MovieChat Forums > The Last of the Mohicans (1992) Discussion > So disappointing...direc tor's cut

So disappointing...direc tor's cut

posted 10 years ago by Ms_Collards
14 replies | jump to latest

This was my first favorite movie that I can recall. I've loved this movie for 22 years. I remember seeing it multiple times in the theater and ordering it multiple times on Pay-per-view (the old version where you could only watch it one time). It's been years since seeing it and I recently decided to add it to my DVD library. I knew the director's cut was different, but...WOW! It lost so much of the magic. Changed and extended dialogue, the beautiful, haunting Clannad track, and more. I was horrified that they extended the end scene dialogue beyond Chingachgook's statement about being last of the mohican's. So much of the romance lost. It saddens me that I'll never again see the version that I grew up loving. It 'was' a truly lovely film.

[–] Inspector81 10 years ago

It saddens me that I'll never again see the version that I grew up loving.

Actually you can, it has been mentioned many times on this board, there are multiple versions available on video, here's a thread with the details:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104691/board/flat/227500466

[–] sandvette9 10 years ago

I agree totally with you! When the directors cut first came out I rushed to get it and then was totally bummed out by it. How could Michael Mann leave out the song by Clannad? It added so much to the scene of them running to follow Magua. Was he so taken with his direction that he didn't see what the song added to it? I just watched LOTM on TNT and thankfully it wasn't the directors cut so I'm sure you will be able to see the original again.

[–] AprilValen 10 years ago

I watched it on TNT last night too and when I came here and did some reading about the Director's Cut, I decided the dvd version I have will do just fine. I don't know why some directors love to tinker with their films.

[–] dln1700 10 years ago

Some movies are better for it to have a Director's Cut but not this one. IMO the theatrical release was perfect.

[–] William-Stephenson-1 10 years ago

I actually like the fact that they included the scene where Duncan stages a diversion so the courier can get out. It shows how European style warfare actually worked on open ground. As a history teacher it is very instructive. I do agree that some of the dialogue that was cut took away from the movie. There are two lines between Hawkeye and Duncan that built up the friction between them also the scene behind the waterfall has some lines that add to the romance. I also agree the song during the tracking scene is an unfortunate cut. I actually like the extended scene at the end but again it is very instructive in a history class.

[–] magpieskye 9 years ago

I agree with you, why can't they just leave their films alone? Or at least put both versions on the dvd so the viewer has a choice! My vhs died years ago, and I spotted this at a used book sale for $1! I thought I was really lucky to find it. My husband and I watched it last night; we thought We would get more LOTM, not less. We really missed Clannad.

[–] OmegaWolf747 10 years ago

I liked the theatrical version better because it had the funny dialog between Hawkeye and Cora about "Do not try to understand them and do not try to get them to understand you. That is because they are a breed apart and make no sense."

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House. My room. Cant walk. My medal. My father. Father, dont!

[–] hafosdick 9 years ago

Thanks for your post
I will not get the director's cut
Just watching the original version again on DTV
Still great!

[–] [email protected] 9 years ago

I'm watching it on VHS right now. It's old but the music score is still great. Nothing like the original!

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Prismark10 9 years ago

I think Mann is a director who has lost his mojo and any director's cut is likely to be worse than the original cut.

Its that man again!!

[–] cinesylph 9 years ago

Original is absolutely the "right" cut! I went through some pains to get a VHS of the original theatrical release, after seeing the Director's Cut. I can take the extended battle scenes but that extra dialogue at the end I can't! I think the word may finally have gotten out, because they showed the original on cable tonight -- yay!
Example of where the Director's Cut IS the right one -- Blade Runner :) Can't abide the "voice-over" in what I guess must be the original theatrical release, which is always shown on t.v.