MovieChat Forums > Major Dundee (1965) Discussion > Restored footage???

Restored footage???

posted 14 years ago by !!!deleted!!! (2212087)
7 replies | jump to latest

I have just seen the restored version, and was wondering what extra scenes were included. It's been 25 years since I last saw the original and my memories of it are rather vague - I would have sworn that Charlton Heston walked in on Senta Berger and Richard Harris in bed, which is obviously wrong.

Thanks.

[–] bullit2513 14 years ago

Check out the 'Alternate Version' page, Tezzab, it's all broken down pretty clearly there.

"Congratulations, Major. It appears that at last you have found yourself a real war." Ben Tyreen

[–] !!!deleted!!! (2212087) 14 years ago

Thanks. I wasn't even aware that page existed.

[–] bullit2513 14 years ago

No problem, tezzab. My favorite is the scene late in the movie where Dundee and his officers and scouts discuss strategy on how to handle Sierra Chariba. Great scene in itself, then throw in the revelation of Riago's honesty, and you've got a scene that should have been in there the whole time.

"Congratulations, Major. It appears that at last you have found yourself a real war." Ben Tyreen

[–] !!!deleted!!! (2212087) 14 years ago

I enjoyed this as I find I enjoy most of Charlton Heston's movies (War Lord ia an all-time favourite). However, I thought that the scenes with the villagers dancing and the bit in Durango bogged it down a bit.

The scene you mentioned is very effective and showing Riago's fate worked very well. Apparently, the unrestored version just had Riago disappear, never to be mentioned again. Rather weak.

Thanks for your help.

[–] Bobster36 10 years ago

I saw the film when it was first released in 1965. One scene that always stood out in my memory was when they found Riago and resolved the issue of his loyalty. But years later, whenever I saw the movie on TV, that scene was deleted. Now its back in the extended version. But that scene was in the original version in the theaters.

[–] ScopeWatcher 10 years ago

One scene that always stood out in my memory was when they found Riago and resolved the issue of his loyalty. But years later, whenever I saw the movie on TV, that scene was deleted. Now its back in the extended version. But that scene was in the original version in the theaters.

Confirmed: I own a 1965 theatrical print of MAJOR DUNDEE in which this sequence is present. Some books about Peckinpah's work list this sequence among the material cut from the film, but that is incorrect. This important Riago scene was deleted from broadcast-TV prints, perhaps, but it definitely remained in the picture long before the 2005 extended version.

Most great films deserve a more appreciative audience than they get.

[–] Eric-62-2 10 years ago

And what that means is that we should have seen a version with that scene with the film's original score released on Blu-Ray but the fanboys alas wouldn't allow it.