The truth about some of those cuts...
For those films which are cut on laserdisc or DVD, here's why they're cut :
The Abyss (Fox/Encore)
The rat scene is cut, so you don't actually see the rat breathing oxygenated
liquid, just the expression on the crew's faces when they see it.
The liquid didn't harm the rat as it's breathable, but the BBFC thought people
would try to copy it.
Braveheart (Fox/Encore)
Two shots of one scene were filmed where a woman has her throat cut.
So as not to spoil anyone's enjoyment in case they've not seen it, I won't
say the name of the character this happens to, but one character is tied
to a stake and has their throat slit.
The US version has the gory shot shown from in front, whereas in the UK we
have to make do with a view from the rear. Both shots though, are both
director-approved.
The Cable Guy (Columbia TriStar/Encore)
Four seconds of violent content removed.
Cutthroat Island (Paramount/Pioneer)
Four seconds cut for violent content.
Die Hard With A Vengeance (Buena Vista/Encore)
PAL laserdisc is identical to UK cinema version. This is cut to US version.
The UK version is a 15 whereas the US version is rated R. Main scene cut is in
the lift. US version is graphically extended including one man getting his
head blown off and his body slumping on top of John. This is why John is on
the floor when he crawls out of the lift door and is soaked in blood.
The big fight in the boat IS cut because it is badly edited. Unfortunately it
is also cut from US version. If it had been left in they would probably have
got an X certificate which is bad news for the US box office takings!!!
Other cuts are also made for dialogue f-words.
Note from the Dominator: Also cut is when Irons' mute girlfriend
Katya (the delectable Sam Phillips) offs a security guard quite concisely :)
Dragon : The Bruce Lee Story (Universal/Pioneer)
The BBFC don't allow scenes of nunchakas in films, as they are not legal
in the UK, so all scenes featuring these were removed or edited. Considering
that these featured in the final showdown, I'd be interested to see how they
got round that one.
Dragonheart (Universal/Pioneer)
Some sound effects overdubbed to reduce the violence.
DreamScape (Fox/Encore)
This is a weird one as there are around three different versions of the film
that I have seen. TV version, old video version and laserdisc. Unfortunately
I don't own any of them so can't accurately describe differences. There is a
fight scene on a train in the middle of dream sequence which I know differs in
all three versions.
ET - The Extra-Terrestrial (Universal)
There is a line of dialogue missing. When going out to Halloween, Elliott's Mum
tells Michael (off screen) "No that's final, you're not going as a terrorist!"
Michael replies:"Ohrr but all the guys are."
Face/Off (Pioneer)
Seven seconds cut in which Travolta's daughter twirls a butterfly knife,
something the BBFC do not like.
Fly Away Home (DVD - Columbia TriStar)
Two seconds cut.
The Frighteners (Universal/Pioneer)
In the chapter, "Dammers loses his head", when Dammers is shot his head
explodes leaving his ghostly face in the middle with a confused expression,
and separate gory parts of his head hanging around him. On the NTSC disc this
is complete and is then followed by Michael J. Fox falling backwards through
the floorboards.
In the UK PAL version, as Dammers head starts to explode the picture cuts to
Fox beginning to fall backwards. Then it cuts back to Dammers looking confused
with the parts of his head hanging around him, before going back to Fox, so
you lose the force of the explosion.
Not a drastic cut, but a cut nonetheless.
The Heroic Trio (Made In Hong Kong)
Four seconds of violent content removed.
My Best Friend's Wedding (DVD - Columbia TriStar)
Some soundtrack cuts for language.
Nikita (Artificial Eye/Encore)
UK PAL version is graphically identical to cinema version but laserdisc
contains a completely new subtitle track which has been tamed down in it
language. For instance when Nikita is sentenced to death in court she freaks
out calling them all "motherfuckers". The new subtitling doesn't include this
sort of language. This is a shame as the disc would have been perfect otherwise.
