Director's Cut Hoax
This thread will serve as an information portal to anyone curious about the so-called "Rare Director's Cut" that's been floating around on the internet.
IT's a HOAX! Nothing more. Just a simple fan edit that somebody made using a DVD copy and modern computer software. I will not post a link, as doing so will violate IMDB's guidlines. If you want to find it, you are on your own. (**Note: the original poster has now admitted the hoax. I'll keep this thread up for information purposes.)
There are numerous threads on IMDB falsely promoting this as an official director's cut; but the information is wrong. I've never heard of an Italian horror filmmaker going back ten plus years later and re-editing his previous work, and it's very doubtful to suspect that Bruno Mattei (of all people) would have been the one to do it. The uploader (possibly the editor) says that he found the VHS tape in an Australian video store. I doubt this film was ever released in Australia (not uncut at least) since they have very strict censorship policies.
The hoax video (director's cut) contains many suspicious edits, such as follows:
1. Abnormally long VHS intros.
2. Vestron logo (North American brand) on Australian VHS; implausible.
3. Film is unusually clean for a VHS tape, suggesting a DVD copy was used.
4. No deleted scenes are included in the film, only inserts from other films.
5. Scientist's voice is re-dubbed by someone who sounds younger and amateurish.
6. Custom title cards created with font that was probably found online.
7. Horror and porn trailers in the outros; unlikely combination.
8. End trailer for Zombi 3 has Bruno Mattei falsely credited as director (with custom font), instead of Lucio Fulci. Yes, I know he directed some of it; but he was never officially credited.
9. End trailer for Rats (Blood Kill) is credited to Bruno Mattei (instead of Vincent Dawn); using the exact same font as the Zombi 3 trailer.
10. Subplot that makes the lead terrorist the son of the scientist; revealed in flashbacks, which are little more than recycled footage from earlier in the film.
11. Footage of Night of the Living Dead is spliced in and looks completely out-of-place next to the color of the film.
12. Ridiculous Dinosaur DNA plot replaces the original storyline.
13. Custom made subtitles on the pre-credits screen.
14. Meaningless cuts in dialogue and some scenes.
15. Film hair seems generic and probably filtered-in with video editing software.
15. Additional street scenes halfway through the film appear to be digital shots taken either from a modern-day low budget film or a "Zombie Walk". In one scene a handheld appears to have been used.
16. Several cars that appear in the new street scenes are modern models (possibly early 2000s), and not the typical ones from 1980.
You can see the misplaced cars in these screenshots:
http://oi57.tinypic.com/35hoknb.jpg
http://oi62.tinypic.com/2lbm6gl.jpg
The uploader of this hoax film claims to be "in touch" with the distributors (Blue Underground) and claims that this version was omitted from the HOTLD/Rats Blu-ray at the last minute. I've taken steps to contact Blue Underground to verify this. If they write back I'll post their response here.
**UPDATE**
Blue Underground has finally responded back and dismissed any claims of them withholding an alternate cut. Furthermore they maintain that their Blu-ray version IS the authentic original cut, transferred from the original negative. Not that it matters much (since the initial poster has now admitted the hoax). Figured I would share my information. Enjoy the movie!
If you have anything negative to say, please refrain from doing so. I will ignore all unproductive posts. If you like the fake director's cut, then good on ya. I'm only posting this to alert the diehard film collectors out there who might be confused about the so-called "director's cut".
Thank You.