Auteurs Gone Wild: Why the director's cut often turns into an ax murder.

Filmmakers; Motion picture editing; Film criticism; Filmmaking; Motion picture studios; Auteur theory (Motion pictures)

This article discusses the concept of the director's cut, which involves releasing a video version of a motion picture after the director has re-edited it. An argument is presented that this usually makes the film less effective, as extraneous scenes are reinserted to slow the pace and tinkering with special effects alters the cinematic style of the original. It is said that film directors normally have an inflated view of their own artistic gifts, and that the constraints imposed by film studios often lend focus to their cinematic productions.