Directors Cuts/Extended Editions better than Theatrical Cut?

modage · July 22, 2003, 06:34:03 PM

some people talking about the unneccesary extras in the exorcist extended version just reminded me of this. a directors cut always SEEMS like a good idea, but how often are the extra scenes unneccesary. often deleted scenes are interesting when inserted back into the film, but will break up the flow of the film, or are sometimes just not very good and better left out. so when is the longer version better, and when is the theatrical cut better? i realize this is often a matter of taste, so here are a few of mine.

T2: Theatrical over Directors Cut
Army Of Darkness: Theatrical over Directors Cut
Almost Famous: Theatrical over Bootleg Cut
Lord Of The Rings: Extended over Theatrical
Star Wars Episodes 4-6: Theatrical over Special Editions
(although admittedly i dont mind most of the changes and the cleaning up and adding stuff in the background. i just think that it helps them to be more timeless, so kids in future generations will appreciate them as much as ours. but, certain changes are just needless: greedo shoots first, musical number, lukes girly scream).

some alt versions I havent seen. are any of these better than the theatrical versions?

Brazil: Directors Cut or Love Conquers All Version
Apocalypse Now: Redux
The Exorcist: The Version You've Never Seen
Blood Simple: Directors Cut
Aliens: Directors Cut

if anyone brings up obviously censored movies like Requiem for a Dream: Blockbuster Cut, or the american release of Eyes Wide Shut, or in any way brings up Sydney in reference to Hard Eight, i am officially going to puke.

RegularKarate · July 22, 2003, 06:53:12 PM

The Love Conquers all cut of Brazil is just plain ridiculous.

I disagree about LOTR though... while I certainly appreciate having the extra footage, the theatrical IS the director's cut really and flows a lot better.

The Director's cut of the Abyss is tons better.

edison · July 22, 2003, 06:57:16 PM

Brazil: With this one i will have to say that the Directors cut kicks the shit out of the LCA version, which really shouldnt be considered a version bc its some bullshit cut made by some fuckhead who thought the film would be more accessible that way. Though, it is interesting to view in that it shows how drastically a film can change by little snips or rearrangements. Oh yeah, if you dont have it, the 3-disc Criterion box is a must have.

ElPandaRoyal · July 22, 2003, 07:06:41 PM

APOCALYPSE NOW REDUX, which is not exactly a director's cut, is even better that the original released in 1979 if I'm not mistaken

Alethia · July 22, 2003, 10:43:31 PM

Quote from: RegularKarate

The Director's cut of the Abyss is tons better.

true, except the ending is retarded, but cameron's cut of aliens kicks ass.

Alethia · July 22, 2003, 10:44:34 PM

Quote from: RoyalTenenbaumAPOCALYPSE NOW REDUX, which is not exactly a director's cut, is even better that the original released in 1979 if I'm not mistaken

i'd actually take the original over redux any old day of the week

MacGuffin · July 22, 2003, 11:18:39 PM

Better:
Theatrical "Natural Born Killers" (better that the violence is suggested rather than actually shown)
Theatrical "Close Encounters..." (better when you don't see inside the spaceship)
Theatrical "Nixon" & "JFK" (there's too much footage and extra story tangents)
Video "Heaven And Earth" (better opening)
Video "Once Upon A Time In America"
Theatrical "Blade Runner" (I don't mind the voice over, but the bigger reason is that the Dir. Cut is too on the nose about making Deckard a replicant)

Ghostboy · July 22, 2003, 11:51:33 PM

My one original contribution to this post will be that I think 'Leon' is a gazillion times better than 'The Professional.' That extra 25 minutes adds so much more to Mathilde's character.

I'll take the directors' cut of Blade Runner over the original; aside from the unicorn stuff, I think it's just plain better without the VO and especially the happy ending (with leftover Shining footage). Apocalypse Now is better in its original form, but the new content is interesting and worth seeing if you're already a fan of the movie. The original Exorcist is better, mainly because it didn't have that atrocious ending. The original Star Wars are all better because Greedo didn't fire first. I like the extended LOTR better...it just felt more full to me, even though I agree that it would feel off balance if I saw that version for the first time. Brazil...well, no question there.

Duck Sauce · July 23, 2003, 12:11:17 AM

Im still waiting for the directors cut of Brazil thats just the title and the credits, it would certainly be better than ther other versions

SHAFTR · July 23, 2003, 12:12:07 AM

Quote from: eward
Quote from: RoyalTenenbaumAPOCALYPSE NOW REDUX, which is not exactly a director's cut, is even better that the original released in 1979 if I'm not mistaken

i'd actually take the original over redux any old day of the week

I love the movie but I haven't seen the Redux. I don't know which DVD to buy....is there a SE of either version on its way?

ElPandaRoyal · July 23, 2003, 06:00:29 AM

Quoteeward wrote:
RoyalTenenbaum wrote:
APOCALYPSE NOW REDUX, which is not exactly a director's cut, is even better that the original released in 1979 if I'm not mistaken

i'd actually take the original over redux any old day of the week

I love the movie but I haven't seen the Redux. I don't know which DVD to buy....is there a SE of either version on its way?

I don't think so... I think the DVDs for both films are quite extras-short, which is a shame. they could include the doccumentary by Eleanor Coppola about the production of Apocalypse Now there cause I never got to see it

Pwaybloe · July 23, 2003, 08:14:36 AM

Quote from: mogwaiFrancis himself doesn't like the documentary so that's why it wasn't included on the Redux dvd. Bummer, eh? But I hope it'll be released on dvd soon.

It is a shame, isn't it. I guess directors don't like everyone to see them in an unflattering light. Too many egos out there.

Didn't Klaus Kinski protest Herzog's "My Best Fiend" when it was released?

Gold Trumpet · July 23, 2003, 09:57:59 AM

Not only is Apocalypse Now a better movie than its Redux, but the Redux is a terrible movie itself. Its an overtly bloated movie that goes into dialogue and symbolism way too extending for its story and subject and all of it becomes so preachy and hammed that it isn't bearable to even sit through all at once.

My own idea with director cuts when they extend is that when the addition is equivalent in length to half of another movie, it usually is extending itself much too far for comfort.

~rougerum

TheVoiceOfNick · July 23, 2003, 10:29:35 AM

Has anyone seen the director's cut of Dune? It's like 6 hours long!

Nick

ElPandaRoyal · July 23, 2003, 10:56:10 AM

Quotethe Redux is a terrible movie itself

Damn! you really think so??? I think the Redux version has a key scene/sequence which a lot of people seem to think it's overlong and pointless, but I really think it improves the film, and that's the whole scene with the French guys. They talk about some serious political issues there and that scene also makes me disagree with you in this particular point, when you say "goes into dialogue and symbolism way too extending for its story and subject"... well I think that this particular scene just fits perfectly in the movie, as you see this tribe of guys who got completely fucked up by the war and its efects and for me, that's what Apocalypse Now is all about: the whole lunacy about war and everything. Well, maybe that's because I also like movies who deal with this kind of stuff (war, politics and problems with human beeings in general) directly, like "JFK" or "The Quiet American".

QuoteHas anyone seen the director's cut of Dune? It's like 6 hours long!

Nick

Never saw that. The cut I saw was about 140 and I actually enjoyed the film. I know it has some people who can't stand it, but well..... I did like it a lot.