff" it deserves (and a glimpse at what we really want to see) after the dramatic roller-coster ride that is the Abyss.

2. Tone down the "war" aspect so that new audiences to this movie are not distracted by the "Tom Clancy USA vs Russia" type environment. This involves two main editing decisions. First, removing reference to Russia as the potential enemy. This allows the movie to have a more "timeless" feel, as opposed to firmly set in a "cold war" environment. Second, remove the sudden brink-of-world-war-3 subplot topside. It really is not a necessary subplot, and (as I will shortly mention) is an extra layer that distracts from the movie's true strengths.

3. FOCUS the movie on the human drama of being trapped underwater near a "bottomless pit" and a sunken nuclear sub, and the first contact storyline. The Abyss was a "summer blockbuster" which is usually action-film oriented in order to grab a supposedly less-serious-minded audience's attention, who just wants pure entertainment. Thus, there are many action-movie type elements that, while probably important to have when released, no longer are needed to tell the story at the heart of this movie. So, for example, I have removed the initial sub-crash and top-side banter, instead starting us underwater -- and keeping us there -- until the hurricane. The sub crash, while an exciting and intense way to start the movie, unfortunately makes the next hour feel a bit "boring," especially during the later search of the drowned sub we already saw. This way, tension can slowly mount and gives a more eerie/claustrophobic feel to the first 40 or so minutes.

While most people equate the "Special Edition" with its expanded/changed ending, there are actually many improvements to the entire movie with added scenes that focus on characterization.

One final very important note for viewers of this edit:
At this point I need to point out that the video quality for this edit is going to be disappointing. This is because of the source material. While I am using the R6 edition that is anamorphic (all others, including R1, are letterboxed), there is also a huge amount of EE going on that noticeably reduced video quality. Additionally, there is a lot of graininess in some scenes. Some grain was intentional (by Cameron, as I recall reading somewhere) but not this much.

More on the poor source quality of The Abyss:
Originally Posted by elbarto1
nothing is worse than The Abyss.
every transfer of that film [including the R6 Anamorphic one] is awful.
may as well be a compressed xvid FFS.
Source: http://www.fanedit.org/forums/showth...202#post131202

So, please, when reviewing, remember to compare video quality to the original source....and I apologize in advance for it!


Trailer

Cut-List
The Abyss: Revisited Edition Cutlist
Runtime: 141 minutes
Key:
OTR: Original Theatrical Release (Runtime: 138 minutes)
SE: Special Edition Release (Runtime: 171 minutes)
REMOVED: Cut from both the OTR and the SE.
SE_REMOVED: Cut from just the SE (it never existed in the OTR).
SE_ADDED: Material included from the SE that wasn’t in the OTR
  • SE_REMOVED: opening quote from Nietzsche (“when you look long into an abyss, the abyss also looks into you”).
  • REMOVED: The beginning Sub Crash and topside arrival scene with Seals and Lindsey.
  • REMOVED: Beginning dialog about “milking this job.” The movie now starts underwater with a long shot of the rig, divers working, and cuts to Bud turning away from a window to do work.
  • REMOVED: Bud’s line: “Keep your pantyhose on.”
  • SE_ADDED: Bud’s phone conversation with topside is extended beyond just saying, "What's up?" He listens to the response and after a few seconds, screams "WHAT?!"
  • SE_ADDED: Hippy controlling an ROV by remote, and then Bud enters and announces to the crew that they are being recalled. The crew gathers in the moon pool and Bud explains to them why they've been called back inside.

