54 [Blu-ray + Digital HD]

I am so happy that 20 years after seeing 54 in the theaters, I finally got to see the director's vision and all of the scenes rumored back then that were scrubbed when the studio decided to sanitize the character of Shane (played by Ryan Phillippe) of all of his bisexuality. All of that is restored here - the kiss with Breckin Meyer as well as a couple of other male/male kisses and bisexual sex scenes. This movie was definitely just a tiny bit ahead of its time (for perspective, the TV show Queer As Folk would debut in the USA just a few years later and TV/movies today will make you chuckle at the studio for removing these scenes 20 years ago when you see them).For everyone who is commenting about the graininess of the scenes that were added back in, that is explained in the commentary as well as a special making of feature in the extras as these scenes were on VHS dailies that were set to be destroyed only 5 days after they were discovered. And, as the director states, you can't exactly restore VHS to the Blu Ray quality of today and they did the best they could with what they had. I, for one, am more than happy that the scenes are even there and were found to begin with!As for the differences between the theatrical version and the director's cut, there are quite a few! I disagree with the director and producer in the commentary, though, when they call into question the quality of the theatrical cut. There are MANY things about the theatrical cut that I was sad to see missing here: Neve Campbell's character is basically an afterthought whereas in the theatrical cut her character and relationship with Shane is vastly improved and expanded upon. Also, one of my favorite scenes from the movie where Shane and Anita disco dance at her dance class is only in the theatrical cut. And, although I love that the character of Shane is presented in the way the director intended, I'll always prefer the theatrical cut's ending with the reunion of all of the characters after Steve Rubell's release from prison to the ending in the director's cut.I highly recommend if you are as big of a fan of this movie (and Ryan Phillippe) as I am, get both versions. I don't think the theatrical cut is available on DVD/Blu Ray anymore but I purchased it digitally just so that I can have it in addition to this Blu Ray. The two versions present Shane's story in two very different ways and, if you like Shane's narration like I do, that is much more prevalent in the theatrical version than in this one. I only wish there was a way to mesh the two versions together into one but, alas, I'll just be satisfied to have both versions to watch again and again whenever I want :)

While in college at SU I was a disco DJ from 1977 to 1979. I was a CompSci/Engineering student so this was kind of an odd job for someone taking classes I was.I've seen several "disco" movies like "Thank God It's Friday", "The Last Days of Disco" and "Saturday Night Fever." The music in these movies was way too "pop". The music in 54 was not pop. It was not what you'd hear on the radio back in the day. It's what you'd hear in NYC discos like Studio 54, The Loft, Paradise Garage, Starship Discovery One, New York New York, The Big Apple, ect.54 was a wild place (I was never there, I went to Starship) that had no limits. The IRS did bust Steve Rubell - pure greed.I saw the theatrical 54 release when it came out, and I can't compare it to the Director's Cut as it was so long ago. What I will say it was a nice blast to the past when I was 21. Being a DJ was a great part-time job: $10/hr (1977 when minimum wage was like $2), I chose the music, I used great equipment (Klipsch, McIntosh, Crown, Technics) and all the Molsons I wanted. It will always be memorable.If you want to know what a high-end disco and music was like, 54 The Director's Cut is worth watching. Story line was good, not deep but interesting at best. The cast was good, even Mark Rufallo had a small role, not sure was Neve Campbell was highlighted in the cast as her role was quite minor.Another good movie that captures the music of the early/mid-1970s pre-Disco bars - "Looking For Mr Goodbar".

I am a huge fan of the film, 54. I saw it in the theater when it first premiered in 1998 and I thought it captured the hedonistic-lifestyle of late-seventies New York with accuracy and decorum. When “disco-fever” swept the nation, I read vehemently any (and all) articles about the famed NY nightclub, Studio 54, and was obsessed with it for many years. The portrayal of Steve Rubell by actor, Mike Meyers is uncannily accurate and is, perhaps, the best performance of his career. The other actors do a fine job and you, as the film goer, get a chance to go back in time and take a peek behind the closed doors of a world cut off from the rest of humanity.Most directors’ cuts are films that are already established and the alterations are minimal, creating more of an “extended cut” made up of parts that were trimmed by the censors (MPAA). With 54, it is truly a different film made up of unique shots, lost footage and occasionally, VHS dailies. The film takes a much darker turn as we discover how drugs affect much more of the characters’ lives than the original. We also see how the Ryan Phillippe’s character, Shane O’Shea is not only used as a gigolo by women, but many men, as well.There is an informative “making of” featurette with the film’s director, Mark Christopher and producer, Jonathan King where they talk about how the original film was wrestled out of their hands by the studio after a test screening, “The audience who was responsive to the movie was not the audience who we made the film for.” And, the laborious and daunting task of tracking down the original film elements by Nancy Valle.If you are a fan of 54, you will be in for a real treat. If you didn’t like the original version of 54, you may want to take a peek at what the director originally intended. If you are a film student, you will be fascinated by how editing can completely alter a film’s narrative. There is something for everyone in this new director’s cut.A small warning: Though most of the original elements were discovered, the editor had to resort to using the original VHS dailies to make up some missing scenes. This is a bit of a distraction as the film suddenly changes from crystal- clear Blu-ray quality to grainy VHS on multiple occasions. I was surprised this was not noted anywhere on the Blu-ray’s cover. For the casual film watcher, this may be a deterrent. For the fanatic, seeing these missing scenes, in any quality, will only add to the experience. I just wanted to mention it so you will know exactly what to expect.