Predator 2 (Fox/Encore)
Usual case of violence and gore trimmed down. Small bits so can't confirm
exactly what is missing. Only have NTSC version so can't compare.
The Rock (Encore)
Several cuts made for violent content including
- a hit to the face in the opening raid
- Sean Connery shooting a guard in the foot
- Nic Cage shooting a man in the mineshaft
- a knife-throwing completely cut out
- Connery breaking a guards neck is now done in silence (!)
Scream (Buena Vista/Pioneer)
Twenty seconds cut, which were restored in the NTSC LD "Director's Cut"
- In the prologue, two seconds are cut of Drew's Boyfriend's entrails
spilling out onto the floor (replaced with a previous face-shot of him looking
anxious), plus less lingering on Drew's entrails (doubled the speed of a zoom)
- In the film, there are cuts for Rose going crunch in the garage dog flap,
less lingering on the cameraman with slashed throat (a second or two) and
less on-screen mutual mutilation by killers (3 scenes).
Strange Days (Universal/Pioneer)
Fifteen seconds cut for a rape scene and the picking of a hotel lock!
Tomorrow Never Dies (Warner)
This film suffered cuts for the cinema release and a further 6 seconds cut for
video release. There have also been extra cuts in the form of :
Reduced impact sounds in fight at Carver's (Jonathan Price's) studio party
Reduced impact sounds in Chakra torture scene
Reduced impact sounds in fight in bike shop
Reduced impact sounds of Wai Lin's (Michelle Yeoh's) kung-fu kicks
Reduced sound of man being scalded by steam
Reduced sound of Carver being hit by an engine and then his death scream
Reduced impact sounds of Bond's (Pierce Brosnan's) climatic fight scene
Cuts to scene where Michelle Yeoh dispatches one of the bad guys by means of
a throwing star.
Removed scene of Michelle Yeoh taking throwing star from a hidden compartment
in her shoe. Cuts to scene where Bond stamps on a man's face.
Trainspotting (DVD - Universal Pictures)
Fourteen seconds cut from the video for Renton's shooting-up scene.
True Lies (Universal/Pioneer)
Various small cuts in this film. The fight in the toilet is trimmed so you
don't see Arnie smack a guy in the face with the hand-dryer (ouch!).
Some of the violence in the scene with the torturer scene is edited out,
and earlier on when Arnie smacks Bill Paxton in the face while driving his car,
we lose two seconds of Paxton's head rocking from side to side.
A total of about 8 seconds is cut from this film.
Twister (Universal/Pioneer)
Just one second in total cut for two occurences of "sexual swearwords".
Willow (Columbia TriStar/Encore)
Cut for some violent content.
Columbia TriStar
The Age Of Innocence 132 mins U 2.35 34.99 LD 14626
