The Thief & The Cobbler: ReCobbled Cut

Post by **Ben** » March 25th, 2006, 3:43 pm

LINKS MAC!!!

I have to know more (and have to get this evetually).

Post by **Macaluso** » March 25th, 2006, 4:37 pm

I'm not sure if this is the right forum, so if it goes in the General Discussion, feel free to move it.

Anyway, Ben wanted info on this, but I figured it best not to flood the CG topic with it.

Over at the SomethingAwful forums, there's a goon over there named "Tygerbug", who is making a fully restored DVD of the movie. From what I understand, whoever distributed the movie, butchered it to hell? I just know that Tygerbug is fully restoring it to how the creator of the movie wanted it to be, and it looks like it's coming along great. Unfortunatly, you need to have an acount there to view to the forums, and you have to pay for it. So I'll just copy and paste his post:

HAY GUYS WHAT'S GIONG ON IN THIS THRED

I posted that screenplay at my site, because I'm doing a restoration of the film. Actually I've DONE a restoration of the film. I've just finished it, but I'm redoing it, because apparently a guy who had friends working on the Calvert version is sending me a few cuts of the film that no one has seen before - works in progress of the Calvert version, and a copy of the workprint that might be better than mine.

>>Not to mention it's amusing that Tack has to get the balls back to the golden city in order to save them from the one-eyed monsters...

All double entendres are completely intentional, if you watch the film carefully.

Here's the text, yo!

This edit is now DONE, but is being redone. There's a trailer too.

http://orangecow.org/thief/thiefpic21.jpg
http://orangecow.org/thief/thiefpic12.jpg
http://orangecow.org/thief/thiefpic22.jpg

I'd like to announce that my current project is a restoration of the rarely-seen animated classic The Thief and the Cobbler, created by Richard Williams, who animated Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

I'd like to thank Baby Hum and Chris Sobeniak and Steve Stanchfield (and Squidy) for their help in procuring the necessary materials. I've looked at them and was inspired all over again by this classic film.

The film has never been seen the way it was intended to be seen. It was recut to death by Disney in an effort to destroy it, and is not well known even today.

I consider it a public service to restore Richard Williams' original vision, on which he spent 30 years. Those who have never heard of this film, maybe you'll discover it in my cut.

Here we are then. The Thief and the Cobbler. Recobbled Director's Cut.

http://orangecow.org/thief/thiefpic3.jpg
http://orangecow.org/thief/thiefpic35.jpg
http://orangecow.org/thief/thiefpic34.jpg
http://orangecow.org/thief/thiefpic5.jpg
http://orangecow.org/thief/thiefpic38.jpg
http://orangecow.org/thief/thiefpic39.jpg
http://orangecow.org/thief/thiefpic13.jpg
http://orangecow.org/thief/thiefpic16.jpg
http://orangecow.org/thief/thiefpic29.jpg
http://orangecow.org/thief/thiefpic33.jpg
http://orangecow.org/thief/thiefpic30.jpg

http://orangecow.org/thief/thiefpic42.jpg

THE TRAILER!

Rapidshare link for the entire trailer!

http://rapidshare.de/files/13429755/Thi ... r.avi.html

This'll work for most of you.

Now, also ...

I've used Stuffit to upload the trailer in two parts.

http://orangecow.org/thief/ThiefRecobbledTrailer.avi.1 (19.5 megs)
http://orangecow.org/thief/ThiefRecobbledTrailer.avi.2 (6.4 megs)

Stuffit is a Mac program, I hope Winzip can handle this too. Anyway, when you download these two parts, you have to open up Stuffit (I'm using Stuffit Deluxe), click on "Join", and select the first segment. The two will join together into one lovely file.

If you don't have a program that can join these two files, check this one out.

Partial trailer (missing end)
http://orangecow.org/1morestuff/ThiefRe ... railer.avi (23.7 megs)

This is pretty much the entire trailer. I was able to upload this much to my server before it stalled out. 2 megs are missing at the end. So, if you can't do the segmenting thing, that'll do nicely.

I'm going to post three clips from the film here.

http://orangecow.org/1morestuff/thiefescherscene.mov

http://orangecow.org/1morestuff/thiefma ... e1eyes.mov

http://orangecow.org/1morestuff/thiefzi ... eyebig.mov

These are not from the edit I've just done now, they're from older edits I did. So they're fullscreen, whereas my final edit is all widescreen.

Enjoy them, they're my three favorite scenes from the film.

THIS SET WILL FEATURE --

Digitally-remastered widescreen version of the original version of Thief and the Cobbler, taken from beautiful DVD sources but matching the workprint ...

AND, ON OTHER OPTIONAL DISCS FOR TRUE WILLIAMS FANS ...

Thames documentary on The Thief, 1 hour long, wonderful and digitally restored ...

I Drew Roger Rabbit, digitally restored if Jonathan Sloman comes through ...

A Christmas Carol, in good quality ...

Ziggy's Gift and other Ziggy cartoons, DVD quality

Lots and lots of Williams studios commercials, in, er, watchable-ish quality ...

Charge of the Light Brigade segments in DVD quality, Return of the Pink Panther titles in DVD quality ...

Any other opening titles you think I ought to include?

Raggedy Ann and Andy: A Musical Adventure

"Animating Art" (poor quality but it's about Art Babbit and his work at Williams' studio)

..... and, for those who want them, Arabian Knight (widescreen) and the Princess and the Cobbler (not widescreen).

AND MAYBE MORE.

