A Long-Winded Wish For An Extended BDM by pennausamike

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

A Long-Winded Wish For An Extended BDM

POSTED BY: PENNAUSAMIKE
UPDATED: Friday, May 11, 2007 12:01
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Thursday, May 10, 2007 2:28 PM

The Case For An Extended Version Of "Serenity" (The "Bigger" Damn
Movie!)

Report of the release of a 2-disc "Special Edition" version
of "Serenity" is exciting news for Browncoats.

Some of the excitement comes from the inclusion of the Region 4 DVD
extras (tho' with the world wide web, eBay and region-free DVD
players, hardcore fans already have this covered). Anticipation is
also brewing for finding out which cast and crew members will
participate in the commentary tracks. I vote for Joss and Jewel and
Gina and Geoff and Summer and Sean and Nathan and Alan and Adam and
Ron and Morena and Barry and Mary and Loni and Lisa and Pat and…you
get the idea. Really, I'd like multiple commentary tracks grouped by
area of participation: the creators/ producers, the lead players, the
guest star/supporting actors and the artists/technical people. (If
you are going to dream, dream BIG!)
(Since I wrote this, it was announced that the feature commentary is
with Joss Whedon, Nathan Fillion, Adam Baldwin, Summer Glau and Ron
Glass)

There is also a contingent of fans excited for new cover art, tho'
Llama lovers are in fear for the loss of their supposedly subliminal
cover icon.

The area of greatest anticipation for me is the possibility for an
extended version of the movie. I want to see the subtext of the
characters played out in between the moments that drive the story
forward. I understand the reasons for editing the theatrical release
of the movie the way that it was, but a DVD for a home audience is a
whole `nother animal.

To get a lay of the landscape, I think it is important to think of
the three ways that the main audience for a 2-disc "Special Edition"
version of "Serenity" found Joss Whedon's Sci-Fi Western in the first
place.
One: they saw the Firefly TV series as it was first aired; out of
order, kinda confusing, hit-or-miss scheduling, abruptly ended…and
they fell in love.
Two: they saw the Firefly DVD boxed-set; in order, cohesively
introducing many possible story telling threads building to
something, not quite so abruptly ended… and they fell in love.
Three: (my story) they saw "Serenity" all packaged in a fast-paced,
neatly wrapped up little ball, fell in love, heard this story and
these characters were from some TV show, found the Firefly DVD boxed-
set, and fell in love even harder!

Both Joss and executive producer Chris Buchanan have stated that it
was important to make "Serenity" a movie that the uninitiated could
see, understand and enjoy without having seen the series. This was
not just a reasonable artistic goal but important from a business
sense as well. And without business, there is no art; at least
when "art" is defined as something costing tens of millions of
dollars.

Joss originally wrote the "Serenity" script with the title "The
Kitchen Sink", coming in at an un-filmable 190-ish pages. That was
whittled down to the shooting script (which was filmed) that would
probably have come out to about 130 minutes in length. The last step
was to produce the theatrically released movie, two hours long. And
it's a great flick! Without writing a movie review, it should be
noted that the editing process produced a fast-paced story where
every witty word of dialog, every nuance of character development
presented, every visual shown; drives the plot forward. From an
editing standpoint, it is the embodiment of everything a current
blockbuster movie should be. Joss is understandably proud
of "Serenity" and he absolutely met the goal of producing a movie
that the uninitiated could see, understand and enjoy without having
seen the series.

In the Australian Q&A session that is on the Region 4 release
of "Serenity", one of the audience asked Joss what great scenes had
to be left on the cutting room floor, what moments didn't we get to
see? Joss answered that they had decided to leave all the great
scenes in, and only cut the crappy ones. He went on to allow,
though, that Inara suffered at the hands of the editor's knife the
most. In describing the extra footage of Mal and Inara's quiet
moment in the shuttle, Joss described it as "a lot of yack-yack that
I wrote-wrote that goes nowhere slowly". But I don't agree. The
characters dance around the question of Inara's choice to leave (the
ship) Serenity, and Mal quips to get out of discussing it. These are
the little "human" moments that made the TV show the love and
obsession of a group of fans calling themselves Browncoats who have
watched and bought and lived and loved these characters so hard that
a little failed TV show has taken on a real life of its own outside
of just video to sit in front of and be watched.

