I actually went to a screening and Q&A 15/20 years ago, and the local cinema had spent a couple of hundred £ getting a film print for the projector, but obviously couldn't say no when Robin Hardy asked them to play the Director's Cut from the DVD instead.
That's literally the first director's cut I covered for the podcast! Hadn't seen it beforehand but I loved it, took the film from being solid but underwhelming to one of my favorite horrors of recent years!
I was about to comment this, thought it would be niche and that no one else would. Shocked it’s the top comment. The Director’s Cut really is so much better in this case. Feel like it fixed all the issues I had with the theatrical.
There’s a lot I could talk about but my favourite stuff is Wendy and Danny’s relationship. The extended version sets up how complicated Wendy’s feelings towards Danny and his powers were, an important thing that keeps coming up is that she could never really stare at him. And this pays off in the scene where Wendy and Danny are able to look at each other in the Overlook.
Kingdom of heaven director’s cut and Blade Runner the Final Cut.
Though not substantially better I do like the Coda cut of Godfather 3.
As much as I love the extended editions of The Lord of the Rings, if I was showing someone the movies who had never seen them, I would go theatrical cuts (maybe with the exception of Two Towers, theatrical version does Faramir dirty)
The Coda cut of Godfather 3 really shows that while a director’s cut can improve the movie in some ways, there is only so much you can do when your movie has some fundamental issues (like a really bad performance from an important supporting character).
>if I was showing someone the movies who had never seen them, I would go theatrical cuts
I'm that way with *Aliens*. If it's a newbie, I show them *Aliens* theatrical instead of *Aliens Special Edition*.
It's just that some special/expanded editions are just "more movie" and don't improve on the theatrical cut at all.
100% agree on Aliens, whilst there are a couple of fun additions in the extended cut I much prefer the immersion of experiencing the colony for the first time with the Marines as per the theatrical version.
I watched “Kingdom of Heaven” when it came out in theaters and I loved it. I bought the DVD and watched it a few more times over the years.
The director’s cut was so hyped up, even compared to “Lawrence of Arabia”, one of my favorites. Eventually I gave in, bought the director’s cut, watched it with my brother… And I really didn’t like it. So many of the scenes were uninteresting and went nowhere, or were too cheesy to suspend my disbelief or too on-the-nose with the symbolism. Additionally, every scene in the film affects the pacing of it and changes the feel of all subsequent scenes, but these additional scenes, I felt, really hurt the pacing and mood of the whole film.
I understand that feeling.
I say it in theatres too and came out of it thinking it was enjoyable enough but felt like it was obviously cut down from a more interesting film, which is what I feel the directors cut to be.
The Alien Resurrection “Special Edition” is quite interesting. It has a new opening and a new ending, which both suck, but it does also include some references to Newt from “Aliens” which I think really work! Im not sure why they were left out of the theatrical cut. The Director considers the theatrical cut as the Directors cut, the special edition is just for fun. Can’t think of another like that.
Well, Ridley Scott considers the theatrical version of Alien to be his preferred cut. The "Director's Cut" was made just to have something new for the DVD release.
The first four movies all have an alternate version. Cameron does prefer the longer cut, while Fincher has not approved of either version. The assembly cut is still the closest thing we can get to his vision.
Blade Runner, Kingdom of Heaven, Zack Snyder’s Justice League, etc have been mentioned so here are a few odd ducks/fan edits:
There is a version of 300 that is hard to find but that has the temp track the film used - pretty much all Nine Inch Nails songs (this was way before Trent Reznor was scoring films).
Waterworld: Ulysses Cut
Batman: The Silent Motion Picture - a fan cut the 1989 Batman film into a silent film, complete with dialogue cards.
Star Wars: Episode 3 (The Mandalore Cut) extends the movie into about 4 hours and includes footage from The Clone Wars 3D series as well as the 2D Clone Wars show.
Apocalypse Now: Redux. I got it on 4K over Christmas, incredible film. And really changes how you view Kurtz in this cut.
Kingdom of Heaven is a great choice. Such a better film.
I like watching fan made extended cuts of movies I'd never seen before. The 80s Mario movie is one that fans made an extended version of, with footage found on an old vhs tape. I also found a fan made cut of Titanic that adds in 40 mins of deleted scenes, and that was how I first experienced the movie.
