THE PUNISHER (Mark Goldblatt, 1989)

[Tom]

Excellent find. I can see why they were cut, for pacing reason's, though personally I'd like to see them put into a new cut of the film as I think they feature some of Dolph's best acting moments. Krabbe and Gossett Jr brought the best out of Dolph in the scenes they shared, so some extra scenes between Dolph and Gossett Jr would have been more than welcome.

[Jox]

Shortly after filming the movie, Dolph also said he really liked those scenes, being a normal guy with his family and all.

[dolphage]

Without a doubt some of the best/most important scenes of the movie. Pretty much all the emotional investment of the audience gets lost without this build up.
And it is very well written and acted. INSANELY well written and acted for a Marvel movie in the late eighties. It has real charm and warmth and truly makes us sympathize with the Dolpherato and care about the outcome of the movie.
(I care and sympathize with the Punisher anyway just cause I like to watch Mr. Lundgren dish out the Dolphage and kill people, and I think he should have an unlimited license to kill even in real life)
But...
It´s difficult to say how much these scenes would have slowed down the movie. I think it would have been worth it.

[dvdvision]

No one ever complained of the absence of the original X-Men costumes in the X-Men movie, I fail to see why many complains about the same thing in the original Punisher.

Plus one look at Thomas Jane in his medium sized skull t shirt, confirms that it looks silly as Robert Kamen said it would. Boaz Yakin should be proud, instead of bickering on details of no importance. The essence of the character is all that count.

[The_Canadian]

No one ever complained of the absence of the original X-Men costumes in the X-Men movie, I fail to see why many complains about the same thing in the original Punisher.

You have no idea how many times I have used this very same argument.

[dvdvision]

I just got hold of the Japanese LD in pristine mint form.

Once I get my hands back on my old LP player, I'll post impressions, but apparently, it is the only NTSC copy out there totally uncut (without ugly inserts in lower shape than the movie) and in bombastic stereo !

[dolphage]

Found this:

http://www.411mania.com/movies/columns/ ... eek-80.htm

"The Top 5 Movie Match-Ups We Want to See"
Scroll to the bottom of the page for this guys version of what would happen if DL´s Punisher met Jane´s.

[Geoff]

The outcome is how we would have liked.

Although (and I know this has been done) Jane did make a damn good Frank.

[Rover]

Haha, pretty funny website
Lundgren was better as the Punisher, he was darker, more lunatic and threatening than Jane...He even looked a bit like Elvis
But the storyline of the 2005 version was better.

[Geoff]

Thats because the story came direct from a Punisher Comic already written by Gareth Ennis.

[Jox]

Tell me if I'm wrong but there wasn't any Ennis' Punisher at the time of Lundgren's...

[Rover]

Tell me if I'm wrong but there wasn't any Ennis' Punisher at the time of Lundgren's...

You're right, Ennis is one of the most recent writer in this serie
Too bad, one of his stories adapted as an 80s action flick would have kicked ass indeed

[Geoff]

Sorry not being clear Ennis wrote the verison (known as Welcome Back Frank) which was largley used for the 2004 verison (including Mr Bumbo, Dave & Joan) other bits were just made up not the DL verison.

[Rover]

Sorry not being clear Ennis wrote the verison (known as Welcome Back Frank)

Huh! I understood why they want to call the new movie Welcome back Frank

[Geoff]

I think they do yes, there was more to that story that was not covered in the 2004 film.