And so the issue of the legitimacy of creating an extended version
of "Serenity" comes back around to the special edition DVD's target
audience and how they found the `verse in the first place. It is
important to note that in all cases, I believe the special edition
DVD target audience has gone on to embrace the Firefly TV series and
the "Serenity" movie as a whole package. The more casual fan of
the "Serenity" movie, who wasn't interested in the TV series, likely
enjoyed the pacing and the action and the special effects. That
purchaser (assuming they bought the original "Serenity" DVD release)
is less likely to buy a 2-disc set that has features that didn't
interest him/her about the Firefly series in the first place.

Discussion of an extended version of "Serenity" must also address
Joss Whedon's stated aversion to "director's cuts" and "alternate
endings" and the like. I have mixed feelings about changing the
original presentation of a film and I am one of those for
whom "Greedo Shoots First" has come to symbolize meddling with a
vision that was pure and worthy and true in the first place.
But I contend that these viewpoints and criticisms don't apply to
restoring certain character developing moments to "Serenity". I feel
it is IMPORTANT to remember that all the scenes shot for "Serenity"
were part of the original artistic vision. Those scenes were then
cut if they contradicted narrative points, presented information that
wasn't clear without knowledge from the Firefly series, or if they
interrupted momentum pushing to the series of mini-climaxes leading
to main story climax.

Some examples of the cuts made because they contradicted narrative
points would be the cut scenes where the Operative expostulates on
information he has discovered from the Maidenhead Bar video, or at
the Training House where he divulges more detail on his motivations
to Mal. The Operative was serene and yet menacing. Too much dialog
from his character undercut that menace, and as interesting as some
of the exposition was, it didn't service the Operative character. An
Operative cut scene that could be restored is the scene at the end
where he asks Mal how he could carry on in the face of the loss at
Serenity Valley of all that he was. Menace is no longer an issue,
the acknowledgement of Mal's toughness (and its cost) reinforces
Mal's right to emerge as the victor, and Mal's "What a whiner!"
comment brings the character back to the Captain we have lived with
and loved thru the previous 15 hours of acquaintance.

Inara's scenes were the most heavily cut for reasons both of needing
prior knowledge and because their placement slowed the theatrical
momentum. If you hadn't seen the TV series, the Training House scenes
looked like kind of a languorous lesbian orgy. The
whole "Companion/Geisha/Hooker-Equals-High-Society" thing just didn't
come across clearly to the uninitiated. The Sheydra-Inara dialog
verbalized the station of a Registered Companion in the `verse, but
the viewer needed to have lived with the series for it to really
resonate. These scenes belong in an extended cut. In the context of
a viewership made up of those who have embraced the Firefly TV series
and the "Serenity" movie as a whole package; they add visual color
and beauty, and they flesh out the grace of Inara and the discomfort
she feels at her association with (and unrequited love for) a noble
pirate in Captain Reynolds. When Mal asks Inara at movie's end if
she is ready to get back to her girls, her somewhat demure "I don't
know" packs tons of subtext and out of character meaning that is lost
without the experience of Firefly's Inara. The Training House and
Sheydra scenes speak to that previous exposure and belong in a film
made for fans of the `verse.