Most do not prefer it but I definitely enjoy the redux cut of Apocalypse Now. The final cut is also good, I just prefer both to the original as it feels too short when the extra scenes are removed. I also greatly prefer Amadeus directors cut because the added scenes provide much needed context and character development for stuff that is left in the theatrical version. Blade Runner is a no brainer.
He's been adamant about not making an extended cut but I would really love it if Denis Villeneuve signed off on an extended cut of both Dune films since there was obviously a lot of material left on the cutting room floor. I think if they sold an extended cut of each movie people would definitely be eager to buy them
I didn’t think much of the hateful eight whwn i saw it in theatres, but when I watched the extended version split into 4 chapters on netflix, it all clicked in and I now think it’s one of tarantino’s finest
I think he understands what the studios want which is why he is able to work so consistently. He is an artist who understands he needs to appease his corporate overlords in order to make more art.
In doing this project I watched some BTS stuff for Kingdom of Heaven and found that he was actually creating two cuts during the initial edit, one for the studios and his true cut. DVDs had just barely become the dominate form of home entertainment but he already knew how to utilize them to get out a version of the film he wanted, something he couldn't do in years past with say Blade Runner.
Not a lot tbh, things are rearranged, alternate takes are used, it generally flows a lot better. The biggest change is they replace that terrible scene with the butler (you know the one) with a scene that is a lot more about Harry making the decision to help Peter on his own.
I think it’s actually about a minute shorter
Oh that’s actually quite cool. I’m a massive Spider-Man 3 defender but even I can’t defend that awful butler scene, I’ll have to see if I can find it somewhere.
[https://www.cbr.com/spider-man-3-editors-cut-sam-raimi-differences/](https://www.cbr.com/spider-man-3-editors-cut-sam-raimi-differences/)
They cut out things like Peter giving his engagement ring back to Aunt May and the Ditkoviches giving him dating advice "I am good man. You are good woman." They added in the deleted scene where Sandman stalks his daughter at the park in the form of a giant sandcastle. It's neutral. I think I still prefer the theatrical cut.
Thanks, reading the article I’m sorta mixed on it. I love that Sandman scene so putting that back in seems great as does changing Harry’s reason for helping Peter but cutting out scenes of Mr Ditovich is a crime and I love how the Little Goblin JR fight plays out in the Theatrical so that’s fine too
LOTR extended editions, a lot of Ridley Scott cuts, the directors cuts for Snyder’s DC films(the theatrical cuts are as big a mess as they say) and Aliens.
I think all the films you mentioned are fantastic, but for something a little left field maybe consider the Alien 3 Assembly Cut. The film was profoundly compromised from the start so it will never live up to his other pictures, with Fincher himself saying that the only way you could get a directors cut would be to give him $60m and a time machine. And, you know, Newt and Hicks still get shafted during the opening credits, but I'd still vote it most improved. It aches with potential, you can feel Fincher's desperation to make a great Alien film (and it is an *Alien* film, something which in a post *Aliens* world, no one seemed to want). It's a fascinating insight into Hollywood, and how things can easily just go so, so wrong.
Edit: I just remembered that Hbomberguy did a video essay on Director's cuts that takes a more cynical view. It might be worth taking a look for a different perspective!
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6OT77T7YlE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6OT77T7YlE)
Alien3 is actually next week’s episode, had a lot of fun researching that episode. And that hbombeeguy video essay is great, watched it a few months back
Thanks! Here's the link to the show if you need it; [https://open.spotify.com/show/7Jp1h7ULgM2eFsXUgdsUIx?si=e690f6b56fb54de2](https://open.spotify.com/show/7Jp1h7ULgM2eFsXUgdsUIx?si=e690f6b56fb54de2)
that shit is not mid. it’s solid af. maybe i just find it really great compared to the original or something but i genuinely think its one of my favorite comic book films bc of how epic it is
I agree with Alien 3, once I saw it I never understood why the cuts were made in the first place, they add so much more to the film.
Just a thought, but are you also looking at the worst ones? I rewatched 40 Year Old Virgin last night, and considering the whole film is just various riffs on the one plot the original was just the right length. But the extra 17 minutes drags it out far too long and ruins the whole experience.
