Director's cut

From ArticleWorld

A director's cut of a film is a re-edited (re-'cut') version that the director often prefers to the commercially-released one. Director's cuts are released a few years after the studio release, and can contain new material that can signifiicantly alter the mood, tone, plot line, and ending of the film. The reason that director's cuts exist at all is that studios and producers must adhere to time constraints for distribution and screening purposes. In addition, they generally assess the marketability of a film to the largest possible audience, or to a specific demographic at the expense of other viewers. Directors then have little choice about whether or not they can develop the film in a direction of their own choice, and want to release the director's cut for artistic fulfilment. While many director's cuts are seen as self-indulegence, some, such as Blade Runner and Apocalypse Now, are considered superior to the commercial product, and develop a cult following.

Special and extended editions are also sometimes released of films and television shows that have been commercial successes. These include all or most of the footage that was shot, including outtakes and practise shots. Lord of the Rings trilogy is available in a special edition, although the director, Peter Jackson, says that the movie theatre version is the in fact the director's cut.