10 Genius Times Studios Beat The Film Director
2. Letting Edward Norton Edit The Movie Instead - American History X
New Line Cinema faced quite the challenging post-production on American History X, largely due to first-time feature director Tony Kaye flat-out refusing to play ball regarding the movie's final cut.
Though Kaye's first cut tested well with audiences, New Line insisted upon a more finessed edit containing more footage, and even allowed star Edward Norton to help complete the new cut.
This didn't sit well with Kaye at all, who infamously said, "I'm fully aware that I'm a first-time director, but I need the same autonomy and respect that Stanley Kubrick gets."
Kaye's behaviour became increasingly volatile, reportedly punching a wall, taking out a $100,000 print ad criticising New Line and Norton, and even trying to have his directing credit removed and replaced with "Humpty Dumpty" - which, unsurprisingly, was refused.
Ultimately with Kaye refusing to get on side, New Line released the "Norton Cut" of the movie - which was 24 minutes longer than his own - without the director's blessing.
Despite flopping at the box office, the film released to rave reviews and scored Norton a Best Actor Oscar nomination, and so the studio is probably pretty happy they went with Norton's more involved cut of the movie.
As for Kaye, the controversy seriously hobbled his filmmaking career, though after finally watching the film in 2007, he admitted that the entire kerfuffle was his fault, citing his own ego.