Director's cut

[RobertScorpio]

We have been discussing the DONNER-CUT in another thread. And it got me to thinking, how many of these director cuts I really like. I don’t have a lot of them, but so far, they are not wowing me over..here is how I see a few of them that I do have…

The Abyss; this is the best director’s cut I have ever seen. I didn’t care for the theatre version because it, to me, was boring and borrowed elements from Close Encounters. The Director’s cut totally made this a better movie in terms of Alien motivation and character stuff as well.

Aliens; I found the new scenes with Riply nothing but pace busters. It took a tightly cut movie and made it too long. The scenes with the turrets shooting at the aliens in the tunnels were not that good, and I thought, ruined the suspense. In the theatre cut you’re not so sure just where those alien creeps are.

Donner cut of SUPERMAN 2. I think, over all, it was a let down for all the reasons we have been discussing I that thread. The ‘changing of time’ totally guts the movie in terms of, well, just making sense.

Star Trek TMP; Ummmm…I like Mr. Wise’s cut, but I also like the movie version too. I call this a tie.

Lord Of The Rings; I didn’t read the books, so I didn’t have this great love for the movies. I found the movie versions long. The three movies, to me, seemed like one long movie. And the director’s cut made those movies last an eternity. Most will roast me for even challenging LOTR, but I am just keeping it real, for me.

Star Trek II; Again, I like the director’s cut, but I also agree with the cuts that were made for the movie version. In most cases its about pacing, and I don’t think any of the deleted scenes that were put back into the directors cut really make that much of a difference. With all due respect to Scotty, I could care-a-less about his nephew.

Close Encounters; this movie might have been one of the first to include extended cuts when it came on TV. And, again, I thought the scene showing Richard Dryfuss in the ship took away from our being able to imagine what he saw. Too much info isn’t always a good thing.

What are some of your over all impressions of Director cuts/extended versions on DVD. Which ones worked, which ones didn’t, in your opinion?

Rob
Scorpio

 

[Norrin Radd]

Blade Runner director's cut rules over the original.

 

[Mistral]

Blade Runner director's cut rules over the original.

I have to agree. The Original D-Cut was so much better.

 

[John Picard]

Alien vs Predator: I never watched the theatrical version, but did watch the Director's Cut. I liked it and have heard from numerous sources that it was much better than the theatrical version.

 

[MyCylon]

I agree that Blade Runner Director's Cut is a vast improvement. The Final Cut is excellent as well (and quite similar) although it really bugs me that they made it "I want more life, Father." That's just too weak, I think.

I haven't see the LOTR extended versions but, honestly, I felt they were long enough as they were. Everytime I think about those movies and consider watching them again all that comes to mind is that they just seem incredibly long, and I end up not watching them again.

I don't think I've seen too many Director's Cuts I could compare with the originals. Right now, I can't think of anyones to mention here. Hmm, maybe later on.

 

[RobertScorpio]

Alien vs Predator: I never watched the theatrical version, but did watch the Director's Cut. I liked it and have heard from numerous sources that it was much better than the theatrical version.

I will have to see that...I actually liked the movie, in a B movie kind of way (so did Cameron)...Thanks for the tip!!!

Rob
Scorpio

 

[RobertScorpio]

I agree that Blade Runner Director's Cut is a vast improvement. The Final Cut is excellent as well (and quite similar) although it really bugs me that they made it "I want more life, Father." That's just too weak, I think.

I haven't see the LOTR extended versions but, honestly, I felt they were long enough as they were. Everytime I think about those movies and consider watching them again all that comes to mind is that they just seem incredibly long, and I end up not watching them again.

I don't think I've seen too many Director's Cuts I could compare with the originals. Right now, I can't think of anyones to mention here. Hmm, maybe later on.

I forgot to mention Blade Runner. I saw that 'directors cut' at the movies and it was better. I will have to get it on DVD as well..

Rob

 

[John Picard]

I have the Director's Cut of Robocop on my 20th Anniversary Edition DVD that I will most likely watch this fall/winter. I introduced my 13 year old to the movie a couple of weeks ago, and he really liked the story. I explained to him about how stories delve into the human condition, which he really seems to grasp once you get past the violence. He really enjoys a properly told story rather than a hashed together plot.

 

[Smiley]

The LOTR extended versions are not director's cuts but simply different versions for those who want more story. That was explained by Jackson himself. Same story goes for Gladiator.

Kingdom of Heaven is probably my favorite director's cut.

 

[Reverend]

Blade Runner director's cut rules over the original.

Which one? Personally I think the newest 'Final Cut' is by far the best of the bunch.

Alien vs Predator: I never watched the theatrical version, but did watch the Director's Cut. I liked it and have heard from numerous sources that it was much better than the theatrical version.

I only saw the theatrical version but I'm not surprised the DC is better, but then it could hardly have gotten any worse, could it?

The LOTR extended versions are not director's cuts but simply different versions for those who want more story. That was explained by Jackson himself. Same story goes for Gladiator.

Kingdom of Heaven is probably my favorite director's cut.

Agreed on both points. In fact I think any "Director's Cut" done by either Ridley Scott or James Cameron is by definition a better film. Though to be fair I can't speak for Legend; I only saw the director's cut and it simply wasn't my kind of film, no matter how you edit it.

