Why does nobody talk about how deleted scenes change the pacing of a movie

I was watching that alternate ending for The Invasion on YouTube last night, and it got me thinking. A lot of people just see deleted scenes as extra content to laugh at or get excited about, but nobody seems to mention how cutting them completely changes the flow of the film. I noticed this when I watched an extended version of Midsommar online. The stuff they took out made the story feel way more dragged out, but the theatrical cut had this tight tension that worked better. It's like the editors knew exactly what to remove to keep you on edge. But fans always complain about missing scenes without thinking about why they were cut. Have you ever watched a movie with deleted footage added back in and felt like it ruined the vibe?

3 comments

3 Comments

lane.cameron25d ago

My buddy Dave watched the extended Hobbit trilogy back to back and said it felt like sitting through a nine hour flight with no bathroom breaks. He kept texting me like "dude this scene adds nothing, why is Bilbo singing for five minutes?" By the time they got to the actual dragon stuff he was so checked out he almost missed Smaug entirely.

bettywood25d ago

Watch the deleted scenes from Jaws and you'll see exactly why pacing matters.

paige8621d ago

Funny you mention that, I actually heard a film professor say once that deleted scenes are usually cut for a reason, not because they're bad but because they mess with the rhythm. That five minute Bilbo song sounds exactly like the kind of thing that would kill momentum, even if it's charming on its own.

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