On August 28, the producer of "Ho Linh Trang Si: Mystery of King Dinh's Tomb" announced that it will replace the theatrical version with a new remix.
Notably, the film's duration was reduced from 155 minutes to 135 minutes, which is about 20 minutes cut.
This is a noteworthy decision because a film has had its first screenings, but the crew quickly adjusted the duration significantly, then replaced it with a new version right during the release process, which is not common in the Vietnamese film market.
According to the producer, the decision was made after the crew received feedback from moviegoers at the first screenings.
The new version focuses on adjusting the pace of the film, condensing the scenes and increasing the drama. This also partly shows that the crew has directly responded to opinions surrounding the duration and storytelling of the work.
Previously, "Ho Linh Trang Si: Mystery of King Dinh's Tomb" attracted attention when marking Johnny Tri Nguyen's return to the Vietnamese screen after many years. The work chose a martial arts theme combined with legendary elements, setting the story in a context related to the history of the Dinh Dynasty.
However, after the first screenings, the film received different reviews. Besides the opinions recognizing the efforts to invest in the setting, action and the exploitation of Vietnamese cultural and historical materials, the 155-minute duration also became one of the issues discussed by audiences.
To make the 135-minute version, director Nguyen Phan Quang Binh collaborated with director and film editor Ham Tran. According to information from the crew, Ham Tran participated in the process of condensing the work before the new version was released in theaters.
Cutting up to 20 minutes poses a not simple problem. With a work with many character lines, historical elements, martial arts and fictional stories intertwined, the new version needs to speed up storytelling but at the same time must ensure that the content flow and motives of the characters are not broken.
In the opposite direction, this move shows that manufacturers are reacting quite quickly to market opinions instead of keeping the completed version.
The timing of the editing changes is also noteworthy when "Ho Linh Trang Si: Mystery of King Dinh's Tomb" enters the box office competition during National Day 2. 9. This is an important period for Vietnamese films to increase screenings and reach a large audience during the holidays.
