Synopsis:

This is an attempt at reconstructing the original version of Michael Ritchie as best possible using the available material.

Intentions:

Originally slated for a 1995 release, Michael Ritchie’s film adaptation of THE FANTASTICKS was shelved for five ears before contractual obligations forced it out of oblivion. For its brief theatrical release in 2000, the studio enlisted Francis Ford Coppola to trim about 25 minutes of the film, paring it down to a more palatable (in their opinion) 86 minutes, and essentially butchering (in my opinion) what is otherwise a beautifully shot, well-crafted piece of musical cinema. Unfortunately, Ritchie’s original cut was never released; fortunately, most of the deleted footage was included on the commercially released DVD as bonus features. This is my attempt at reconstructing the original version as best possible using the available material.

Change List:

- The movie opens with a deleted scene of El Gallo being stopped by a cop and asked to show a permit, while he is driving his carnival train. - That scene leads directly into the deleted song TRY TO REMEMBER. In the theatrical release, this song is only heard in its reprise version at the end of the movie. Now, this iconic song bookends the movie, as it does the stage musical. This is the song most associated with the musical, and removing it from the beginning of the movie has to rank as one of the worst editing decisions ever made. - Extended scene of Luisa reading from her book about kisses: “Tilt head at a saucy angle, lower eyelids and pucker.” - Extended scene between Luisa and her father, in which he asks her where she is going. - Extended scene between the two fathers that expounds more on their scheme to get their children together - Extended version of NEVER SAY NO. - Luisa has her first encounter with El Gallo when she first arrives at the carnival. He gives her a free pass to enter the movie theater, and there is a surreal sequence in which he seems to be everywhere at once. - Extended version of METAPHOR. - Extended scene between El Gallo and the fathers at the carnival, in which El Gallo explains what he means by literary rape. - Extended version of ABDUCTIONS or a low-quality version of IT DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU PAY (see the section titled “Choice of El Gallo’s Song” above). - Mortimer actually speaks in this version of the film! In the first of two deleted scenes featuring Mortimer, he has an exchange with Henry, who tells him that “Indians are always off left.” - El Gallo has his monologue (The Glen Speech) before the lovers meet in the glen. - Extended version of SOON IT’S GONNA RAIN. - Deleted scene at the end of the Rape Ballet featuring Henry and Mortimer. Mortimer has his monologue about dying. - After Luisa and her father waltz around in their garden, Matt prompts her to ask her father for permission to stay up all night with Matt on the porch swing. - After Matt storms off in search of El Gallo, with Luisa at his tail, their very merry vegetarian fathers sing the deleted song PLANT A RADISH. - The cop from the beginning of the movie shows up at the carnival and asks El Gallo about the strange flashing lights that he has heard about. - The cop interrupts El Gallo in the middle of the reprise of TRY TO REMEMBER, and introduces him to his new fiance.

Additional Notes:

-

Other Sources:

Special Thanks: