Director's cut
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A Director's cut is a specially edited version of a movie (or sometimes a TV series) that is supposed to represent the director's own approved edit of the movie. It is often released some time after the original release of the film, where the original release was released in a version different from the director's approved edit. 'Cut' is synonymous with 'edit' in this context.
With most studio films the director does not have final cut. The studio can insist on changes to make the film more likely to succeed at the box office. This sometimes means happier endings or less ambiguity, but more often requires that the film is simply shortened. The most common form of director's cut is therefore to have extra scenes added, often making a film considerably longer.
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[edit] Origin of the phrase
Traditionally, "director's cut" is not, by definition, the director's ideal, preferred cut. The editing process of a film or show is broken into three basic stages: First is the editor's cut ("rough cut") which matches the script without any reductions. Second, the director's cut, which is reduced from the rough cut according to the director alone. Third is the final cut which actually gets released or broadcast. It is often the case that a director approves of the final cut and even prefers it to the "director's cut". The director's cut may include unsatisfactory takes, preliminary sound, a lack of desired pick-up shots etc. which the director wouldn't like to be shown.
For example the, director's cut of Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid was 122 min. long. It was then trimmed to the final cut/released cut length of 105 min. Although not complete or refined to his satisfaction, director Sam Peckinpah still preferred the director's cut, as it was more inclusive and thorough than the 105 min cut. The restored cut, at 115 min. is thus not the traditional "director's cut", but is closest to the director's preferred version, as it was reconstructed based on Pekinpah's notes and according to his style in general. In this case the director's cut and the director's ideal preferred cut are distinctly separate versions.
Considering this definition, "Alien: the director's cut", for example, is simply a misuse of the phrase. As Ridley Scott explains in it's DVD insert, the 2003 cut of Alien was created at the request of 20th Century Fox, who wanted to re-release Alien in a from that was somehow altered or enhanced. Scott agreed and settled on making an alternate cut of the film. He describes it simply as a second version that he is also satsfied with, even though the original released cut is still his preferred cut. So, to be more accurate, "Alien, director's cut" is actually "Alien recut" or "Alien: the new cut" etc.
[edit] Inception
The trend of releasing director's cut was first introduced in the early 1980s alongside the rise of the home video industry. Video releases of director's cuts were originally created for the small but dedicated cult fan market. Two of the first films to be re-released as a director's cut were Michael Cimino's Heaven's Gate (first aired on the Los Angeles cable station Z Channel) and Ridley Scott's Blade Runner.
[edit] Criticism
When it was discovered that the market for alternate versions of films was substantial, the studios themselves began to promote "director's cuts" for a wide array of films, even some where the director already had final cut of the theatrical release. These were usually assembled with the addition of deleted scenes, sometimes adding as much as a half-hour to the length of the film without regard to pacing and storytelling. Such "commercial" director's cuts are seldom considered superior to the original film and in many cases, fans feel the films are diminished by the director's own ego or the studios' desire for revenue.
Because of this, the director's cut is often considered a mixed bag, with an equal share of supporters and detractors. Roger Ebert approves of the use of the label in unsuccessful films that had been tampered with by studio executives, such as Sergio Leone's original cut of Once Upon a Time in America, and the moderately successful theatrical version of Daredevil, which were altered by studio interference for their theatrical release. However, Ebert considers adding such material to a successful film a waste. Even Ridley Scott stated on the DVD commentary of Alien that the original theatrical release was his director's cut, and that the new version was released as a marketing ploy.
[edit] Extended cuts and special editions
A related concept is that of an extended or special edition. An example is Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings films. While Jackson considers the theatrical releases of those films to be his final "director's cut," the extended cuts were made so that fans of the material could see nearly all of the scenes shot for the script to develop more of J.R.R. Tolkien's world, but which were originally cut for running time or other reasons. Opinion remains divided on which cut is superior, as supporters hail the Extended Edition as the superior cut, while detractors believe they were left out for a reason. Another example is Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now Redux, which, like the original film, polarized the audience, with some fans considering the original version to be the definitive cut.
Special editions such as George Lucas's Star Wars films, and Steven Spielberg's E.T., in which special effects are redone in addition to a new edit, have also caused controversy. (See List of changes in Star Wars re-releases and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial: The 20th Anniversary).
Extended or special editions can also apply to films that have been extended for television and video against the wishes of the director, such as the TV version of Dune (1984).
[edit] Notable examples of legitimate director's cuts
- Richard Kelly's director's cut of Donnie Darko
- James Cameron's special edition versions of The Abyss, Aliens, and Terminator 2: Judgment Day
- Luc Besson's "Version Intégrale" cut of Léon.
- Richard Donner's version of Superman II.
- Roland Emmerich's longer cuts of StarGate and Independence Day.
- George A. Romero's slightly shortened director's cuts of Dawn of the Dead and Land of the Dead.
- Nicholas Meyer's special editions of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.
- Ridley Scott's shortened versions of Alien, the altered and shortened Blade Runner, and extended versions of Legend, Gladiator and Kingdom of Heaven.
- Kevin Reynolds's extended 175-minute network broadcast cut of Waterworld.
- Paul Verhoeven's director's cut of RoboCop.
- Russell Mulcahy's longer director's cuts of Highlander and Highlander II: The Quickening.
- Joel Coen's shortened 96-minute director's cut of Blood Simple.
- George Lucas's extended cut and digitally enhanced versions of THX 1138 and the original Star Wars trilogy.
- Steven Spielberg's extended and CG'd E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial and the shortened 'collector's edition' of Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
- Peter Jackson's director's cut of The Frighteners, and the extended versions of The Lord of the Rings and King Kong.
- Miloš Forman's director's cut of Amadeus.
- Terry Gilliam's original version of Brazil.
- Mark Steven Johnson's director's cut of Daredevil.
- Sam Peckinpah's original director's cut of The Wild Bunch and Major Dundee.
- Hideaki Anno and Kazuya Tsurumaki's director's cut re-edit and extended version of the Neon Genesis Evangelion TV series and films
- David Twohy's director's cut of The Chronicles of Riddick.
[edit] Video game director's cuts
Less frequently, video games will receive re-releases with added material under a "director's cut" label. One of the earliest games to use this concept was Resident Evil for the Sony PlayStation, which featured a new "arrange mode," among other changes. Grand Theft Auto: The Director's Cut packaged Grand Theft Auto with the add-on expansion pack Grand Theft Auto: London, 1969. SEGA's game Sonic Adventure was also rereleased as Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut, which featured minor edits like a new Mission Mode, unlockable Game Gear games, improved graphics and cameos by Cream the Rabbit. Tei final version of Telejano was also nicknamed "Director's Cuts".
