Director's Cut: 103:30 (107:15) minutes
Theatrical version: 93:00 (96:23) minutes

Cut and alternative scenes: 143 scenes

After Miramax had been reluctant to release this movie from Zhang Yimou in the US a long time (but eventually did, however in a cut version and after more than two years and, due to the cuts, not in the director's favorite version), Quentin Tarantino as a a fan of Asian films could make the studio to finally release an uncut version of the movie, however only available in China first.
The additional 10 Minutes are unfortunately not filled with spectacular new footage. There's just two new scenes and many of the original cuts in the movie seem to have been made for time shortening reasons.
Above all, the martial arts fights benefit the most from the additional footage as they seem more fluent now. The fight between Maggie Cheung and Zhang Ziyi in the forest looks much smoother than before. In the theatrical version, some shots didn't match the previous one and protagonists often changed their positions from one shot to another. Now, almost everything fits together nicely. The same applies to the fight on the lake. Zhang Ziyi now is allowed to play a bit more, so she doesn't seem as passive as in the other version.

In conclusion, the Director's Cut is clearly the better choice compared to the theatrical version.

1:35
The horsemen and the coach can be seen a bit longer.
2.25 secs.

2:17
The soldiers are riding through the alley a bit longer.
3.17 secs.

3:34
The servant is running down the stairs a bit longer.
1.29 secs.

3:41
Also on his way a bit longer in straight direction.
2.00 secs.

3:55
Nameless is walking over the court a bit longer.
1.29 secs.

4:01
Nameless is walking up the stairs a bit longer.
1.15 secs.

4:10
Same here.
2.23 secs.

4:40
Nameless is walking towards the King a bit longer.
1.00 sec.

4:46
Same here.
1.12 secs.

6:01
Nameless is walking towards the king a bit longer in two shots.
4.09 secs.

9:21
After Sky has defeated his adversaries, he walks to the blind man and gives him some money.
14.08 secs.

ALTERNATIVE SCENE

15:32
After Nameless has told about his victory over Sky, he is allowed 10 paces nearer to the King. In the theatrical version you see servants putting up a table and placing Nameless' rewards (gold and fabric) in a close-up. In the Director's Cut this can be seen from a distance and in only one shot.
Theatrical: 16.03 secs.
Director's Cut: 25:16 secs.
9.23 secs.

16:21
Nameless is riding through the desert a bit longer.
3.06 secs.

ALTERNATIVE SCENE

17:49
When Nameless is ordering the scroll at Broken Sword and Broken Arrow is asking about the size of the scroll, you see Broken Sword's face in the theatrical version. In the Director's Cut you see Broken Sword's writing in the sand.
Theatrical: 3.07 secs.
Director's Cut: 5.25 secs.
2.18 secs.

18:44
Broken Sword is writing a Chinese sign for 'sword' in the sand. Moon wipes it away.
19.05 secs.

18:48
Broken Sword is writing something in the sand a bit longer.
1.05 secs.

19:25
An additional shot of the soldiers.
3.29 secs.

19:40
You can see the horsemen and war machinery a bit longer.
3.10 secs.

19:43
The next bunch can bee seen a bit longer, too
1.02 secs.

19:49
Again a longer shot.
0.25 secs.

19:52
Again a longer shot.
0.29 secs.

19:55
Again a longer shot.
1.05 secs.

20:07
There's an additional shot of the arrows being brought to the archers. Additionally, the order of the shots is different in both versions.
0.25 secs.

24:08
Moon is deflecting arrows while Broken Sword is working on the perfect sign for 'sword' in the other room.
9.19 secs.

24:42
Nameless is still standing in the hallway.
3.21 secs.

24:46
He is waiting one moment longer before jumping into the open.
2.28 secs.

25:44
Flying Snow is deflecting arrows in an additional shot.
1.02 secs.

25:47
Broken Sword is handling the brush a bit longer.
2.03 secs.

25:55
Same here.
1.23 secs.

The take of the horsemen can be seen after the next cut.

26:37
Broken Sword can be seen a bit longer.
1.27 secs.

26:41
Horsemen can be seen in an additional shot.
5.19 secs.

27:02
The banner can be seen a bit longer.
0.17 secs.

