D'Compose wrote:How is the Director's Cut? Is it a worthy purchase? I only saw the cinema version and loved that one. I held out from buying it on DVD because I figured it'd get twenty different versions
Apparently there's one with Black Freighter cut into which is coming out October or something...
The DCut is epic, all of the cut scenes were clearly done to make space, as they are all excellent.
SPOILERS
Extra footage of Rorschach investigating the Comedian's apartment, He battles two cops. When Dreiberg arrives at Hollis Mason's place there is a police report on the incident, which gives Rorschach some backstory and references the Keene Act.
Lots more Hollis Mason, including his murder. Several scenes with the Newspaper Guy, although not to the degree of his comic appearances. Extra scene following the alleyway fight with Dreiberg and Jupiter vs Knot-Tops. Extra scene after the Prison Break where Rorschach manages to compliment and offend in one line: "Nice to see you back in uniform, Daniel. If only I'd known all it took would be a nice pair of legs."
Extra dialogue in the two Doc Manhattan sequences, first being in his potted history recollections and the other being his conversation on Mars with Laurie. Extra footage of the Comedian in Vietnam as well. In the barroom investigation scene Dreiberg hears of the death of Mason and viciously pummels a Knot Top. Also additional material in the Veidt assassination attempt and added dialogue between Rorschach and Dreiberg when they refuel Archie.
Additional scene with Laurie being quizzed by spooks after Manhattan's departure. When Manhattan goes to Mars in the cinema cut he simply teleports, in the DC he just empties the studio of people before departing (as in the comic). Dreiberg and Mason watch the whole thing on TV in a new clip.
There's a neat little scene of Rorschach getting into costume at nightfall. Extra dialogue in the shrink encounter including added gore in the kidnap recollection. There are countless other little silent appearances, such as Rorschach out of costume at Blake's funeral and generally just lurking with his placard. Also a sequence with the New Frontiersman delivery boy, the Newspaper seller and Kovacs.
Having reread the comic this week, I also have to agree with the changes. The extraneous characters are chopped, such as the Newspaper guy and all his customers, the psychiatist and his marital problems, the two cops and the missing artists on the "island". The new ending which makes the focus on Manhattan and his generator as opposed to the Alien squid and the island is a masterstroke, as it keeps the whole plot contained and focused on the core characters.
Another excellent move is Rorschach reclaiming his "face" from the psychiatrists' office during the Prison Break - in the comic he abandons it but then goes to collect his hitherto-unmentioned spare. Movie Nite Owl looks WAY cooler than comic Nite Owl. In the comic there is a whole section of Dreiberg planning the Prison Break which is cut, this adds spontaneity to the idea. All of the psychiatrit scenes are condensed into one sequence.
In the comic the finale sequence and Jon's departure is a lot more drawn out. The film manages to salvage all of the relevant dialogue and fit it into one poignant scene. Dreiberg pummelling Ozymandias is all-new (in the comic he is not witness to the murder of Rorschach) and in my opinion is a worthy addition. Also in the comic Dreiberg and Jupiter have to go undercover at the end because of the prison break, this is somewhat moot as they still have secret identities!
The extra Kovacs footage also serves to implicate him as the possible Mask-Killer. We see him as the lone nut, present at the funeral and watching all of the core characters. It also makes Rorscach's unmasking a much stronger turning point. This is now shown as the comic was originally intended.
The DCut fleshes it out much more neatly and comes in at three hours long. All of the cut material is taken from the comic. The "Tales of the Black Freighter" cartoon and "Under the Hood" mockumentary are also very enjoyable if you're into it. There is a lingering shot of the kid reading Tales of the Black Freighter which is clearly where one of the Ultimate Edition (Out in November) edits will fit.
10/10, whoever described it as pretentious needs to stop pandering to the lowest common denominator.
