A Historically Bad Marvel Movie Just Had A Better Cut Released

Summary

  • A lost alternate cut of the 1990 Captain America film has been discovered, showcasing director Albert Pyun’s original vision.
  • The newly uncovered version features a non-linear storytelling approach, with WWII scenes spread throughout the film as flashbacks.
  • This cut is considered a significant improvement over the original release, which was heavily altered by the studio and received poor reviews.

As a long-time devotee of the silver screen, I must say this recent discovery of the 1990 Captain America film cut has sent waves of excitement coursing through my cinematic soul. Having grown up with the original release, it’s fascinating to imagine what could have been if director Albert Pyun’s vision was allowed to flourish unhindered by studio intervention.

As eager fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe prepare for a fresh Captain America on the silver screen in early 2023, it seems an older Steve Rogers is finally receiving the recognition he lacked when his film initially premiered in theaters. It appears that one reason this Captain America was overlooked could be due to the fact that the movie released long ago wasn’t the version that the director had intended to showcase.

It’s been discovered that a freshly edited version of the 1990 low-budget superhero film, previously known as Captain America, has surfaced. This unexpected edit was unveiled in a screening held earlier this week on Twitch, the user streaming platform. The attendees were informed that they were about to witness a special presentation on the platform without knowing the specific content or its connection to Marvel.

Old Captain America Film Resurfaces

Afterward, Justin Decloux unveiled an updated adaptation of the classic Captain America film, featuring Matt Salinger portraying Steve Rogers. This rendition underwent several alterations compared to the original theater release, which is now regarded as a significant cinematic flop. Notably, this revised version represents the original director’s cut by Albert Pyun, who aimed to distribute it. However, executives at 21st Century Film Corporation intervened and altered it into a more conventional format that they preferred.

In 1989, this adaptation of Captain America was filmed, with plans to launch it in the summer of 1990. However, the studio opted to continually delay the film’s cinema debut, pushing it back a total of two years. Eventually, the Marvel production was moved to a direct-to-video format. When it was eventually made available for public viewing, comic book fans criticized the movie heavily, stating that its construction was poor and the budget was low. This criticism extended to the fact that Captain America’s cowl ears appeared to be rubber, which seemed inexplicable.

Captain America (1990)
Director Albert Pyun
Screenplay Stephen Tolkin
Starring Matt Salinger, Ronny Cox, Ned Beatty, Darren McGavin, Michael Nouri, Melinda Dillon, Kim Gillingham, Scott Paulin

During the live stream, Decloux mentioned that in the original version of the movie, scenes from World War II, which you might recall appear in the first 30 minutes of the theatrical release, are instead presented as flashbacks scattered non-linearly throughout the film. So, instead of watching the fight with Red Skull by the rocket at the very beginning, it is interspersed cleverly throughout the movie. In fact, during the climax, the WWII Red Skull fight is even intercut with the present day Red Skull fight!

In his book, Decloux discusses Pyun, a character who passed away recently, and his extensive research into an alternative version of the Captain America movie. According to the commentator, this non-linear version of the film, as envisioned by Pyun, was significantly superior and could have revolutionized cinema if the studio had approved its release. However, Decloux also acknowledges that some elements that initially drew criticism were emphasized even further, such as unusual costume designs. Nevertheless, he maintains that the movie was improved and demonstrated a genuine effort to tell a story that was less apparent in the version most viewers are familiar with.

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2024-12-20 22:06