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The Butterfly Effect - Theatrical Version

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The Butterfly Effect - Theatrical Version

Old 03-22-05, 08:38 PM
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The Butterfly Effect - Theatrical Version

I currently own this version of the movie:

http://www.dvdloc8.com/viewdvd.php?dvdid=3729

As the review on the above page states, my version doesn't have the theatrical cut of the film. The person who wrote the review suggests that the US version may have the theatrical cut. Can anyone confirm this fact, and is this (link below) the only US version available?

http://www.dvdloc8.com/viewdvd.php?dvdid=3728

Thanx in advance.
Old 03-22-05, 08:45 PM
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Yes, the Region 1 Version of this film contains both the theatrical and the directors cut. Its a dual sided disc with the theatrical cut on side 1 and the directors cut on side 2.
Old 03-22-05, 08:46 PM
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yup,thats the only version availible in the us.the us version has the director's and theaterical cut on 1 dvd
Old 03-23-05, 12:41 AM
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Yep...R1 dvd is the only way to go

Theatrical version is the better version in my honest opinion. I would have been greatly pissed off had New Line only released the DC.
Old 03-23-05, 12:48 AM
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The Theatrical Version is a far inferior version that removes all the complexity and depth from the plot.

Rest assured, OzDVDFan74, you aren't missing anything by not having the Theatrical Version, other than the sheer curiosity of seeing it.
Old 03-23-05, 12:49 AM
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Agreed.

Julie Walker. ...Um, are you the "Julie Walker, Texas Ranger" as identified by Crow during the MST3K movie credits? If you are, just a fellow native Minnesotan here saying 'hi!'
Old 03-23-05, 03:46 AM
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Thanks for the confirmations. I actually prefer the director's cut myself as well (has a Donnie Darko feel about it), but it just feels wrong not owning the version that I saw in the cinema.
Old 03-23-05, 09:51 AM
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I prefer the theatrical version...the director's cut is a little darker, I didn't like it, I prefer that he just can't have her, rather than the much darker version.

Though, I would like them to cut the scenes from the director's cut into the theatrical cut (all his childhood scenes, those type). Would've been nice.
Old 03-23-05, 10:19 AM
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Let's hope those who haven't seen the film yet don't read your spoiler.

So you want all the scenes in the director's cut but the theatrical ending? That just wouldn't work. The additional scenes in the director's cut add significant complexity to the story that needs the director's cut ending to conclude them. For example,

Spoiler:
In the Director's Cut, there is an additional scene where Evan and his mother go to see a fortune teller. She reads his palm and tells him he has no life line and no soul -- he's not meant to be here! There is also a scene where Evan's mother sits down with him and explains that she had some stillbirths before Evan was born. Evan was her miracle birth. Further evidence that Evan was not supposed to even exist! So Evan's birth must've been brought about by Evan's father changing something in the past (either intentionally, to try and rectify a miscarriage so he could have the son he wanted, or unintentionally due to some other event).

So if you have the theatrical ending, then it would mean that even though Evan was not supposed to exist, he made good in the end anyway. That's a really crap ending because it goes against his father's own harsh realisations. So the only ending that makes sense when you have the director's cut is that Evan finally comes to a similar understanding as that of his father. He realises that he was not supposed to exist anyway, so removes himself from existence as best he can by strangling himself on the umbilical chord, thereby correcting his own mistakes and some of his father's mistakes. A great ending to a great movie!
Old 03-23-05, 10:57 AM
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This is one case where the Director's version is subpar compared to the theatrical version. I aboslutely HATE the director's cut ending. I like the theatrical version very much.
Old 03-23-05, 11:36 AM
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Originally Posted by dogmatica
Agreed.

Julie Walker. ...Um, are you the "Julie Walker, Texas Ranger" as identified by Crow during the MST3K movie credits? If you are, just a fellow native Minnesotan here saying 'hi!'

Actually I got the name from the sexy Mindy Clark in Return of the Living Dead 3. But I am a MS3K fan as well,so it's a nice coincidence


I actually prefer the TC ending for the film and thought it was more powerful and yes thought provoking than the DC ending. The DC took away any mystery and 'what if' questions since it explained everything to you,and ended with complete closure. Thus it's a super happy ending for all the charecters(expect Ashtons).

Meanwhile the TC felt more 'realistic'(speaking in movie terms here) and more bitter and unhappy than the DC.
Old 03-23-05, 04:11 PM
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I would agree that the DC is better untill I seen the ending,its unwatchable imo.
Old 03-23-05, 05:56 PM
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The first time I saw this film it was on DVD, and I am glad that I watched the Directors Cut. The Directors Cut turns the movie into a really powerful emotional film, where as the theatrical cut has none of that emotion. If i had seen the theatrical cut first the film would have been ruruned for me.
Old 03-23-05, 10:59 PM
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When I rented this movie I only watched the director's cut. So strangely enough I have no idea what the original film is like. If there's a choice I usually just watch the director's cut because I assume it has more scenes. I enjoyed the director's cut & recommended it to several people.
Old 03-23-05, 11:09 PM
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I liked the theatrical cut much better. Sadly, the the TC only got a single layer release, whereas the director's cut on the flipside is dual layer. Don't run into many DVD-15's these days.
Old 03-24-05, 06:39 AM
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Originally Posted by Peep
Don't run into many DVD-15's these days.
Or any, since they don't exist. DVD-14
Old 03-24-05, 07:36 AM
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Originally Posted by Peep
Sadly, the the TC only got a single layer release, whereas the director's cut on the flipside is dual layer.
Maybe I'm not so technically savvy, but why does this matter?

For me, the DC was clearly the better version and completely negates the need to even own the theatrical.
Old 03-24-05, 08:00 AM
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Originally Posted by Shannon Nutt
This is one case where the Director's version is subpar compared to the theatrical version. I absolutely HATE the director's cut ending. I like the theatrical version very much.
This is one case where you and I are in total agreement. I simply don't buy the director's cut ending for one second.

K
Old 03-24-05, 10:47 AM
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Originally Posted by Cornelius1047
This is one case where you and I are in total agreement. I simply don't buy the director's cut ending for one second.

K
Out of curiousity, what didn't you buy? It wasn't any more fantastic (in the true definition of the word) than any of the rest of the movie.

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