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Zumpano wrote:What should be required reading before I see it?

Since no one answered this, I'll recommend the Jon Lee Anderson biography of Che. It is authoritative even though it's not by a professional historian and is worth reading despite its length. When this appeared in 1997 the literature on Che was really spotty, and this book added a huge amount to our understanding of the man. He gained exclusive access to a lot of archival sources and traveled the globe interviewing Che's surviving allies and enemies.
He presents a fairly good understanding of Che's ideas even though he does not always agree with them, and he looks at the Revolution in the last few decades with a critical eye.
I'm also recommending it because it's an easy book to find and also a pretty inexpensive one.

So has anyone seen both the Cannes cut and the new cut? Which is better? Were these 'New York interludes' in the Cannes version?

Here's a favorable review from the Toronto Film Festival screening.

Premiere interviews Benicio Del Toro.

Number 1 in boxoffice here.

Tele 5 (the crappy tv channle that produces this) publicity machine always works.

NY and LA will be getting the four hour cut (with intermission) in December, while the rest of us get a two-parter in January.

Antoine Doinel wrote:NY and LA will be getting the four hour cut (with intermission) in December, while the rest of us get a two-parter in January.

In Film Comment it says about 20 cities will get 1-week showings of the full cut by the end of the year. I hope that hasn't changed.

redbill wrote:In Film Comment it says about 20 cities will get 1-week showings of the full cut by the end of the year. I hope that hasn't changed.

I'm afraid it has. That issue of Film Comment went to press a few weeks ago. The films financier, Wild Bunch, was hoping for the 20 city scenario described above, but the distributor that picked up the North American rights (IFC) isn't going for it.

Coverage of the New York Film Festival press conference.

Jeff wrote:

redbill wrote:In Film Comment it says about 20 cities will get 1-week showings of the full cut by the end of the year. I hope that hasn't changed.

I'm afraid it has. That issue of Film Comment went to press a few weeks ago. The films financier, Wild Bunch, was hoping for the 20 city scenario described above, but the distributor that picked up the North American rights (IFC) isn't going for it.

Actually, it looks like the roadshow concept is back on. The film will have a run at the Zeigfield in New York in December and then travel to a few more spots throughout the country (and premiere on VOD). The 4 hour print will then come back to NYC in January and take residence at the IFC.

Che premieres on on the west coast November 1, at Grauman's Chinese Theater.

The Times interviews Del Toro.

Kasman's interesting take. The comments are also worth a look.

French posters for The Argentine and Guerrilla.

New international trailer.

IFC devises the most convoluted release platform ever for Che, ending with a goddamn Blockbuster exclusive video release ](*,)

I can't wait to see this generation's Lawrence of Arabia on my 27" TV screen. #-o

What the fuck is wrong with IFC?

a new Int'l trailer

The Guardian interviews Benicio Del Toro.

New Trailer

Apparently, the two films will be known as "Che Part One" and "Che Part Two." I guess this keeps people from getting antsy about seeing two separate films.

Why not handle these films like Clint Eastwood's WW2 movies?

I don't think that strategy worked for the distribution of Eastwood's movies in the UK. Keeping the dates closer together and titling them Part One and Part Two will mean more people realise there is a Part Two coming - something the general public probably didn't realise with the Eastwood movies. I think it's a good distribution strategy though I wonder whether people will complain about paying twice to see 'One Movie'. I am quite looking forward to seeing them (back to back) even though the reviews I have heard have been quite mixed.

is IFC in NYC still showing the whole film for some week in December? I refuse to see this butchered.

I think the IFC Center will be showing the chopped films 1 and 2, to see the roadshow version you'll have to go to the Ziegfeld.

Buying my tickets now!

thanks

I don't like the idea of paying twice to see one film. If they are concerned about length they should resurrect the intermission. But they don't want to entertain you, they want to rush you in and out of the theater like sheep. I'm annoyed by this fiasco. This could have been field trip worthy for my wife's high school spanish class.

[-(

In the silent era films were split up all the time. Just look at the first Mabuse film.