  • REMOVED: First mention of the Hurricane as part of the reason why the Navy needs to use the rig.
  • REMOVED: All Topside scenes (other than via Deepcore’s TV Monitors) until the Hurricane hits. This keeps us a bit more claustrophobic and isolated below the sea.
  • SE_ADDED: As One Night is towing the rig, she is listening to a country song on her tape deck. Bud and Hippy hear the song coming through the intercom and join in the singing. A small extract of this scene was used in the OTR.
  • REMOVED: Coffey’s very first hand tremor, to delay us knowing he has decompression sickness until later.
  • SE_ADDED: Bud shows Lindsey to her room and asks whether she is still seeing her new boyfriend. They begin having a discussion about why they broke up in the first place, and it turns into an argument. They exchange comments and then Bud leaves the room.
  • SE_ADDED: Bud’s confrontation with Coffey after Coffey explains the mission to the crew.
  • REMOVED: Reflection of the actual alien in Jammer’s helmet. This is to not “spoil” what the actual aliens look like until the end of the movie.
  • REMOVED: When discussing what Lindsey saw, the SEALS don’t conjecture it might have been Russian. Phase II is authorized by the fact that something was seen but what is still unknown.
  • REMOVED: All topside TV reports and the crew watching them.
  • SE_REMOVED: All extra topside TV reports and the crew watching them. There is no longer a quick escalation between the US and Russia that puts the world on the brink of WWIII in a matter of hours.
  • SE_ADDED: Coffey and his men opening the missile hatch to retrieve a nuclear weapon from the sunken navy submarine.
  • REMOVED: Before the crane falls, topside scenes are trimmed to remove some dialog within the topside ship.
  • REMOVED: Dialog where Bud asks topside to give more slack, and the ensuing failed dialog with the crane operator to give slack.
  • SE_ADDED: Bud, Hippy, and One Night surveying the damage using an ROV.
  • REMOVED: Bud going down a ladder and greeting Cat before finding Lindsey doing repairs.
  • SE_ADDED: While Bud and One Night are doing repairs in the moon pool, their conversation is extended to include talking about Bud and Lindsey's relationship.
  • SE_REMOVED: One Night saying Lindsey isn’t as smart as she thinks, and “jokingly” folding her air tube. This is part of the attempt to make Lindsey more likeable and have a better relationship with One Night.
  • REMOVED: Before Lindsey’s alien encounter at the oxygen tanks, shortened the back-and-forth “do you read me?” banter.
  • REMOVED: Lindsey does not say Coffey looks and sees Russians. Instead the line is changed to be “Coffey looks and sees hate and fear.”
  • REMOVED: Bud telling Lindsey he can’t believe her. Scene now just ends without him replying either way.
  • SE_ADDED: Coffey confronting the crew about their recent contact with the NTI's.
  • SE_REMOVED: Coffey’s mention about possible “Russian bogeys.”
  • REMOVED: When Hippy shows Bud evidence that the SEALS brought a MIRV on board, his conjecture about why is removed.
  • REMOVED: When Lindsey confronts Coffey about the nuclear warhead, her line about “With all that’s going on up there.”
  • REMOVED: When Coffey listens in to Lindsey convincing Hippy to reprogram Big Geek, all discussion about Coffey is removed. This is to help us still feel for Coffey, and not put him into lunatic status already.
  • SE_ADDED: Coffey staring out into the Abyss from one of the rig's windows.
  • SE_ADDED: Lindsey bringing a drink to the injured navy soldier.
  • REMOVED: Lindsey asks “who thinks that was a Russian alien?” to Coffey.
  • SE_ADDED: Hippy walking down a passageway and finding the warhead missing from Coffey's room.
  • SE_ADDED: Extra scene where crew discusses the NTI’s and where they might have come from.
  • REMOVED: Shortened the underwater “battle” sequence between Lindsey and Coffey.
  • REMOVED: Lindsey saying it isn’t easy being a “cast-iron bitch” taking years of practice.
  • SE_ADDED: Bud types to Lindsey “you always did talk too much.”
  • SE_REMOVED: One Night laughing at Bud saying Lindsey always talked too much.
  • SE_ADDED: Bud types "you're going away" and Lindsey replies "No I'm not, I'm right here, Bud."
  • SE_ADDED: Lindsey recounts a night they spent together in the dark, with two candles representing them.
  • REMOVED: All scenes in the alien ship once Bud falls lets go and falls to the ground. We don’t see the oxygen window open. Bud looks up, then we cut to a shot of the alien, and a fade to the sky while the alien waves to Bud.
  • SE_REMOVED: News reports shown to Bud by the NTIs and the subsequent sequence showing the Tsunami, nuclear weapons exploding, past wars, the tsunamis approaching and then receding, and Bud saying why they didn’t do it.
  • REMOVED: Topside getting back in touch with Deepcore, and subsequent talk of rescue plans.
  • SE_REMOVED: Hippy mentions the tsunami.
  • REMOVED: Bud contacting deepcore again (no contact with Bud occurs via the typing system again).
  • SE_REMOVED: Lindsey reporting that the NTIs have been there a long time; they sent a message and want mankind to grow up. Topside, McBride tells the military looks like they might be out of a job.
  • SE_ADDED: As the rig rises, beams of intense light stream in and Lindsey looks at her hands.
  • REMOVED: All dialog from when Lindsey says, “I love you too” until Lindsey sees Bud emerge from the alien ship.
  • REMOVED: Loudness of Bud dropping his helmet on the alien spaceship. You can still here it, but it isn’t so jarring/distracting.
Special Notes/Thanks
Thanks to Neglify who watched my work print and gave valuable advice!

