A Star Is Born Encore: 5 Things to Look for in the Extended Cut, Including That Zip Line Scene
In much the same way that pop stars release extended deluxe editions of their albums featuring new songs and remixes, A Star Is Born has returned to theaters with 12 extra minutes of footage, plus different takes of existing scenes. It’s a director’s cut of the theatrical cut, but released theatrically. Or something like that. It’s called A Star Is Born Encore, which is a terrible missed opportunity because calling it A Star Is Born Again and ending with an ad for Hillsong Church would have been very funny. But anyway, that’s not what it is. Nor is it just an extra 12 minutes of Dave Chappelle’s character getting his own storyline, which would have been…interesting.
Anyway, Vulture has methodically detailed exactly how the new cut deviates from the original. We won’t get into lyric differences and camera angles, but here are what seem to be the five most important takeaways from the new material:
1. The poster shot!
Design-minded fans surely noticed that the iconic shot from the poster, with Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper sitting on an outdoor stage, isn’t in the movie. But it is now! In a long take, they co-write a song apparently called “Clover,” which isn’t anywhere on the soundtrack, suggesting that this scene got axed early.
2. The zip line shot!
In addition to a few other moments that didn’t make the final cut, a scene in the first A Star Is Born trailer features Ally riding a zip line into the arms of Jackson, and fans will finally get this moment in full, including a little surprise. As Vulture notes, “she HITS HIM IN THE HEAD. WITH THE ZIPLINE HANDLE. Incredible.”
3. A completely missed opportunity when it comes to costumes.
In the extended cut, apparently, Ally and her manager, Rez, look over potential costumes for her world tour. And this lasts for, like…a second? And we don’t even see Ally trying on different outfits? Sigh. A Star Is Born fulfills so many of the basic requirements for being a great movie. Most notably, it ends at a concert, because truly great movies all end either at concerts or with the person who has been telling the story writing a novel with the same title as the movie. But this lack of a makeover montage is troubling.
4. More of the wedding!
For such an important moment in the lives of the two star-crossed characters, the wedding really isn’t a very big sequence in A Star Is Born. But Encore extends it, adding more scenes from the reception, including Ally’s extra vows and a snippet from the song “Is That Alright?”
5. More Chappelle!
Yes, there is more Dave Chappelle, though your mileage might vary on this.
Related: Bradley Cooper on Making A Star Is Born, Against the Odds
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Glenn Close wears Carolina Herrera while attending the 91st Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on February 24, 2019 in Hollywood, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
Ashley Graham wears Sophia Webster while attending the 91st Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on February 24, 2019 in Hollywood, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
Gemma Chan wears Valentino while attending the 91st Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on February 24, 2019 in Hollywood, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
Regina King wears Oscar de la Renta while attending the 91st Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on February 24, 2019 in Hollywood, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
Kacey Musgraves wears Giambattista Valli while attending the 91st Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on February 24, 2019 in Hollywood, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
Tessa Thompson wears Chanel Haute Couture while attending the 91st Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on February 24, 2019 in Hollywood, California. Photo courtesy Getty Images.
Brie Larson wears Celine while attending the 91st Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on February 24, 2019 in Hollywood, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
Dame Helen Mirren wears Schiaparelli Haute Couture while attending the 91st Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on February 24, 2019 in Hollywood, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
Melissa McCarthy wears Brandon Maxwell while attending the 91st Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on February 24, 2019 in Hollywood, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
Amy Adams wears Versace while attending the 91st Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on February 24, 2019 in Hollywood, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
Lady Gaga wears Alexander McQueen while attending the 91st Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on February 24, 2019 in Hollywood, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
