NEW! Super Mario Bros. - The 20th Anniversary Re-edit

[Redstar]

Glad to see you back, man. This is very exciting news. You really did a lot with the film before, so with better tools at your disposal you can only do better.

[Phlibbit]

Awesome. The Swedish release is just perfect for a project like this. Once you're done we'll definitely update the site and Facebook page again!

[Clous]

Will there be any changes from the previous versions or are you satisfied with the cuts/additions you made before?

[Happy Russia]

There shouldn't be any changes from the previous version, the only major difference will be a huge improvement in picture quality. While the Swedish DVD version was used, iMovie does an absolute crap job at exporting, so the final result was a blotchy-looking mess. BUT! If any of you guys have any ideas, I may throw them in last minute.

[Clous]

Can't think of anything else you could do. The cut was just about perfect.

[Metroidan]

This will be a good opportunity to finally rewatch the cut. Been awhile since you first released it.

Will you be looking into hosting it on FanEdit.Org? That'd be a good community for a wider audience.

[Happy Russia]

Hard to believe it's been two years, but I'm posting here again, and that can only mean one thing...

New! Super Mario Bros. is coming to you in glorious 1080p high definition!

https://youtu.be/6HBrAFoopmw

This is the first five minutes of footage, with notable changes already made:

- Picture is more colorful. The original blu-ray footage was rather bland, so the colorization was tweaked. Darks are darker, and everything looks more vibrant -- the kind of visuals you expect from a blu ray.
- Most changes made in my original cut are likely to stay, with minor alterations, but as always, I'm open to suggestions. This can truly be our movie, together!

[SolitaryPoet]

One question...are you or are you not related to George Lucas? The answer to that question may determine how I feel about this project.

[Serum]

Believe me, I know the feeling. I'm a moderator and I gotta keep my mouth shut about how I feel about this. No offense to Happy Russia or his (her?) mad editing skills, those are great and show a lot of potential, but when I say I'm a fanatic about this film, I mean it in an almost religious sense.

[SolitaryPoet]

Believe me, I know the feeling. I'm a moderator and I gotta keep my mouth shut about how I feel about this. No offense to Happy Russia or his (her?) mad editing skills, those are great and show a lot of potential, but when I say I'm a fantatic about this film, I mean it in an almost religious sense.

I know what you mean. I will give it the benefit of the doubt for now, but I don't understand what he means by unnecessary dialogue. I believe in maintaining the integrity of the artists original vision, so when someone like James Cameron say that the Aliens special edition was what he intended to make all along, I accepted that and and haven't watched the theatrical version since. When Ridley Scott said that the original version was his final, definitive cut and that he only made the "Director"s Cut" to appease FOX, I decided not to give any credence to the "Director's Cut."

The point is, I don't see how the "fan-edit" of "Mario Bros." preserves the artist's vision...but I am willing to listen to an explanation.

[Serum]

See, I have no qualms with an extended cut of the movie (Super Mario Bros.), so long as no new technology bastardizes it in any way, other than restoration for adding in the lifted or replaced alternate clips from the initital 2.15 hour cut mentioned in one of the interviews (when we find the lost footage, and so help me we will find it). Director's cuts are fine-- typically. This project-- I'd better just stop talking, right now. Let's just say I can't get behind anything done in this project.

[Happy Russia]

Well, since you two seem so particularly attached to the original version, then don't watch mine, and don't trouble yourself over this thread. I don't know what else to say.

Also, I don't think I'd ever regard Morton & Jankel as artists. They were two small-time Hollywood players who got lucky with Max Headroom, and were even luckier to work with the likes of Solomon, Joffe, Runte, and Eberts. If you're worried about "the artist's vision" being preserved or not, then you're severely overreacting. The original film, to me, is one that I will always love. It's a flawed, imperfect movie with some cringeworthy moments, but that's what makes it fun. What others don't find charming about it, we do.

This edit, from its start two years ago, was always about making a more complete and cohesive experience. It doesn't lumber along with overdrawn, ridiculous dialogue, and the pace is fresh and energetic, something to be expected of a movie based on a rather energetic video game. There wasn't anything added or removed that would make it detrimentally worse, unless you're a fan of the completely cringeworthy animated prologue or the dated, stupidly moronic running pizza gag.

The original film works if you don't consider it to be based on a video game that many of us here enjoy, and my version works if you've been yearning for a more Mario-esque experience. Does that mean 8-bit music and sound effects blaring over the dialogue? No. It means there are subtle easter eggs in order to charm the casual viewer and make the Mario fanatic in some of us smile. If you're still wondering if the "vision" is preserved, it must be first understood what the vision was meant to be.

