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Possession AKA The Night the Screaming Stops (1981)
Murder. Evil. Infidelity. Madness.Director: Andrzej Żuławski
Year of Copyright: 1981
Year of Production: 1980
OVERALL: Draw-
OVERALL: Draw
R2 Germany is a proper transfer with good extras including the commentary and lengthy documentary, though only offers an alternate soundtrack and not the original.
Also note that the French/UK editions offer an interview with the director with the original film soundtrack.
Picture screenshots are available through the following links:
#1: R0 America R2 Germany R2 Spain
#2: R0 America R2 Germany R2 Spain
Special thanks to Rewind user Tommy_Lundberg for providing these screenshots.
Versions:
The film was originally released in the US in a version missing about half an hour of footage. However, this version of the film included a brief shot not included in the longer version: a pair of eyes looking back at Adjani during the sequence in which she miscarries on the subway. (Thanks to David Mackenzie for confirming this.) This shot was never intended to be a part of the finished film but was included in the abbreviated US edit.
Note on the alternate soundtrack:
This audio track features alternative music. It is not the director's approved version. Most notable is the addition of the piano theme during the subway miscarriage scene, the repurposing of music originally designed for the deleted Abe character, and the removal of music during a pivotal scene. A handful of releases, included Possession's U.S. DVD release (ironically billed as the "Director's Cut") were issued only this audio track. -
CUTS:
- R0 America- Anchor Bay Entertainment - No cuts - longer original version (123:32 NTSC).
- R2 France- TF1 Video - No cuts - international cut (118:31 PAL)
- R2 Germany- Bildstörung - No cuts - international cut (118:58 PAL)
- R2 Standard Edition Germany- Bildstörung - No cuts - international cut (118:30 PAL)
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R2 Spain- Filmax - No cuts - international cut (118:30 PAL)
- R2 Sweden- Studio S - No cuts - international cut (123:27 NTSC-to-PAL)
- R2 United Kingdom- Second Sight - No cuts - international cut (118:30 PAL).
- R4 Australia- Umbrella Entertainment - Yes - International cut but some frames from the end of subway scene are missing (123:46 NTSC-to-PAL).
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Comparison added by Samuel_Scott on 12/04/04
Comparison last updated by Rick_Curzon on 18/08/22UPDATE LOG:
06/11/10: Addition of the UK edition.
Please ensure you read our disclaimer.
05/11/10: The missing frame is related to a scene occurring in the subway rather than in a bus station. This is confirmed to be also missing from the French release.
07/07/10: Addition of R2 France.
13/04/10: Addition of R2 Germany.
07/06/14: Added note on versions; updated cut status of various releases to reflect this.
22/02/17: Added Sweden, note about alternate soundtrack.
03/02/22: Dates, reissue title, German standard edition.
18/08/22: Dates.
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