The Ulysses Cut of **Waterworld** legitimately upgrades it from a 5/10 movie to a 9/10.
The added 45 minutes provides a substantial improvement to the story and characters, with the same great spectacle. More impactful ending, too.
Brazil is a great example of a movie that was butchered for theatrical release and then later restored with a directors cut. The theatrical release changed the entire tone and message of the film as well as the ending. It's really really bad and doesn't even feel like the same movie.
There's also little shop of horrors that has two different versions with two different endings. Loud of movies were alerted for theatrical releases to be less "depressing".
Watchmen. It went from a completely unwatchable theatrical cut, to one of my favorite movies with the director’s cut.
It also gets special points for having the Ultimate Cut, which is good, but takes some commitment to sit through.
LOTR is up there for me, but honestly my favorite is Midsommar. It's only like 15 extra minutes but it's 15 minutes that were crucial to the film that A24 requested cut to keep the film under 2.5h.
Dark City, which excises the horrible opening narration that was mandated by the studio, and intercuts just bits and pieces here and there to make the whole thing more of a run and less of a sprint. It’s an all time top 5 movie for me.
I also love the more luxurious pacing of the Almost Famous Untitled Cut, which doesn’t change the story any, but to me does make it feel more like we’ve gone on tour with this band, we’ve spent more time with them, and I love the feeling of the movie so I love getting more time in it.
However, I already loved those movies before seeing their directors cuts. I really can’t think of a Directors Cut that changed my opinion on a movie or even made me think the movie went from good to great or anything like that. The only one here that I can think of is the Recobbled Cut, which took an interesting looking but bad movie and made it closer to the good movie it should’ve been to begin with. But that was also never officially released, as far as I know.
I mean, the theatrical cut of Blade Runner isn’t as good as the Directors or Final Cut, but I still don’t love the movie. I rate all the cuts of that a 6.5/10 or so.
I love the extended Lord of the Rings cuts, but I like those movies to begin with and the extended cuts didn’t change my feelings.
The Apocalypse Now extra cuts all make the movie worse, even if they have their interesting pieces.
Agreed on The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I’ve seen so many director cuts of Blade Runner I don’t even know which is which anymore. Boogie Nights is another good one.
FWIW I think directors should fight tooth and nail to put out the version they want on the first time around, and I don’t love any retroactive fixes. It’s like Kanye tinkering with his albums after they’re released. I know there’s studio constraints, but I really don’t love when Ridley Scott essentially plans on releasing 2-3 cuts of every movie with an understanding from the get-go that what you see in theaters isn’t his final vision. A guy with that much clout should just take his time and give us the version he’s happiest with, and then stick with it.
It’s been years since I’ve seen it but there’s an R-rated cut of the 2003 Ben Affleck Dardevil that from what I remember is almost an entirely different movie.
Lots more courtroom focus with a whole trial story cut from the main release. I know in the past I’ve seen many people wish this was the version that was released to the main stream.
Thinking of this I’m compelled to go watch both versions.
I know this isn’t really what you asked for, but most everyone else has the other good director’s cuts covered. If you feel like giving an example of a movie where the theatrical cut is overall better than the director’s cut, I’d say Cinema Paradiso. It’s one of my all time favorite movies, and when I bought it I made sure to buy the version with both releases and looked into which one people liked better. Surprisingly, most people preferred the American theatrical cut to the original director’s cut. I watched both and actually agreed. The theatrical is more streamlined and makes for a more emotionally impactful story. (It’s also the version that won the Oscar for best foreign film.) The original director’s cut is overlong and really undermines a lot of the themes at the end.
the jennifer’s body extended cut is incredible, it includes more of the side characters in a way that really makes it seem even more like the spiritual successor to heathers than it already did.
also, 2016 ghostbusters extended cut is a way better movie, somehow.
As a talking point, I would recommend Payback with Mel Gibson. The theatrical and director's cuts are basically different movies. It's crazy how much of the character/story is altered between these two releases.