Morton & Jankel wanted a dark, brooding thriller while the studio wanted a lighthearted adventure. So, you still very much get that. You get the dark, dramatic moments we were originally presented, and you still get the lighthearted adventure as well. There's nothing that actually changes the film from what it is. There's no modern technology to make CGI Koopa Troopas, or the angry sun from Super Mario Bros. 3 floating in the Koopahari Desert sky. Everything utilized in this version is sourced from the original film itself and its preview trailers. There are no outside film sources. It was made from within, to put it one way.

I'm not gonna make you like it, because you're already sold on disliking it. And it's not an official reissue. The original film still exists. So if you wanna lurk in this thread to only criticize it, then please just make way for the people who want to put legitimate creative input into this project.

[SolitaryPoet]

I never said I was set on disliking it. I said I would hear you out and that there were two things I didn't really understand. You did a good job explaining yourself, Basically, it's a fan film constructed from preexisting material: Sort of like the Star Wars Prequel Fan-Edit. The thread was titled "NEW! Super Mario Bros. - The 20th Anniversary Re-edit" so that's how I approached the project from the outset. I think I would have seen things a little differently if it had said "The 20th Anniversary Fan-edit."

I will probably end up watching it now that I know that you are actually making a different movie; a fan film. I won't watch it as THE "Super Mario Bros." movie but rather A "Super Mario Bros." fan film.

[Phlibbit]

I think the thing some of you folks need to get behind is that this project is a fan-edit. There are some things I do and don't like in it--just like I view any other film. I see this project as a fun companion piece. The released film is definitely the version I prefer, but it's always interesting to see someone else's interpretation.

This edit, from its start two years ago, was always about making a more complete and cohesive experience. It doesn't lumber along with overdrawn, ridiculous dialogue, and the pace is fresh and energetic, something to be expected of a movie based on a rather energetic video game. There wasn't anything added or removed that would make it detrimentally worse, unless you're a fan of the completely cringeworthy animated prologue or the dated, stupidly moronic running pizza gag.

^^And say what you will about the filmmakers, but HR is actually doing what some of the folks who worked on the film want done. Remember what David L. Snyder said in our interview with him?

DS: I think somebody should attempt to re-cut the film. Just lift out or trim the scenes that are ponderous. As far as I’m concerned, I wouldn’t cut anything with Spike and Iggy. It’s all great including when we first see them on the streets of Wilmington ‘as’ Brooklyn as they’re futilely attempting to kidnap Daisy.

[Happy Russia]

The upload to YouTube is currently sitting at 60%, which means it should be completed at about... oh, 4 or 5 o'clock tomorrow morning. It's been going for nearly twelve hours straight now, but once live, I'll provide the link here.

[Happy Russia]

Ladies and gentlemen, we are now... LIVE!

New! Super Mario Bros. is live and ready for your viewing pleasure in brilliant 1080p high-definition!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyxmJGzQVUA

And always remember to TRUST THE FUNGUS!

[MarioValiant]

Well, I've watched bits and pieces of it, and eventhough I will say that you did a good job putting your sweat and blood into recreating this fanedit with gorgeous picture quality, I will admit that I kinda missed Toad's opening verse of his anti-Koopa song you used in the original final cut which goes:

Well, cars run on electricity
'Cause fossil fuel is sacred, you see
Livin' in a kingdom of fungus
Got an evil presence here among us

As for the extended flashback with Daisy's mother, well, looking back at the original theatrical cut of the movie, I'm not exactly sure I'm comfortable with the nuns, eventhough I am a devout Christian. I hope you understand.

[ultimateemail5000]

I say the film shouldn't be touched, unless you're adding lost footage.

[Happy Russia]

As for the extended flashback with Daisy's mother, well, looking back at the original theatrical cut of the movie, I'm not exactly sure I'm comfortable with the nuns, eventhough I am a devout Christian. I hope you understand.

I can't say I understand. If it's in the original film, I can't apologize for offending you. In that regard, I just find the whole point rather lost. I hope you understand this, from my standpoint.

Well, I've watched bits and pieces of it, and eventhough I will say that you did a good job putting your sweat and blood into recreating this fanedit with gorgeous picture quality, I will admit that I kinda missed Toad's opening verse of his anti-Koopa song you used in the original final cut

I felt that the audio quality of Mojo Nixon's demo just wasn't up to par. With how crisp the picture quality was, and the sound mix as well, it would've stuck out like a sore thumb. I miss it as well, and hoped there would be some kind of version that had better quality, but there isn't. Rather than insert something with such a difference from the high quality of the blu-ray, I felt it would service the whole "high definition experience" better if just wasn't there.