Release information

  • Dual Layer DVD - includes menus and chapter selection (~ 8GB)
  • MP4 - supports Dolby 5.1 on AppleTV (~ 2GB)
 
One of my fave movies (the SE is, anyway).

You've made some excellent points in your changelist. I'm going watch this one!
 
Ok, I have messed up the DLC files. I can't remember how to (easily) create a DLC file from multiple files hosted on media fire. For now, PM me for a link that can be loaded into JDownloader. Once I have fixed the DLC file, I'll say so on this thread.

UPDATE - I have created new DLC files that should work and submitted them. I will update this thread when they appear on .info. Until then, PM me and I can send them to you that way.
 
seciors said:

One final very important note for viewers of this edit:
there is also a huge amount of EE going on that noticeably reduced video quality.

What the hell is EE?
 
Extended Edition?
Extra Enrichment?
Are you talking about the band EE?
Are you incorporating footage from the game "Empire Earth"?

TELL ME, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!
 
Sorry yes, it is Edge Enhancement which generally makes the edges sharper but reduces detail. It is generally seen as a Bad Thing for video quality.
 
Technically speaking the edit is great. Considering the source material, the picture and sound quality was very good, with no noticeable glitches anywhere (I watched the .avi version). If it were cut this way for television it would be watchable (at least by to their standards). Taking out the "brink of war" aspects makes the movie go faster and isn't really missed except for...
(SPOILER AHEAD)
My only real problem with this version is the ending. In my opinion it was too abrupt. You should have used the extended version to at least show how Ed Harris survived because it looks like he died being carried into the ship. There also doesn't seem to be any reason for the aliens to help the crew back to the surface, or to show themselves for that matter. Just because they seemed interested in the crew, and what was happening on the ship or with Harris' character, the aliens could have stayed hidden and no one on the surface would have ever known they were around.
I enjoyed this version a lot, but if I hadn't seen both of the DVD version I'd have never been able to figure out what happened or why at the end.

Picture/Sound - 8 (but that's no more then I'd give the original DVD)
Editing - 9 (Flawless, except for the above)
Overall - 7 (Really good up until the last 5 minutes.)
 
:-(
Looks like the files have been pulled from media fire due to violation of terms of agreement. I wonder if having 'DVD' in the title was the reason.

Alas, I think I will have to switch things over to rapid share. This is getting harder and harder to do....
 
That really sucks dude. I would suggest looking into Usenet as well.
 
Usenet all the way. I'm not even bothering with digital lockers any more.
 
