10 Movies That Directors Couldn't Stop Meddling With Even After Release
Discover the fascinating world of movie director's cuts and re-cuts, as we explore 10 films that have been continuously tinkered with by their directors long after their original releases. From George Lucas to Peter Jackson, these directors have returned to their films multiple times, each time bringing new changes and improvements. Let's dive into the world of re-cuts and director's cuts!
The Art of Re-Cutting Films
Some films have continuously kept their directors coming back for more, as even after their releases, the filmmaker kept meddling and making new cuts. When a certain amount of time is spent on any creative project, it's nearly impossible to see it as complete or perfect. Many filmmakers could keep tinkering in the editing room for months longer, if not for release dates to abide by. Certain directors with enough sway find themselves back in the editing room, reworking their movies for DVD releases or an improved cut of the film.
Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Yoda stand together as Force ghosts in Return of the Jedi with Yoda's The Last Jedi Force ghost
Zack Snyder's Justice League is the most famous modern re-cut of a movie. However, a film like that or Superman II wouldn't count, as those re-cuts involved the original director returning to the project after departing from the initial release. Other directors, like Peter Jackson, George Lucas, and Ridley Scott, have actively returned to movies they've worked on despite having a say in the final cuts of their theatrical releases, either to add back deleted scenes or utilize modern technology to improve aspects of the films.
Return of the Jedi's 40th Anniversary poster next to a Star Wars Mural
The Impact of Director's Cuts
George Lucas returned to the original Star Wars films to add cohesion to the prequel trilogy. He used newer techniques to rework scenes from the older films, such as adding Hayden Christensen to the end of Return of the Jedi or changing the title card in Star Wars to 'Episode IV - A New Hope.' These changes became a subject of controversy among Star Wars fans who considered the original works to be sacred. However, several Star Wars changes actually improved the original trilogy, such as the enhanced ending to Return of the Jedi, which features new music from John Williams.
Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker as seen in Return of the Jedi
There's a confusing number of cuts for Blade Runner, a situation that arose from on-set drama leading to Ridley Scott being momentarily fired from the film. The legendary director returned to salvage what he could of the theatrical cut, which suffered at the hands of studio interference. The released movie was damaged by lackluster narration, among other issues. A director's cut was released later on, which Ridley Scott ironically had little to do with. Scott was given complete artistic freedom to complete the film in the 2007 'Final Cut,' which is the best version of Blade Runner.
Obi-Wan Kenobi in Attack of the Clones and a still from Return of the Jedi
Blade Runner isn't the only movie Ridley Scott returned to. After Kingdom of Heaven received poor reviews for its theatrical release, Scott returned and drastically improved the film with a director's cut. An extra 50 minutes of scenes flesh out the romance plot line and add other essential story details that fix problems with the film's pacing and characters. The Kingdom of Heaven director's cut deserves to be mentioned among Ridley Scott's best movies.
Harrison Ford as Deckard Shaw getting off a train in Blade Runner
The Director's Vision
Zack Snyder has become synonymous with the idea of the director's cut after his version of Justice League. Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice also famously had a vastly improved director's cut. However, the 2009 superhero film Watchmen is the one he returned to twice. Expanding on an already 162-minute movie, Zack Snyder's Watchmen Director's Cut is 186 minutes long. The Ultimate Cut adds in the animated film Tales of the Black Freighter, adding nearly 30 more minutes to the run time. In the case of Watchmen, Snyder's best version is the Director's Cut.
Edward Norton as King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem in Kingdom of Heaven
Kingdom of Heaven isn't the only early 2000s historical epic with multiple editions. In the case of Oliver Stone's Alexander, the film has four versions: the original theatrical cut in 2004, the 'Director's Cut' in 2005, the 'Final Cut' in 2007, and the 'Ultimate Cut,' which was released in 2014. Despite its all-star cast, the original film was poorly received, but Oliver Stone wanted better for his sword-and-sandal passion project. He returned to the film multiple times, and the Ultimate Cut is a far better version of his Alexander the Great drama.
Zack Snyder's Watchmen Cast faces the camera in cropped poster image
Initially released in 1977, Steven Spielberg has tinkered with Close Encounters of the Third Kind a couple of times. Shortly after the initial version, the 'Special Edition' was released in 1980 with some slight alterations that divided lovers of the movie. Spielberg returned again for an official 'Director's Cut' in 1998, taking the best of the theatrical and special editions. The final 1998 version is generally considered the best.
val kilmer, colin farrell, and angelina jolie in Alexander
