Aug 12, 2010stuvw27 rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Steve McQueen. And that ain't all, there's China too. Though it's actually Taiwan for the most part. But... Steve McQueen! To really see and understand what this movie is about you gotta view both the "theatrical" widescreen version and the "Roadshow" version (with about 15 minutes of story replaced). The cinematography of first version is in the film's original anamorphic Panavision and features some of the most stunning work in this medium ever! Be it a night-dark alley or an expansive countryside, the work is nothing short of amazing. So why bother with the other version? It seems most of what was taken out (and now restored) relates to the growing relationship of the two main characters. Without this footage you're left with wooden, two-dimensional characters. What a shame. If some genius ever gets around to reassembling this film and re-releasing it to theaters (ala Lawrence of Arabia) many eyes will be opened to this excellent film.
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