Tag: Director’s Cut

Still from Watchmen (2009)

Watchmen (2009)

This or That Edition

What editions are available?

  • Theatrical Cut (162 min.)
  • Director’s Cut (186 min.)
  • Ultimate Cut (215 min.)

The graphic novel Watchmen by Alan Moore is considered be one of the best and influential literature of all time. When it was first announced that Zack Snyder would direct the film adaptation of the classic novel, fans were skeptical of the hiring of the 300 and Dawn of the Dead helmer. Since its release in 2009, three different cuts have been released of Watchmen on DVD and Blu-ray: Theatrical, Director’s Cut and the Ultimate Cut, which included the animated The Black Freighter.

Collider sat down with Snyder and asked him about his preferred version of the film:

The Director’s Cut…look—I think if you’re a crazy fan, which is fine, The Director’s Cut with The Black Freighter [Ultimate Cut] is for pure comic book freak-out. But for me, the Director’s Cut without The Black Freighter is sort of—because it was never designed—I wanted to do The Black Freighter, I wanted to do it, but we didn’t really design it to be intercut with the rest of the film, so we kind of had to jerry-rig it in, and though it goes in pretty nicely, I never felt like it was 100% completely organic. So for me, the Director’s Cut, which has Hollis’ death and other things like that.
Source: Collider
RoboCop (1987)

RoboCop (1987)

This or That Edition

What editions are available?

  • Theatrical (102 min.)
  • Unrated Director’s Cut (103 min.)

When the Paul Verhoeven action-packed sci-fi film RoboCop was released in 1987 the Motion Picture Association of America gave it the notorious X rating (the equivalent of NC-17 today) due to violence and gore. The difference in the original uncut version and the theatrical version were only seconds but it was enough for the MPAA to issue a R rating for the theatrical cut. The Criterion Collection released the uncut version on DVD in 1998 and later on MGM released theatrical version DVD in Region 1 and Region 2. All the Blu-ray versions of the film today are the Uncut Director’s Cut.

“The unrated director’s cut, including “excessively violent” shots cut from the theatrical release to avoid an X rating.”
Source: Criterion.com

The director’s preferred edition: Uncut Director’s Cut

Comparison of the editions with courtesy of Movie-Censorship.com

Brazil (1985)

This or That Edition

What editions are available?

  • “Love Conquers All” version (94 min.)
  • US Theatrical Cut (131 min.)
  • Director’s Cut (142 min.)

In 1985 director Terry Gilliam took out an ad in the entertainment trade magazine Variety that simply stated: “Dear Sid Sheinberg. When are you going to release my film, ‘BRAZIL’? -Terry Gilliam”. Not many knew what the full page ad was about but Gilliam and executives at Universal knew.

Universal was dragging its feet on releasing the dystopian sci-fi Brazil in 1985 and when it finally premiered the studio had re-edited the film, much to Gilliams displeasure. Gilliam took things into his own hands and held his own private screenings of the film for friends and local critics. He even screened his cut of the film to the members of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and they even voted it the best film of 1985. When that happened Universal finally gave in and decided to make amends with Gilliam where both parties made a new compromised cut that was subsequently released in theaters. Although it was not the director’s cut Gilliam had originally delivered and wanted released.

There are three editions of Brazil available on DVD and Blu-ray: The excellent Criterion Collection package has both the happy-ending version dubbed “Love Conquers All” and Gilliam’s director’s cut. The theatrical cut is available on Blu-ray from Universal in the US.

The director’s preferred edition: Director’s Cut

Daredevil (2003)

This or That Edition

What editions are available?

  • Theatrical (103 min.)
  • Director’s Cut (133 min.)

The Hell’s Kitchen superhero Daredevil is treated with love and respect in the TV adaptation produced by Netflix-Marvel. Before the popular Netflix show premiered no other than Ben Affleck donned the red spandex costume in the 2003 film by 20th Century Fox and directed by Mark Steven Johnson. An R-rated Director’s Cut of the film was released on DVD and Blu-ray and is currently the only version available on Blu-ray.

On the Daredevil commentary track Steven Johnson talks about his preferred cut of the film:

“… I felt responsible to the studio. And you know, and the studio wants that movie to be under 100 minutes and move like a bat out of hell. And, you know, you have to respect that because I feel responsibility for them to do fell and to make money and at the same time, that’s at odds with me as a writer and a fan of the comic at the times, because I love Matt Murdock as the blind detective… and a lot of that story that got lifted out. That was the biggest criticism of the film, was there wasn’t enough story. You know, people liked it, but they said there wasn’t enough going on. And this version of the movie is much more of a big hero’s journey much more of an opera to it.”