Backbeat 96 mins 15 1.85 24.99 LD 20712
Bridge on the River Kwai
155 mins PG 2.35 34.99 LD 10001
Bugsy 131 mins 18 1.85 34.99 LD 13645
Candyman 94 mins 18 1.66 24.99 LD 14073
Close Encounters of the Third Kind SE
128 mins PG 2.10 34.99 LD 10003
Cromwell 98 mins PG 2.35 34.99 LD 10251
Dracula SE 120 mins 18 1.85 34.99 LD 14590
A Few Good Men 135 mins 15 2.35 34.99 LD 14593
Four Weddings And A Funeral
112 mins 15 1.85 24.99 LD 20808
Groundhog Day 97 mins PG 1.85 24.99 LD 14594
Hook 135 mins U 2.35 34.99 LD 13187
In The Line Of Fire 125 mins 15 2.35 34.99 LD 19668
Last Action Hero 130 mins 15 2.35 34.99 LD 19669
Lawrence of Arabia 216 mins PG 2.35 34.99 LD 12058
Legends of the Fall 128 mins 15 1.85 34.99 LD 21588
Little Women 114 mins U 2.35 24.99 LD 22462
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
118 mins 15 1.85 24.99 LD 21976
Midnight Express 116 mins 18 1.85 24.99 LD 10006
My Girl 98 mins PG 1.85 24.99 LD 13647
My Girl 2 95 mins PG 1.85 24.99 LD 20457
My Girl 1 and 2 193 mins PG 1.85 49.99 LD 328
Oliver! 140 mins U 2.35 34.99 LD 10048
Philadelphia 120 mins 12 1.85 34.99 LD 19882
Platoon 115 mins 15 2.00 24.99 LD 11107A
The Prince Of Tides 128 mins 15 1.85 34.99 LD 12840
The Remains Of The Day 134 mins U 2.00 34.99 LD 19665
Sleepless In Seattle 101 mins PG 1.85 24.99 LD 19799
Striking Distance 97 mins 18 1.85 24.99 LD 18642
Taxi Driver 110 mins 18 1.85 24.99 LD 10019
Tootsie 112 mins 15 2.35 24.99 LD 10142
Wolf 120 mins 15 1.85 24.99 LD 18647
Encore Entertainent
Abyss SE (cut) 164 mins 15 2.35 42.99 EE 1041
Aguirre Wrath Of God (sub)
90 mins PG 24.99 EE 1029
Alien 116 mins 18 2.35 21.99 EE 1088
Aliens SE 148 mins 18 1.85 42.99 EE 1089
Alien 3 110 mins 18 2.35 26.99 EE 1090
Amateur 101 mins 15 1.66 31.99 EE 1119
Angel Enforcers 87 mins 18 31.99 EE 1061
Angels (dub) 87 mins 18 26.99 EE 1044
Angels 2 90 mins 18 31.99 EE 1049
Bad Boys 114 mins 18 1.85 21.99 EE 1073
The Battle Of Algiers (sub)
116 mins 18 1.66 31.99 EE 1043
A Better Tomorrow (sub) 90 mins 18 1.85 34.99 EE 1020
Beyond Bedlam 90 mins 18 1.85 34.99 EE 1025
The Big Blue: Version Longue
162 mins 15 2.35 24.99 EE 1130
Big Trouble In Little China (cut)
105 mins 15 2.35 26.99 EE 1048
Black Rainbow 103 mins 15 1.85 34.99 EE 1033
Blue Thunder 105 mins 15 2.00 26.99 EE 1056
Braveheart (cut) 180 mins 15 2.35 36.99 EE 1078
Broadcast News 127 mins 15 1.85 14.99 EE 1126
Broken Arrow 105 mins 15 2.35 26.99 EE 1143
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
-- mins PG 2.35 31.99 EE 1132
The Cable Guy 92 mins 12 2.35 26.99 EE 1156
City Cops 92 mins 15 1.85 31.99 EE 1057
Cocoon -- mins PG 2.35 26.99 EE 1069
The Commitments 113 mins 15 1.85 26.99 EE 1077
Conan The Barbarian 124 mins 15 2.35 26.99 EE 1051
Crimson Tide 113 mins 15 2.35 24.99 EE 1184
