director's cut is a must
928467
daredevil the director's cut is sensational! one of the best director's cuts i've ever seen and i'm a huge film buff. the extra kingpin scenes completely improve this character. the added murder mystery and court scenes add a whole new level of story. get the director's cut and you won't be sorry.
860046
Without question this is the best collection to own.
The deleted scenes and all the extras are excellent.
Watching the Director's Cut is like watching the movies for the first time.
4912126
The Criterion Collection comes through again with a superb transfer supervised by director Terry Gilliam. There is an excellent amount of detail and no signs of debris and defects. The colors all look excellent and I daresay The Fisher King hasn't looked this good since it first debuted in theaters.

There is an audio commentary by Gilliam that originally appeared on Criterions 1991 laserdisc. He starts off stating the three rules that governed his filmmaking and that he broke them all on this film. He eloquently analyzes the prevailing themes of the film while also recounting anecdotes about making it in his trademark engaging fashion. He also talks about the role New York City played in the film and the challenge of shooting on location. This is a must-listen for Gilliam fans and admirers of The Fisher King.

There are six deleted scenes with optional commentary by Gilliam. They are interesting for completists but it is obvious why they were cut.

The Tale of The Fisher King consists of two short documentaries featuring new interviews with Gilliam, producer Lynda Obst, screenwriter Richard LaGravenese and actors Jeff Bridges, Mercedes Ruehl and Amanda Plummer. They take us through the origins of the project, including how they all got involved. LaGravenese says that the script was a reaction to the harsh materialism of the 80s. Ruehl had studied the Fisher King myth and was very familiar with it. Plummer knew nothing about the myth but was really drawn to the character of Lydia. This is an excellent, substantial look back at how The Fisher King came together.

The Tale of the Red Knight features artists Keith Greco and Vincent Jefferds looking back at the challenges they faced creating Parrys nemesis the Red Knight using practical effects. They actually dig through the surviving props and talk about the materials they used to achieve what Gilliam wanted.

Jeffs Tale features Bridges taking us through behind-the-scenes photographs he took while making the film. He recalls anecdotes behind many of the photos in this engaging extra.

Jeff and Jack features behind-the-scenes footage of Bridges rehearsing his shock jock material. The actor takes us through how he prepared for it, including some of the things he did. This extra provides fascinating insight into the prep work involved.

Robins Tale is a 2006 interview with Robin Williams as he recalls working on The Fisher King. Not surprisingly, he speaks highly of collaborating with Gilliam and what he loved about the mans work. He recounts some of his favorite moments working on the film, including being naked in Central Park at night.

Costume Tests features footage of the four main actors trying on various outfits for their respective characters.

Finally, there is a collection five trailers for the film.
2475427
I'm not going to rate the movie itself. I have already done that months ago. The five stars that I am giving are for the sheer presentation and production value of this collector's set.

Since the director's cut in 1992, there has been a bone of contention among fans of the film, and that was; which version is better? The one with the voiceover or the one without?

It doesn't matter because you get to choose which version you want to watch, PLUS one version that no one has ever seen before (the Final Cut) and one version that has not been seen by most (the workprint). You also get the 1992 director's cut, the original 1982 US theatrical release, and the 1982 international release. Five, count 'em, FIVE versions of the film to please everyone's tastes. You want voiceover and a happy ending? You got it. You want no voiceover and a gloomy ending? You got it. You want Deckard's unicorn dream sequence or do you prefer a half-drunk Deckard plinking away on the piano and staring at old family photos? Either way, you got it. NOW, STOP COMPLAINING!!!!!!!!!!

There are also numerous documentaries and behind-the-scenes featurettes from the past as well as some recorded for this new DVD edition. They are all VERY insightful and give you a whole new appreciation for what everyone went through to make Blade Runner a reality. How everyone managed NOT to kill one another during the film's production is beyond me. There are also a few really nice deleted scenes that give a bit more depth to the world that Ridley Scott had created.

With that out of the way, this masterpiece of sci-fi celluloid has finally been given a proper home video treatment after 25 years. Let's start with the case.

VERY nice. It's made of sturdy plastic, but painted to look like it's made of brushed aluminum. It resembles Deckard's Voight-Kampf case, but a slightly smaller version. The Blade Runner title logo and Harrison Ford's name is printed with raised lettering on the top cover.

When the case is opened, the first thing you seem to notice is the shiny origami unicorn replica (also made of plastic) and the spinner replica. Both are very detailed, not some cheap piece of junk that I was originally expecting. The "toys" are packed inside form-fitting foam (say THAT fast 3 times!) next to the DVD box which contains 5 discs. The DVD box itself is very nicely done with conceptual art and screen shots from the film on the inside covers. Each disc has different screenshots from the movie on them as well and are nicely presented.