28:08
After the King has asked Nameless how he has challenged Broken Sword and Flying Snow, Nameless tells him:
'Although they hadn't spoken in three years they spied on each other. At midnight Broken Sword would peek into Flying Snow's room. At 2 o'clock in the morning she would spy on Broken Sword.' The King thereupon says: 'What strange behavior.' Nameless: 'I was surprised, too. So I used Sky's silver spear to get to them.'
During this conversation you can see Broken Sword and Flying Snow walking around the house and spying on each other at night.
33.24 secs.

30:49
Flying Snow watches Broken Sword and his student Moon lying in bed.
9.08 secs.

30:56
They are snuggling a bit longer under the sheet.
4.02 secs.

31:11
You can see the hallway a bit longer after Flying Snow has gone.
2.21 secs.

31:24
Moon stays in bed a bit longer after Broken Sword has ordered her to leave.
5.03 secs.

31:29
Broken Sword is sitting on the bed alone a bit longer, Moon standing beside him and watching him.
3.03 secs.

31:38
Broken Sword can be seen a bit longer.
1.15 secs.

Flying Snow can be seen a bit shorter from behind in the Director's Cut.

31:50
Broken Sword is yelling at Flying Snow a bit longer after having told her that he knew that she watched him and Moon having sex: 'Let me tell you. We've been together for three years.'
5.27 sec

32:03
Broken Sword is walking through the hallway a bit longer.
2.14 secs.

32:54
Broken Sword is leaning to the wall a bit longer and a bit more blood is running along the ground.
10.00 secs.

33:51
Flying Snow is standing a bit longer over the dead Broken Sword.
4.20 secs.

34:04
Flying Snow is troking a bit longer over his cheek.
1.00 sec.

34:06
bent over dead Broken Sword Flying Snow says: 'I just wanted you to care about me.'
8.12 secs.

Moon vs. Flying Snow

34:22
Flying Snow und Moon are standing in the forest a bit longer.
7.00 secs.

34:26
Moon is looking angrily a bit longer.
1.00 sec.

34:29
Flying Snow can be seen from behind a bit longer.
1.00 sec.

34:38
Moon is looking angrily a bit longer.
1.09 secs.

34:54
Moon attacks Flying Snow who always elegantly jumps backwards out of reach.
6.16 secs.

34:58
Moon bounces off a tree and pursues Flying Snow.
4.29 secs.

35:03
They both spin over the ground.
3.10 secs.

35:07
Same here.
3.06 secs.

35:13
They both jump over a tree.
4.11 secs.

35:15
Now they fly over the camera.
7.10 secs.

35:42
The camera is zooming a bit longer towards Flying Snow befor her hair falls to the ground.
0.23 secs.

35:55
Flying Snow is looking upwards a bit longer.
0.10 secs.

36:04
They both are standing among the falling leaves a bit longer.
6.15 secs.

36:11
Moon can be seen a bit longer.
4.28 secs.

36:20
Moon is standing a bit longer before falling to the ground.
0.20 secs.

36:36
After Moon going down they both look at each other.
5.12 secs.

36:42
Flying Snow can be seen a bit longer.
0.26 secs.

36:53
Moon is turning twice more among the falling leaves.
4.20 secs.

36:56
Same here.
3.25 secs.

37:00
Moon stays airborne a bit longer.
0.15 secs.

37:01
Moon is lying on the ground a bit longer.
1.01 secs.

37:03
Flying Snow is holding her sword in an additional shot.
2.14 secs.

37:35
Flying Snow and Moon, with the sword in her belly, are facing each other in an additional shot.
4.07 secs.

38:02
Flying Moon is standing among the leaves in an additional shot.
4.07 secs.

38:12
Moon is laughing a bit longer.
0.22 secs.

38:15
Same here.
2.00 secs.

38:20
Flying Snow can be seen a bit longer.
1.00 sec.

Nameless vs. Flying Snow

44:18
Broken Sword is walking through the curtains a bit longer.
5.09 secs.

44:33
Flying Snow as well.
5.24 secs.

44:49
Broken Sword and Flying Snow are lying in bed a bit longer.
6.15 secs.

47:00
Flying Snow is walking to the horse a bit longer.
4.01 secs.

47:12
Same here.
1.15 secs.

47:27
Flying Snow is riding away a bit longer.
3.10 secs.

48:10
Moon and Broken Sword are still approaching while Nameless und Flying Snow are fighting in an additional shot.
9.21 secs.

