Skyfall: The Past Haunts Us

Updated
Skyfall: The Past Haunts Us
Faneditor Name:
Original Movie Title:
Genre:
Franchise:
Fanedit Type:
Original Release Date:
2012
Original Running Time:
143
Fanedit Release Date:
Fanedit Running Time:
134
Time Cut:
9
Available in HD?
Brief Synopsis:
'Skyfall: The Past Haunts Us' trims the endless jabs at Bond and M for their long service. It removes the implausible Tube derailment, and tightens the final battle.
Intention:
The derailed Tube annoyed me in the cinema already. It's not just implausible, it's illogical and impractical for Silva, and poorly executed by the makers (e.g. visible suspension wires, no news follow-up inside the movie mentioning this major act of possible terrorism). I wanted it excised completely! The overabundance of ageist comments bugged me, because it was insincere: for viewers and in-movie characters it's repeatedly clear that Bond IS the man to get the job done. Once I got into editing this, I realized how I could address the third thing that had bothered me: Silva's two attack waves in the final battle. It made no sense for Silva to send goons, and withhold the support of his gunship until they're all dead.
Additional Notes:
The edit includes the original Director's Commentary and the Producer's Commentary, with subtitles. I had to speed them up 3, respectively 6, percent to keep them intact. For anyone curious to compare their vision to my edit, enjoy!
Other Sources:
Boom Boom by The Animals.
Special Thanks:
Zarius and everyone who gave helpful and motivating feedback.
Release Information:
Digital
Special Features
Video: 1080p MKV
Audio: 5.1 AC3 640kbps,and 2 stereo commentaries
Subtitles: English for movie and both commentaries.
Cuts and Additions:
- First edit is at 38'23", cut lines Tanner: "I didn't know Bond passed the tests." M: "He didn't".
- Cut Q's joke about exploding pen. Not a bad joke, but the delivery made it another swipe at Bond being (from) the past. Now Q remains silent in sombre agreement with Bond's bleak comment.
- Three short trims in the Shanghai skyscaper while Bond is stalking / watching the assassin. For pacing.
- Trim M watching the video disclosing the first 5 spies. To make her look less weak.
- During shaving, cut Bond: "What part's that?" and Eve's ageist retort: "Old dog new tricks".
- During Silva's monologue at Bond: cut mention of Bond's "unresolved childhood trauma". I realize this may seem counter-intuitive with my chosen sub-title, but it feels redundant to have both the sub-title and Silva's comment. And there's no need to double down on Bond's incompetence (if he's not too old, he still can't do the job because of his unresolved past), because by the end of the movie he proves yet again that nobody does it better.
- When M approaches Silva's cell, cut the bits that show the frosted window becoming clear, then frosted again. Pointless and I didn't like the look of it.
- Many trims to Q's hacking of Silva's laptop. Cut the opening of all the floor hatches. Those were illogical and only served the implausible plot point that Silva's door would have opened simultaneously. Instead I prefer to think that Silva had help from the inside, e.g. one of the police officers who help him a few scenes later. Also cut some shots that showed Q's screen filled with gobbledygook.
- Small trims to the Government hearing, to make the Minister less of a caricature and reduce her ageist attacks on M.
- Cut the lame joke from Silva's guard "Going somewhere?"
- Cut Q's exposition that Silva meant to be captured, that it was "years in the planning". It breaks my suspension of disbelief! And it's unneccesary. It's more plausible to assume that Silva has moles in MI5 and/or the police who swung into action to free their boss (in reaction to, not anticipation of, his capture).
- Several cuts during the subway chase. The main one is the removal of Silva derailing a tube for the sole purpose of almost killing Bond. Was his almost apprehension in that exact location also years in the planning?! Again, it breaks my suspension of disbelief. Cut Q's "That's vexing", a bizarre comment in that moment. Small trim to Silva walking down stairs, for pacing. Rearrange the scene on the tube platform, for pacing.
- Small trim to M quoting poetry, to make her sound stronger.
- At Skyfall mansion, cut Kincaide's "sometimes the old ways are the best." Enough with the past vs present references already! We get it. Don't remind us of the plot so often.
- Trim the A-Team scene of our heroes building their traps. For pacing and to try to keep the finale feeling like a Bond movie instead of just another action flick.
- Merged the two attack waves: Silva's helicopter arrives together with his foot soldiers. Their attack is accompanied by the helicopter playing BOOM BOOM by The Animals until Silva disembarks. This required a major reshuffle of the scenes and audio. Adding more of the song and background helicopter noise in 6-channel audio is frustrating! Some shots made brighter, respectively darker, to fit their new place in the dusk timeline.
- To underscore that Silva's evil master plan is breaking down, M now gets shot after he instructs his goons not to touch her. Soon after, his helicopter goes up in flames. Small trims for pacing, to reduce the hollywood-size explosion of the helicopter and mansion, and to remove M looking insecure.
- No changes in the last 13 minutes of the story.
- Added FE opening and closing logo.
- English subtitles.
- 3% speed-up to the director's commentary, to keep the commentary intact while fitting the shorter runtime. Includes subtitles.
- 6% speed-up to the producer's commentary, to keep the commentary intact while fitting the shorter runtime. Includes subtitles.
Cover art by lapis molari (DOWNLOAD HERE)
image