I've already spoken of the value of the Mal and Inara subplot that
was excised from "Serenity". The pacing isn't the issue that it is
in a movie theater. A home DVD allows those quiet moments that allow
a script to pause, take a breath, and share those sweet moments that
explain just what the hell Inara is doing on that Firefly, anyway!
Even the little moments, like Fanty and Mingo sharing the value of
their unwavering greed with Mal and Jayne, are the wink and the nudge
and the twinkle in the eye that exponentially increase the value of
Joss' Sci-Fi Western. For a theatrical release movie meant for the
general public (who stayed away anyway) and the uninitiated, all
those cuts were wise choices. But that movie has been seen and the
un-interested have fallen by the wayside. A "Special Edition"
extended version of "Serenity" is a chance to reward the fan who
loves ALL the elements and character moments of the
Firefly/Serenity `verse, not just to present the scenes that
relentlessly push to the payoff. I think there was some Shepherd I
heard tell once, "The journey is the worthier part".

Whatever form the 2-disc "Special Edition" version of "Serenity"
takes, Browncoats will be there to support it. But for me, it won't
be truly "Special" unless it gives me a little more Fanty and Mingo,
the Companion Training House, the Mal and Inara relationship; I want
to live with those characters a little longer.

My Movie! (Eight months you…)

Let's imagine a hypothetical situation where all the available
versions of the DVD releases have been purchased by a fan and a
personal "Special Edition Serenity" is being put together for
personal viewing pleasure. The following is a list of the scenes to
be re-included and why those scenes, and not others, have been
included.

Simon hands River her boots before the payroll job. I believe this
was shot, tho' I don't think it was ever edited. I admit it, I just
want to see more River, and hear her proclaim that she's the "brains
of the operation".

Jayne and Kaylee dispose of Reaver junk:
Just a few extra seconds with two great characters. No theatrical
pacing, so nothing is lost and the tapestry is enriched with a few
extra threads.

Inara at the Training House:
If "Serenity" is seen as the next adventure in the series, (not a
stand-alone story), the audience will "get" the Training House. It's
a pretty moment, visually. People spend millions building museums in
which to view art in the name of visual pleasure. Without the need
for theatrical pacing, "Serenity" can afford a few seconds for the
same reason. The introductory visuals are also the lead in to…

Inara and Sheydra share a few words:
This is a piece of Joss' "yak-yak" that I think his fans like-like.
Morena's portrayal of Inara's discomfort is priceless as a stand-
alone character moment, and it also hearkens back to "Our Mrs.
Reynolds" ("I hit my head, like Wash!")
This is also the first moment that gives credibility to Inara's
presence on (the ship) Serenity as the story unfolds. Sheydra is
pretty easy on the eyes, too.

Fanty and Mingo at The Maidenhead:
I like the dialog. The reveal that Mal believes Fanty and Mingo sent
him and his crew knowing there were Reavers about makes Fanty and
Mingo less likeable.
Hey, not every petty bad guy gets to be warm and fuzzy like Badger.
We get an extra coupla seconds with Wash and Zoe and that makes me
happy, too.

Naked as the day I came cryin':
Mal and Inara; she left, they both miss each other, t'ain't neither
can say it.
I'm watching my DVD; I have a few extra seconds to watch `em squirm!

Mal and Inara escape from the Training House:
Another cut I totally understand from a theatrical standpoint. But,
I want to see it as part of my Firefly leads to Serenity DVD viewing
experience. Mal's excuse-ify-in', Inara's trying to save their skins
and the Alliance, well Mal never credited them with too much in the
way of brains anyway. I would say that while the grenade trick may
have made the Alliance troops look a little silly, only a real idiot
WOULDN'T leap out of the way of a live grenade. The slowness of
their recovery was the problematic issue, and these are troops who
haven't faced any real resistance since the War For Unification.
This lighter moment felt like Firefly to me, so nostalgia is a part
of re-including it.