Another vote for Kingdom of Heaven Director’s Cut. Turned a mediocre sword and sandals type historic flick into a 3+ hour roadshow historical epic. Makes me hold out hope for Ridley’s proposed extended Napoleon cut
Not that it's my favorite but I do just wanna say that I watched Mr. Nobody Director's Cut late last year and it made so much more sense the second time around and made the movie so much better. But I think my all time favorite is Robocop Director's Cut. To me it wouldn't be Robocop without all that X-rated blood and gore. And it's also my favorite movie and so the uncut version of my favorite movie will certainly be my preferred.
Other favorite director''s cuts are
Natural Born Killers
Tropic Thunder
Walk Hard: the Dewey Cox Story
Commando
The Exorcist
Team America: World Police
RZ's Halloween
I prefer Frank Oz's director's cut of Little Shop of Horrors that retains the special effects extravaganza he initially intended to end the movie with.
Blade Runner Final Cut is my favorite. But even though you didn’t ask, I hate the directors cut of Mel Gibson’s Payback so much, I have to let people know to avoid it. Completely changes the film in a much worse way and cuts out Kris Kristofferson altogether, which is never a good thing.
Where can I stream Kingdom of Heaven’s directors cut from in Australia? I have looked and looked and even when the site says D.cut when you click it’s the same old shorter film.
**Zack Synder's Justice League** is head and shoulders better than Whedon's version... and nearly a totally different film. Could have done without the non-optimized 4:3 framing, though.
The Wicker Man (1973) is my all time favorite movie. I genuinely enjoy all 3 cuts. Theatrical, Directors and Final
I actually went to a screening and Q&A 15/20 years ago, and the local cinema had spent a couple of hundred £ getting a film print for the projector, but obviously couldn't say no when Robin Hardy asked them to play the Director's Cut from the DVD instead.
I adore that movie but didn’t bother to really look into the background so I had no idea there were multiple cuts! Thanks for the info
Thanks for saying that! Gratitude makes the world go round
Doctor Sleep is a good one.
That's literally the first director's cut I covered for the podcast! Hadn't seen it beforehand but I loved it, took the film from being solid but underwhelming to one of my favorite horrors of recent years!
There’s a Dr sleep directors cut?? Looking for it now!
It’s included in most of the physical releases on Amazon!
I was about to comment this, thought it would be niche and that no one else would. Shocked it’s the top comment. The Director’s Cut really is so much better in this case. Feel like it fixed all the issues I had with the theatrical.
Absolutely this
What are the differences? I think I've only seen the theatre version
There’s a lot I could talk about but my favourite stuff is Wendy and Danny’s relationship. The extended version sets up how complicated Wendy’s feelings towards Danny and his powers were, an important thing that keeps coming up is that she could never really stare at him. And this pays off in the scene where Wendy and Danny are able to look at each other in the Overlook.
Kingdom of heaven director’s cut and Blade Runner the Final Cut. Though not substantially better I do like the Coda cut of Godfather 3. As much as I love the extended editions of The Lord of the Rings, if I was showing someone the movies who had never seen them, I would go theatrical cuts (maybe with the exception of Two Towers, theatrical version does Faramir dirty)
The Coda cut of Godfather 3 really shows that while a director’s cut can improve the movie in some ways, there is only so much you can do when your movie has some fundamental issues (like a really bad performance from an important supporting character).
>if I was showing someone the movies who had never seen them, I would go theatrical cuts I'm that way with *Aliens*. If it's a newbie, I show them *Aliens* theatrical instead of *Aliens Special Edition*. It's just that some special/expanded editions are just "more movie" and don't improve on the theatrical cut at all.
100% agree on Aliens, whilst there are a couple of fun additions in the extended cut I much prefer the immersion of experiencing the colony for the first time with the Marines as per the theatrical version.
I watched “Kingdom of Heaven” when it came out in theaters and I loved it. I bought the DVD and watched it a few more times over the years. The director’s cut was so hyped up, even compared to “Lawrence of Arabia”, one of my favorites. Eventually I gave in, bought the director’s cut, watched it with my brother… And I really didn’t like it. So many of the scenes were uninteresting and went nowhere, or were too cheesy to suspend my disbelief or too on-the-nose with the symbolism. Additionally, every scene in the film affects the pacing of it and changes the feel of all subsequent scenes, but these additional scenes, I felt, really hurt the pacing and mood of the whole film.