Cronos (NTSC) 88 mins 18 1.66 31.99 EE 1021
Damien: Omen II 102 mins 18 2.35 14.99 EE 1139
D'Atargnan's Daughter (sub)
125 mins 15 2.35 36.99 EE 1099
Delicatessen (sub) 90 mins 15 1.75 24.99 EE 1004
Desperado 100 mins 18 1.85 26.99 EE 1107
Devil in a Blue Dress 97 mins 15 1.85 31.99 EE 1110
Die Hard SE 126 mins (film) 18 2.35 34.99 EE 1039
Die Hard 2 : Die Harder 118 mins 18 2.35 26.99 EE 1040
Die Hard With a Vengeance (cut)
128 mins 15 2.35 24.99 EE 1177
Diva (sub) 113 mins 15 1.50 24.99 EE 1007
Dolores Claiborne 120 mins 18 1.66 26.99 EE 1086
Edward Scissorhands (cut)
105 mins PG 1.85 26.99 EE 1075
Enemy Mine 103 mins 15 2.35 26.99 EE 1050
The English Patient 155 mins 15 1.85 34.99 EE 1216
The Entity 119 mins 18 2.35 19.99 EE 1137
Fantastic Voyage 96 mins U 2.35 26.99 EE 1060
First Knight 129 mins PG 1.85 36.99 EE 1065
Fitzcarraldo 151 mins 15 1.85 37.99 EE 1022
Forget Paris 98 mins 12 1.85 26.99 EE 1087
The French Connection 99 mins 18 1.85 19.99 EE 1127
From Dusk Till Dawn 103 mins 18 1.85 24.99 EE 1178
The Full Monty 88 mins 15 1.85 19.99 EE 1201
Funny Man 90 mins 18 1.85 34.99 EE 1024
Glory 117 mins 15 1.75 29.99 EE 1034
Guns Of Navarone 157 mins PG 2.35 37.99 EE 1031
Hard Boiled (sub) 122 mins 18 1.85 34.99 EE 1015
Heroes Shed No Tears (sub)
85 mins 18 19.99 EE 1082
The Horseman on the Roof
130 mins 15 2.35 36.99 EE 1149
Howards End 136 mins PG 1.85 24.99 EE 1001
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
87 mins U 1.77 24.99 EE 1187
Independence Day 139 mins 12 2.35 29.99 EE 1142
Inferno (cut) 102 mins 18 1.85 31.99 EE 1120
Jewel of the Nile 102 mins PG 2.35 26.99 EE 1068
Journey To The Center of The Earth
126 mins U 2.35 26.99 EE 1096
Jumanji 100 mins PG 1.85 26.99 EE 1113
Jumanji (CAV SE) 100 mins PG 1.85 49.99 EE 1071
The Juror 113 mins 18 2.35 26.99 EE 1115
Just Heroes (sub)(cut) 93 mins 18 1.85 19.99 EE 1210
Kalifornia (NTSC) 118 mins 18 2.35 34.99 EE 1023
Kiss of Death 97 mins 18 1.85 26.99 EE 1058
Land and Freedom 109 mins 15 1.85 31.99 EE 1119
La Scorta (sub) 91 mins 18 1.66 24.99 EE 1017
Lawnmower Man 2: Beyond Cyberspace
89 mins 12 2.35 31.99 EE 1093
Ladyhawke 116 mins PG 2.35 26.99 EE 1059
Le Samourai (sub) 101 mins PG 2.35 31.99 EE 1151
Leon 107 mins 18 2.35 24.99 EE 1174
Little Big Man 133 mins 18 2.35 31.99 EE 1133
M*A*S*H 111 mins 15 2.35 26.99 EE 1123
Matador (sub) 96 mins 18 1.85 24.99 EE 1019
Millers Crossing 110 mins 18 1.66 31.99 EE 1066
Money Train -- mins 18 2.35 26.99 EE 1112
Mortal Kombat SE (cut) 97 mins 15 1.85 31.99 EE 1079
Mrs. Doubtfire (cut) 119 mins PG 2.35 26.99 EE 1122
My Crazy Life (Mi Vida Loca)
92 mins 18 1.66 34.99 EE 1032
Naked Killer 96 mins 18 1.85 31.99 EE 1155
The Net SE 110 mins 12 1.85 26.99 EE 1085