The Shepherd's prayer:
OK, I'll miss Jayne's guitar chord but the prayer restores the power
to Book's character.
Even before I watched the Firefly series, watching the deleted scenes
version of the Shepherd's prayer for the fallen spoke to the
legitimacy of Book as the crew's conscience. I believe it is a good
thing to portray some religious figures in a positive light (and not
always as the easy springboard to corrupt characters). I appreciate
the dignity and competence and compassion that Joss Whedon and Ron
Glass brought to the Shepherd's character. We saw many moments of
this in the Firefly series, but in the headlong rush to
driving "Serenity's" story, this was largely lost. The prayer
restores Book's authority. The scenes shown in the background of the
crew reuniting with Book and his flock spoke to the Firefly/Serenity
theme of assembled family. And finally, the prayer was the segue to
Mal's comment that it wasn't River who killed those men, but the
Alliance. The Operative was right, the Alliance wasn't an evil
empire; but they did have a voracious appetite for taking and fencing
up what they wanted to achieve their goals. Mal's "aim to misbehave"
wasn't just about River, but about the whole inclination of the Union
of Allied Planets to swallow up what it felt entitled to own. I
found Mal's comment in response to Book's prayer to speak to his
wartime experiences as well as River's plight.

The inevitable mutiny:
I already stated that the yak-yak that Joss wrote-wrote appeals to me.
And, I remain convinced that it is one of the major draws for the
fandom of a writer.
Nostalgia also plays a role here. Mal and Inara's exchange "feels"
like Firefly and the "inevitable mutiny" is pure Firefly gold.
Besides, are we really in such a rush to bump into those icky Reavers?

I've seen so much death:
Mal and Inara; maybe they DO need each other…
I'm going to pull one cheat here and put this scene after River
says "I'm OK" and before the "aim to misbehave" speech.
Only thing is, I haven't ever seen this scene except on the blooper
reel.
Is it out there?
Maybe on the Special Edition disc?

What a whiner:
I already detailed this inclusion. The key is the development for
Mal's character, what it says about his strength and the Firefly-
presented caustic flippancy. This is the Malcolm Reynolds you would
follow even when it flies in the face of good sense.

Not included:

River counts pebbles-hummingbird. I liked it for itself, but it
undercut one of the movie's greatest lines, "Shiny! Let's be bad
guys!".

The extended River and Simon scene with the shouted, "EVERYBODY'S!"
(death) wasn't as foreboding as the quieter version presented in the
theatrical release.

The additional Operative scenes undercut his menace, as already
noted. If watching the extended version is part of watching the
Firefly series, the audience already knows the exposition the
Operative is, well, expositing.
The biggest loss here is time spent on the Alliance vessel. Unlike
the Training House scenes, the visual payoff doesn't offset the
narrative loss.

Book-ending the series, "What was that?":
The Big Damn Movie was my introduction to the Firefly/Serenity `verse.
When I sit down to watch the whole thing through
(over several nights, real life does intrude)
I like to start with the BDM, watch the Firefly series in DVD order
and then watch the BDM to conclude.
I view "Serenity" as both the introduction and the wrap-up to the
story.
My goal is to have an extended version of the movie to serve as the
wrap-up with all the inside nods and character moments restored,
while the theatrical release continues to serve as that glorious
introduction.

In conclusion, I would note that with the investment of a little
learning time, a home computer and some practice, modern tech makes
it possible for every audience member to assemble his own "special
edition". Han can (quite appropriately) knock off Greedo before he
is put at risk and still meet with Jabba the Hut in Star Wars IV: A
New Hope.
Although I feel there is good reason to create an officially
released, extended version of "Serenity", it isn't necessary. It is
possible for individual audience members to play in the sandbox in
ways that suit their individual tastes.

It would just be kinda cool if it came from the creator…

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Thursday, May 10, 2007 2:43 PM

REDHEAD

I just wanted to say that I loved reading this. I didn't agree with everything; however, a post like this is one of the reasons I searched for Firefly fan sites in the first place--intelligent, reasoned reflections on a beloved 'verse. Thank you!

