Private "The Big Boss" Cut

[Swiffer25]

Hello,
and greetz from Germany.

I call me Swiffer25 and I'm 29 yo.
I found this nice board on my journey, getting more Information about the famous "The Big Boss".

So keep cool, it's getting a longer post ;)

My intention since 4 years is to make an own copy of this movie since I saw it on TV and read a lot of the cuts after this.

And I think with time I reach my target more and more.
But I need help, because a lot of talking and mailing + rumors in
the WWW about this movie (thx to KungfuSinema,grr) it's time to draw up my hands and doing itself.

Pherhaps some of you have ideas, can work with Adobe Premiere,
Photoshop, cutting e.t.c.

I have something made what I'll show you here.
And a "new" puzzle scene I found, matching to "Saw in the Head"


A lot of talking, now the practice:

As base I'm using a not in "best condition" print, else most reconstructed scenes wouldn't fit.

1.
Two scenes: The "Beard Scene" and "Workers run to the factory".
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13xxwfWGmHss

The color and size isn't perfect but I'm working on that.
The second scene I found a little bit shorter but better
quality on an Italien VHS.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPpxYHskfFQ

Have to say that the first scene "beard" seems to be on this (http://cgi.ebay.it/Il-furore-della-Cina-colpisce-ancora-1972-DVD_W0QQitemZ330207319229QQcmdZViewItemQQptZDVD_Ci nema_Internazionale?hash=item4ce1e3d4bd&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14)
DVD by Legocart, pherhaps someone here has it.

2.
Missing Face in Iceblock.
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This is really interesting.
I don't know where to get the trailer to this scene (someone has it?).
But the picture is there and I have an idea where to place this scene.
After looking some versions of this scene a jump in music and speech
is to hear, after Lee looks to the last face.
the camera swang to the right, and cut+.

This is my version of the scene:
http://www.bfcoding.de/imagehost/bild.php/2,38,2kopieMQR17.jpg (http://www.bfcoding.de/imagehost/bild.php/38,2kopieMQR17.jpg)

Interesting!
If you have the original Soundtrack
then listen Track 8 "The Battle At The Factory".

Compare it with the movie, and you will notice that sounds "show" ONE more scene.
Evidence for this one missing scene.

Next step here will be animating this scene.

3.
The most infamous one ;) - Saw in the Head.
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Tricky, really.

The problem I had was to find out in what order it was made.
We all know that there are only (better were now) 2 pics of that scene.
I had to dismantle it to find out more.
http://www.bfcoding.de/imagehost/bild.php/2,53,12EW6Q.png (http://www.bfcoding.de/imagehost/bild.php/53,12EW6Q.png)
The problem for animating in After Effects was, what happend first.

After I found THIS my eyes got clear:
http://www.bfcoding.de/imagehost/bild.php/2,61,saw3teY5WS2.jpg (http://www.bfcoding.de/imagehost/bild.php/61,saw3teY5WS2.jpg)


The last scene of Saw in Head.
Bruce takes hands of the Saw and the other guy falls down to bottom.
Indicating that Bruce jiggles only the Saw and pherhaps it was never showed the saw breaking in the head of the guy.
Only a cut where saw is already in head.

To much effect for low cost production....(what do you mean?).

And!
Look point 3. above, right Pic.
Arm is already straight

Sleeveposition from Bruce on top left pic (point 3.) is the same as on the last scene

Now, in combination with the follow:

The first pic is only a theory!!

http://www.bfcoding.de/imagehost/bild.php/2,58,3LOHHM.jpg (http://www.bfcoding.de/imagehost/bild.php/58,3LOHHM.jpg) http://www.bfcoding.de/imagehost/bild.php/2,59,dscn1549I2CIX.jpg (http://www.bfcoding.de/imagehost/bild.php/59,dscn1549I2CIX.jpg)

Not colored yet
http://www.bfcoding.de/imagehost/bild.php/2,62,dtboss34Z6GA.jpg (http://www.bfcoding.de/imagehost/bild.php/62,dtboss34Z6GA.jpg) http://www.bfcoding.de/imagehost/bild.php/2,63,saw3teR6KD5.jpg (http://www.bfcoding.de/imagehost/bild.php/63,saw3teR6KD5.jpg)

It's only my theory, but very realistic (expect the first pic).

Look at this comments too
Link (http://www.network54.com/Forum/256969/message/1140103621/Reply+to+Jason)
David Tadman (http://www.network54.com/Forum/256969/message/1116607233/RE-)

At the end, perhaps, this scene was unspectacular....

This makes this infamous scene a little bit more transparent.
So, after I think to know the flow, there is the point trying to animate it.
Pherhaps with a Adobe After Effects and Premiere Elements combination, someone here who is very experienced with one or both?


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The next points after all work above is done.

-.Trying to copy the scene of naked prostiute from brothel into where Bruce is drunken, to show real scene and not Chiao Mei.

-.Copy some of the dead bodies transparent into scene where Bruce is sitting at the river at the end.

-. Original Intro + Tracks (DVD Menu)

-. Extras like all Pics and LobbyCards I found to DVD
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Finally:
I believe that old german Cineprints must be uncut.
I have soundtracks where you can hear most jumpcuts icluding Saw-Scream.
Listen.

Also in 2006 I remember, the German Channel ZDF/ARTE showed late in the night
the brothel scene.
I know it so good because I had to laugh at, this scene was played cramped.
Later I got to know it was one of the missing scenes when my interest for BL
came up.