48:18
Flying Snow can be seen for one more moment.
0.16 secs.

48:37
Nameless and Flying Snow are facing each other one more moment.
1.20 secs.

49:52
Both are leaning against each other a bit longer.
1.14 secs.

50:36
Flying Snow is running towards Nameless a bit longer. Further, the surrounding yelling soldiers can be seen once more.
8.27 secs.

50:59
Moon and Broken Sword come running while Flying Snow is slowly collapsing.
4.20 secs.

51:16
Soldiers can be seen a bit longer.
0.20 secs.

51:19
Same here.
1.04 sec

51:48
While the troops march back to camp, you can once more see Moon standing besides Broken Sword.
4.15 secs.

At the lake

Partly due to the next prolonged scene and partly due to the fact that it was laid over already existing scenes, the following dialogue between Broken Sword and Nameless at the lake is missing.
Broken Sword: 'What are you here for?'
Nameless: 'For what you once said.'
Broken Sword: 'I will fight the one who harms Flying Snow.'
Nameless: 'Please draw your sword.'
Broken Sword: 'Thank you!'

Further the background commentary of the King got shifted and changed.
Theatrical: 'I believe you and Broken Sword also fought and like your fight with Sky it was not real. But rather it was a battle in your minds, a fight to honor Flying Snow.'
Director's Cut: 'I believe you and Broken Sword also fought. But rather it was a fight to honor Flying Snow.'

52:08
Nameless and the lake can be seen a bit longer.
9.23 secs.

52.16
Nameless can be seen in an alternative scene. The lake can be seen once more.
Theatrical: 2.03 secs.
Director's Cut: 6.00 secs.
3.27 secs.

52:21
Nameless and Broken Sword are facing each other at the lake a bit longer.
12.05 secs.

ALTERNATIVE SCENE

52:21
Nameless is holding up his sword in an alternative shot. In the theatrical version there is a fade to the scene when they are running over the water, that's why the scene is a bit longer. In Director's Cut you can only see Nameless.
Theatrical: 9.03 secs.
Director's Cut: 4.10 secs.
4.23 secs. shorter

ALTERNATIVE SCENE

52:30
The beginning with Broken Sword is identical, but then the theatrical version changes to a shot of them both jumping over the lake. In the Director's Cut they draw their swords and jump towards each other.
Theatrical: 5.04 secs.
Director's Cut: 5.25 secs.
0.21 secs longer

52:49
Both are threatening each other while in the air above the lake.
1.17 secs.

52:55
Both jump on the roof of the shed in the lake. Nameless is leaping several feet straight into the air, then they jump towards each other and fly over the lake.
9.11 secs.

53:00
The scene in which they fly to the right hand side, away from the shed, appears a bit later in the Director's Cut, but has no runtime difference. Broken Sword, who seems a bit transparent in these scenes, is missing in the Director's Cut.
Furthermore there is missing a major part of their fight after they have pushed themselves away from the water with their swords.
13.15 secs.

53:16
Both swords can be seen a bit longer in the water.
0.18 secs.

53:27
The somersaults that can be seen in the theatrical version once more appear a bit later in the Director's Cut. In exchange, there are some new chases of them both while flying over the water and the shed.
14.16 secs.

53:41
Both are jumping over the roof once more.
3.13 secs.

53:49
Shortly before the attack each other with waterdrops they can be seen in two additional shots.
5.23 secs.

53:50
Broken Sword can be seen a bit earlier with the waterdrops.
0.24 secs.

53.53
Nameless,too, can be seen a bit earlier with his counterstrike.
0.11 secs.

53:59
Broken Sword is watching a bit longer how the waterdrop is flying towards Fyling Snow.
0.12 secs.

54:02
Same here.
0.12 secs.

While Nameless is flying towards the shed, the shots are a bit longer. 15 frames in total.

54:36
Nameless is spinning a bit longer over the water and Broken Sword is stroking Flying Snow's cheek a bit longer.
1.12 secs.

54:42
Broken Sword's stroking Flying Snow's cheek can be seen a bit later in the Director's Cut. In exchange, there are two shots of the lake.
8.00 secs.

54:50
Nameless puts away his sword.
1.03 secs.

54:56
Broken Sword is standing in the shed while Nameless is walking away.
3.16 secs.

56:08
The chest with Flying Snow's sword can be seen a bit longer.
1.00 sec.

