Large's Ark

February 25, 2011

This was just a wonderful viewing experience!
The entire time I just kept saying to myself, “This is a great movie!”.
Never once did I preface it by reminding myself this is a fan edit.
It didn’t feel like an edit to me.
It was just a really good movie.

This is a beautiful alternate version of what I already consider a brilliant and charming movie.
While I still love the original, this version adds greater depth and weight to the overall narrative,
creating for me a very emotional journey and more satisfying conclusion.

While the reinserted scenes are of slightly different video quality, I actually thought this worked in favour of the movie.
It was almost as though the varying picture quality reflected Large’s inner turmoil and emotional state.
So for me, the deleted scenes quality was more of narrative enhancement, than a distraction.
It just goes to show how well written and performed these scenes actually were and what a shame they hit the cutting room floor.
But now we have L8′s version to enjoy Large’s journey in it’s full splendor.

I absolutely loved the music replacement choices. All seemlessly interwoven and a vast improvement over the original soundtrack IMO.

Again, just a wonderful, wonderful moving film.

Well done L8wrtr!

March 6, 2011

*This rating was given before reviews were required*

March 19, 2011

I came to this from the perspective of a fan of the original theatrical cut who thought that it was a good little character piece that, frankly, could have been a great little character piece with only a little tweaking. Many times the point of the movie either became completely lost from time to time, or was put across in much too pointed in heavy handed ways. A more subtle film would have definitely played better to me, and if you could do that while turning the volume down on some of the oft too broadly comedic or needlessly quirky bits it would be even better. Thankfully, that’s exactly what this edit it does.

First of all let me start by saying I quite liked the presentation of the thing. The sound and picture quality was stellar with the exception of some re-inserted deleted scenes that frankly do look off – though given how important they were to this edit and that there was no way I can think of to make them look better than they did I found that completely acceptable. As for the editing itself, it’s next to invisible. I can’t pick out a moment where I really noticed the editing, which in this type of project I think is the best compliment to pay.

Now, all that said, getting into the movie itself. This is by FAR in my opinion the movie that Garden State always aspired to be but fell short of. The point is put across in a much more subtle, and dramatically satisfying way, with much more emotion and pathos than that original theatrical edition. Not only does this edit it remove much of the distracting and muddled bits, but also it’s gotten rid of some of the over written moments that seemed only designed to make sure even the most dense audience member got the point. But perhaps most satisfying is that it allowed the film to feel less broad, eschewing much of the inappropriate humor while at the same time keeping the quirkiness and skewed view that helped make Garden State special in the first place.

Presented here, all and all, feels like a much more professionally edited, satisfying, subtle, and overall intelligent film than the original version and for my money represents the much preferable edit.

April 26, 2011

It has been a while since I watched this, so it is hard for me to compare specifically to the original. I am an indy music nut however, so I do remember the original music well. I wasn’t sure how I would feel with you changing the music, but fortunately l8wrtr you have very good taste in music! At first it threw me off a little, only because I knew all the songs you picked and knew that most of them didn’t come out until a good while after the movie did. The first of these song changups pulled me out of the story for a sec as I reflected on that fact, but it actually really worked well as an alternative soundtrack to the movie. The songs certainly lended a great deal of emotional poignancy to the movie.

I have mixed feels about the opening airplane scene. It didn’t feel quite right to me or connect enough to the rest of the movie or to the end to justify keeping it.

I don’t recall any major technical problems.

So, good job! And thanks for an updated version of a movie that was fun to revisit! 9/10 overall.

February 25, 2011

Large’s Ark is an outstanding example of the fanediting art. The editor has refashioned the original to a version that’s more serious and somber, that rings truer emotionally, and that still has a lot of the charm and eccentricity of the original.

Although the original isn’t all that eccentric, as it follows closely in the footsteps of other indie favorites like Rushmore, Napoleon Dynamite, and other sagas about quirky, alienated and maybe neurotic, Gen Xers/Gen Yers. It’s a real puzzle why the scenes of Large in the bathroom were deleted from the original because those scenes seem like they always were the emotional heart of the movie. Maybe the original production team felt they were too heavy and serious, verging on Ordinary People territory. Well, thank goodness L8wrtr has reincorporated those crucial scenes. Yes, the video quality is a little worse, but I can live with it.

Technically the edits are mostly flawless. I thought I noticed the editor’s touch in a handful of transitions, but 98% are high quality in the way they’re integrated with the style of the original. The audio is even more impressive. Kudos to L8wrtr for impeccable music choices that merge totally with the story and recast the feel of the movie as less pop, more alt.

I also prefer L8wrtr’s ending, which better solidifies the idea that Large is setting his own destiny instead of always acceding to other people’s wishes.

Had the original production team decided to go with this interpretation of the material, they hardly could have done a better job. It’s funny, involving and a little surreal with a life-affirming message. 10/10.