I say the film shouldn't be touched, unless you're adding lost footage.

Go watch the original, then, and leave mine well enough alone.

[Serum]

I say the film shouldn't be touched, unless you're adding lost footage.

This. A hundred trillion times this.

[Happy Russia]

This. A hundred trillion times this.

As if I wasn't already aware of your opinion, I still appreciate the [minimal] feedback. I'm not here to please everyone, least of all a few people whose remarks have done nothing but feel like pure disregard and disrespect for my work -- and assistance from the community -- that's gone into this project, as well as disrespect for interests and opinions different from yours. I get it. You don't like "George Lucas-ing" movies. Except that's not what this is. It's not the addition of outside technologies to oversaturate the frame, and take away from the original experience, but a project that was built purely from within, from its own source, by someone not affiliated with the studio responsible for the film in the first place.

So, you can sleep easy at night, content with the knowledge that this will never be an official release, and is nothing more than an exercise in editing, in what was an attempt to make a more fun and cohesive "Super Mario" experience that we fans were looking forward to back in the summer of 1993. While you proclaim your pride in preserving movies, you also stifle the creative process with your dismissive naysaying. And that process will continue on, regardless of how you feel about it.

So, unless there's something constructive to contribute or suggest other than, "Don't touch the movie. This sucks. The movie's perfect the way it is," then I constructively suggest that you leave yourself out of -- and away from -- this project, and make way for the people that are interested and invested in it.

[KoopaBro64]

This was a very good edit. Much improved over the original fan-cut, I would say. The demo insert from Toad's song I felt did stick out as a sore thumb, so I'm content with removing that. Otherwise the only other criticism I have is some music choices, particularly the Melee soundtrack during the credits. It's not a major peeve, but I feel using Mario music past the early 90s' prime is distracting.

As for what's great about this edit, I must say the video quality is amazing. The darks are darker and the colors pop right out, which is a noticeable improvement from the blu-ray print. From the DVD anomaly, to the blu-ray, and this edit, it shows how higher-quality and deeper contrast really impact the feel and experience of the film. The DVD was just degrading to watch, and going from that to what you've done with the blu-ray footage definitely measures how much better that print looks.

I also like how many of the throwaway lines are removed. Yes, yes, I understand many are fond of the fine quirks uttered by our beloved Dennis Hopper, but I feel they had no purpose other than a quick, cheap laugh. Without them, I feel like the story is further streamlined, instead of hitting a wall at the end of each scene just to get a cheap laugh. It's so 90s', that awkward humor. It gives the film some sense of personality, sure, but it doesn't add anything dramatic to the experience.

I would name your edit a "modern cut". It's pacing is far more consistent and fast, and because of that the action scenes are closer aligned instead of being shoved between lengthy breaths of exposition.

While fans of the film like us mostly feel indifferent to such an edit, due to our opinions on what is essential to the movie and what is not, I do feel like if you showed someone who has never seen the movie these two versions, they would prefer yours. That's why I feel this cut is relevant, because many moments of the film do wear on the average movie-goers experience. Taking away and adding a few things does prove to dramatically impact the structure and feel of a movie. Of course, this will never be replacing the original version of the movie, it is made by a fan and not some George Lucas cop-out (his edits were just nonsensical and cringe-worthy-yours make sense). The original version will always be the one on our shelves for the occasional viewing, it's never going anywhere. You're just a fan who wants to broaden the audience for this often bashed flick, and the hard-work and dedication you put towards revising the film is admirable. Due to that, I see the negative criticisms of a fan-edit just kind of unfair and biased. I believe you preserved the director's intentions, and actually took some inspiration from many of the crew member's opinions towards your cut. I commend you for that.

Overall, you kept all that was absolutely necessary and made a far more streamlined, and energetic version of Super Mario Bros. It's not an edit made for fans, but for everyone who's interested and curious about viewing this pop-culture artifact. I can only imagine all the new fans you brought in with your original edit, and can imagine there all the more to come.

[Phlibbit]

Wow. Couldn't have put it better myself, KoopaBro. Above all else, fan-edits like this are an excellent exercise in letting fans reanalyze the films they love. If it gets us talking about the film again and thinking about it in new ways, then it has done its job

[Happy Russia]

This was a very good edit. Much improved over the original fan-cut, I would say. The demo insert from Toad's song I felt did stick out as a sore thumb, so I'm content with removing that. Otherwise the only other criticism I have is some music choices, particularly the Melee soundtrack during the credits. It's not a major peeve, but I feel using Mario music past the early 90s' prime is distracting.

