Paranoia (A Truman Show Fanedit)

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9.6 (22)
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Faneditor Name:
Original Movie Title:
Fanedit Type:
Original Release Date:
1998
Original Running Time:
103
Fanedit Release Date:
Fanedit Running Time:
73
Time Cut:
30
Subtitles Available?
Available in HD?
Brief Synopsis:
This is a fanmix of Peter Weir's classic The Truman Show, reimagined as a psychological thriller in the style of Hitchcock/Lynch, viewed exclusively through Truman's perspective.
Intention:
The intention of this fan-edit is to reimagine The Truman Show as a paranoid thriller.
Other Sources:
Bernard Hermann - Vertigo (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Bernard Hermann - Psycho (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Bernard Hermann - Taxi Driver (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
John Barry - Beat Girl (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
image
Release Information:
Digital
Editing Details:
All explicit references and evidence to the viewer that Truman is part of an elaborate reality show centered around his life have been removed. By removing the dramatic irony of knowing what’s going on behind the scenes of Truman’s life, the viewer experiences first-hand Truman’s growing paranoia as he begins to suspect the world around him is not what it seems.

The film has been completely rescored to feature the music of Bernard Herrmann, sourcing music from Vertigo (1958), Psycho (1960), and Taxi Driver (1976). A piece by John Barry is also used.

The edit incorporates extensive color correction to the film, fluctuating between a high-contrast black and white filter for “hidden camera” shots, and a partially film-faded “Technicolor-esque” filter for the rest. The intention is to invoke both the classic colorful look of old Hitchcock films like Vertigo (1958) and the more postmodern look of films like Eraserhead (1977) or Pi (1998), all while evoking the frantic intercutting between the two ala Oliver Stone’s Natural Born Killers (1994).
Cuts and Additions:
The introduction establishing Truman, the audience, and Christoph has been replaced by a modified version of the title sequence from Vertigo (1958). The film begins with Truman getting ready for work.

Audience reactions are removed throughout the film.

The driving sequence has been accelerated, mostly to account for a soundtrack bleed that made rescoring it nearly impossible.

The behind-the-moon sequences are cut, as are Christoph’s interview and the news report recap of Truman’s life. Some of the footage from these sequences is retooled into an abstract montage that opaquely reveals Truman is being watched and has been his entire life.

Christoph, the crew, and the audience is removed from the final storm sequence.
First 10 minutes (Password: fanedit.org)


Album and hospital sequence (Password: fanedit.org)

User reviews

22 reviews
 
82%
 
18%
5-7 stars
 
0%
3-5 stars
 
0%
1-3 stars
 
0%
Overall rating
 
9.6
Audio/Video Quality
 
9.8(22)
Audio Editing
 
9.7(22)
Visual Editing
 
9.4(22)
Narrative
 
9.6(22)
Enjoyment
 
9.5(22)
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Overall rating
 
9.0
Audio/Video Quality
 
10.0
Audio Editing
 
9.0
Visual Editing
 
9.0
Narrative
 
8.0
Enjoyment
 
9.0
Beautiful idea, takes Weir's original and transforms it into something near-Lynchian with its uncanny look at control through conformity. The artificiality of people talking to him is reminiscent of Blue Velvet and the context-free time jumps work in a similar manner as Mulholland Drive or Lost Highway. If you only watched this edit without knowing anything of Weir's original, it might seem odd. It works very well as a companion piece from Truman's POV. I chuckled thinking about the possibility that 1000 years from now, this fan edit has survived but The Truman Show hasn't and historians try to piece together the original from this. Replacing Glass with Herrmann works surprisingly well too.

A minor gripe is that I also love Saul Bass but I don't think the Vertigo opening title sequence fits the rest of the film.

User Review

Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
Digital
S
1 reviews
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Overall rating
 
8.8
Audio/Video Quality
 
9.0
Audio Editing
 
9.0
Visual Editing
 
10.0
Narrative
 
8.0
Enjoyment
 
8.0
I haven't watched the original in a while but my recollection of it was too great to make this edit work well for me. If I really separate myself from the original I can feel the intent of Paulisdead2221 here. This really comes around when the Hitchcock score comes into play.
I thoroughly enjoyed the score and found it was mixed in really well. I didn't notice any cutting and I had zero gripes with video or audio quality. I was a little confused about the use of black and white "hidden cameras" in the edit and agree with batfan532's points about it being used counterintuitively if the idea is to have the audience question whether or not he's in a TV show.

If I was coming at this with fresh eyes I would be a lot more blown away by this, as said before the Hitchcock elements really pull me back in when I start to lose the focus on the edit.
All in all a very enjoyable watch.

User Review

Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
Digital
J
1 reviews
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Overall rating
 
10.0
Audio/Video Quality
 
10.0
Audio Editing
 
10.0
Visual Editing
 
10.0
Narrative
 
10.0
Enjoyment
 
10.0
Another one of Paulisdead2221's masterpieces. I didn't know I needed a version of the Truman Show filtered through the eye of Alfred Hitchcock, turns out I really do need one. To say it was a joy to watch this version is an understatement. The imagination on display is breathtaking. The fact that almost a third of the movie is cut and yet the story flows so perfectly is just so damn impressive. Excellent. I can't wait for Paul's next FanMix.

User Review

Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
Digital
Report this review Comments (1) | Was this review helpful? 1 0
Overall rating
 
9.8
Audio/Video Quality
 
10.0
Audio Editing
 
10.0
Visual Editing
 
9.0
Narrative
 
10.0
Enjoyment
 
10.0
This is a transformative example of what editing can do, and its potential to change the meaning of a film.

There were only a couple of instances where the black and white “hidden camera” filter was used at the wrong shots, making it seem impossible the camera could be placed in such a position. But they were few compared with the overall editing done here.

The score was great, the pacing was superb. Overall, experiencing this is absolutely recommended, it’s an opus of editing.

User Review

Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
Digital
Report this review Comments (0) | Was this review helpful? 0 0
Overall rating
 
9.8
Audio/Video Quality
 
10.0
Audio Editing
 
9.0
Visual Editing
 
10.0
Narrative
 
10.0
Enjoyment
 
10.0
Possibly The Truman Show is one of my favorite Jim Carry films.

Paranoia makes it a totally different film from the original and it is very appreciated. The complete change of the OST is a success, although there are some moments (where the bus stops) when the original music is heard over the top, which is why I lowered it to 9 stars.
The rest is perfect

my congratulations to Paulisdead2221

User Review

Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
Digital
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