Kingdom of Heaven - Directors Cut

Josey Wales

I watched Kingdom of Heaven on Film 4 the other day because they were showing the directors cut. I had seen it in the cinema back in 2005 but was unimpressed. I remember thinking that the story just didn't seem that easy to follow and events were happening very quickly.

Anyway I much preferred the version I saw on Film 4. I looked on IMDB to see if they had a comparison between the two versions and it has left me confused.

On this page they talk about the directors cut that has put back 15 deleted or extended scenes. The list the scenes at the top of the page but I don't remember seeing these in the version that I saw.

Further down the page they talk about a 194 minute directors cut which sounds much more like the version shown by Film 4.

So is there two directors cuts of this movie and three versions in total?

MikeC101

There may be three different versions; the theatrical cut, the 194 minute directors cut, and the 190 minute blu ray cut.

(Unless the 194 minute cut isn't only directors cut, and a different one was played by Film4?)

Looking at the scenes it lists on IMDB, I don't remember seeing a lot of them when it was on Film4 recently. But I was distracted by alcohol at the time so...

The extra scenes definitely added to the movie, the theatrical cut chopped a lot off - but then it was marketed as an action movie, rather than what Scott wanted it to be - a historical epic. For all it's flaws (a weak leading man being one) it achieves a lot of what it sets out to do.

Guess the studio executives didn't think middle America would get off their tractors to go watch a movie over three hours long.

Placebo

its a great film,will try get directors cut

krudler

I picked it up on play.com for just 3.99 last week :http://www.play.com/DVD/DVD/4-/3297648/Kingdom-Of-Heaven-The-Definitive-Edition/Product.html

Well worth it, its not the original steelbook but its got the 4 discs in it

Greyfox

Placebo wrote: »

its a great film,will try get directors cut

Pile of nonsense, almost as bad as Alexandra

Greyfox

Greyfox wrote: »

Pile of nonsense, almost as bad as Alexandra

I thought Alexandra was quite a good film. It was a nice, underplayed critique of war with some great performances. Didn't think many other people had seen it though the comparison to Kingdom of Heaven is odd.

Killinator

When you see the directors cut, you realise that cutting down movie times for cinema goers is not always a good thing,
This movie at the very least deserves to be seen as Scott wanted,
The story line is significantly better,
had the 'proper' version been shown in cinemas at release then Bloom would have got out of it alot better as the extended plot defines his character much more,
Definately a must see for anyone who liked the cinema version.

Hardrain

Saw the 4 disc edition for 7 euro in Golden Discs today

indough

its definitely way better than the original version

i think its a good movie anyway

Hardrain

Agree 100% it's a great movie. I even enjoyed the original cut so the directors cut was mindblowing for me!!

Greyfox

Deleted User wrote: »

I thought Alexandra was quite a good film. It was a nice, underplayed critique of war with some great performances. Didn't think many other people had seen it though the comparison to Kingdom of Heaven is odd.

Well what they have in common is the fact that I couldn't find myself caring about the main characters, both Orlando Bloom and Colin Farrel where way out of their depth making both films very dull unlike the likes of Gladiator or Braveheart

irish_bob

Greyfox wrote: »

Well what they have in common is the fact that I couldn't find myself caring about the main characters, both Orlando Bloom and Colin Farrel where way out of their depth making both films very dull unlike the likes of Gladiator or Braveheart

i thought bloom was nearly half decent in this movie and i was pleasantly surprised by the movie itself , not as bad as i had been expecting

Simian!

I bought the directors cut based on recommendations I read on boards but I didn't think the cut was much better. At the heart of this film there is something that just doesn't work - I can't quite put my finger on it but it could be the performances or the pacing.

The premise of the movie is great but I still don't think the extended versions really add anything to what I thought was an inadequate movie.

Paddo81

Sticky Romance wrote: »

I bought the directors cut based on recommendations I read on boards but I didn't think the cut was much better. At the heart of this film there is something that just doesn't work - I can't quite put my finger on it but it could be the performances or the pacing.

The premise of the movie is great but I still don't think the extended versions really add anything to what I thought was an inadequate movie.

I think its just Orlando Bloom that doesnt work. Its not that hes a bad actor he was just misscast in this role. He was perfect as Legolas in LOTR - he even looks like an elf - but as a swarthy claymore wielding medieval knight, I dont think so. The performance seemed forced, as if he was trying his best to be the tough leading man, I swear he even lowered his normal speaking voice afew octaves. It just didnt work. Colin Farrell sort of fell into the same trap in Alexander. Just didnt really suit him. Apart from his suitability for the role, I agree with a previous poster. Despite the fact the Directors Cut is an improvement on the theatrical version, there is something missing in Kingdom of Heaven. I always compare these recent historical epics with Gladiator - what did that film do so well that the others didnt. Its hard to say.

The main difference I found was that I didnt really buy into or care about what happened to the characters in films like Kingdom of Heaven. They have a certain, mass produced, plasticy thing about them. Whereas films like Braveheart and Gladiator are in a different league. I guess its a combination of alot of things from actors, to pacing, to character development.

Placebo

Greyfox wrote: »

Pile of nonsense, almost as bad as Alexandra

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p314/bloggedjaime/EvaGreen01.jpg


WHATEVA

excuse the pun :pac::pac:

Red Sleeping Beauty

After Scott submitted his theatrical cut for Kingdom and it was released, the following Monday he went back to work on editing the film as he wanted. Pretty sure it was uncertain whether or not the studio would even release the cut he was working on or if he had the money and authority to be re-edited a completed film - of course he wasn't just re-editing but editing a different version.

The "final cut" of Alexander is fantastic and far superior to the other two which only have slight modifications. The final cut restructures the whole thing. Well worth a look. These "director's cuts" are usualy blown out of proportion though and are usually cash-ins. Sometimes they're really good though

Nichololas

I saw the Directors cut HD-DVD on a 50" plasma screen. Maybe that coloured my opinion of it but I thought it was awesomely epic. Bloom was terribly miscast though, found it slightly difficult to believe that he could even lift a blacksmith's hammer let alone lead an army in the Holy land. Ignoring that though it was great. Also if you viewed it more as a Lord of the Rings epic story than historically-correct epic it will definitely improve your enjoyment of it.