I'm told the new cut of 'Dark City' is supposed to be really good, so I'll have to check that out at some point.

Donnie Darko was a strange case as the director's cut seamed to change allot of the feel and mood of the film. I'm not sure which I perfer.

Just a thought but I think we should make a distinction between actual director's cuts where the director hasn't been satisfied with the theatrical release in some way and dvd double dips that have had a few extra scenes shoved in.
So by that logic, I'm still waiting to see Fincher's cut of Alien 3...

 

[Good Will Riker]

Oliver Stone improved Alexander with Alexander Revisited: The Final Cut.

On an interesting note, not all director's cuts are put together by the studios, such as Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut which was actually supervised by Tom Mankiewicz (creative consultant on Superman I & II) rather than Richard Donner himself.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

The LOTR extended versions are not director's cuts but simply different versions for those who want more story. That was explained by Jackson himself. Same story goes for Gladiator.

Kingdom of Heaven is probably my favorite director's cut.

If I recall, the original version of Gladiator seen in cinemas was regarded by Sir Ridley as his Director's Cut.


Sir Ridley seems to have an awful lot of his films in different cuts, doesn't he? I'm still waiting for the Director's Cut of his Hovis advert.

 

[davejames]

I'm not a fan of either the Alien or Aliens Directors Cuts. All the extra footage was cool as hell to see, but it really destroys the flow of the story the way it's shoehorned in.

And Donner's version of SII looks like it could have been better in theory, but I'll still take the polished theatrical cut over the sloppy, pieced-together new version.

 

[Ethros]

Doesn't the "directors cut" of AVP simply add the opening flashback scene (about 30 secs) and nothing else? That's what it is on my DVD anyway


I like the Donnie Darko DC, but there are some issues with it, like why are certain lines cut out. But there is some good stuff in there, my favourite scene of the film is only in the DC (in the deleted scenes of the original DVD) with Donnie and his father having a talk outside-
Eddie Darko: Whatever happens to you, whatever shit you come up against, you just say and do...
Donnie: ...Say and do whatever's in your heart.
Eddie: Be honest. Tell the truth. Even if they do look at you funny, and they will. They'll call you a fool, tell you you're wrong... But there's something you've gotta understand, son. And that’s that almost all of those people are full of shit. They're all part of this great big conspiracy- Bullshit. And they're scared of people like you. Because those bullshitters know that you're smarter than all of them. You know what you say to people like that?... "Fuck you!"
*Both laugh heavily*

I'd probably prefer a combination of the two versions.


And with Aliens, my 2nd favourite film of all time, the DC was the way I orginally saw it. So for me its the only way to go

 

[Harvey]

It depends what we're talking about when we use the label "director's cut."

The "Director's Cut" of Blade Runner, for example, being (fairly close to) Ridley Scott's first version of the movie--a version producers didn't want to release.

As opposed to "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," which filmed extra scenes after the theatrical release, and then was re-cut again when it came out on DVD. Or the "Donnie Darko" Director's Cut, which makes all kinds of changes, some originally intended, some originally not, and some I couldn't even say.

As a rule, I'm not opposed to re-cutting of films, but there has to be a reasoned principle behind it. Slapping 30 seconds back into a film and calling it a "director's cut," for example, is gratuitous and unnecessary.

 

[Reverend]

Well it depends on the 30 seconds. Imagine if the last 30 secs of "Usual Suspects", or "Sixth Sense" were not in the theatrical cut?

 

[CaptJimboJones]

The recut of the Orson Welles classic "Touch of Evil" dramatically improved that movie. IIRC, it was based on a long memo of suggested changes to the movie that Welles wrote shortly before its release, and the studio ignored at the time.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Blade Runner (The Final Cut), Lord of the Rings, Donnie Darko, and The Kingdom of Heaven are my biggest favorites. The Kingdom of Heaven probably makes the greatest improvement because I hated the film when I saw in theaters but I love the Director's Cut.

 

[The Borgified Corpse]

I prefer the extended version of Aliens. The stuff about Ripley's daughter is essential to the logic & pathos of the Ripley/Newt relationship.

Few people would disagree that the Director's Cut of Daredevil is a far superior version of the movie. Scenes are presented in a different order. Most all of the fight scenes are longer. Key plot points are changed completely. More Foggy Nelson comic relief. And, most significantly, the Director's Cut adds the whole Lisa Tazio/Daunte Jackson subplot. (Granted, there are some scenes from the Theatrical Cut that were removed here that I miss, particularly the confessional scenes. But on the whole, the Director's Cut is lightyears ahead.)

There's some cute lines I like added back into the Special Extended Editions of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. But for the most part, the movies are too long as is.

Some movies were just perfect as is and needed no additions at all, like Stargate & Star Trek II.

 

[cardinal biggles]

I like the Extended Editions of LOTR better than the theatrical versions. I'm not a huge fan of Tolkien's novels, so I was actually happy that PJ cut my two least favorite parts of the novels (Tom Bombadil from FOTR, and the Scouring of the Shire from ROTK). The longer versions just work better for me. Every time I catch the theatrical versions on TV, I just feel like something's missing.