Most everyone knows that AIP cut the flying scenes in REPTILICUS due to the scenes looking phoney and silly. What's always puzzled me (and, I'm sure, the rest of the world) is that the scenes that were left intact also look quite phoney and silly. But I guess if AIP removed all the film's unconvincing effects, well, they would have been left with a movie that had no monster scenes at all! Not to mention that classic monster fans over the years would be deprived of enjoying the experience that is REPTILICUS.
When I first saw the flying scenes on a grey market tape in the 90s, my initial reaction was that they weren't too bad--that is, considering everything else. If it had been up to me, I think I would have kept the scenes, though sometimes I lean towards keeping them out and, uh, leaving well enough alone. So I pose to you: if you had been in charge of deciding which scenes to include in the film for its US release, would you have cut the flying scenes...or left them in? Let's assume that, if you wanted to keep the scenes, you could change or eliminate any or all of the hokey soundtrack effects (slide whistle, etc.). (I'm going to post the scenes in a second post, because everytime I inserted them in this post, it would remove my text.)
When I first saw the flying scenes on a grey market tape in the 90s, my initial reaction was that they weren't too bad--that is, considering everything else. If it had been up to me, I think I would have kept the scenes, though sometimes I lean towards keeping them out and, uh, leaving well enough alone. So I pose to you: if you had been in charge of deciding which scenes to include in the film for its US release, would you have cut the flying scenes...or left them in? Let's assume that, if you wanted to keep the scenes, you could change or eliminate any or all of the hokey soundtrack effects (slide whistle, etc.). (I'm going to post the scenes in a second post, because everytime I inserted them in this post, it would remove my text.)