Source: Daredevil commentary

The director’s preferred edition: Director’s Cut

Comparison of the editions with courtesy of Movie-Censorship.com

Straight Outta Compton (2015)

This or That Edition

What editions are available?

  • Theatrical (146 min.)
  • Unrated Director’s Cut (166 min.)

One of the most energetic movies of 2015 was without a doubt Straight Outta Compton. This powerfull and engaging film was released on Blu-ray with an unrated Director’s Cut along with the theatrical cut. The DVD release was theatrical cut only. Director F. Gary Gray confirmed on Instagram which edition he preferred:

The director’s preferred edition: Unrated Director’s Cut

Comparison of the editions with courtesy of Movie-Censorship.com

Hellboy (2004)

This or That Edition

What editions are available?

  • Theatrical (121 min.)
  • Director’s Cut (132 min.)

In 2004 director Guillermo del Toro made the first of two Hellboy films based on the Dark Horse comics by Mike Mignola. Ron Pearlman played the unlikely superhero, his first starring role in a big Hollywood production. When Hellboy was first released on DVD it only included the theatrical cut. Later the Director’s Cut was released a special edition DVD set. The Director’s Cut is the only cut available today on Blu-ray.

On the Hellboy commentary track del Toro talks about his preferred cut of the film:

“Hello, this is Guillermo del Toro, and you are watching the director’s cut of Hellboy. I want to thank you, first and foremost for buying this DVD. This is, by far, my preferred cut of the movie. And I hope you like it just as much. I think that the first release of the movie, the first cut that was in theaters, was a perfectly good cut, and I was happy with it. But I felt the need to go back and put some characters moments and some absolutely surreal subplots that made the movie have a different flavour. So you’re gonna see about 12, 13 minutes of extra footage. And it restores a few of the character story lines that were lost in the theatrical cut.”

Source: Hellboy commentary

The director’s preferred edition: Director’s Cut

Comparison of the editions with courtesy of Movie-Censorship.com

Taking Lives (2004)

This or That Edition

What editions are available?

  • Theatrical (103 min.)
  • Unrated Director’s Cut (109 min.)

The 2004 psychological thriller Taking Lives starring Angelina Jolie, Ethan Hawke and Kiefer Sutherland was released on home video in two different cuts. The theatrical and director’s cut were released on DVD but on Blu-ray only the director’s cut was included.

Director D.J. Caruso confirmed with This or That Edition which edition he prefers:

The director’s preferred edition: Unrated Director’s Cut

Comparison of the editions with courtesy of Movie-Censorship.com

Mimic (1997)

This or That Edition

What editions are available?

  • Theatrical (105 min.)
  • Director’s Cut (111 min.)

Mimic is Guillermo del Toro’s sophomore film, and his first project in Hollywood after premiering Cronos in 1993. The production was quite bumpy and Del Toro was unhappy with the released version of the film. In 2010 Del Toro talked about making a director’s cut of the film and in 2011 it was released on Blu-ray.

“This cut, which is great for me, is the movie is what could be rescued from what was made. And I’m very proud of it, I’m incredibly happy, it finally can be shown and I hope you will appriciate the differance between the theatrical version and this.” – Guillermo del Toro

Source: Mimic: The Director’s Cut intro on Blu-ray

The director’s preferred edition: Director’s Cut

Comparison of the editions with courtesy of Movie-Censorship.com

Still from Killer Joe

Killer Joe (2011)

This or That Edition

What editions are available?

  • Theatrical (98 min.)
  • Unrated Director’s Cut (102 min.)

When Killer Joe was submitted to the MPAA for rating it was sent back with the infamous NC-17 rating. After an unsuccessful appeal with the MPAA Killer Joe was given a limited to theaters as a NC-17 rated film. The film was released uncut on Blu-ray but a R-rated cut was released on DVD.

“Cutting would not have made it mass appeal. Cutting it would have been the equivalent of what members of the United States government and military leaders said about the Vietnam War. They said, “We have to destroy Vietnam in order to save it,” and that’s what I would have done to Killer Joe. To get an R rating, I would have had to destroy it in order to save it and I wasn’t interested in doing that.” – Director William Friedkin on why he refused to censor his film

Source: Rope of Silicon

The director’s preferred edition: Unrated Director’s Cut

Comparison of the editions with courtesy of Movie-Censorship.com

Iron Sky (2012)

This or That Edition

What editions are available?

  • Theatrical (93 min.)
  • Director’s Cut (110 min.)

Zany sci-fi nazies-on-the-moon action film Iron Sky was released on Blu-ray in US and UK as a director’s cut but the theatrical cut was used for DVD. Director Timo Vuorensola confirmed with This or That Edition which edition he prefers:

The director’s preferred edition: Director’s Cut

Comparison of the editions with courtesy of Movie-Censorship.com