Kingdom of Heaven - Director's Cut

The original theatrical release was really poo poo'ed on. While I thought the critics were a bit harsh, I also felt the theatrical release was a bit rushed even though it clocked in at 144 minutes. I remember thinking what a loss it was as the movie was so epic in scope, was very relevant given today's geopolitical climate and had so much potential but fell a bit short on it's execution. Apparently, the Fox Studio execs had a large influence in the butchering of the film. Shame on them. Weasels. The added 45 minutes in the Director's cut really do help in letting things breath. Balian's character is more fleshed out now. The additional subplot with Sibylla's son also adds a lot to the understanding of her character and motivations. The score is just as terrific as I remembered it before. I haven't had time to finish watching the extensive documentries on Disc 3 & 4 yet. I typically try to avoid being a victim of movie studio marketing ploys and so I -usually- avoid "double dipping" on DVDs. However, I do make exceptions here and there. Ridley Scott has convinced me three times already with "Extended " version of Gladiator and "Deluxe" version of Black Hawk Down. His "Extended" versions really aren't gimmick versions. They really do give you your money's worth in terms of value added content. And yes, I will be glad to buy the HD versions when they come out as well. After watching KOH Director's Cut, I can't help but wonder that had Fox's ignorance not gotten in the way, could KOH have won more awards that it so rightfully deserves.