Private (Tinto Brass, 2003) UPDATED

[Darrel_Griffin]

Private (Tinto Brass, 2003)



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General note on versions:


There seems to be quite a few different versions of this movie, some of which are presumably just heavily cut compared with the original versions.
I don't know how many versions were made originally - it seems there were at least 2, but possibly 3. I personally own 3 versions as follows:


Version 1 (84:14)

My UK Arrow DVD (from the 8 movie box set), which is likely the same as the individual release, has a runtime of 80:52 PAL. The entry currently listed states 83:48 PAL, which matches the BBFC approved runtime. However, I suspect this BBFC runtime is actually for the movie (80:52) + Promo Film (2:57) = 83:49. Apparently the Arrow submission was passed uncut by the BBFC, although it was possibly pre-cut prior to being submitted. Anyway, 80:52 PAL is equivalent to 84:14.


Version 2 (88:53)

The Cult Epics Blu-ray has a runtime of 88:53, but is NOT the uncensored "Italian version" AKA "director's cut" (I have included details of the differences at the end of this post). Presumably this also means that Cult Epics Special Edition DVD, with the same runtime, isn't either. Based on the runtime of the Swedish Horse Creek Entertainment DVD, which is 85:23 PAL equivalent to 88:56, I would assume that all of these are the "export version" AKA "producer's cut".


Version 3 (90:15)

The Cults Epics "Unrated, Uncensored Italian Version" IS the "Italian version" AKA "director's cut". It has a runtime of 86:38 PAL -> NTSC, equivalent to 90:15. Based on the runtime of the Italian CVC DVD, which is 86:43 PAL, I would assume that this is also the same version.



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Corrections:


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DVD
United Kingdom - Arrow Films

(note that these specs are for the disc included in the 8 disc Arrow box set, but it is likely to be the same as the individual release)


1. region 0 (strictly speaking it is regions 1-6)


2. runtime is 80:52 PAL, equivalent to 84:14


3. extras are:

"Fallo! Backstage" AKA "The Making Of" featurette (17:24) (in Italian with optional English subtitles)
Promo Film (2:57)
Photo Gallery (59 images)
Theatrical Trailer (1:02)



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DVD
America - Cult Epics
Unrated, Uncensored Italian Version

1. region 0 (strictly speaking it is regions 1-6)


2. AR is 1.85:1

It also appears to be slightly stretched horizontally. Based on a comparison with the Blu-ray, it is probably stretched from 1.78:1 -> 1.85:1

(The other 2 Cult Epics DVDs of this movie might also be 1.85:1, but I don't own them.)


3. runtime is 86:38 (PAL -> NTSC), equivalent to 90:15


4. extras are:

"Fallo! Backstage" AKA "The Making Of" featurette (17:59) (in Italian with optional English subtitles)
Photo Gallery (50 images)
XXX Rated Photo Gallery (14 images)
Theatrical Trailer (1:04)
Bonus Trailers:
- "The Key" (2:58)
- "Miranda" (2:52)
- "All Ladies Do It" (3:15)
- "Cheeky" (3:21)
- "Frivolous Lola" (2:11)



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Blu-ray America - Cult Epics

1. region ALL


2. no cuts, however it is (presumably) the "export version" AKA "producer's cut"


3. extras are:


"Fallo! Backstage" AKA "The Making Of" featurette (17:29) (in Italian with optional English subtitles)
Video Photo Gallery (24 images) (1:18)
Theatrical Trailer (1:04)


(I assume the box set release also has the same specs)



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Notes on "Fallo! Backstage" AKA "The Making Of" featurette:


These featurettes on the above 3 releases are all essentially the same, but I did notice some minor differences:

1. The UK Arrow DVD version occasionally has different music.
2. The Cult Epics DVD version includes an additional 35 seconds at the start, consisting of the 2nd half of the "Private" trailer, hence the longer runtime.
3. The Cult Epics Blu-ray version appears to have the same music as the Cult Epics DVD version.
4. The Cult Epics DVD and Blu-rays versions are both PAL -> NTSC conversions.



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Details of differences between the "export version" (AKA "producer's cut") and "Italian version" (AKA "director's cut"):


I compared the following releases:

Cult Epics Blu-ray (which I believe to be the "export version")
vs
Cult Epics "Unrated, Uncensored Italian Version" DVD (which I believe to be the "Italian version")


The following is a list of shots that are missing from the "export version" but present in the "Italian version". The movie is an anthology, and each Chapter stop marks the start of the next story. I have also given the total timing differences for each chapter. Most of the differences occur during Chapter 2.


Note the following:

1. The positional timings are for the "export version" at 24fps.
2. The duration timings are also at 24fps, but are approximate only to the nearest second.
3. Due to the timings being approximate only, the Grand Total of 1:24 is slightly different to the true difference of 1:22.
4. It is possible that there are other differences that I didn't spot. However, the total difference in runtimes seems to be accounted for.


(Apologies for the poor layout below - the posting process doesn't seem to like TABs!)


Position in "export version" / Duration / Description

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Chapter 1

12:07 0:07 woman handling man's (fake) penis

Total 0:07


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Chapter 2

25:21 0:02 woman masturbating man
26:09 0:20 woman masturbating man
26:30 0:13 woman fellating man
26:36 0:13 woman fellating man
30:27 0:09 woman masturbating man
30:30 0:05 woman masturbating man

Total 1:02


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Chapter 4

46:12 0:05 man waving his (fake) penis
51:38 0:05 woman masturbating man's (fake) penis

Total 0:10


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Chapter 5

71:48 0:05 woman handling man's (fake) penis

Total 0:05


-
Grand Total 1:24




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This does beg the question as to which one to watch, if you own both, or which one to buy, if you own neither.

The DVD is the unrated version, but is a PAL -> NTSC conversion, and of course SD.

The Blu-ray has a very superior HD image, but is missing some footage.

Decisions, decisions...

Darn these first world problems...

[Eric_Cotenas]

Updated. How annoying that they did not source the Italian version.

Hopefully Cult Epics does not settle for Filmexport's master when they do THE KEY.

[Darrel_Griffin]

Thanks Eric.

You still need to update the region coding for all of the releases I mentioned:

UK Arrow DVD - region 0 (note mine is part of the 8 movie box set, but I assume the individual release would be the same region coding)

US Cult Epics DVD Unrated, Uncensored Italian Version - region 0

US Cult Epics Blu-ray - region ALL (I assume the box set version is also region ALL)


I didn't know Cult Epics were planning to release The Key on Blu-ray. If they do release the longer version, I will be in the market to get it, as Arrow only released the shorter version (which I didn't discover until after I'd bought it).

[Eric_Cotenas]

The director’s cut of The Key is Brass’ own material. Filmexport has the international version (the bits in Italian on the English track on the shorter cut appear to be intentional for local color since prints had subtitles for them, I have a Greek VHS somewhere where the Greek video subtitles are burned in on top of the English subtitles for those bits). If Cult Epics does release the film, hopefully they can access Brass’ material from his extensive archive and include two versions on a BD50 or find an authoring house who can do branching.