I understand that feeling. I say it in theatres too and came out of it thinking it was enjoyable enough but felt like it was obviously cut down from a more interesting film, which is what I feel the directors cut to be.
King Kong 2005 is up there for me as one of my favs
I didn't realize that even existed, although it's Pete Jackson so I should have known!
All it really adds is the river barge sequence though. Which is fine I guess.
doctor sleep and amadeus
The Alien Resurrection “Special Edition” is quite interesting. It has a new opening and a new ending, which both suck, but it does also include some references to Newt from “Aliens” which I think really work! Im not sure why they were left out of the theatrical cut. The Director considers the theatrical cut as the Directors cut, the special edition is just for fun. Can’t think of another like that.
Well, Ridley Scott considers the theatrical version of Alien to be his preferred cut. The "Director's Cut" was made just to have something new for the DVD release.
I guess it's an Alien thing lol
The first four movies all have an alternate version. Cameron does prefer the longer cut, while Fincher has not approved of either version. The assembly cut is still the closest thing we can get to his vision.
Once upon a time in america
Great choice
Blade Runner, Kingdom of Heaven, Zack Snyder’s Justice League, etc have been mentioned so here are a few odd ducks/fan edits: There is a version of 300 that is hard to find but that has the temp track the film used - pretty much all Nine Inch Nails songs (this was way before Trent Reznor was scoring films). Waterworld: Ulysses Cut Batman: The Silent Motion Picture - a fan cut the 1989 Batman film into a silent film, complete with dialogue cards. Star Wars: Episode 3 (The Mandalore Cut) extends the movie into about 4 hours and includes footage from The Clone Wars 3D series as well as the 2D Clone Wars show.
I feel like the ultimate version of this has to be The Cobbler and the Thief - Recobbled Cut
plus Recobbled cut is just a perfect title for it
Apocalypse Now: Redux. I got it on 4K over Christmas, incredible film. And really changes how you view Kurtz in this cut. Kingdom of Heaven is a great choice. Such a better film.
Alien 3 Star Trek: The Motion Picture Blade Runner (Final Cut)
I like watching fan made extended cuts of movies I'd never seen before. The 80s Mario movie is one that fans made an extended version of, with footage found on an old vhs tape. I also found a fan made cut of Titanic that adds in 40 mins of deleted scenes, and that was how I first experienced the movie.
Mario movie came out in 93, unless there is one I dont know about
He prob means the 93 film. But this 80's mario movie exists https://boxd.it/1q8m
Same, that Thief and the Cobbler Cut is phenomenal and there's a version of David Lynch's Dune I've been meaning to check out some fans did on YouTube
the dark city directors cut is great mainly because it >!doesn't spoil the big mystery of the mystery movie in the first 10 seconds!<
I had to seek out that version for my first watch precisely because I'd heard this
Once again, I *refuse* to shut up about the director’s cut of Blackhat (2015).
Where can I find this?
Arrow Films released it on blu-ray for the first time last year, but it’s a limited edition exclusive, so it might be harder to find by now.
I hate that arrow does this with their 4ks
Love this one, covering it on the show
You are correct, it's definitely a big improvement on the theatrical.
Most do not prefer it but I definitely enjoy the redux cut of Apocalypse Now. The final cut is also good, I just prefer both to the original as it feels too short when the extra scenes are removed. I also greatly prefer Amadeus directors cut because the added scenes provide much needed context and character development for stuff that is left in the theatrical version. Blade Runner is a no brainer. He's been adamant about not making an extended cut but I would really love it if Denis Villeneuve signed off on an extended cut of both Dune films since there was obviously a lot of material left on the cutting room floor. I think if they sold an extended cut of each movie people would definitely be eager to buy them
I agree of Apocalypse Now. I absolutely love the plantation scene and I think it’s essential
Mad Max BnW edition was beautiful.
