Comparison between the US-DVD and the US-VHS, both Paramount.

District attorney David Corelli receives the assignment to examine the brutal murder of millionaire Kyle Medford. The last person to have seen him alive was Katrina Gavin, Davids early love, who is now married to the Lawyer Matt. When photographs of Governor Lew Edwards having sex with a prostitute are found in Medfords safe a lead points to Katrina who is also involved in Medfords blackmail affairs...

William Friedkins film had to withstand marbled critiques when it first hit the cinemas and was nominated for the categories "Worst New Star" (for David Caruso, who now is quite well-known through CSI: Miami) and "Worst Screenplay" for the Razzie Award in 1996. Nevertheless the movie is a relatively decent erotical thriller written by Joe Eszterhas (Basic Instinct, Sliver, Showgirls).
On VHS a Directors Cut was released; the movie is about 12 minutes longer and offers new storyline sequences as well as extended sex scenes (that probably had to go in order to ensure the R-rating.
The new story scenes are to be received with a critical eye since some of them do not really add anything interesting to the plot. For example, we get to know that blood of unknown origin has been found in Medfords apartment and that the already suspected Katrina is in the run for a blood test but the movie drops this lead almost instantly and never mentions it again. The new ending is way more interesting; Corelli overhears Matts confession and enters the house because of it.

Running times:

VHS: 107:26 Min. (NTSC)
DVD: 94:49 Min. (NTSC)

[00:12:26][00:12:25]

Corelli picks up a CD in the bedroom, walks across the room and looks at a photo of Medford.

19 Sec.


[00:13:52][00:14:11]

The camera pans through the Japanese garden. Corelli appears, walks through the park and looks over his shoulder several times.

Katrina calls out for him.

Corelli: "Morning."
Katrina: "Thanks for seeing me."
Corelli: "Sure."
Katrina: "I wanted to talk to you alone."
Corelli: "Ok."
Katrina: "It's about Kyle."

Both walk through the park.

Katrina: "Can this be off the record?"
Corelli: "You don't have to ask me that."
Katrina: "Kyle led a very complicated life. He had a lot of friends. He had a lot of enemies."
Corelli: "Would one kill him?"
Katrina: "Enough people to fill Candlestick Park, I suppose. He didn't stop at much to get what he wanted. He used people."
Corelli: "Was he using you?"
Katrina: "You forget who my husband is. Look, I'm afraid Kyles death could be the tip of an iceberg. A lot of people could get hurt."
Corelli: "What are you telling me?"
Katrina: "Just be careful."
Corelli: "Ok."

Change of scenery. Corelli parks in front of the courthouse.

Corelli talks to he judge.

Corelli: "You honor, Tan-Loi was my witness in the ... murder case and his testimony got me a first degree conviction. Now they want a ... probation. Loi was honest with me, he stayed clean, cooperative and I never promised him anything. Yet he was willing to risk his life to help me. So I would really appreciate if would you cut him from slack."
Judge: "I have no problem with that."
Corelli: "Thank you, honor."

Corelli walks to Loi.

Loi: "Thanks man, I really appreciate..."
Corelli: "Thats the last time, Tommy."
Lawyer: "I never ask you..."
Corelli: "Now I need something from you. Ok?"

2:33 Min.


[00:25:20][00:28:12]

Corelli talks to Callendar.

Callendar: "These three guys rob a... . They coming out of the store, jump into that ... man and right into a police car. I mean they go over the hood and plow right into the windshield. The guy in the ... fires three shots right into the police car."
Corelli: "This is the guy you got your statement? Horenda says that no statement given by the defendant again to another is admissible. Your statement is out of court."
Callendar: "That's what the judges tell me."
Corelli: "It's not gonna separate them."
Callendar: "That's what he wants me to do. He wants me to trim individually."
Corelli: "That's horseshit. He has...clear as court can. Hey, you telling me things wrong then you wanna put it on the record."
Callendar: "Leave me alive. He hates my guts."
Corelli: "He's 32 years old. Fuck this guy. Confront him."

A woman approaches him.

Frau: "Excuse me. Do you remember me? I was on the Jorgeson jury two years ago. The woman who was killed in that crack deal."
Corelli: "Yes, I remember you. Right."
Frau: "I think he should have done more time."
Corelli: "So do I."
Frau: "He shouldn't got life. Why would you let it get so complicated? Why don't you just stay with was obvious."
Corelli: "Well, it's a complicated process."
Frau: "It doesn't have to be."