On the inside top cover is a dossier-like folder containing conceptual art by Syd Mead on one side, and an actual screenshot of the corresponding artwork brought to life in the film itself on the other. There is also a "holographic motion art" mini-plaque that shows Deckard drawing his blaster just before entering his apartment to find a sleeping Rachael.

There is a clear piece of plastic that separates the top cover from the bottom, and a letter from Ridley Scott is printed on it telling you a little bit about what the set contains.

This product deserves 5 stars just for it's production value alone. A lot of thought, consideration, and love went into this limited edition DVD set. THIS is what Blade Runner fans (like me) have been waiting for for a LONG time!

If you are just a casual fan of Blade Runner, or if you've never seen it and would like to, there is a less-expensive version of this release out there that does not have the case or any of the "toys" or conceptual art. It is just a bare-bones case containing the same 5 discs you get with this limited edition set. There is also a version that has only the "Final Cut" and the "Dangerous Days" documentary dics that is even less expensive than that.

Again, there is something for everyone and something within everyone's price range to celebrate the 25th anniversary of such a landmark film.
4027956
Nowhere does the description compare the theatrical and director's cut version as far as length. It only says 150 minutes. What is the length of the other version? Anybody know?
1817767
I am a fan of the directors cut .  I like the voice-overs that seem to be missing in this version
1455725
This is Wade William's so called "Directors Cut"...WTF does that means? He took the original film, added a new ship and extra scenes, by way of Hollywood's best...and calls it a "Directors Cut." Director died in 1958 and WW did his cut in 1977.

You know, if you want to see how it looked originally, other then MST3K, it's only on Sci-Fi Classics, Vol. 2. There is a lengthy discussion over at Hometheaterforum.com. about this movie and others that he owns...but alas, they closed it down.

Oh well, it's good to have this copy, but most of us would like to see the original in all its glory!!!
3913969
While I find many Director's Cuts to be an improvment to the origional, adding extra footage and effects not possible at the time film was shot. Now, if they included the origional Blade Runner with the Director's Cut in a two disk set, with the same sound quality, this will allow fans to be more objective.
In my opinion, while the sugary ending (a recycled scene from "The Shinning", I've heard) is not something I would miss too much, I found the film empty and silent without Deckard's noirish narration, which completes the classic draw of the film and is how it is best remembered.
135576
The director's cut is a huge disappointment after first seeing the theatrical cut which is one of the best movies of this type I've ever seen (five stars).  It's no wonder that Mel's touch made the movie soar after the director was canned.
2646941
The director's cut of "Blade Runner" is definitely an improvement over the already-fine version that was originally released to theaters.  When one finally sees it without the tacked-on voice-overs, which were added by the studio to make it easier to understand and supposedly to give it more of a film noir quality, it becomes clear that the film's visuals are totally capable of conveying the story on their own -- and watching the film is much more enjoyable when we are allowed to interpret the action ourselves.  In addition, there is now more evidence that Deckard may be a replicant himself, a notion I scoffed at before but now see as an element that makes the film much richer thematically.  A new sequence which shows Deckard dreaming of a unicorn gives the ending (Deckard finds a small origami unicorn in the hallway outside his apartment as he and Rachel begin their escape) added resonance that is lacking in the original version, in which the voice-over narration actually detracts from the film's meaning.  Missing from the director's cut is the tacked-on happy ending showing Deckard and Rachel happily cruising north in his flying car as he explains that Rachel's lifespan is unlimited, unlike that of the other replicants.  The film now ends as it should, with the two entering the elevator and the door closing abruptly to leave the screen black for the credits to roll, allowing us to wonder what will become of the fugitive lovers as we ponder the mystery of whether or not Deckard himself is a replicant.  Something to look for in both versions -- Gaff's (Edward James Olmos) origami creations (chicken, person, unicorn) always convey his feelings at the time, and as the film progresses we see him develop a grudging respect for Deckard, until at last he says to him "You've done a man's job, sir" -- the ultimate compliment to bestow upon a replicant.
2801472
I was mesmerized by this film when I saw it in its original theatrical release.  The visuals -- though not "spectacular" by today's standards -- are still immensely impactful in their tone.  The story is very intelligent and still compelling.
After hearing much about the director's cut, I was momentarily persuaded into thinking that Harrison Ford's voiceover was indeed corny and superfluous.  Well, I saw the movie again a few days ago (in the Director's Cut), and I have to disagree.  The voiceover narration that's present in the original version helps move the pace along.  A lot.  And there are specific key scenes where the narration adds a lot more depth than if it wasn't there.  To me the wisdom of the pivotal climactic scene, and how it is comprehended by Deckart is what sets this film apart from anything like it.  As it is now, he just gets a funny, knowing look, and then it cuts to the conclusion.  The full meaning of Roy Batty's actions are quickly overlooked, given the momentum of the scenes that preceded his speech.  You need that bit of self reflection along with the smirk, Harrison.
Yes, I know it's still film noir without the voiceover, but this movie needs it.  I want the original version on DVD, too.  And this makes it the second movie I've seen where the Director's Cut hasn't lived up to the hype.  3 stars for this version.  5 stars for the movie in general.
869334
Supergirl (Director's Cut) is a classic. It is a must have for all movie watchers.
1677077
the "final cut" wasn't that great, in my opinion.  Not really bad, but the changes were pretty minimal, the most memorable of which was a longer, more gory version of a scene that I thought worked fine in the "Director's Cut".

