The Big Blue (Director's Cut)
 
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The Big Blue (Director's Cut) (1988)

Jean Reno (Actor), Rosanna Arquette (Actor) | Rated: R | Format: DVD
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (239 customer reviews) |

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Product Details

  • Actors: Jean Reno, Rosanna Arquette
  • Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Director's Cut, Dolby, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
  • Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 5.1)
  • Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
  • Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  • Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rated: R (Restricted)
  • Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
  • DVD Release Date: August 15, 2000
  • Run Time: 168 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (239 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B00004TWZF
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #49,587 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

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  • Learn more about "The Big Blue (Director's Cut)" on IMDb

Special Features

  • Contains 49 minutes of additional footage
  • Talent files

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

A hit in Europe but a flop in the U.S.--where it was trimmed, rescored, and given a new ending--Luc Besson's The Big Blue has endured as a minor cult classic for its gorgeous photography (both on land and underwater) and dreamy ambiance. Jean-Marc Barr is a sweet and sensitive but passive presence as Jacques, a diver with a unique connection to the sea. He has the astounding ability to slow his heartbeat and his circulation on deep dives, "a phenomenon that's only been observed in whales and dolphins… until now," remarks one scientist. Kooky New York insurance adjuster Joanna (Rosanna Arquette at her most delightfully flustered and endearingly sexy best) melts after falling into his innocent baby blues, and she follows him to Italy, where he's continuing a lifelong competition with boyhood rival Enzo (Jean Reno in a performance both comic and touching).

Besson's first English-language production looks more European than Hollywood, and it suffers from a tin ear for the language. At times it feels more like an IMAX undersea documentary than a drama about free divers, but the lush and lovely images create a fairy tale dimension to Jacques's story, a veritable Little Merman. More dolphin than man, he's so torn between earthly love and aquatic paradise that even his dreams call him to the sea (in a sequence more eloquent than any speech).

Besson has expanded the film by 50 minutes for his director's cut, which adds little story but slows the contemplative pace until it practically floats in time, and has restored Eric Serra's synthesizer-heavy score, a slice of 1980s pop that at times borders on disco kitsch. Most importantly, he has restored his original ending, which echoes the fairy tale he tells Joanna earlier in the film and leaves the story floating in the inky blackness of ambiguity. --Sean Axmaker

Product Description

A hit in Europe but a flop in the U.S.--where it was trimmed, rescored, and given a new ending--Luc Besson's The Big Blue has endured as a minor cult classic for its gorgeous photography (both on land and underwater) and dreamy ambiance. Jean-Mar

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
101 of 111 people found the following review helpful
By eric
Format:DVD
I first saw this movie in France and absolutely fell in love with it. I live in the states and when I rented it in the U.S. I could not understand why Eric Serra's soundtrak was not used and why they cut out so many scenes and changed the ending (what a bad call! ). I strongly recommend to all Americans who saw the American version to do yourselves a favor and buy the DVD Director's Cut(Version Longue). It's a completely different movie (so to speak). This is definitely my all time favorite movie, and am ecstatic to have it on DVD. Yeahhh! Thanks to Amazon the Americans will finally have their chance to own a phenominal movie!
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61 of 66 people found the following review helpful
Le Grand Film January 7, 2002
Format:DVD
I first read about Le Grand Bleu in one of my textbooks when I started lessons at the Alliance Francais. There it was described along the lines of a massive cult movie that had charmed (and completely depressed) a whole generation of french teenagers. Being fifteen at the time, I got hold of a very beat up copy and it has since remained my favorite film of all times.
Jacques, the main character, is a solitary free diver who longs for nothing else than to be at home with his family (i.e. swimming in the sea with dolphnins). That is, until he meets Johanna (Arquette), and soon the story develops and reaches its climax as Jacques is torn between the woman he loves and his quest for the eternal and watery bliss he finds in the depths. The photography is simply perfect, and the transfer to digital media has only enhanced the fact, so definitely get the DVD. Reno is at his finest (and funniest) and Barr stands out as the perfect homo delphinus.
I have seen the US version, which is a moldy disgrace. The omission of Eric Serra's music is utter blasphemy, since the soundtrack is a jewel on its own. The change in ending is also nonsense, so if you have only seen that piece of editing, know that the Director's Cut is entirely different.
Oh, and don't forget. Dolphins, dolphins and more dolphins! What could beat that? I cry every time I see this film. Perhaps this is only because of my weird self, but, what do you think really happens to Jacques in the end?
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26 of 26 people found the following review helpful
it's about time! August 20, 2000
Format:DVD
i have been waiting for this picture on dvd for a long long time! and to finally get it, with additional footage, no less! this was the first besson picture i ever saw. i was immediately taken with his style & feel for subject. the american version was good, only, unbeknownst to me at the time, it felt somewhat incomplete-- now i know why. this director's cut fills in so many gaps, answers so many unspoken questions. it rounds out the romance between jacques & joanna as well as gives more depth to the friendship/competition between jacques & enzo. the "drinking in the diving bell" scene is a riot, mimicking the drinkng in the pool scene. in my opinion the film needs those extra "director's" minutes to evove from a good picture with potential to an awesome picture, period. i am so much happier seeing this movie with those formerly "lost" european additions. Mr. Reno is worth his weight in gold, a great job by Mr. Barr, and Ms. Arquette provides a nice american counterpoint to these euro stars. interesting to see arquette & griffin dunne together again (from "after hours-- m. scorcese"). a great "new" ending... you'll see when you compare it to the version americané.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Didn't get what I paid for.
I thought I ordered the original french version. The price was high and the information said there was an additional 4 hours of film on the diving. Read more
Published 24 days ago by Poppy S.
Mesmerizing treasure
This is one of the lesser known gems from Luc Besson, but not due to any lack of quality or beauty. Luc Besson collaborates again with Jean Reno (The Professional/Leon, La Femme... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Kate McCullough
epic movie...fantastic!
this is an absolutely great movie, that if your not watching with a smile on your face, your just not gettin it. Read more
Published 14 months ago by R. Faircloth
THE BIG BLUE
It is an amazing film . It hasn't dated at all. I saw it in France when it first came out. I bought the video in English . Read more
Published 16 months ago by PARLON
The Big Blue
Absolutely beautiful movie! Jacques Mayol discusses the movie in his book "Homo Delphinus". His relationship with Enzo was not contentious, but was a relationship based on... Read more
Published 18 months ago by Gabriella
The excellent Big Blue
Thank you for the timely delivery, the VHS version, and simply having one available. I have been wanting to own a copy of "The Big Blue" in its original format and story for... Read more
Published 21 months ago by rico
Hold your breath
There are three versions of this movie out & I've seen them all. Each one left me with a different take on the show. Read more
Published on February 22, 2010 by C McGhee
Better than i remembered
I saw this movie years ago and i just re-discovered it on netflix. I don't remember how the American version was, but don't bother, there is no need to see that version when you... Read more
Published on March 7, 2009 by Brandy Allen
ZE BIG BLEW!
This movie is baaaaaad but loooooooooooooong...

Talk about a Giant Sucking Sound!

Sure, it's got beautiful scenery and lush cinematography, plus two very... Read more
Published on March 6, 2009 by Paco Calderón
The Big Blue-Loved it!
I watched this movie back in the 80s, when I used to work in a video store, because I love dolphins and saw one on the cover. It's definately different, but in a good way. Read more
Published on February 9, 2009 by Heather A. Heslop
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