Will you edit this for commercial release?

Rating: Null/10 (10 October 2004)

Just saw the EMP preview at the Cinerama in Seattle, and had to leave before I could ask Mr. Hackford this question myself: Will you edit the film any more before commercial release? A three hour movie, even a superb one like "Ray", will turn away its share of audiences just because of its length. As we raced home across the bridge to relieve the babysitter (I was sure we'd be home by 10!), my husband and I debated what we would take out, and he said, "Well, you certainly wouldn't cut any of the musical scenes!" And I wouldn't cut any of the scenes where RC was negotiating his contracts. As much as I liked the character of the lovely Maryanne, she was one, albeit the first, of a pattern, and she seemed to merit an unreasonable amount of screen time for how much she advanced the story. The scenes with Ray's mother, especially those about his brother, were painful to watch. I am a mother of four young ones, and it hurt to watch her grief, but you can't cut those. It is like the dilemma of the Side A and Side B. Save the three hour director's cut for the DVD, and bundle it with "Taylor Hackford's Favorite Ray Charles Songs" CD. I'd buy it!