Night Of The Living Dead (All New 1990 remake)
88 mins 18 1.85 24.99 EE 1016
Nikita (sub) 112 mins 18 2.35 26.99 EE 1053
Nine Months 98 mins 12 2.35 26.99 EE 1152
No Way Out 110 mins 15 1.85 31.99 LD 1011
Oliver & Company 71 mins U 1.85 24.99 EE 1211
The Omen 106 mins 18 2.35 31.99 EE 1108
Omen III: The Final Conflict
104 mins 18 2.35 14.99 EE 1136
101 Dalmations (Live Action)
99 mins U 2.35 24.99 EE 1197
Orlando 92 mins PG 1.85 24.99 EE 1003
Phenomenon 118 mins PG 2.35 24.99 EE 1192
Planet of the Apes 107 mins PG 2.35 31.99 EE 1076
Point Break 122 mins 18 2.35 21.99 EE 1047
Predator 117 mins 18 1.85 26.99 EE 1091
Predator 2 113 mins 18 1.85 26.99 EE 1092
Princess Madam (sub) 87 mins 18 31.99 EE 1028
Pulp Fiction (cut) 148 mins 18 2.35 34.99 EE 1167
The Quick and The Dead 103 mins 15 1.85 26.99 EE 1084
Red Rock West 95 mins 18 1.75 34.99 EE 1012
The Red Squirrel 110 mins 18 24.99 EE 1027
Ricochet 98 mins 18 2.35 26.99 EE 1054
Rising Sun 124 mins 18 1.85 36.99 EE 1052
The Rock (cut) 128 mins 18 2.35 34.99 EE 1175
The Rocky Horror Picture Show SE
96 mins (film) 15 1.85 49.99 EE 1100
Romancing the Stone 101 mins PG 2.35 26.99 EE 1067
Romeo And Juliet 115 mins 12 2.35 24.99 EE 1134
Runaway 96 mins 15 2.35 26.99 EE 1026
Sense and Sensibility 131 mins U 1.85 36.99 EE 1111
Speed 116 mins 15 2.35 21.99 EE 1042
Speed 2: Cruise Control 120 mins PG 2.35 24.99 EE 1106
Subway 98 mins 15 2.35 31.99 EE 1098
Tora! Tora! Tora! 138 mins U 2.35 39.99 EE 1135
Toy Story 77 mins PG 1.77 24.99 EE 1188
Volcano 100 mins 12 1.85 24.99 EE 1154
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
105 mins U 2.35 26.99 EE 1095
A Walk in the Clouds 96 mins PG 1.85 26.99 EE 1153
White Squall 124 mins 12 2.35 26.99 EE 1165
Who Framed Roger Rabbit (cut?)
PG 1.85 34.99
Wild Target 84 mins 15 24.99 EE 1018
Willow (cut) 120 mins PG 2.35 24.99 EE 1009
Wind And The Lion 113 mins PG 2.35 26.99 EE 1072
Young Americans 99 mins 18 2.35 24.99 EE 1008
Young Guns II 99 mins 15 2.35 31.99 EE 1102
Boxsets :
Hammer Boxset
(Quatermass and the Pit/The Devil Rides Out/Dracula-Prince of Darkness)
323 mins 18 1.33/1.66/2.35
75.00 EE 1035
The Madness of King George SE
110 mins (film) PG 1.85 36.99 EE 1083
Star Wars Trilogy SE 371 mins (film) U 2.35 99.99 EE 1232
Laser Disc Distribution
Dune (CAV SE) 131 mins 15 1.85 59.99 LDD 1009
Geronimo 110 mins 12 2.35 26.99 LDD 1010
It Could Happen To You 97 mins PG 1.85 26.99 LDD 1008
Nowhere To Run 91 mins 15 1.85 29.99 LDD 1001
Robocop 3 101 mins 15 1.85 34.99 LDD 1007
Starman 111 mins PG 2.35 34.99 LDD 1006
Made In Hong Kong
Black Cat (sub) 93 mins 18 1.85 29.99 HK 036L
City on Fire (sub) 101 mins 18 1.85 29.99 HK 003L
Heroic Trio (sub) 84 mins 18 1.85 29.99 HK 013L
