Cop Land: Collector's Edition [Blu-ray]

I would have gladly given this movie 5 stars, had it not been for the so-called "director's cut".
I'm not annoyed by those few minor extra moments and details (absolutely irrelevant).
What really irritates me is they cut out The very ending of The movie, so it ends not like it did originally (with Stallone sadly Back to his daily work, alone as before, but at least sure he's done his duty), but in The most cliché and american mainstream way: : a flying camera over New York leaving while we hear mixed news speakers announcing what happened and reassuring us, The audience, that everything came out to public knowledge, justice has triumphed and, probably, our heroes will be rewarded, and so on.
I'm quite positive that This is not James Mangold's final cut, being too different from his style and usual storytellng. No, This is definitely The distributor's stupid-marketing-department-post-panel-test cut. They probably feared that The american home video audience would have not liked The original ending, because, in 2012, they still want a crime movie ending to make them feel everything was sorted out and fell into The right place.
Well, I'm sorry, but This is not what The movie has told us and showed us up until The end: Copland is a tale of bitterness and disenchantement, Made of private suffering and personal revenge, The sense of justice of few good outsiders in a world that is, simply, unjust.
It's a cruel and bitter Urban Western Movie: but in The director's (distributor's) cut finale it's as if The Wild Bunch ended with The heroes surviving to their final show-down and later having a noisy night party in a mexican village to celebrate.
Or as if at The end of 3 days of The Condor we saw Robert Redford collecting a copy of NYTimes showing his political disclosures on The front page, just to reassure us that there's been no censorship from above and The whole world will eventually come to know about The conspiracy, justice will be done, Redford shall not need to hide again.
But That would not be The point of The movie, not in its spirit.
Copland is not about justice as in a Common crime-series or in a cop movie from The 1980s. And Stallone's role is great because he's a little big hero Who stays in the shadow.
It would have been more honest, at This point, if The distributors had re-edited The whole movie to make The new ending at least more coherent with The rest of The movie: " sorry guys, This is no more an adult crime movie, but another stupid average, happy ending movie for The average american viewer". So, fine, but why should we have This edition in europe, too?
I only know now I'd go buying The italian blu ray edition of This movie: it ends like it should be (and like Mangold wanted).
If I knew I'd not have wasted My money for The present edition

I saw this film in it's original dvd form, and was hugely impressed, but this blue ray version is so much better.

In 1997 this was Director Mangold's first venture into big time Hollywood, and look at the cast, De Niro, Liotta, Keitel, but the biggest surprise (even to himself) was Stallone. The latter plays the overweight, overlooked sap of a Sheriff, Freddy Heflin, who is charged with looking after 'Copland', being the homes and families of the the 'real' cops who work over the river.

Freddy looks up to the big-city police officers, who ultimately are revealed as less than wholesome and who try to 'protect' one of their own, with the complicity of Cop Land and, of course, Freddy. This is a superior Cop movie lending it's self to the western genre, with particular thanks to High Noon in it's build up and final shoot out.

What I would say to anyone who has not seen this film is not to be put off by Stallone's inclusion, as he plays his part very well and to those who have previously seen it, then buy this blu ray version. It is extended in small but significant ways, which have all been included at the director's express wish and which only serve to enhance the film. The blu ray rendition is of very high quality as is the haunting soundtrack by Howard Shore, which all add to the viewing experience. There are also interesting extras and director's commentary.

The acting is of the highest order, with Liotta probably taking the plaudits. I think this film is a much overlooked gem, which is a must for all De Niro fans and for those who are not fans of Stallone, prepare to be pleasantly surprised.

A great story, with a great cast, and a great directing!
A classic,you definetly need to have in your collection!!!!!!