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http://www.bilderload.com/bild/12228/lee75QV8.png

[tangshandaxiong]

Hi swiffer25 ;)
Welcome to this forum and thank you for your researches and work so far.
Here`s a quote from an article about the saw-scene:

"Despite the popularity of this shot, there are two interesting factors. First, many people believe that the shot itself was probably only 3–6 seconds. Also, many people have concluded that the scene only existed in the premiere print (as stated by co-star Maria Yi in a rare interview), and was never used in any of the releases after the premiere. According to the interview with Yi, apparently the shot was made up of a crudely put together animation and just did not look good. However, many people believe it was "reverse animation" in which a prop handsaw was created with a gap to put on the stuntman's head, and then Lee would quickly pull the prop off. Then, in post production it would be reversed to create the illusion of the saw going into his head." - (Source: Wikipedia)

If that`s true the scene visibly showed the saw splitting the head.
May I ask you where you found the coloured screenshots with saw in hand and without saw?

Greetz

[Swiffer25]

Sure, one is colored from me (first) with and the other one I got from a friend on http://www.schnittberichte.com/forum/index.php (second).

Also the last scene is colored from me, I have it from Curse of the Dragon.

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http://www.bilderload.com/bild/12228/lee75QV8.png

[Markgway]

There wasn't the budget to do mock-ups of gore gags. Those stills were clearly taken from an actual scene as shot. It probably did look crude - but then so did many of the film's effects. I honestly don't believe it would've been been cut simply because it didn't look good. Dodgy effects were quite common then even in more expensive films.

I still think censorship was the most likely reason for its removal. We know that the HK censors were cracking down on violence and many other similar, additional cuts were made to this film circa 1973. If you catch an old unremastered print you can see the splice lines where the original negatives were cut.

My best guess would be that following the shot of Bruce swinging the saw downward (still in the movie) there were: A shot of the saw already in the head as illustrated above - they could've had the saw cut into a dummy head but there's no evidence to support that - then a shot of the victim falling over out of frame (maybe the same shot if not another angle?). Resume on attackers looked shocked.

If the missing saw footage entire lasted more than 5 secs I'd be very surprised.

[Swiffer25]

This sounds really realistic.
I had a similar idea with the dummy.
And I'm of the same mind, a fast scene it must be.
So no one can see the trick.

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http://www.bilderload.com/bild/12228/lee75QV8.png

[karaokequeen]

If the genuine saw scene has been found - I think if we wait a few months, we will all have a completed edtition by Xmas.
We have waited this long, so I say we give venomsfan the time he needs.

Why then pollute the stream with 'trickery' now?
Perhaps if venomsfan does not pull through - then sure I support your idea. But untill then I say give him a chance.

[Swiffer25]

Here I read that on an 8mm Trailer the Face in Ice is showed.
Link (http://www.network54.com/Forum/256969/message/1162130641/Hi+Mr.+A)

Has anyone here this short clip? Or can cut it out for me pherhaps?
Would be very helpfull.

EDIT:
And another intersting comment about Saw in Head
Link (http://www.network54.com/Forum/256969/message/1140103621/Reply+to+Jason)

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http://www.bilderload.com/bild/12228/lee75QV8.png

[tangshandaxiong]

Thanks for the links! The description of the scene seems very authentic. If you mention that the blood
on the stills are visibly pouring from the villian`s head. So if the scene would`ve been shot in one piece
it`s hard to manage this. I do believe that the first german as well as spanish/mexican prints were uncut, too
(but were held/sent back because of the crackdown).

Unfortunately the "saw in head"-scene is not shown in the rare spanish trailer - I wonder why..

[Fightingfist]

Intersting stuff thanks

[thehangman]

Goodluck with it,wish i could help ya

[Swiffer25]

I got some good help from a german collector.
He gave me a good footage of Tiens bleeding head and the head in ice scene.
Here a first try in B/W with Tien.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g83K-xWYk08


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http://www.bilderload.com/bild/12228/lee75QV8.png

[thehangman]

Looks good

[soulborn]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYWnb3GEy9I

[tangshandaxiong]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5x7kRcjKIk

[thehangman]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYWnb3GEy9I

You have the full uncut film?

[Swiffer25]

Next step is done

Missing Face in Ice Scene

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VM0ACfcC4E&layer_token=4faf2fc6f8c2dc58

I think that's the complete scene.
I've used the OST for this clip, and it fits perfect.
Sry for this old style, but when finished all will be in its original color.

A step more to the final version end of this year... ;)
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http://www.bilderload.com/bild/12228/lee75QV8.png

[Tigerstyles]

Wicked tallent

[Shaolivevil]

Wow, that's incredible. That looked seamless. Was it ever established who that mysterious face in the ice was supposed to be or was it just another nameless victim of Mi's drug gang?

[newgen2005]

How is the project going?

[Swiffer25]

Release Date of the "Private Cut" should be one day before Christmas.
Now I'm working on the saw animation.Takes a little bit more time, I'm not very experienced in Adobe After Effects.

Meanwhile I hope to find some more scenes beacuse I'm 200% sure that I saw the Brothel scene in TV at the German channel "ZDF/aRTE".

[chen lung]

Although the audio isn't the correct reconstruction, this featurette (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ej5zNrOsQA) indicates how scenes such as James Tien's fight would have played out visually. Such footage has been sourced from the super-8 English export trailer.

[Swiffer25]

Ok,

I got a short, but very nice opinion about "Saw in the Head".

Here is the full history:

http://www.network54.com/Forum/230248/message/1254945889/Please

What do you mean about it?