I can wholly empathize with you on my choice of the Melee theme. If I may explain -- it took me a while to think of what could be a heroic-styled theme. The Alan Silvestri theme is terrific, but relies heavily on sounding bouncy and cartoony. What I wanted to end the film with was something that resonated as a heroic theme, and nothing in any of the original Mario games, even those in the mid-90s, really came close to conveying a rousing heroic motif.

Browsing through my music library, I sampled through my copy of Smashing Live, performed by the New Japan Philharmonic, and realized that without the context of Super Smash Bros. behind it, it made a great theme. I chose to look at it as not the theme to Melee, but rather a theme in what was another entry in the long pantheon of Mario games. It was a heroic motif that I found suitable to end the film on, hence why it's not really heard in any other context throughout the movie, except for Mario's rescue in the Goomba barracks. Like I said, I understand and empathize with your criticism on that, but it wasn't a choice I took lightly, I took several factors into consideration. After said consideration, I felt it still fit within the context of the movie, since I felt that it was lacking a heroic motif.

Overall, you kept all that was absolutely necessary and made a far more streamlined, and energetic version of Super Mario Bros. It's not an edit made for fans, but for everyone who's interested and curious about viewing this pop-culture artifact. I can only imagine all the new fans you brought in with your original edit, and can imagine there all the more to come.

I appreciate your entire sentiment, and yes, I was looking to create something that could be seen as Super Mario Bros. for the 21st century. And like I've said before, it's not achieved by any George Lucas-esque upheaval. No ill-fitting special effects or questionable changes to key sequences. It was about taking a very, very dated movie and making it accessible. It was about removing silly and dated jokes that even I scoffed at as a child.

I even thought that I could improve on certain characterizations. Throughout the original film, we see Luigi as an earnest, but incredibly bumbling guy. He rambles on and on, as he infamously did after the dinner scene, and at the end of the movie, saying goodbye to Daisy, had to be reiterated by Mario about why Daisy was choosing to stay. I felt like those moments, especially with Daisy's farewell, did a disservice to his character.

Going through his character arc, I wanted to give him a better resolution. Starting as a head-in-the-clouds jokester, I wanted that journey to help him understand why Daisy decided to stay behind. It does an incredible injustice to Luigi, as a character, to have it spelled out for him further, when he should be able to make the connection himself. I felt that it would make for a more satisfying character arc for him. This was a very personal project for me in that I always wanted that perfect Super Mario movie. Promises of that were squandered in 1993 with the original release, but it still remained a HUGE part of my childhood that I loved then and to this day, like a geeky badge of honor. Every viewing of it just made this yearning grow more and more, filling my mind with, "Man, if only...."

So, I took it upon myself to make a version that I felt would fulfill what I had wished to see over 20 years ago. If the vision I had was similar to other peoples', I hoped it would get them to enjoy an otherwise obscure and negatively lambasted film.

[MarioValiant]

I felt that the audio quality of Mojo Nixon's demo just wasn't up to par. With how crisp the picture quality was, and the sound mix as well, it would've stuck out like a sore thumb. I miss it as well, and hoped there would be some kind of version that had better quality, but there isn't. Rather than insert something with such a difference from the high quality of the blu-ray, I felt it would service the whole "high definition experience" better if just wasn't there.

I understand completely. On the other hand, I have noticed that the picture and audio became a bit out of sync later on. Any interest in fixing this?

[Happy Russia]

Okay, I've looked on the issue, by playing back both the uploaded YouTube version, as well as the version saved on my HDD, there is a small audio discrepancy. While my saved version has no issues, and the YouTube version seems to have it, I can only surmise that it's an issue with the upload. It's a minute detail, a delay in the sound of about half-a-second, maybe less, but doesn't affect the entire film, and to most people -- if not all -- it's hardly noticeable. But thanks for the heads up, much obliged.


**************
UPDATE: I've gone back four, five times over, watching the playbacks very carefully. The audio delay seems to be a compression issue, from uploading to YouTube. The issue corrects itself as the film goes on, so it only occurs in small moments. Another discrepancy, however, seemed to pop up, and this is one that can't be helped whatsoever. If there are moments in the film, especially later on, where the sound is much clearer suddenly, with natural sound effects amplified, that's from the original Blu-ray print. That's something I cannot fix, as it's native to the video source.

[Redstar]

Wonderful work, Russia! I'm very pleased to see you still so committed to the film and realizing your personal vision for it. Not many people would be so willing to edit a film not just twice, but three times!

