Léon: The Professional - Director's Cut vs. Theatrical

[Keung]

I'm about 20 years late, but it's about time I sat down and watched this. Most people would say the director's cut of anything is the way to go, but that isn't always the case. Which should I go with?

Thanks!

[Takuma]

If you want one of the greatest action movies of the 1990s, watch the long version.

If you want a simplified, action packed popcorn film watch the theatrical version.

Seriously, the theatrical version edits down exactly the things that make the film unique... But I know some people still prefer it.

The worst thing is that Besson himself apparently doesn't mind the theatrical cut, in fact I think he prefers it. He seems to believe that any version that can reach the widest audience possible is the best, and that happens to be the dumbed down theatrical cut...

edit: well, I'm sure the theatrical cut is still a good film, and some people do prefer it, but I just feel it's toning down the very elements that make the film stand out from all the other action films.

[DiP]

Watch both and you'll get your answer.

[Morgoth Bauglir]

A blunt answer but DIP is right. I prefer the theatrical version, but that's the version I've been watching for about 20 years now. I recently picked up the director's cut and I'm glad I did. I don't think it makes the movie better, but I can see why people would think so. Similar to T2 and Lord of the Rings, the longer cut is a joy to watch even though I like the shorter cut more. So flip a coin. If you like one version, the other one will be worth a watch too.

[Drunken Monk]

Is it me or does the director's cut version make Leon seem more of a pedophile. Not a nice word to use for him, granted, but he seems to have much more of an attraction to Mathilda in the director's cut as shown in the restaurant scene.

[Takuma]

Is it me or does the director's cut version make Leon seem more of a pedophile. Not a nice word to use for him, granted, but he seems to have much more of an attraction to Mathilda in the director's cut as shown in the restaurant scene.

It's you, I'm afraid

This is the cultural difference. Unless I'm mistaken, in USA and some other countries you can't even sleep in the same bed with children without someone thinking you're a pedophile. Most Europeans would never even make the connection. Rather the contrary, they would think that anyone who does (think so) must be sick to even think of such a thing. But like I said, it's a cultural difference based on the the norms of the country: since no one in USA normally shares the bed with children, obviously someone who did so (in that country) would be knowingly acting against the norm, and that would be rightfully deemed suspicious within that culture.

It's just like nudity: in Finland you can go to sauna (naked, we don't wear clothes in sauna!) with strangers, also with the opposite sex, or with family, and there's absolutely nothing sexual about it. But if that took place in US, people would think it was an orgy - and they'd be right about it

So, the standards are different. Being a French director, Besson probably never realized that some audiences might find some footage questionable until the test US test screenings were held, which resulted in removing those scenes from the theatrical version.

[Drunken Monk]

I'm European so I'm aware of the cultural differences. I just read more subtext in the director's cut. For example, this scene...

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Leon's "I cant" sounds almost regretful, like he wants to but just can't.

[Takuma]

I think as a viewer you're reading too much subtext here because you're much more intelligent than the character of Leon is. I think we should consider two things:

1) Leon is not at the level of normal adult in terms of psychological development. He's very slow and naive, and he's living in his own innocent fantasy world where doesn't quite grasp the entire reality. If he was any "dumber" (I don't mean this is an insult - though you can't really insult a movie character anyway ) he might actually engage in a relationship with Mathilda, but that would be because he was unable to comprehend even such basic things as the difference between child and adult. Thankfully he is more clever than that so there is never any risk of that happening, but in many ways he's still psychologically at the level of a child and the difference between Leon and Mathilda is quite small indeed.

2) While slow and naive, he can still understand that the situation is difficult because there is a girl who has lost everything and is dependent on him, and now she's in love with him. He needs to turn her down without breaking her entire world. I think the regret you hear in his voice had nothing to do with not about not being able to sleep with a 12 year old, it was about not being able to offer Mathilda the consolation she's desperately looking for. What he wants is to help her and make her feel better again, but he doesn't know could he do.

Well, that's how I see the scene. Of course I can't know if that's how Besson and Reno intended it.

I think the scene is wonderful btw, although the Russian roulette scene is even better.

[David Rees]

I agree with Takuma, its cultural and what he said about Adults and children i agree with, i have been to places like Greece and Italy where i saw adults standing outside a primary school handing out fruit to the children and laughing and joking. If that happened in England those adults would be thought to be child molesters...sad but true.

As far as the differences between the two cuts, that's a hard one. Leon is one of my all time favourite films and both have a lot to offer.

[Drunken Monk]

Interesting. I think we view te character a little differently, Takuma, but that's cool. I see him as a man with less education than most but also a man with a deep emotional depth. When in moments of exposure (when he's playing the dress up game, for example), his heart is on his sleeve. Deep down he's in tune with the simple pleasures of life, which, for me, ties into a larger metaphor the film portrays - the simplicity of life, good and bad.

So, in this scene, while, for me, it implies Leon may actually want more from Mathilda, it comes from a good place. It's a pure, romantic love. Wrong? Perhaps. But, at it's core, it's true.

For me, the word "pedophile" isn't really relevant but I use it for want of a better term. I do think he loves Mathilda...and I think he loves her romantically.

But I also think he's not like most people as he represents both a nonchalant sociopathy towards death and a unique, no holds barred example of the simplicity of love and happiness.

Or maybe I am analysing things too much!