I'll take a look at doing that. Is there a post/thread that explains how to do it somewhere?

They haven't closed my account on MF so I will try uploading one more time using a different naming scheme.
 
Working on new upload to MF with new naming scheme. Stay tuned....
 
New files have been uploaded, and new DLC files have been submitted. In the meantime, PM me for the link to the DVD and/or MP4.
 
Hi moustach1,

Thanks for watching my edit and providing your review.

I think we can all agree that both the original and special edition endings have many detractors, though of course there are those that must like one or the other (or both) as well. Personally, I dislike both of the released endings so I made my own.

To sum up my approach, it is a more cerebral one, where the answers are not explicit. Instead, I believe there is enough information to piece together answers to the questions you raise.
You should have used the extended version to at least show how Ed Harris survived because it looks like he died being carried into the ship.
I think we can infer the aliens saved him somehow (just the way they were able to "do something" to the crew on the way up so the didn't die from decompression).
There also doesn't seem to be any reason for the aliens to help the crew back to the surface
Well, I think the fact that the crew (and Bud/Ed Harris) saved their lives by disarming the nuclear weapon sitting right next to their ship might be a reason to help them out....
or to show themselves for that matter. Just because they seemed interested in the crew, and what was happening on the ship or with Harris' character, the aliens could have stayed hidden and no one on the surface would have ever known they were around.
This is a first contact story; curiosity by itself usually is reason enough to drive the reaching out to another species. To learn about others. And the aliens did so cautiously, with multiple layers of probes.

I agree the ending might be abrupt, and that's mostly because I was removing the two existing endings and putting together a more "2001" like ending (there is no spoken word -- on purpose -- from when Lindsey says I love you too until she sees him again.)

Anyway, thanks for watching and giving your comments. This edit won't appeal to everyone, maybe no one except me, but I appreciate you giving it a try!
 
Review:

I don’t have a hard on for Cameron, like some guys I know. But I love his movies and own them all. The Abyss I only ever watched once. When it was done I said, “That was good” then put it back on my shelf. It’s a compelling story but dragged on a little too much for me.

Enter The Abyss: Revisited Edition. I didn’t rewatch the original so I don’t remember everything seciors cut out. In fact, had I never seen The Abyss I’d be hard pressed to point out any of the cuts. The editing quality is perfect throughout.

I really enjoyed the new take on it, keeping things simple and claustrophobic. I personally love the way he’s ended it here, but that’s me. I don’t care at all for the preachiness of the SE ending.

My only complaints are that it’s still too slow some times but it’s not bad at all.

FANEDIT RATING – 9
Audio/Video Quality – 9
Visual Editing – 10
Audio Editing – 10
Degree of Editing – 7

(NOTE: “Degree of Editing” is a 100% arbitrary rating that I keep in mind when reviewing edits. This is not meant to insinuate that a faneditor is lazy or not. Some fanedits require a lot more work than others and I take this into account.)

MOVIE RATING – 8
Narrative – 9 (SE is 8)
Enjoyment – 8 (SE is 7)

OVERALL RATING – 9
 
Thanks for the review Neglify! I'm glad you found it worthwhile.

Also, as an announcement, the new DLC files are now available in the official location. But you can always PM me for links as well.
 
Neglify said:
That really sucks dude. I would suggest looking into Usenet as well.

the days of sites like mediafire and rapidshare are over. I'll never upload anything new to those sites again or use anything involving jdownloader.

Good news is I just finished watching your edit. Good stuff! review posted.

One thing I forgot to put into the review that is worth mentioning is I think the ending would have benefited by adding a short dramatic beat in between the bud shooting through the alien ship and the rising of the city. A slightly longer moment in between with the crew thinking Bud was dead would have added to the dramatic tension when it rises.

Great job though, Seciors. You are clearly a talented faneditor that this site is lucky to have as a contributor.
 
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