Of course here you get both of these versions, plus several others, in a sharp-looking HD transfer, plus loads of extras, for just over 20 bucks.  It's hard to go wrong, especially with one of the great early masterpieces of cyberpunk cimema, and probably the best film adaptation of a Philip K. Dick story to date.
4029169
Though the 1982 theatrical release was very influential to me, when I first saw it, I prefer the 1992 Director's Cut for two reasons:

1. The scene in the middle of the film, where Rachel asks Deckard about her incept date, and the question upsets him, makes no sense in relation to the tacked on happy ending of the 1982 version, but makes perfect  sense in light of how the Director's Cut ends.

2. With the voice over narration gone, you can hear all of the Vangelis music.

I just saw the new Final Cut at the Uptown in Washington, DC, and, though it's not much different from the Director's Cut, I think it's marginally the best version.  Among the subtle changes to the dialogue is one that fixes a continuity error existing in all the previous versions.  Regarding the six Replicants that escaped from Off-World, "One of them got fried running though an electrical field" is changed to "Two of them got fried running through an electrical field."  There's also a small but meaningful change, of a single word, in the scene where Roy confronts Tyrell.
1817902
I love the released cut of this movie, but it's always fun to see what could have been. Hoffman is in this cut more so that is always a plus.
3267984
Yes, the "UNRATED DIRECTOR'S CUT" is the way to go, even though I prefer the THEATRICAL's  ending.
It's just a better film, now.
More interesting "character" scenes with Scout Taylor-Compton a particular stand-out in what would have been an Oscar-nominated performance in a "Drama".
Yeah, she's THAT good in this new cut!
There are NO bad performances in this film,though Zombie's wife is...to excuse the pun..."Zombiefied" and the new "little Mikey" is not quite up to Daeg's original.
Rob knows how to direct Horror because he is a "Horror Fan" and yes, this film is even MORE violent now...but it's also a genuine "Creep-fest" and tragic "Psychological Study".
Yes, we COULD have used a little of the classic music (Unrated doesn't have any,) Loomis shouldn't have been such an ass and the friggin' white horse is there because Michael's mother brings him a white toy horse at the beginning.
Are we REALLY supposed to "feel sorry" for this maniac?
I don't know.... and try as he might, I don't think Rob does either.
3973539
Sound the trumpets, raise the drawbridge and drop the Oldsmobile, here is the new 3 disc Collectors Edition of Army of Darkness!
I won't spend any time reviewing the movie since most who are reading this have already seen it many times.  I instead want to review this version from the perspective of someone who has purchased this movie first on VHS, then clamshell VHS, DVD then bootleg edition DVD, well you get the picture.  If you are like me, you may be wondering if you should purchase this set?
First off, four different versions of the movie exist, the Theatrical, the Directors Cut, The TV Cut and the International Cut.  All four of these are included here for the first time on Blu-Ray!  The Directors Cut has the original ending and the syndicated cut is padded out to fill a 120 minute (minus commercials) block of time.  The TV cut is amazing and you will notice a ton of different scenes especially at the beginning.  The international cut is slightly different than each of the cuts and has a couple different scenes as well.  This is remastered in 4K and is a fine cut of the film.  This is the one that is also known as Captain Supermarket in Japan.
Extras:  Alternate Opening?  What is this?  Fans will be shocked to see a new opening including close-ups of Ash doing the voice-over and footage from Evil Dead 2 cut together.  Next there is a 96 minute documentary featuring all-new interviews and behind the scenes footage (some new, some old).  This was a lot of fun.  I love seeing footage of Sam and Bruce together- it must have been a lot of fun to witness this madness unfold.  Tons of behind the scenes videos and stills mostly centered on effects thanks to KNB are interesting as well.
Anyways, my wife will be happy to hear that I can finally ditch my 20 year old VHS dubbed copies of the TV cut complete with tracking problems and Sy-Fy logos as well as my International Cut with hardcoded Japanese Subs  and so can you!  Definitely pick it up and it is a great price for all 4 versions.  After years of suffering through middling repackagings of Army of Darkness and dashed hopes of another installment, we get the COMPLETE version of Army of Darkness and a new series "Ash vs. the Evil Dead" on STARZ!  Good times.  Now where is that "Within the Woods"?