Compared are the theatrical version (R-Rated) and the Director’s Cut (Unrated).

The Director`s Cut runs 157 seconds longer.
Killing Zoe had to be cut before the US theatrical release in order to get an R-Rating. Cut were mostly scenes showing drug use or more detailed violence. The Director`s Cut, which is available on DVD, shows not that many new scenes containing violence, despite the rumours that were floating around. A reason for that is probably the small budget that didn’t allow for too many SFX scenes as well as director Roger Avary’s concept that the violence should be mainly going on in the viewer’s head. This way, many of the murders are not very graphic in the DC as well.

The 3 DVD Set containing the theatrical version and the Director`s Cut from France was the compared uncut version for this report.

28:13 min. - 29:10 min.



Eric and his pals prepare a shot with heroin and muse about about Star Trek for a while.

Duration: 57 sec.

56:40 min. - 57:38 min.



Extended image of Eric injecting himself a shot on the toilette. The whole thing is pretty harmless, one sees only Eric’s face the whole time, about one minute.

Duration: 58 sec.

80:59 min. - 81:06 min.



Eric keeps shooting at the hostages.

Duration: 7 sec.

81:42 Min. - 81:48 Min.


Eric threatens Zoe a bit longer. A man intervenes and Eric hits him in the face with the butt of his rifle.

Duration: 6 sec.

89:58 min. - 90:05 min.



Eric threatens Zed longer with the knife and says: "I'll fuck your bitch up the ass and give her AIDS...if she doesn't already have it." The next shot of Eric backing off runs a bit longer in the DC.

Duration: 7 sec.

90:55 min. - 91:03 min.



Zoe, Zed and Eric fight a bit longer on the ground. The theatrical version is not cut very smoothly here.

Duration: 8 sec.

92:02 min. - 92:03 min.



Zoe screams a bit longer.

Duration: 1 sec.

92:05 min. - 92:27 min.



Eric getting shot was cut differently: the succession of the frames was changed and numerous hits were added. More blood splatters on Zoe and there are additional close-ups of bullets hitting the body.

Dauer: DC 13 Sek. länger

The Director`s Cut runs exactly 157 seconds longer than the theatrical version.

Deleted Scenes:

1. Erotic vision

2. Shooting of the bank employer


This is not censorship of violence. The headshot of the bank employer was not used because, as Roger Avary explains in the audio commentary, there shouldn’t be that much graphic violence in the movie, it should rather be going on in the heads of the audience. That the FX are bad has made it probably more easy to cut the scene.

3. Shooting of the tourist


Again not censorship of violence but bad FX and the avoidance of graphical violence. The sparkling explosion is behind the victim who himself is not visibly hit.