Cut vs. uncut . . .

[The Burgomaster]

Have you ever seen a movie that made no sense or was really boring or that you just hated. Then, years later, you saw it again. Only the 2nd time around, you saw the UNCUT version. Suddenly it made sense, and was fun to watch, and you really liked it? Here is one example:

Phantasm - The first time I saw this, it was on network television in a significantly edited version. I sort of liked it, but some parts didn't make sense because they cut out some violence and certain scenes seemed to jump from one location to another and I had no idea what was going on. I was pleasantly surprised when I finally saw the uncut version.

Any others?

*
*
*

[Chadzilla]

I saw Unsane and wondered what the heck was going on, then I saw the original Tenebre and it made sense.  My favorite Argento to date.  Same with Creepers, the original Phenomona is far, far better.  Or it at least makes a little more sense.

[The Burgomaster]

Oh, yeah. CREEPERS! How could I forget that one! They cut at least 30 minutes out of the original version (PHENOMENA) when they released it in the U.S. I remember seeing it in the theater and saying, "what the HELL is going on?" Then I got PHENOMENA on DVD and all my questions were answered.

I am also a fan of TENEBRE. However, I think that it is probably my #3 Argento film, slightly behind DEEP RED and BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE. I know that a lot of people seem to agree that SUSPIRIA is his best, but I would place that one slightly behind TENEBRE. (It's really tough to rank them, because they're all so good).

*
*
*

[Evan3]

Usually cutting stuff from movies is a good idea, like in Fellowship of theRings, the deleted scenes are so f**king random. They suck. Same with most movies.

However, two movies that would have been vastly improved by leaving in the scenes they deleted are

Dracula 2000
and
X-Men

both people who edited these movies should be shot and burned.

[The Burgomaster]

A movie that just came to mind that appears to be missing quite a few important scenes is THE AVENGERS with Ralph Fiennes and Uma Thurman. I have the DVD (I bought it without realizing how terrible the movie is . . . please forgive me) and have watched it 3 times. It still confuses the hell out of me.

I got my hands on the screenplay and there are some pretty important scenes that they left out of the movie (scenes that actually explain what the hell is going on).

The movie was pretty bad. I don't think the deleted scenes would have helped it a WHOLE lot, but they surely would have helped to clarify some of the gaping holes in the storyline and the character development.

*
*
*

[Pete B6K]

There aren't too many censored films I've seen where it really makes a difference to the overall movie. Usually just a couple of seconds of blood and gore here and there.

One film that I think really suffered from being cut for running time is 'Almost Famous'.  I've only seen the cut version a couple of times, and watch the long version (called 'Untitled') quite often.  There's over a 40 minute difference in the two and most of the bits that have been cut really add to the greatness of the whole film.

On the 'Donnie Darko' DVD there's a whole load of cut scenes, a few of which would really have added to the film. I know the ambiguity of the film is great n all but there are some things you'll just nerver know if you don't watch the cut scenes and listen to the commentaries.

A film I saw the other day that I really thought could have benefited from some cuts was 'Once Upon A Time In America'. A great film overall but thhere are many unnecessarily dragged out scenes, and pacing clearly wasn't a thought that entered Leone's head, which it led it to feel like the three and half hour film it was.

Pete

[Neon Noodle]

Blade Runner was like that. I also liked the cut scenes put back in Highlander, it made the whole relationship between Connor and Rachel deeper.

One thing I wonder about - why is it certain movies only exist in TV versions? watched friday the 13th part 4 last week and they had a whole bunch of extra scenes (Corey Feldman pretending to cut off his hand, jazz like that) which never made it into any VHS or DVD versions. what up with that?

[systemcr4sh]

don't quote me on this but I think those kind of scenes are usually used when the violent scenes are cut out of a movie and its too short or something, so they get those scenes that didn't make it to the final cut of the movie to add a little bit and even the movie out. thats what I think, but I'm not sure.

[jmc]

I think ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA was originally released in a cut version.  I remember both versions being played when it was on cable.  

BTW, I like TENEBRE and DEEP RED the best of the Argento films.  I put SUSPIRIA with INFERNO--they look good, have great music, but don't really have a story holding them together.

[ErikJ]

This would be a kind of reverse cut but one time I wanted my son to watch Flash Gorden on TV. The network had cut it up so bad and moved scenes around to cover that the movie made no sense at all. I was so disappointed.

[The Burgomaster]

I have seen both versions of ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA. I saw it at the cinema and it ran around 2 1/2 hours or something like that. Later, I saw the complete version (I can't remember if it was on tape or on cable). I think it ran about 3 1/2 hours or more. I seem to remember that the cut version was QUITE different from the uncut version. Not only were there a lot of scenes missing, but the storyline also seemed to be a lot different. Almost as though the heavy editing forced them to make a completely different movie. If you ever have a chance, watch both versions and see what I mean.

*
*
*

[BoyScoutKevin]

Yes, always watch the uncut version of the movie. As it is usually better then the cut version. I couldn't think of any examples, until I remembered the animated "The Wind in the Willows." One half of "The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad." I saw it on TV, before people decided violence was bad for kids, then I saw it on TV, after people decided violence was bad for kids, and the before version is much better.
When Toad and his friends go to Toad Hall to retrieve the deed from Winkie and the Weasels, so much of the violence is cut out of that scene, that you really don't get the feel of it. Enjoy the film.

[Dolph Lundgren]

Watching the cut version of Mallrats on FX was just about the funniest thing I've ever seen.  Even Kevin Smith has said that he thought the cut version was hilarious.  He should've released it on DVD to go with the regular cut of the movie.  So butchered that it's funny.

Nick

[Andrew Crow]

A movie I thought was really made even better than it already was is ALIENS. The SE of ALIENS adds dimensions to the Newt/Ripley relationship, as well as reiterates that the aliens themselves are extremely difficult to kill.

TERMINATOR 2 also seems to be slightly improved with its uncut version. The scene where Sarah hallucinates that Kyle comes back to see her is great, and some parts at the end shed light on something that was pretty vague about T-1000.

And the main movie I saw in its R-rated, edited format, and hated, and then saw the unrated format, and loved it, is none other than DEAD ALIVE.

[MoonShadow]

My vote for THE WORLD'S ***STUPIDEST*** CUTS goes to the version of 'Alien' that's on the norwegian 'alien trilogy' box set. Films two and three are uncut, although part 2 isn't the extended director's cut, but for some reason part 1 is completely *butchered*. I had seen this film once before, but it took me some time to realise just how much they'd cut from this:
  *The whole scene with John Hurt, where the alien explodes from his chest. In my version, Hurt's character suddenly disappears between scenes, and suddenly you're watching his funeral! The crew then go off to hunt down the alien, which has suddenly appeared...
  *Also, the WHOLE scene with the android explaining the plot to Ripley is gone (probably because of the scene where she knocks his head off).
  Various other bits and bobs are also gone, but these two edits just about manage to make the movie completely incoherent... These meaningless cuts (especially since the two other movies contain scenes that are MUCH worse, like the guy falling into the fan in Alien 3) p**sed me off so much I sent an angry letter to the distributor, to which I never got a reply...