The Thief and the Cobbler: Recobbled Cut Mark 4

Unofficial fansite for the unofficial fancut

Contents

About The Thief and the Cobbler

"Mr. Williams's wide-screen animation is among the most glorious and lively ever created." - Caryn James, The New York Times, 1995

Story teaser: It is written among the limitless constellations of the celestial heavens, and in the depths of the emerald seas, and upon every grain of sand in the vast deserts, that the world which we see is an outward and visible dream, of an inward and invisible reality ... Once upon a time there was a golden city. In the centre of the golden city, atop the tallest minaret, were three golden balls. The ancients had prophesied that if the three golden balls were ever taken away, harmony would yield to discord, and the city would fall to destruction and death. But... the mystics had also foretold that the city might be saved by the simplest soul with the smallest and simplest of things. In the city there dwelt a lowly shoemaker, who was known as Tack the Cobbler. Also in the city... existed a Thief, who shall be ... nameless.

About the restoration

For the first time ever on video, enjoy the original version of this lost animation classic, written and directed by three-time Academy Award winning animator Richard Williams (animation director of Who Framed Roger Rabbit). Nearly 30 years in the making, a labor of love by a team of animation greats, this was to be the masterpiece of Williams’ career, perhaps the most ambitious independent animated film ever conceived. The film was the inspiration for Disney‘s film Aladdin, which proved to be its undoing. After over two decades of work, the film was taken away from Williams when he couldn’t meet his deadline. It was eventually bought by Disney, recut and destroyed. It has never been seen the way it was intended to be seen ... until now. Based on Williams’ original workprint, missing scenes have been restored using storyboards and unfinished animation. Restored to its true form, this lost classic has finally been found - for you at home.

Directed by Richard Williams
Screenplay by Richard Williams and Margaret French
Master animator Ken Harris
Produced by Imogen Sutton and Richard Williams

The latest version of the restoration is called "The Thief and the Cobbler: Recobbled Cut Mark 4". It was released as a "semi-final version" on 2013-09-17.

Watch the restoration

The film can be streamed via YouTube.
For the highest available quality, the 1080p version (torrent link) is recommended.
A 480p version is also available.

For more information on this project, please visit the official site for the unofficial fancut.