10 Movies That Were Re-Edited After Release (And Why)
When editors work overtime.
While smooth pre-production and shooting phases are both highly desirable, most films are truly found in the edit bay. You can have some great performances and a multitude of eye-catching camera shots, but until all that footage is pieced together, you don't really know how well the film is going to play.
Some films are even edited while they're playing in cinemas, although this isn't always for artistic reasons. Sometimes, yes, a filmmaker will simply want to make their movie better after seeing how audiences have responded to it, but post-release edits can also take place as a result of controversy, censorship, or even health concerns.
It's rare for these changes to impact the film in a major way, with most of these edits being minor nips and tucks to rectify a small issue, or have small chunks of footage cut from the film.
Still, these changes exist, and chances are, you've seen the original, unmodified versions of some of these movies, due to the fact that they screened to the public for a limited time before being altered to the version we can all watch today.
10. The Program
A sports drama about a struggling college football team, 1993's The Program initially included a scene in which quarterback Joe Kane lies down in the middle of a busy road, with cars barely missing him as they speed past. His team members then join him, an act that is meant to show off the group's solidarity and unity.
Unfortunately, the scene didn't have such a positive impact in real life. A few weeks after the film's release, reports began to emerge that teenagers were replicating the dangerous stunt - with fatal consequences. In October 1993, The New York Times reported that a Pennsylvania teen was killed instantly when he was struck by a truck, while his friend was seriously injured.
In response, Touchstone Pictures issued a statement offering their sympathy towards the families of those involved, later going on to remove the scene from all cuts of the film whilst it was in the middle of its theatrical run.
It remains absent to this day, but it did eventually make its way to YouTube.