For fifteen years, the only way to see it was a encoded by a user named cortex_rip in 2006. The file featured burned-in Dutch subtitles, a warble in the left audio channel, and a 10-second dropout during the climax. Yet fans praised it as "the definitive version" because those flaws became part of the viewing ritual. In 2024, Mubi attempted a restoration, but longtime fans rejected it—they wanted the DVDRip’s specific patina of decay.
The workflow was a ritual: