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Ben Affleck sends a message with the new version of ‘The Town’

Ben Affleck as Doug MacRay and Jeremy Renner as Jem Coughlin in "The Town," the 2010 film directed by Ben Affleck. (Claire Folger/Warner Bros. Pictures)

Guests at Monday night’s screening of Ben Affleck’s new cut of “The Town’’ got a special treat before the show — a taped message from the actor-director himself. Just before Loews Boston Common showed the alternate version of Affleck’s 2010 movie about Charlestown bank robbers — which will be released as a special DVD next month — the theater screened a video of Affleck apologizing for his absence and explaining that this alternate ending (his preferred ending, according to Warner Bros.) is a nod to his favorite films in the bank-heist genre. He also joked about his shaggy beard, saying that he grew it to play Bee Gees frontman Barry Gibb in his next movie. Truth is, he’s playing former CIA guy Tony Mendez in the ’70s movie “Argo.’’ Affleck filmed the message a few weeks ago and said he hoped that the Bruins were still having a good season, especially because hockey is such an important part of “The Town.’’ VIPs in the audience included actor Titus Welliver, who plays Jon Hamm’s partner in “The Town,’’ and Ben’s mom, Chris Affleck. We won’t tell you anything about Ben’s preferred ending, but we will tell you that it’s very different — and that 96.9 FM’s Doug Meehan makes an appearance.

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