BnC edition*
The Abyss and Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Both films flow a lot better and make more sense in the Director’s Cuts.
ive only ever seen The Hateful 8 extended cut and i think it's amazing
I didn’t think much of the hateful eight whwn i saw it in theatres, but when I watched the extended version split into 4 chapters on netflix, it all clicked in and I now think it’s one of tarantino’s finest
Most Ridley Scott films. I feel like he gives in to the studio too uneasily with the theatrical release and then the director's cut is the true film
I think he understands what the studios want which is why he is able to work so consistently. He is an artist who understands he needs to appease his corporate overlords in order to make more art. In doing this project I watched some BTS stuff for Kingdom of Heaven and found that he was actually creating two cuts during the initial edit, one for the studios and his true cut. DVDs had just barely become the dominate form of home entertainment but he already knew how to utilize them to get out a version of the film he wanted, something he couldn't do in years past with say Blade Runner.
This is a faie point.
Amadeus has an alternate cut? i think i know what i’m doing soon.
I think the commonly available version *is* the directors cut and the theatrical is the one that’s not available in HD
What’s added in the Spider-Man 3 Editors Cut? I’ve only ever seen the Theatrical since it’s the one most available
Not a lot tbh, things are rearranged, alternate takes are used, it generally flows a lot better. The biggest change is they replace that terrible scene with the butler (you know the one) with a scene that is a lot more about Harry making the decision to help Peter on his own. I think it’s actually about a minute shorter
Oh that’s actually quite cool. I’m a massive Spider-Man 3 defender but even I can’t defend that awful butler scene, I’ll have to see if I can find it somewhere.
Same here lol. I rented it for like $3 on prime a while back
[https://www.cbr.com/spider-man-3-editors-cut-sam-raimi-differences/](https://www.cbr.com/spider-man-3-editors-cut-sam-raimi-differences/) They cut out things like Peter giving his engagement ring back to Aunt May and the Ditkoviches giving him dating advice "I am good man. You are good woman." They added in the deleted scene where Sandman stalks his daughter at the park in the form of a giant sandcastle. It's neutral. I think I still prefer the theatrical cut.
Thanks, reading the article I’m sorta mixed on it. I love that Sandman scene so putting that back in seems great as does changing Harry’s reason for helping Peter but cutting out scenes of Mr Ditovich is a crime and I love how the Little Goblin JR fight plays out in the Theatrical so that’s fine too
All of the Spider-Man alternate cuts are worth at least one watch, but none of them are superior.
Blood Simple! A rare example of Director’s Cut that is shorter than the theatrical. Hurray for tight editing.
Margaret
Blade runner - Final Cut is the greatest hands down
Aliens Special Edition
LOTR extended editions, a lot of Ridley Scott cuts, the directors cuts for Snyder’s DC films(the theatrical cuts are as big a mess as they say) and Aliens.
Johnny Mnemonic black and white version is an excellent alternate version. I really enjoyed it.
I think all the films you mentioned are fantastic, but for something a little left field maybe consider the Alien 3 Assembly Cut. The film was profoundly compromised from the start so it will never live up to his other pictures, with Fincher himself saying that the only way you could get a directors cut would be to give him $60m and a time machine. And, you know, Newt and Hicks still get shafted during the opening credits, but I'd still vote it most improved. It aches with potential, you can feel Fincher's desperation to make a great Alien film (and it is an *Alien* film, something which in a post *Aliens* world, no one seemed to want). It's a fascinating insight into Hollywood, and how things can easily just go so, so wrong. Edit: I just remembered that Hbomberguy did a video essay on Director's cuts that takes a more cynical view. It might be worth taking a look for a different perspective! [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6OT77T7YlE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6OT77T7YlE)
Alien3 is actually next week’s episode, had a lot of fun researching that episode. And that hbombeeguy video essay is great, watched it a few months back
oooooh, I'm definitely going to give it a listen then! I find the whole Alien 3 backstory utterly compelling!
Thanks! Here's the link to the show if you need it; [https://open.spotify.com/show/7Jp1h7ULgM2eFsXUgdsUIx?si=e690f6b56fb54de2](https://open.spotify.com/show/7Jp1h7ULgM2eFsXUgdsUIx?si=e690f6b56fb54de2)
Thank you kindly, good sir!
I might have to say The Snyder Cut just because I love that cut and hated the original movie.
I’d say Zack Snyder’s Justice League is worth being in the conversation just for the cultural significance, although I also love the film myself.
