Synopsis:

"Raising Cain Re-Cut," by Peet Gelderblom, is a fan-edit of the 1992 psychological thriller "Raising Cain," directed by Brian De Palma. The original film was known for its complex narrative structure and multiple personalities, which many viewers found confusing. Gelderblom's re-cut version aims to present the story in a more coherent, linear fashion, closely aligning with De Palma's original script and vision. In this version, the story focuses on Dr. Carter Nix, a respected child psychologist, who harbors multiple personalities, including his evil twin brother Cain. As the narrative unfolds, Nix's fractured psyche begins to unravel, leading to a series of terrifying events involving his wife Jenny, a series of child kidnappings, and a sinister psychological experiment initiated by Nix's father. Gelderblom's re-edit emphasizes the psychological tension and dramatic elements of the story, creating a version that feels more like a classic suspense thriller. The fan-edit was praised for offering a fresh perspective on De Palma's work, making it more accessible while maintaining the director's stylistic flair.

Intentions:

Peet Gelderblom's intention with his re-cut of Raising Cain was to realign the film more closely with Brian De Palma's original vision, which had been altered in the theatrical release. De Palma's initial structure was non-linear and heavily focused on the psychological complexities of the characters, particularly the protagonist's multiple personalities. However, studio pressure led to a more conventional narrative structure in the final edit, which some viewers found disorienting and less effective. Gelderblom, a fan of De Palma's work, recognized the potential in the original concept and aimed to restore the film's intended narrative flow. His re-cut focuses on clarifying the psychological thriller elements, giving the story a more straightforward and intense build-up. By reordering scenes to follow a more linear progression, Gelderblom's version seeks to enhance the suspense and emotional impact of the film, making it more engaging for the audience while staying true to De Palma's artistic vision.

Change List:

Peet Gelderblom made several key changes in his re-cut of Raising Cain to better align the film with Brian De Palma's original vision. Here’s a list of the major changes: Restored Non-Linear Structure: Gelderblom restructured the film to follow the original script's non-linear timeline. This involved reordering scenes to reflect the more fragmented, psychological narrative De Palma initially intended. Opening Scene Shift: The film originally opened with a scene that placed Carter Nix in a compromising situation, but Gelderblom shifted this to later in the film, beginning instead with more subtle character development to build suspense. Character Focus: The re-cut places a greater emphasis on Jenny's perspective early on, which was initially downplayed. This change helps to ground the story and provide a clearer emotional entry point for the audience. Increased Psychological Tension: By rearranging scenes and restoring cut sequences, Gelderblom heightened the psychological tension, allowing the multiple personality disorder of the protagonist to unravel more naturally and effectively. Enhanced Pacing: The re-cut improves the pacing by trimming or altering scenes that slowed down the narrative or distracted from the central plot, thus creating a more intense and focused thriller. Restoration of Deleted Scenes: Some scenes that were originally cut or altered for the theatrical release were restored, providing additional context and depth to the characters and the storyline. Improved Continuity: Gelderblom also worked to fix continuity issues that resulted from the re-editing process of the original release, making the narrative flow more logically and smoothly. These changes collectively aimed to present a version of Raising Cain that is more cohesive, intense, and true to De Palma’s original vision for the film.

Other Sources:

https://www.directorama.net/raising-cain-directors-cut/