DVDs - cut/added stuff with no reason?

[Quasqueton]

I'm relatively new to the whole business of buying movies. I've only had a DVD player for about 2.5 years, and my home library is less than a dozen movies.

I just bought Last of the Mohicans and watched it tonight. I noticed at least two added scene, and several cut lines. The first new scene added nothing to the movie, in fact it confused me even more, since it was unnecessary. The other extra scene was at least not annoying. The cut lines were some of my favorites in the movie, and I have no idea why they were cut.

"Your people are a breed apart and make no sense."

"One time, major, you and I are going to have a serious disagreement."

"Got nothing better to do on the river today, major?"

Etc.

Since I'm new to the whole DVD thing for old movies, is this normal? I know some DVDs have added scenes originally cut for time or rating. But this example was not noted as such. They just cut a line out of a full scene here and there, and added useless stuff. I'm slightly annoyed at this (especially the cut lines).

When I buy a DVD, I want at least the exact movie I saw in the theater. Extras are fine, so long as I have the option of not watching them. And sure as hell don't *cut* anything. What's up with this?

Quasqueton

 

[Kesh]

Usually nowadays when you buy a "Special Edition" or a "Director's Cut" you can expect to see scenes that were edited out. Either they've been put into the movie itself, or into the Extras part of the DVD.

In some cases, that's a good thing. A few of the scenes cut from Terminator 2, for instance, actually enhance the movie. The director's cut of Blade Runner actually cuts out a lot of the voice-over dialogue (which I think enhances the movie), as well as adding a few cut scenes. However, sometimes the stuff that ended up on the cutting-room floor really belonged there. And sometimes, the director cut out things that were really important to the movie, which were added back in during editing.

Sounds like the new cut of Last of the Mohicans was the latter type. Sorry to hear that.

 

[Ranger REG]

When I buy a DVD, I want at least the exact movie I saw in the theater. Extras are fine, so long as I have the option of not watching them. And sure as hell don't *cut* anything. What's up with this?

You didn't look at the prints.

You either have an extended special edition or director's cut, something that the director wanted to have but can't since theaters don't like to run movies with very long running time. For DVD and video home viewing, it's good.

Next time look for the theatrical version. Read the prints.

 

[jasper]

Yeah read the prints. However I notice on some boxes the "director cut etc) is a smaller font size at least.

 

[Psion]

I have only one thing to say:

Han shot first.

But then, I really dig my LotR extended editions...

(okay, so that's two things...)

 

[Quasqueton]

Yeah read the prints. However I notice on some boxes the "director cut etc) is a smaller font size at least.

Just looked over the package again, and saw, "Director's Cut". Crap. I won't make that mistake again.

I wouldn't have thought the "Director's Cut" would actually *cut* good stuff out and add unnecessary junk.

Quasqueton

 

[billd91]

Directors are as human as the rest of us. Sometimes their choices aren't the best, in our own humble opinions.

 

[trancejeremy]

A lot of times the "Director's cut" was the original version of the movie, but didn't make it past focus groups (generally Director's cuts tend to be more depressing)

For instance, in Army of Darkness...

Spoiler

In the original version/DC, Ash oversleeps, and thus never makes it back to his job at S-Mart.

The new ending was much better (where he goes back to S-mart and fights that deadite). Including one of his classic lines. "Hail to the King, Baby".

It would be nice if they included both the theatrical version and the director's cut in the same package/dvd. (DVDs really aren't all that expensive to make, so even including two wouldn't cost the companies much at all)

(Army of Darkness actually does this. But then again, there's like 3-4 different DVD versions, I think)

 

[Villano]

Sometimes the wrong versions of films end up on DVD. For example, A&E had to recall the first Season One set of Nero Wolfe because they accidentally used episodes that were cut for later broadcasts. The cuts were a few seconds here and there in order to make room for more commercials.

Another famous one is Swamp Thing. They released the Unrated version instead of PG.

Other times, prints end up damaged and are released with cuts. In those cases, they should just scrap the release instead of putting out scratchy, jumpy DVDs.

 

[Viking Bastard]

I weep for my Hot Shots! DVDs. I bought both movies cheap and went home to watch
them only to discover that a lot of my favourite jokes were missing. Especially in Part
Deux. A lot of the more "crude" jokes.