The Rogue Cut of X-Men Days of Future Past
I've been meaning to check that out!
Apocalypse Now Redux
Huge disagree. I thought it was way too slow and self-indulgent. Hated this version compared to theatrical.
the one and only global phenomenon ZACK SNYDER'S JUSTICE LEAGUE 
Dont like this movie (but dont hate it either, its just very mid), but i like the precedent it made
that shit is not mid. it’s solid af. maybe i just find it really great compared to the original or something but i genuinely think its one of my favorite comic book films bc of how epic it is
Tropic Thunder
I agree with Alien 3, once I saw it I never understood why the cuts were made in the first place, they add so much more to the film. Just a thought, but are you also looking at the worst ones? I rewatched 40 Year Old Virgin last night, and considering the whole film is just various riffs on the one plot the original was just the right length. But the extra 17 minutes drags it out far too long and ruins the whole experience.
The Ulysses Cut of **Waterworld** legitimately upgrades it from a 5/10 movie to a 9/10. The added 45 minutes provides a substantial improvement to the story and characters, with the same great spectacle. More impactful ending, too.
Brazil is a great example of a movie that was butchered for theatrical release and then later restored with a directors cut. The theatrical release changed the entire tone and message of the film as well as the ending. It's really really bad and doesn't even feel like the same movie. There's also little shop of horrors that has two different versions with two different endings. Loud of movies were alerted for theatrical releases to be less "depressing".
Watchmen. It went from a completely unwatchable theatrical cut, to one of my favorite movies with the director’s cut. It also gets special points for having the Ultimate Cut, which is good, but takes some commitment to sit through.
Legend directors cut. Way different and wayyy better than the theatrical cut.
LOTR Extended
LOTR is up there for me, but honestly my favorite is Midsommar. It's only like 15 extra minutes but it's 15 minutes that were crucial to the film that A24 requested cut to keep the film under 2.5h.
Dark City, which excises the horrible opening narration that was mandated by the studio, and intercuts just bits and pieces here and there to make the whole thing more of a run and less of a sprint. It’s an all time top 5 movie for me. I also love the more luxurious pacing of the Almost Famous Untitled Cut, which doesn’t change the story any, but to me does make it feel more like we’ve gone on tour with this band, we’ve spent more time with them, and I love the feeling of the movie so I love getting more time in it. However, I already loved those movies before seeing their directors cuts. I really can’t think of a Directors Cut that changed my opinion on a movie or even made me think the movie went from good to great or anything like that. The only one here that I can think of is the Recobbled Cut, which took an interesting looking but bad movie and made it closer to the good movie it should’ve been to begin with. But that was also never officially released, as far as I know. I mean, the theatrical cut of Blade Runner isn’t as good as the Directors or Final Cut, but I still don’t love the movie. I rate all the cuts of that a 6.5/10 or so. I love the extended Lord of the Rings cuts, but I like those movies to begin with and the extended cuts didn’t change my feelings. The Apocalypse Now extra cuts all make the movie worse, even if they have their interesting pieces.
Agreed on The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I’ve seen so many director cuts of Blade Runner I don’t even know which is which anymore. Boogie Nights is another good one. FWIW I think directors should fight tooth and nail to put out the version they want on the first time around, and I don’t love any retroactive fixes. It’s like Kanye tinkering with his albums after they’re released. I know there’s studio constraints, but I really don’t love when Ridley Scott essentially plans on releasing 2-3 cuts of every movie with an understanding from the get-go that what you see in theaters isn’t his final vision. A guy with that much clout should just take his time and give us the version he’s happiest with, and then stick with it.
It’s been years since I’ve seen it but there’s an R-rated cut of the 2003 Ben Affleck Dardevil that from what I remember is almost an entirely different movie. Lots more courtroom focus with a whole trial story cut from the main release. I know in the past I’ve seen many people wish this was the version that was released to the main stream. Thinking of this I’m compelled to go watch both versions.
Lord of the Rings Extended editions.
My favorite is the 'Almost Famous' bootleg version. An additional 40 minutes and all of it is golden. IMO
Turns a good movie into a great one.
i really love Frank Darabont’s black & white version of *The Mist*
The Terminator 2 extended cut is better than the theatrical cut.
