This is a petition for Universal Pictures Home Entertainment to conduct a search of their film vaults in the US and UK/Europe to find and release on BluRay Burt Reynold's original director's cut of the film "Stick" (1984).

"Stick", an adaptation of the 1982 Elmore Leonard crime novel, was filmed in October 1983 and originally set to be released in August 1984.

When Annie Potts was on the Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson on 6/20/1984 promoting Ghost Busters (1984), she mentioned her next film would be coming out in August. Pre-release teaser posters for "Stick" show that Potts received billing immediately after the title.

Universal Pictures had rejected the original cut of the film and ordered Burt Reynolds to re-shoot portions of the film and re-edit it, reducing the humor and changing the ending. The musical score by Bob Florence was completely re-recorded by Barry De Vorzon and Joseph Conlan for the released film. Annie Potts scenes were re-shot with a different actor and the film restructured with a new ending. This version of the film was ultimately released in April 1985.

The director's cut version of the film was broadcast on BBC1 (British Broadcasting Corporation Channel 1) in the UK on 15 February 1989 and 27 July 1991 in a 100-minute timeslot. Perhaps the BBC still have their video master in their archives or a paper trail from them may lead to the source for their broadcast version.

Home video releases of director's cuts and alternate versions are a major interest and selling point for many films on home video. Fine examples include Waterworld (1995) TV & Ulysses cut, Halloween II (1981) extended TV edit, Brazil (1985) 'Love Conquers All' version and Touch of Evil (1958) Reconstructed/Theatrical/Preview versions. Even if the original cut of "Stick" is extant only as a workprint, it would be fascinating to watch.

Burt Reynolds fans and movie buffs in general would love to see the original version of the film and purchase it on an officially-released BluRay. It would be a fitting tribute to the late actor to make his original version to his fans.

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