I hope you don't mind some of our more 'spirited' members and what they have said. I appreciate that they love the film so much that they're personally offended by your work and the discussion is certainly involved. "Involvement" is something our community has lacked for awhile now, so even a bit of negativity is welcome so long as it gets people talking.

This edit, from its start two years ago, was always about making a more complete and cohesive experience. It doesn't lumber along with overdrawn, ridiculous dialogue, and the pace is fresh and energetic, something to be expected of a movie based on a rather energetic video game. There wasn't anything added or removed that would make it detrimentally worse, unless you're a fan of the completely cringeworthy animated prologue or the dated, stupidly moronic running pizza gag.

^^And say what you will about the filmmakers, but HR is actually doing what some of the folks who worked on the film want done. Remember what David L. Snyder said in our interview with him?

DS: I think somebody should attempt to re-cut the film. Just lift out or trim the scenes that are ponderous. As far as I’m concerned, I wouldn’t cut anything with Spike and Iggy. It’s all great including when we first see them on the streets of Wilmington ‘as’ Brooklyn as they’re futilely attempting to kidnap Daisy.

I just want to re-iterate this fantastic point: even the filmmakers want to see the film changed. They set out to create something fun, innovative and unique, but were unfortunately forced to give up on many of their plans. Would it really be against the spirit and intention of the film to not only add footage, but remove it?

A film is not just defined by its individual frames, but also its whole. Some of those frames bring the whole down.

[MarioValiant]

Okay, I've looked on the issue, by playing back both the uploaded YouTube version, as well as the version saved on my HDD, there is a small audio discrepancy. While my saved version has no issues, and the YouTube version seems to have it, I can only surmise that it's an issue with the upload. It's a minute detail, a delay in the sound of about half-a-second, maybe less, but doesn't affect the entire film, and to most people -- if not all -- it's hardly noticeable. But thanks for the heads up, much obliged.


**************
UPDATE: I've gone back four, five times over, watching the playbacks very carefully. The audio delay seems to be a compression issue, from uploading to YouTube. The issue corrects itself as the film goes on, so it only occurs in small moments. Another discrepancy, however, seemed to pop up, and this is one that can't be helped whatsoever. If there are moments in the film, especially later on, where the sound is much clearer suddenly, with natural sound effects amplified, that's from the original Blu-ray print. That's something I cannot fix, as it's native to the video source.

I understand. Plus, as much as I hate to admit it, I kinda prefer your original version of the fanedit with the footage taken from the Swedish DVD. I hope you understand.

[Happy Russia]

I kinda prefer your original version of the fanedit with the footage taken from the Swedish DVD. I hope you understand.

Can't say I do understand. There were hardly any substantial changes to it, other than the end credits. But as long as you enjoyed either of them, the support is appreciated.

[MarioValiant]

I kinda prefer your original version of the fanedit with the footage taken from the Swedish DVD. I hope you understand.

Can't say I do understand. There were hardly any substantial changes to it, other than the end credits. But as long as you enjoyed either of them, the support is appreciated.

Thank you.

Sorry for the delayed response, but I'm sorry to hear that your fanedits, well, two of them, at least, got taken down from Youtube due to copyright issues. Of course, I was fortunate enough to download them both off Youtube. Any chance of putting them back up somehow so all of us will be able to view them online again?

[Happy Russia]

I kinda prefer your original version of the fanedit with the footage taken from the Swedish DVD. I hope you understand.

Can't say I do understand. There were hardly any substantial changes to it, other than the end credits. But as long as you enjoyed either of them, the support is appreciated.

Thank you.

Sorry for the delayed response, but I'm sorry to hear that your fanedits, well, two of them, at least, got taken down from Youtube due to copyright issues. Of course, I was fortunate enough to download them both off Youtube. Any chance of putting them back up somehow so all of us will be able to view them online again?

Not if Second Sight doesn't comply. This was, for all intents and purposes, a legally bought version of the SMB blu-ray, which was then extracted with video software. However, it's their decision to remove the video. Which is ironic, since my original versions were never removed by Disney. Somebody got their wish, somewhere, but I will always have it on my HDD.

[Serum]

Well, while I don't necessarily agree with the changes you've made with your fan edit, I don't think it should be censored, either. That said, it is odd that the Swedes took down a version you posted and Disney left it alone. I live in the States and Mouse worship is quite common here (see everyone constantly singing songs from Frozen) but I do find it odd that the movie in general doesn't have a much larger following, let alone a larger recognition by its own distributor in my home country outside these forums than it ought to.