The Killer (sub) 107 mins (film) 18 1.85 29.99 HK 002L
Odyssey
9 1/2 Weeks 112 mins 18 1.85 34.99 ODL 102
Halloween 87 mins 18 2.35 29.99 ODL 101
Home Alone 99 mins PG 1.70 29.99 ODL 104
Miracle on 34th Street 109 mins U 1.85 29.99 ODL 105
Toys 116 mins PG 1.85 29.99 ODL 103
Pioneer LDCE
1492 : Conquest of Paradise
149 mins 15 2.35 34.99 PLFEC 31781
Addams Family Values 90 mins PG 1.85 19.99 PLFEB 32411
Alive (+ Alive : 20 Years Later)
120 mins (film) 15 1.85 34.99 PLFEC 31731
Air Force One 120 mins 15 2.35 24.99 PLFEB 37231
American President 109 mins 15 2.35 24.99 PLFEB 34901
Apocalypse Now 147 mins 18 2.10 29.99 PLFEC 33751
Apollo 13 134 mins PG 2.35 34.99 PLFEC 34081
Armageddon 145 mins 12 2.35 24.99 PLFEC 37681
Babe 89 mins U 1.85 24.99 PLFEB 34381
Back To The Future 111 mins PG 1.75 19.99 PLFEB 34261
Back To The Future 2 104 mins PG 1.75 19.99 PLFEB 35191
Back To The Future 3 113 mins PG 1.75 19.99 PLFEB 36241
Backdraft 130 mins 15 2.10 29.99 PLFEC 33561
Barbarella 97 mins PG 2.35 19.99 PLFEB 35201
Basic Instinct 122 mins 18 2.35 29.99 PLFEC 31191
Beethoven's 2nd 85 mins U 1.85 24.99 PLFEB 32461
Beverly Hills Cop 99 mins 15 1.85 19.99 PLFEB 34811
Beverly Hills Cop 2 99 mins 15 2.35 19.99 PLFEB 35001
Beverly Hills Cop 3 100 mins 15 1.85 24.99 PLFEB 33151
Black Rain 120 mins 18 2.35 19.99 PLFEB 35821
Born On The Fourth Of July
139 mins 18 2.35 29.99 PLFEC 36451
The Boxer 109 mins 15 1.85 24.99 PLFEB 37661
Cape Fear 123 mins 18 2.35 29.99 PLFEC 34651
Carlito's Way 138 mins 18 2.35 34.99 PLFEC 32841
Casino 171 mins 18 2.35 34.99 PLFEC 35471
Chaplin SE 140 mins (film) 15 1.77 29.99 PLFEC 31101
City of Lost Children (sub)
108 mins 15 1.85 24.99 PLFEB 36581
Clear And Present Danger
137 mins 12 2.35 34.99 PLFEC 33251
Cliffhanger (cut) 106 mins 15 2.35 24.99 PLFEB 31991
Clueless 92 mins 12 1.85 24.99 PLFEB 35031
Con Air 106 mins 18 2.35 24.99 PLFEB 37241
Cop Land 101 mins 15 1.85 24.99 PLFEB 37421
Congo 104 mins 12 1.75 24.99 PLFEB 34131
Cutthroat Island (cut) 117 mins PG 2.35 24.99 PLFEB 34601
Dances With Wolves 223 mins 15 2.35 39.99 PLFED 30311
Dante's Peak 104 mins 12 2.35 24.99 PLFEB 36701
Daylight 110 mins 12 1.85 24.99 PLFEB 36541
Days of Thunder 110 mins 15 2.35 19.99 PLFEB 35601
Death Becomes Her 99 mins PG 1.85 24.99 PLFEB 31471
Deep Impact 117 mins 12 2.35 19.99 PLFEB 37871
Dirty Dancing 100 mins 15 1.85 24.99 PLFEB 31791
The Doors 134 mins 18 2.35 29.99 PLFEC 30131
Dragon : The Bruce Lee Story (cut)
114 mins 15 2.35 24.99 PLFEB 32101
Dragonheart 99 mins PG 2.35 24.99 PLFEB 36171
Drop Zone (cut) 98 mins 15 2.00 24.99 PLFEB 33701
E.T. (cut) 110 mins U 1.75 19.99 PLFEB 33971
Escape From L.A.
97 mins 15 2.35 24.99 PLFEB 36121
Escape From New York
96 15 2.35 19.99 PLFEB 37181