I've finished my version of the DVD art.

http://orangecow.org/thief/recobbledposter.jpg
http://orangecow.org/thief/cobbleramarayweb.jpg

Full size!
http://orangecow.org/thief/cobbleramarayweb.jpg

Here's the text, for those of you who want to attempt your own.

It is written among the limitless constellations of the celestial heavens, and in the depths of the emerald seas, and upon every grain of sand in the vast deserts, that the world which we see is an outward and visible dream, of an inward and invisible reality ... Once upon a time there was a golden city. In the centre of the golden city, atop the tallest minaret, were three golden balls. The ancients had prophesied that if the three golden balls were ever taken away, harmony would yield to discord, and the city would fall to destruction and death. But... the mystics had also foretold that the city might be saved by the simplest soul with the smallest and simplest of things. In the city there dwelt a lowly shoemaker, who was known as Tack the Cobbler. Also in the city... existed a Thief, who shall be ... nameless.

“ANIMATION AMONG THE MOST GLORIOUS AND LIVELY
EVER CREATED!” - The New York Times

Restoration and cover artwork by Garrett Gilchrist

For the first time ever on video, enjoy the original version of this lost animation classic, written and directed by three-time Academy Award winning
animator Richard Williams (animation director of Who Framed Roger Rabbit). Nearly 30 years in the making, a labor of love by a team of animation greats, this was to be the masterpiece of Williams’ career, perhaps the most ambitious independent animated film ever conceived. The film was the inspiration for Disney‘s film Aladdin, which proved to be its undoing. After over two decades of work, the film was taken away from Williams when he couldn’t meet his deadline. It was eventually bought by Disney, recut and destroyed. It has never been seen the way it was intended to be seen ... until now. Based on Williams’ original workprint, missing scenes have been restored using storyboards and unfinished
animation. Restored to its true form, this lost
classic has finally been found - for you at home.

Directed by Richard Williams Screenplay by Richard
Williams and Margaret French Master animator Ken Harris
Produced by Imogen Sutton and Richard Williams

Also, here's the original screenplay: http://orangecow.org/thief/Thiefscript.RTF

Post by **Macaluso** » March 26th, 2006, 12:42 am

So, unfortunatly, the Orangecow site is down until the end of the month.

So you'll just have to make do with the pictureless info.

Post by **Dacey** » March 26th, 2006, 1:38 pm

About "Doogal": Yes, I'm sure that the original version is better. I hate it when they redub stuff like that with All-American actors (Oh, wait a minute, Ian Mckellen is British. Never mind...).

I mean, aren't we all glad that they didn't redub "Wallace and Gromit" here in the US?

Post by **Meg** » March 26th, 2006, 1:50 pm

Now THAT would have caused an uproar.

Post by **Dacey** » March 26th, 2006, 3:02 pm

Since we're talking about CGI animated films, here are the results of an interesting poll at comingsoon.net:

After "Ice Age: The Meltdown," which other 2006 animated movie are you most looking forward too?
Cars 44.5%
Over the Hedge 18.6%
Happy Feet 12.5%
Monster House 9.2%
The Wild 4.3%
Open Season 3.5%
The Ant Bully 3.2%
Flushed Away 2.8%
Barnyard 1.3%
Total votes: 2632

Post by **Meg** » March 26th, 2006, 5:33 pm

Eugh. Monster House beat The Wild? Other than that, these stats seem pretty unsuprising.

Post by **Kaszubas** » March 26th, 2006, 6:02 pm

I would place Sony Pictures Animation debiut - Open Season much higher... same for Flushed away. Happy Feet and Monster House both look less appealing to me. Top and bottom positions match my personal ranking

Post by **Macaluso** » March 26th, 2006, 6:11 pm

The only one out of all of those I don't want to see is Monster House. The house itself looks pretty neat, but everything else in the movie looks awful.

Everything else I'm super excited to see. Though I haven't seen much about Flushed Away besides pictures, I saw a trailer for Barnyard at Blockbuster of all places, and am looking forward to that. It's hard not to be interested in Happy Feet. The Wild looks decent, though not amazing. Over the Hedge and Ant Bully look fun. Open Season looks like a blast. And Cars gets the top spot for me obviously.

Ice Age 2 this friday! YEAH!

Post by **Kaszubas** » March 26th, 2006, 6:24 pm

Macaluso wrote: (...)Though I haven't seen much about Flushed Away besides pictures (...)

Enjoy!

http://www.flushedaway.com/flushedaway_ ... eview.html

Post by **Macaluso** » March 26th, 2006, 6:31 pm

Well that looked awesome.

Post by **Ben** » March 26th, 2006, 8:13 pm

Well... McKellen is a "name" so they left him in. His role basically stayed the same - no new dubbing from him - he was on the original's track!

And the "screenwriters" still get that credit!?!?!

Post by **Ben** » March 26th, 2006, 8:24 pm

DAMMIT!!!

Okay...is there a way of getting hold of this guy?? I have the full "Animating Art" documentary on broadcast BetaSP tape as well as "I Drew Roger Rabbit".

He says the "Art" doc specifically is poor quality, so this might be of interest to him? It's the full 45-50 minute cut. Would appreciate your passing it on.

Thanks Mac... I love you.

Post by **Macaluso** » March 26th, 2006, 8:26 pm

Hmm. Probably not until orangecow is back up and you can get his email.

Post by **ShyViolet** » March 26th, 2006, 9:58 pm

Xenu kinda reminds me of how Professor X looked in the early X-Men comics.