[Stephen@Cult Labs]

Band says he has no idea why 5 mins are missing. Sure.

From the director...

REGARDING THE ROGUE EDITOR OF THE SHORTER TOURIST TRAP VERSION

I have written several extensive Facebook posts about the "edited" version of the Bluray release of TOURIST TRAP, but my posts keep getting taken down. So, I will post this on something I control and send it out – and hope it sticks.

Now that I have read Charlie Band's email (claiming he doesn't know why five minutes are missing), I have a pretty good idea what happened.

First of all, it's completely disingenuous of Charlie to say: "I'm cc'ing David to see if he has any insight" since he knows very well that I was not involved in the production of the Bluray other than to make the audio Director Commentary - and to do an interview - both of which I did here in Las Vegas - at my own expense and efforts.

I was not involved in the editing of the shorter version of TOURIST TRAP which is now on the Bluray version - nor did I know it was being done when I did the commentary. If I were to have done any editorial changes, it would have been called "The Director's Cut."

The original theatrical cut of TOURIST TRAP is/was the "Director's Cut," as far as I am concerned. I believe that would be the longer, 90 minute version - although I do not know what the time of that original version was - after all these years. I would have to go back to an old VHS version - and compare to the Cult Video DVD version (90 minute). I suspect they are the same.

The thing about TOURIST TRAP is that it has risen from relative obscurity from its original release in 1979 to some sort of cult film status. It has loyal fans, admirers, people who have written reviews, blogs, whole chapters in numerous books - all discussing the merits or lack of - of the movie. They are mostly diehard fans.

So, you just don't arbitrarily take out five minutes - and release a different cut from the original movie that has become a cult film - unless the original filmmaker does this new version - which sometimes but not always includes scenes or sections of the film that were originally cut from the film (ie. a LONGER version, not a shorter version) - with some explanations of why the director omitted these scenes from the original release. This "new material" gives the fans more insights into the movie they like so much.

At this point, most people who will - or would - buy the Bluray version - are already fans of TOURIST TRAP or are serious collectors of films. And they want MORE information about the film they are already fans of. I promise you they don't want a "tighter" version by the producer.

As Charlie said in his email, he spent a considerable amount of money to put out this Bluray version. And I am grateful for that. I am grateful he allowed me to do a new commentary - and the sit-down interview. And Charlie was generous enough to send me a number of the TOURIST TRAP Blurays for the crew who helped me with the commentary and the interview. I am also grateful for Charlie Band for hiring me to direct my first feature - TOURIST TRAP, in 1978 - he started my filmmaking career - and I made many films for him - and I was very happy to do so. I will ALWAYS be grateful for his support.

Charlie is a totally hands-on producer, as anyone who has ever worked for him know, and there is no way he wasn't aware of this edited, shorter version. There were only a few people in post who worked on this TOURIST TRAP Bluray. They were all paid by Charlie. I seriously doubt one of them was a rogue editor who decided - on his own - to cut out five minutes of the film - and slip it in. That could be what happened, but I doubt it. What would be easier to swallow is that one of these editors said to Charlie: "Let me have a pass at it - I'll tighten it up - and make it better."

But, you just don't do this. The customer will feel cheated. And they should.

I have been flooded with questions about this edited version - and I can't answer them all - so, hopefully my response will be passed around and shared - and not taken down.

davidschmoeller.com