Favorite Movie Deleted Scenes

Now know someone's going to think, “Scorpio, deleted scenes are deleted for a reason!” Well, strawman with generic dummy voice, yes they are, often for pacing and time constraints.  In fact, many filmmakers emphatically point out how hard it was for them to cut some scenes.  Though sometimes DVD’s will include some pointless raw footage, deleted scenes are an interesting insight to the making of the film.  I like a good deleted scene, and sometimes it’s frustrating when a really good one is cut out of a movie.  Usually the one thing that will get me to buy a two-disc DVD is deleted scenes.  One note: I am not including scenes included on Extended Edtions of movies that I know of (e.g. Lord of the Rings). 

15. Star Wars Episode III – Mustache Twirl

Overall, this is a pretty stupid scene.  The run-in with General Grievous makes no sense in the context of the beginning of the movie, and the heroes’ amazingly wooden reaction to watching their friend getting murdered right in front of them is unbelievably bad.  I do, however, like the signals that Anakin and Obi-Wan exchange.  It’s funny and it makes sense that these two friends have their own shorthand. 

     Should It Have Been Kept In the Movie?

Well, not the overall scene, but that moment could have been worked in somewhere.  It’s the kind of droll, character-driven humor that the prequels could have used more of. 

14. Army of Darkness - Alternate Ending

Although not nearly as cool as the theatrical ending, it does have some interesting scenery, good humor and it’s classic Sam Raimi. 

     Should It Have Been Kept In the Movie?

Not really.  I like the final version better. Still, any fan of this movie must make sure that they buy the DVD edition that includes this scene.

13. The Emperor’s New Groove - “Snuff Out the Light”

A very solid villain song by Yzma (Eartha Kitt)

     Should It Have Been Kept In the Movie?

No. While this movie could have used a villain song, this was clearly from an early version of the movie which had a different premise.  I like the movie as it is, and the song is available on CDs for any one to listen to.

12. Return of the Jedi – Extended Battle on Endor

It may sound silly to claim that George Lucas hates his fans, but I can’t think of any other reason to keep deleted scenes in a vault for forty years and until finally releasing them on an overpriced Blu-Ray set for those fans lucky enough not to have died in that period of time.  This scene (in case the video inevitably gets taken down) shows the Rebel troops invading the Imperial shield bunker and shooting some stormtroopers, who amusingly fall into a big pile.

      Should It Have Been Kept In the Movie?

Of course!  A legitimate gunfight instead of teddy bears throwing rocks?  The whole ground battle on Endor should have been like this!

11. The Lion King – “Be Prepared” Reprise

After Scar takes over the pride, the hyenas do a pretty good reprise of “Be Prepared”

      Should It Have Been Kept In the Movie?

Not really, the lyrics sound a little too self-incriminating to make sense in the scene, and the line “if now and then we seem drooling/it’s only an ancestor thing” probably took the racial implications of this movie a little too far.

10. Napoleon Dynamite - Napoleon Steals theSuit

This scene reveals that Pedro and Napoleon cannot afford the red suit.  So Napoleon hilariously holds a trashy fantasy novel to the security camera while Pedro deliberately takes the suit down.  It’s partially ruined by the idiotic security staff member who just stares at the screen confused by the fact that someone is clearly blocking the camera intentionally.  The Holy Chips scene also gets an honorable mention.

      Should It Have Been Kept In the Movie?

I think so.  It rivals most of the jokes in the movie.

9. Talledega Nights – Rabbit Car

Cal Naughton, Jr. (John C. Reilly) develops absurd gimmicks for his new “Magic Man” persona while Ricky Bobby (Will Ferrell) tries to calmly explain to him how impractical they are.  For some reason I find the term “magic stuff” hilarious.

      Should It Have Been Kept In the Movie?

I think so.  I’ve never understood why comedies delete these scenes that are so funny when the usual reasons for deleting a scene are moot when you’re making a screwball comedy.

8. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Pt. 1 – Dursleys’ Goodbye

Though it’s not as well executed as it was in the book, this was an essential scene that I assume most fans really wanted to see on film.  It seemed to be deleted because the director wanted to start the movie with some kind a of montage.  I also liked Aunt Petunia’s line.

7. Mr and Mrs Smith – Extended Mall Fight

It’s a really clever fight that takes advantage of the layout of the location.  We see the protagonists regroup in an elevator between skirmishes, getting more exhausted with each one.

      Should It Have Been Kept In the Movie?

Yes.  It’s not just a good action scene.  It also subverts the “elevator break” cliché that I find annoying.  The movie changed it so the cliché is played depressingly straight.

6. Ice Age – Sylvia

Although I usually don’t find the Amy Rose-type stalker trope automatically funny, this does have some funny lines and I found these scenes far more amusing than any part of the actual movie.

5. Kill Bill 2 - Faceoff

Hilariously cheesy and overacted.  Also note the look of awe towards Bill on Kiddo’s face in this flashback.

      Should It Have Been Kept In the Movie?

Another scene that was better than anything in the movie.

4. Return of the Jedi - Intro

I like the transition from the scenes, and it introduces the more mature and dark Luke with a sense of mystery.  It really does invoke the sense of how the hero has coped with the events of the last movie.

      Should It Have Been Kept In the Movie?

I think so.

3. Aliens - Ripley's Daughter
This really was a pretty crucial scene because it establishes the motivation of the whole movie.  I have mixed feelings about the Special Edition because it also includes a terrible scene that ruins the sense of mystery and tension when they land on LV-426.

2. Star Wars - Biggs

This is a great characterization scene that shows Luke’s life before his adventures.  It’s interesting how Luke is like a beta to Bigg’s alpha (seriously look at his submissive body language).  It shows interesting character development. 

      Should It have Been Kept in the Movie?

As good as this scene is, I’d say no.  It would mess up Luke’s introduction, in which we meet him just as the droids do, since the movie actually is more from their point of view a la Hidden Fortress.  I do think it should have been in the Special Edition.  It would have actually justified its existence as an alternate version of a classic.  It’s funny how Lucas adulterated Star Wars with all this pointless CGI filler, but didn’t put include the deleted moment that adds character in substance to the movie.

1. The Incredibles – Alternate Intro

I just love this intro so much.  It’s humor is great, and it’s really creative how it draws us into this world by showing and not telling.  The second scene is suspenseful too.

      Should They Have Kept It in the Movie?

The movie was originally supposed to have a Bond-like villain, but people responded so much to Syndrome in this scene they decided to revamp the film to make him the main antagonist.  Honestly, I don’t know why they didn’t retain the strengths of this scene without Syndrome, and I would even like to see the original version.  The theatrical intro was ok, but this was just too good a scene to scrap in my opinion.