digidoh

For some releases, there’s no director’s commentary on the director’s cut, but one exists on a different cut. Whatever the reason (other obligations, director’s cut came out too soon, etc) it seems ironic. I’m not looking for films where no director’s commentary exists, just releases that have a director's cut, but the director's commentary is on a different cut.

Supergirl has commentary by Director Jeannot Szwarc and Special Projects Consultant Scott Michael Bosco on the international version, but not the director’s cut.

Blade Runner has Ridley Scott on the final cut, but not the so-called director’s cut, which Film Preservationist/Restorer Michael Arick put together based on input from Scott (who was working on Thelma & Louise).

Watchmen’s ultimate cut has commentary by Zack Snyder, but not on the director’s cut. Snyder’s commentary is available, however, on the United Kingdom’s Blu-ray edition of the director’s cut.

Ash Ketchum

Robert Wise does an audio commentary for THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (1951), but there's only one cut for that film--the studio's cut (which in this case meant Darryl F. Zanuck's cut). Very few films from that era had what could be called a director's cut, since few directors had final cut back then. Which begs the question: what was the first film in film history to have a release cut and a director's cut?

There are two different cuts of these films: John Ford's MY DARLING CLEMENTINE (1946), and two by Howard Hawks: THE BIG SLEEP (1946) and RED RIVER (1948). Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the directors were involved in making the changes themselves, so I'm not sure that either of the alternate cuts qualifies as a "director's cut." And I'm pretty certain the directors preferred the release versions anyway. But the alternate cuts are included on DVD editions of these films.

One can make the case that the so-called "restored" version of A TOUCH OF EVIL (1958), created years after Orson Welles' death, constitutes a director's cut. And one can make the case that the restored A STAR IS BORN (1954), directed by George Cukor, constitutes a director's cut, which would make that the earliest one I can think of off the top of my head.

Wouldn't it have been awesome to have director's commentaries by Welles, Ford and Hawks? Although I doubt Ford would have sat still for it. And imagine a commentary for BIRTH OF A NATION by D.W. Griffith!

joltman

Well, isn't The Final Cut really just a new, definitive director's cut?

While it didn't have an audio commentary, the director's cut did have the Maximum Movie Mode, which kind of serves the same purpose as a director's cut.

Dawn of the Dead features Romero on the theatrical cut commentary, but not on the director's cut commentary. Although in that case, from what I understand, the "director's cut" was an early edit, and the theatrical cut is actually Romero's preferred version.

SterlingBen

Return Of The Living Dead 3: The director actually leaves the track when he realizes it is the R cut. He comes back on a few minutes later, no doubt after much convincing.

This may actually be Return Of The Living Dead 2 where the director leaves after the music has been replaced.... But both are director commentaries on non-director cut versions.

Mondo Kane

^I never knew that. That sounds similar to Herschell Gordon Lewis' "Commentary" on Something Weird. I think he only lasts about 20 minutes on that and goes, "Well, I said all I wanted to say about this movie. Bye, guys!"

SterlingBen

It might have happened on both tracks now that I think about it, I am going to have to revisit those.