Please, help me: How to know which is the right 'movie version'?

[Thomas Guycott]

99% of the time, alternate cuts aren't something you need to worry about, let alone actually lose sleep over--good lord--I hope you never have to face a genuine real life crisis.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by Thomas Guycott

99% of the time, alternate cuts aren't something you need to worry about, let alone actually lose sleep over--good lord--I hope you never have to face a genuine real life crisis.

For him, this IS a genuine real life crisis.

[Roonan]

Originally Posted by master gandhi

but there's no guarantee that a director's cut will be superior to the theatrical.

There's no guarantee that what you or anyone else considers superior will apply to everyone. It's all subjective.

Originally Posted by master gandhi

Some films don't need to be changed, and the directors do so anyways.

If there's a need to change or not is up to the director/creator to decide. It's their work after all. People are free to like it or not.

[Tony208]

the right version is the one you like best

[imsounoriginal]

You can usually ignore an extended or alternate cut, as it's usually something that's put out by the studios to generate sales; director's cuts are a bit more iffy. Most are still too long and plodding compared to the leaner theatricals, but some like Amadeus and Kingdom of Heaven are so good that you'll never watch the theatrical again.

[master gandhi]

Originally Posted by Roonan

There's no guarantee that what you or anyone else considers superior will apply to everyone. It's all subjective.

That was basically my point. The OP is acting like the director's/extended cut is the "true" version of the film. I'm saying it isn't a guarantee that someone will find the alternate cut superior. Of course nobody can say any one version is definitively superior.

Originally Posted by Roonan

If there's a need to change or not is up to the director/creator to decide. It's their work after all. People are free to like it or not.

And for someone to decide for themselves which version is better to them, they should probably see the theatrical first. That's my advice. I'm not saying to deny directors/creators the chance to alter their films. I'm saying that they sometimes do it just to change it, instead of fixing actual mistakes. I personally enjoy watching different versions of films, but I don't always see them as my preferred version in the end.

[JackKnightStarman]

Originally Posted by Roonan

Just because there's an extended cut, doesn't mean it's the director's preferred version. And not all versions marketed as "Director's Cut" are actually the director's cut.

I usually do my research beforehand since I also value the director's favorite version.



When did Jackson favored the theatrical cut of TLotR?

Back when the EE for FotR was about to come out, in an interview that many could tell you who it was with, Jackson stated that the theatricals are his preferred version, and the extendeds were for fans of the books, and anyone more inclined to visit Middle Earth for a little longer.

There are many fans of both versions, as they each have there own merits. As a fan dating back to my first exposure of the Bakshi animated film, then the books, I prefer the EE, but also think the theatricals are just as good. The Hobbit is a different beast. While I enjoy the theatrical of AUJ, I only prefer the EE of the films so far...DOS is a mess theatrically

[BoSoxFan]

Find the version you prefer! I remember when they released Apocalypse Now Redux I was very excited to see another version of a movie i really like, well, after watching it once i'm sticking to theatrical version of Apocalypse Now! lol

LotR trilogy is a good example. the extended editions may be better to some, however I'm not willing to dedicate that many hours to watch a film every time. I prefer the Theatrical versions for the brevity (compared to extended editions).

[Roonan]

Originally Posted by JackKnightStarman

Back when the EE for FotR was about to come out, in an interview that many could tell you who it was with, Jackson stated that the theatricals are his preferred version, and the extendeds were for fans of the books, and anyone more inclined to visit Middle Earth for a little longer.

But didn't he take more time remastering the EEs for Blu-ray to get them exactly how he wanted (hence the whole green filter in Fellowship), unlike the theatrical version?

I honestly don't recall that interview though.

[Ultra_Violence]

This is a pain, especially to horror fans. You buy the dvd/br a think you're getting an uncut version only to find out there's about 3 other versions. Much research is needed before I purchase nowadays, I want to make sure I'm getting the best for my money.

[Engage]

This is a genuinely serious issue for me.

For people that say I'm worrying over nothing: I like to think of myself as a serious film guy.

I just thought of an idea: What if I try my best to find a version of a movie that seems "good enough" and if the movie is something I find interesting I can make a more serious effort to make sure I find the correct version?