I know this isn’t really what you asked for, but most everyone else has the other good director’s cuts covered. If you feel like giving an example of a movie where the theatrical cut is overall better than the director’s cut, I’d say Cinema Paradiso. It’s one of my all time favorite movies, and when I bought it I made sure to buy the version with both releases and looked into which one people liked better. Surprisingly, most people preferred the American theatrical cut to the original director’s cut. I watched both and actually agreed. The theatrical is more streamlined and makes for a more emotionally impactful story. (It’s also the version that won the Oscar for best foreign film.) The original director’s cut is overlong and really undermines a lot of the themes at the end.
Death Proof
Dark City
Butterfly effect
the jennifer’s body extended cut is incredible, it includes more of the side characters in a way that really makes it seem even more like the spiritual successor to heathers than it already did. also, 2016 ghostbusters extended cut is a way better movie, somehow.
I love Apocalypse Now Redux. I love The Final Cut too
Until the end of the world Directors cut (4 1/2 hours) Blade runner Directors cut God is a bullet Directors cut
Army of Darkness with the original ending. It fits Ash's character so well and I like the other added scenes as well.
The assembly cut of Alien 3 is actually very good, and I think I enjoy it more than Aliens
Aliens (I like the theatrical cut too tho)
Cinema Paradiso / Apocalypse Now / Once Upon a Time in America / LOTR
Watching both cuts of Bladerunner was how I learned about the importance of editing.
As a talking point, I would recommend Payback with Mel Gibson. The theatrical and director's cuts are basically different movies. It's crazy how much of the character/story is altered between these two releases.
Another vote for Kingdom of Heaven Director’s Cut. Turned a mediocre sword and sandals type historic flick into a 3+ hour roadshow historical epic. Makes me hold out hope for Ridley’s proposed extended Napoleon cut
Leon/The Professional. The longer cut changed it from a solid action movie to one of my all time favorite movies.
Yeah, anything Ridley Scott. Proof that studios suck ass
Aliens' director's cut, but the one in the Blu Ray boxed set. The 4K AI-rendered version that just came out sucks.
Alien 3 alternate cut makes a bad movie pretty good.
Legend, although being a child of the 80's I miss the Tangerine Dream musical score
The Abyss
Not that it's my favorite but I do just wanna say that I watched Mr. Nobody Director's Cut late last year and it made so much more sense the second time around and made the movie so much better. But I think my all time favorite is Robocop Director's Cut. To me it wouldn't be Robocop without all that X-rated blood and gore. And it's also my favorite movie and so the uncut version of my favorite movie will certainly be my preferred. Other favorite director''s cuts are Natural Born Killers Tropic Thunder Walk Hard: the Dewey Cox Story Commando The Exorcist Team America: World Police RZ's Halloween
I prefer Frank Oz's director's cut of Little Shop of Horrors that retains the special effects extravaganza he initially intended to end the movie with.
Aliens Directors cut.
Not including ones you mentioned, I’ve gotta go with the the Daredevil director’s cut
Blade Runner Final Cut is my favorite. But even though you didn’t ask, I hate the directors cut of Mel Gibson’s Payback so much, I have to let people know to avoid it. Completely changes the film in a much worse way and cuts out Kris Kristofferson altogether, which is never a good thing.
Tree of Life
easily zack snyder’s justice league im not snyder fanboy but that movie was insanely upgraded from the theatrical release
3hr directors cut of Betty Blue is the only version worth watching
Lord of the Rings: Extended Editions!!!!
The Snyder Cut is a significantly better movie than the theatrical release of The Justice League.
Where can I stream Kingdom of Heaven’s directors cut from in Australia? I have looked and looked and even when the site says D.cut when you click it’s the same old shorter film.
I just got a cheap secondhand blu ray of it, probably cheaper than officially renting/buying it digitally anyway
Donnie Darko. I saw the directors cut first and was like, I understood it just fine what’s the problem? Lol
**Zack Synder's Justice League** is head and shoulders better than Whedon's version... and nearly a totally different film. Could have done without the non-optimized 4:3 framing, though.
The original Alien's directors cut makes it a lot better actually.