Theatrical vs. Extended Cut DVDs

[Mr. Hankey]

So many movies that come out on DVD these days have a "director's cut" that comes out a few months later. I mean, it was cool for the LOTR Trilogy, since there were significant additions to the story, but these days, even titles like Daredevil, Wild Things, XxX and Not Another Teen Movie get extended/director's cuts. These sometimes contain less than 5 minutes of additional useless footage - just to get people to double dip due to an "unrated" tag on the label.

Does anyone know of a site that compares original releases with extended/unrated/director's cut versions, listing scenes that were added/altered? To help consumers decide if the "extended cut" actually makes it worth purchasing the same title twice.

[xage]

Among the titles you mentioned, exclude Daredevil. The said Director's cut made the movie better.

[vp_ortiz]

in www.imdb.com, there is a section there named, "alternate versions". for some films, they contain details on what does the extended cut contain that the theatrical cut doenst have. hope this helps... 

also, i agree with xage, the director's cut of daredevil actually made the film better!

[av_phile1]

Restoring edited footages to form a new DVD release is always a good marketing strategy to squeeze out $$$ from a title.  I guess it's really up to the consumer to make some due diligence research to find out if the restored cuts are worth double dipping.

[SiCkBoY]

Is the Daredevil Director's Cut a two disc set as well? 

[vp_ortiz]

Is the Daredevil Director's Cut a two disc set as well?

No, it's only one disc with a commentary from the director and a simple 'making-of' featurette. Though its a bit dry on special features, i actually prefer this one over the previous 2-disc SE.

[Mr. Hankey]

in www.imdb.com, there is a section there named, "alternate versions". for some films, they contain details on what does the extended cut contain that the theatrical cut doenst have. hope this helps... 

Thanks, man. It works for some. I actually did check there before starting this thread - but the film I was looking for (xXx) has no comparisons between the two versions other than the running time.

It might be His way of telling me not to buy more DVDs I don't really want too badly... 

[blued888]

DVDTalk sometimes has information on their reviews regarding additional footage on extended/director's cut DVDs.

An example (with timestamps even), Donnie Darko: The Director's Cut.

[d4nu65+3R]

now that you think about it, which director started this whole director's cut/additional scenes thing?  was it james cameron?  his abyss extended cut keeps popping in my mind as well as aliens e.

[SiCkBoY]

I remember reading in Total Film (or was it DVD Review?) an interview on Mark Steven Johnson wherein in said that he was careful to call the Ghost Rider DVD release an Extended Cut, as opposed to Daredevil's Director's Cut, ultimately admitting that the Daredevil Director's Cut made it a better film while the added scenes in Ghost Rider were simply more of the same crap. 

[d4nu65+3R]

...and speaking of which, just what exactly is the difference between an extended cut from a director's cut of the film? the usual explanation one gets for the latter is that it's how the director envisioned the film to turn out while the former just adds/extends deleted/edited scenes back into the mix.     

[devlin_waugh]

now that you think about it, which director started this whole director's cut/additional scenes thing?  was it james cameron?  his abyss extended cut keeps popping in my mind as well as aliens e.

My money's on Blade Runner

[blued888]

...and speaking of which, just what exactly is the difference between an extended cut from a director's cut of the film? the usual explanation one gets for the latter is that it's how the director envisioned the film to turn out while the former just adds/extends deleted/edited scenes back into the mix.

I believe what you said is exactly what they are.

[Dan]

now that you think about it, which director started this whole director's cut/additional scenes thing?  was it james cameron?  his abyss extended cut keeps popping in my mind as well as aliens e.

I'm not sure but, Steven Spielberg on Close Encounters of the Third Kind may be the one. The studio made him shoot additional footage of an ending that shows the inside of the ship as Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss) enters it. This was a condition imposed on him by the studio for wanting to add more scenes to the movie -- the ship in the desert and the shadow of a flying saucer flying across a field at night, among other things.

This was just a few years after the 1977 release. This movie was re-titled Close Encounters of the Third Kind: Special Edition.

The 1982 film Blade Runner, on the other hand, got a "director's cut" in 1992. It should be noted that, despite being called a director's cut, Ridley Scott had absolutely no involvement with this release. He only worked on one version, Blade Runner: The Final Cut, from 2001-2007. The original 1982 workprint version was a rough cut of the film for studio screening purposes and the international and domestic cuts (as well as the home release) were all studio made.

IMHO.

[d4nu65+3R]

Steven Spielberg on Close Encounters of the Third Kind may be the one.

This was just a few years after the 1977 release. This movie was re-titled Close Encounters of the Third Kind: Special Edition.

yes, now that you've mentioned it, i do recall seeing the ceottk special edition way back in 1980.

[Weasel]

Blade Runner Final Cut is better than the theatrical, or at least that's what I heard.

[Dan]

^ Some people liked the theatrical release. I've seen it and it is different, but still just as good. It's a matter of preference.