Bond and Q in museum (Password: fanedit.org)

User reviews

4 reviews
Overall rating
 
9.6
Audio/Video Quality
 
9.8(4)
Audio Editing
 
9.3(4)
Visual Editing
 
9.8(4)
Narrative
 
9.5(4)
Enjoyment
 
9.5(4)
Overall rating
 
9.6
Audio/Video Quality
 
9.0
Audio Editing
 
10.0
Visual Editing
 
10.0
Narrative
 
9.0
Enjoyment
 
10.0
I´ve always liked Skyfall for what it was but had some trouble with the overall pacing, of course the railtube incident and the references that Bond is too old.
Lapis molari cut all that and trimmed unnecessary scenes as well as some lines from javier bardem. His pacing is really enjoyable and the cuts aren´t to notice, very fluid.

What had i hoped for:
- also re-rearrange the helicopter gunfire before he tells his soldiers, that M is his to take. I never liked it the another way arround, because it made no sense. He can´t be sure that M is already on her way out.

At 2:06:09/11 stutter frame? But could be a playback issue on my end.
Why almost 10 for audio editing when the audio at the mansion is falty? Because lapis told me, he´ll fix this in his v2 in the upcoming months.

In general i would suggest to raise the center channel more, because the dialogue is always quiter than the action sequences and i had to readjust the volume all the time (because of this audio editing, not 10).

Other than that, this is my favourite Skyfall edit and will replace the original.

User Review

Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
Digital
Report this review Comments (0) | Was this review helpful? 0 0
(Updated: May 25, 2020)
Overall rating
 
9.2
Audio/Video Quality
 
10.0
Audio Editing
 
9.0
Visual Editing
 
9.0
Narrative
 
9.0
Enjoyment
 
9.0
This edit is good. It paved the way for other Skyfall edits. I mean, I guess the subway crash doesn't make too much sense but for me the CGI helicopters should probably be taken out. The audio and visual quality is great. It's always the deciding factor for me haha. Thank you for your service lapis. This improves on the original.

User Review

Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
Digital
Report this review Comments (0) | Was this review helpful? 0 0
Overall rating
 
10.0
Audio/Video Quality
 
10.0
Audio Editing
 
10.0
Visual Editing
 
10.0
Narrative
 
10.0
Enjoyment
 
10.0

User Review

Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
Digital
Report this review Comments (0) | Was this review helpful? 0 0
(Updated: March 01, 2019)
Overall rating
 
9.4
Audio/Video Quality
 
10.0
Audio Editing
 
8.0
Visual Editing
 
10.0
Narrative
 
10.0
Enjoyment
 
9.0
Awesome edit. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Turns a great Bond movie into a superb one.

I think there is an audio issue when the assault at the end begins. It feels like one of the audio tracks was muted. And there was a small sequence starting at 01:45:35 where the music kicks in too suddenly only to end abruptly few seconds later.
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