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Thursday, May 10, 2007 4:25 PM

GHOULFISH

i see you are very passionate about what content you want to see in the new DVD's. I for one would have liked to have had an audio commentary with Alan Tudyk, he makes commentaries so much fun. Sigh, but there is still Nathan and Joss

I would have also liked to see more special content and more added surprises.
Maybe it will announce that they have been filming the sequil in secret and that it is ready for theatrical release

(crosses fingers, never give up, never give up)

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Thursday, May 10, 2007 11:14 PM

MRSHINYVERSE

Thanks for the post, I really enjoyed reading it and agree with some of the points. Problem is Joss said the original release was his "Directors Cut" so I doubt you will get your wish.

Also, I'd love it if the DVD did come with some sort of announcement about the future of verse -Big Damn Trilogy, Big Damn Trilogy, Big Damn Trilogy (watched Beetlejuice the other day and at this point anything is worth a try).

MrShinyVerse

"I'm here for a good time, not a long time" - that's my motto, or it might be if I start having a motto

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Friday, May 11, 2007 1:33 AM

DONCOAT

What I'd really like, or would have liked, is for the story of the BDM to have been played out over the course of the second half of Firefly Season 3.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm pointin' right at it!

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Friday, May 11, 2007 12:01 PM

PENNAUSAMIKE

I think most Browncoats are hoping for a sequel.
But that actually opens the can of worms over Wash's death.
I've seen Browncoats anxious to see, in essence, who Joss will kill off next;
and Browncoats who feel that any attempt to continue without Wash and Zoe as the true death of the series.
Joss has said that he doesn't bring back characters when talking about Wash, but he brought back Dobson in the bridging comic story and has talked about bringing Jubal Early back in other interviews.
So I've seen the "Wash Lives!" discussions get pretty lively.

Re: Wash's death in "Serenity". I am simply not willing to accept that in a fictional 'verse. I look to fiction as entertainment. If I want unhappy endings, all I gotta do is wake up! In my mind, until a film or series continuation says different, the crew put Wash in River's cryo-box to take him home for burial. Along the way, they are informed by Simon that the same medical tech that produced Tracy's hopped up internal organs ("million credit meat" in Tracy's words) are accessible at Government research facilities. Using a bit of improvisation and Book's ident card, they sneak Wash in in place of a politico who bumped a deserving recipient (ala PA's governor Casey who bumped everybody down the list for his transplant). Alliance bashing, witty dialog and some gunplay ensues. The Firefly 'verse returns to normal.

I will miss Book but his death was a more acceptable fit than Wash's.
One: Books death was important to the storyline and character development because Book was the catalyst to Mal regaining a little bit of his "rudder". Book's casual murder by the Operative and his dying wish, nay, DEMAND that Mall "believe" again made Mal and crew confront River's Miranda secret, rather than just run. Wash was sacrificed meaninglessly as a plot gimmick to create peril.

Two: Book was an individual who interacted with the crew but Wash was half of a married couple who as such made up an important ingredient of Firefly's unique-ness. To destroy that couple as a plot device is a cheap shot at all those who reveled in a mature, married couple as part of the cast ensemble. Which ties into,

Three: Book is a more easily replaced character. If another character with deep-seated religious beliefs were to join Serenity, (not a Sheperd but perhaps a person who wouldn't be stereotypically devout, say a blue-collar industrial worker who knows why he trusts in his Christian faith) the conscience-character would not replace Book but add to his legacy.
But if some "guy" just jumped into Zoe's heart and bed, it would be creepy and an insult to both Wash and Zoe.

Four: Also, Book's mysterious past could be explored in flashback, which would keep actor Ron Glass involved in the series without quite the level of sadness that showing widow Zoe's dead husband would cause. Wash is the "funny" character and there is little funny about being reminded of his death.

I have to admit that to many people, "undoing" Wash's death would cheapen it.
Since I feel the death was cheap and frivilous in the first place,
(and we are talking about "entertainment" and "fiction" here)
I want Wash back as a character more than I want to service a
manipulative, low blow.
I admit it, I still mist up at the Bedlam Bards "Leaf On The Wind" song.

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