56:13
Same here.
3.03 secs.

Demonstration in White

59:22
While Nameless is looking for the white stave in the crowd he can be seen once more.
1.05 secs.

62:26
Moon is walking one step towards the injured Broken Sword.
2.13 secs.

Moon's bending down towards the injured Broken Sword is 13 frames shorter in the Director's Cut.

64:41
Flying Snow is sitting around tranquilly a bit longer.
1.23 secs.

65:36
Flying Snow is looking to the side during the repetition of the fight against Nameless and sees Moon and Broken Sword approaching.
10.28 secs.

65:57
Nameless' coach can be seen in an additional shot.
2.02 secs.

66:07
Same here.
1.20 secs.

Green

67:03
Flying Snow and Broken Sword are teasing each other at the cascade.
7.16 secs.

ALTERNATIVE SCENE

67:03
The moment in front of the cascade before they are drawing something in the sand together can be seen from a different angle in the Director's Cut, which is a bit shorter here.
Theatrical: 6.20 secs.
Director's Cut: 6.00 secs.
0.20 secs. shorter

67:51
One more shot of the landscape.
8.00 secs.

68:48
Broken Sword crushes the shield of a guard with his sword.
1.20 secs.

69:49
Broken Sword is standing before the King a bit longer.
1.01 secs.

70:30
The King and Broken Sword are fighting each other a bit longer.
2.13 secs.

70:44
They are both flying through the drapes.
3.00 secs.

70:57
Same here.
1.26 secs.

71:06
They are facing each other between the drapes.
6.29 secs.

71:09
The King is cutting through some more drapes.
4.11 secs.

ALTERNATIVE SCENE

71:10
The King is cutting through the drapes in an alternative shot.
Theatrical: 4.17 secs.
Director's Cut: 2.21 secs.
1.26 secs. shorter

71:18
More drapes are falling.
1.18 secs.

71:19
The King is cutting further.
0.13 secs.

71:20
Drapes falling.
5.03 secs.

71:23
Same here.
1.19 secs.

71:25
Same here.
0.17 secs.

71:37
The King and Broken Sword are jumping towards each other.
2.25 secs.

73:33
Broken Sword is drawing in the sand a bit longer.
3.19 secs.

73:41
Same here.
4.06 secs.

74:53
Here, a major part is missing when Moon wants to kill herself after her master Broken Sword has gone.
Moon: 'This will be the last thing I can do for my master. Master Nameless, please take his advice.' Then she draws one of her swords and is planning to stab it in her belly. Nameless can prevent that. She takes the sword from her back and tries to cut her throat. But Nameless can prevent that as well by batting it away with his sword.
Nameless: 'Why did you want to do that?'
Moon: 'I wanted to follow the example of my master and to persuade you with my life.'
Nameless: 'You're still young. Life ist precious. If you must die, you should die for a greater cause. -- Be on your way. I will remember, what should be remembered.'
Logically, the scene in which she is falling to her knees in front of Nameless is missing in the Director's Cut (5.20 secs.)
44.10 secs.

75:04
Moon is watching Nameless a bit longer.
5.17 secs.

78:55
The soldiers are standing in front of the hall a bit longer.
3.16 secs.

79:05
While Nameless is threatening the King, Broken Sword and Flying Snow are standing in the mountains, with quite a distance between them.
6.17 secs.

81:44
The man with the yellow cloth is approaching a bit longer and Flying Snow is crying a bit longer, too.
11.09 secs.

Nameless' end as well as Flying Snow and Broken Sword's ride through the desert are put together in different ways. Following scenes are missing.

81:51
The man with the yellow cloth is on his way a bit longer.
5.02 secs.

82:06
Flying Snow is crying a bit longer.
1.24 secs.

82:02
Nameless is walking down the stairs a bit longer.
2.20 secs.

82:11
Same here.
1.23 secs.

82:30
A ride through the chasm.
? secs.

82:30
Same here.
? secs.

ALTERNATIVE SCENE

84:25
Broken Sword and Flying Snow are fighting each other a bit longer and Moon is approaching. In the theatrical version, however, you see Nameless stepping before the gate.
Theatrical: 6.24 secs.
Director's Cut: 9.29 secs.
3.05 secs. longer

88:37
Moon is on the ground a bit longer crying for Broken Sword.
6.07 secs.