Theatrical / Extended / Unrated / Director's Cuts

[Gold Ranger]

What way do you prefer when you watch a film?
I myself prefer a longer cut of a film.
I want my money's worth.

***
This thread hasn't been brought back from the dead yet, so I figured I would do it.
Also, it had some good comments in it originally...

***
WHAT HAPPENED TO MY POLL?????

[stvn1974]

Usually prefer a directors cut/special edition/extended unless George Lucas is involved. Blade Runner The Final Cut is still my all time fav film.

[ravenus]

A longer cut is not necessarily money's worth, it could just as easily be a waste of time and a dilution of the pithiness of the original cut.

[Mandalorian]

I prefer DCs and Unrated cuts usually, but when they add too much, or distractingly out of place scenes, I opt for the Theatrical cut.

[Trekkie313]

Better Than Theatrical

ALIENS
Alien 3
Blade Runner (Final Cut)
Gods and Generals
Manhunter
The Frighteners
Terminator 2
Zodiac

[motorheadache95]

I don't really have a hard and fast rule for this-- for example, I really like the extended special edition of Terminator 2, but I'm not a huge fan of the extended special edition of Aliens-- I prefer the faster pacing of the theatrical version.

Probably my favorite Extended Cuts are T2, Lord of the Rings, and the Tom Jane Punisher movie (not a great movie, but the extended additions actually significantly improve the story). I'll also throw in the longer "Assembly Cut" of Alien 3 being better than the theatrical.

Then there are the countless movies with "Unrated Extended Editions" which is pretty much a marketing gimmick (mostly comedies and horror movies) that simply insert deleted scenes that don't add anything to the movie. They don't necessarily hurt the movie either, but for the most part I consider the additions pointless and would choose the theatrical cut if it is an option.

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by Trekkie313

Better Than Theatrical

ALIENS
Alien 3
Gods and Generals
Manhunter
Zodiac

Add Pitch Black and Chronicles of Riddick to that list.

[Tony5523]

Directors cuts are cool, just not a fan when they drasticly change the ending that I've already come familiar with. Deleted scene section endings are ok though.

[tilallr1]

For me its all about whether it was a directors cut or extended.

Directors Cut - Usually means, that is the way it was meant to be seen. But changed due to studio/ratings/time reasons, etc ...

Unrated/Extended Cut - Cash grab to extend movie or add/increase violence/ratings so feels like its adding value, to get you to double/tripple dip seeing it.

Obviously from my impressions of the 2 above, you can tell which edition I prefer to watch over the other.

Of course I always prefer seeing a film as the director intends it to be seen, even if that director (Lucas) changes his mind 20 years later.

[BankytheHack]

I take it at a movie-by-movie basis. Some director's cut are heads and tails better than their theatrical counterparts (Kingdom of Heaven, The Abyss, Blade Runner, Once Upon a Time in America, Payback) while some are out right awful or unnecessary (Donnie Darko, Gladiator, The Frighteners, Alien, Miami Vice, The Warriors). The same thing applies towards Extended Cuts. I know the extended versions aren't necessarily Peter Jackson's preferred versions, but IMO they are certainly the stronger films.

[Coligion]

I'm usually always in favor of the theatrical versions. More often than not, extended cuts, as well as director's cut, just add more more superfluous details and unnecessary additions that slow the pace of the film down.

I think it's great various versions of a film exists, but I really get perturbed when studios release films in only one form. Blu-Ray's have the capacity for more use of seamless branching and/or multiple cuts of films; I just wish it would be utilized more.

Theatrical preferred:
Underworld
Star Wars (original trilogy--all three)
Blade Runner
Troy
Payback
Terminator 2
Conan (1982)
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Tombstone

I recently picked up the Blu-Ray of Kingdom of Heaven. Though I'm not looking forward to the excessive runtime, I've heard good things about its director's cut. I still wish it was released with both versions, though.

One of the few director's cuts I did enjoy was Aliens. I thought the added scenes did benefit the story in this specific case.

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by Coligion

I'm usually always in favor of the theatrical versions. More often than not, extended cuts, as well as director's cut, just add more more superfluous details and unnecessary additions that slow the pace of the film down.

I think it's great various versions of a film exists, but I really get perturbed when studios release films in only one form. Blu-Ray's have the capacity for more use of seamless branching and/or multiple cuts of films; I just wish it would be utilized more.

Theatrical preferred:
Underworld
Star Wars (original trilogy--all three)
Blade Runner
Troy
Payback
Terminator 2
Conan (1982)
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Tombstone

I recently picked up the Blu-Ray of Kingdom of Heaven. Though I'm not looking forward to the excessive runtime, I've heard good things about its director's cut. I still wish it was released with both versions, though.

One of the few director's cuts I did enjoy was Aliens. I thought the added scenes did benefit the story in this specific case.

I disagree with the bolded titles. Their director's cuts are far superior to the theatrical cuts.

[budious]

Depends who is involved and why the cuts exist. Lots of horror and gore movies get snips to meet restrictions on ratings, so ofc, you want the uncut versions.

Modern big studio titles tend to reinsert bad scenes for no other reason than to offer exclusive "extended" cuts to leech more cash from the populace.

A well thought out Director's Cut were pressed by time or money can be essentials for fans of the movie. The problem is these need to co-exist with their predecessors rather than replace them, ala George Lucas.

Just depends on the film, genre, reason behind the changes. No one answer to fit them all.

[zachnix18]

I'll give a full list of some director's cuts I believe must be seen over their original theatrical cuts. These are significant improvements over what was originally released. Also, if the director's cut usually isn't the director's approved cut, I stick with the theatrical cut.

Extended Lord of the Rings Trilogy (this is a no brainer, I refuse to watch the theatrical cuts)
Alien 3: Assembly Cut
Troy: Director's Cut
Superman The Movie: Director's Cut
Aliens: Director's Cut
Avatar: Director's Cut
RoboCop: Unrated Cut
The Boondock Saints: Unrated Cut
Watchmen Ultimate and Director's Cut
Blade Runner: Final Cut

But the all time best restored or completed director's cut of any movie ever goes to Fritz Lang's Metropolis the Complete Version.

[Gold Ranger]

I included a poll with this... Can a Mod or Admin help me, please.
PM me and i'll tell you what was stated in the poll...
thanks in advance.

[MykeHavoc]

While I often enjoy additional content and expansion found in extended/director cuts, I more often then not enjoy the pacing of a theatrical cut better.

[Roonan]

I prefer the Director's Cut.

[Wyndam]

I prefer whichever cut is the best.

[Gardenofstone10]

I've never once pressed to watch Theatrical when there's an option for extended/director's cut. No need to. I'm watching a movie by that director and if he does a cut, that's his product he wants to see

[MykeHavoc]

Extended cuts are not always assembled by the director. Many directors state that their preferred cuts are the theatrical versions.