1:15 Min.


[00:27:44][00:31:50]

Corelli wants to leave the office but Cliff approaches him again.

Cliff: "You know what's funny? I used to like you."

13 Sec.


[00:36:57][00:41:16]

After the questioning, Corelli and Vesko walk down the hall.

Vesko: "Did you ever...?"
Corelli: "Be nice, Pete. Want some coffee?"
Veskot: "Yeah."

9 Sec.


[00:41:12][00:45:39]

After Henderson has identified Katrina a short scene in the police station is missing.

Policeman: "What did Henderson have to say?"
Corelli: "He did her."
Policeman: "Let's go get her."
Corelli: "I wanna do one thing first, alright?"

15 Sec.


[00:42:08][00:46:50]

The dialogue in Matts office continues.

Corelli: "Gonna see you tomorrow."
Matt: "This is what happened to Sacramento."
Corelli: "Same shit, different day."
Matt: "You got his endorsement, didn't you?"
Corelli: "See you."
Matt: "Congratulations, Pisa."

Change of scenery. Katrinas plane is landing, Matt picks her up.

Katrina: "You didn't have to pick me up."
Matt: "Yes, I do."
Katrina: "Why?"
Matt: "You don't believe why."
Katrina: "You would be surprised what I believe."

Change of scenery. Corelli talks to one of his colleagues.

Callendar: "Those blood samples we got from Medfords bathroom. They are not all his."
Karen: "We got an AB from Medford and an O positive from somebody else."
Hargrove: "Who is gonna ask Ms. Gavin for a sample?"
Vesko: "Let Callendar do it. He's a ladies man."
Callendar: "Yeah, thanks pal. I think Karen should. Maybe you can ask her about one of her love towels."
Hargrove: "I bet you already have one."
Karen: "How do you do it?"
Callender: "What?"
Karen: "Talk out of your asshole."

Change of scenery. Katrina unpacks.

Matt: "I meant to tell you, David had an accident."
Katrina: "What? What happened?"
Matt: "He's ok. He's coming today with the inspectors."
Katrina: "What do you think, they're gonna talk about?"
Matt: "They found your prints on the hatchet that killed Medford."
Katrina: "Does David think I killed him?"
Matt: "I don't know."
Katrina: "Do you?"
Matt: "Of course not."

1:56 Min.


[00:46:27][00:53:04]

Matt and Katrina are walking through their garden.

Matt: "Tell me about the hatchet."
Katrina: "We were just playing games."
Matt: "That's what they do."
Katrina: "I suppose, he was just doing his job."
Matt: "Who?"
Katrina: "David."
Matt: "You haven't seen me..."
Katrina: "You're gonna say how?"
Matt:" This is gonna blow in a crazy direction."
Katrina: "What do you mean?"
Matt: "They found pictures."
Katrina: "Pictures?"
Matt: "Kyle Medford was running some kind of a shake-down."
Katrina: "How do you know that?"
Matt: "I've got my sources."

43 Sec.


[00:50:05][00:57:26]

Alternative footage.

On the DVD we see normal intercourse.

6 Sec.

On the VHS we see them having oral sex.

16 Sec.


[00:50:18][00:57:50]

Longer shot of the intercourse.

5 Sec.


[00:50:41][00:58:18]

Corelli watches the sex tape. Vesko appears.

Vesko: "Hey man, I'm really sorry."
Corelli: "We don't have a motive."
Vesko: "We'll find one."
Corelli: "Find the guy, Pete."
Vesko: "Piece of cake."

16 Sec.


[00:51:07][00:59:00]

On the DVD, Corelli is seen a bit longer.

1 Sec.

On the VHS, the movie intercuts to Katrina on the tape.

1 Sec.


[01:03:36][01:11:30]

Mr. Green watches the tape with his lawyer.

Anwalt: "How did you get this?"
Karen: "We found it at Kyle Medfords beach house. After he was murdered"
Anwalt: "I see."
Karen: "What were you doing in the Medford house Mr. Green."
Green: "What does it look like, I was doing?"
Karen: "When was the tape made?"
Green: "A month ago. Two month"
Karen: "And who was the woman?"
Green: "I don't remember her name. Kyle introduced us."
Corelli: "Have you seen it before?"
Green: "Yes."
Corelli: "Under what circumstances."
Green: "Kyle showed me the tape a week before he died. He asked me for a 100000 Dollars not to show it to my family."
Karen: "What did you do?"
Green: "I gave him the money. He gave me the tape. I didn't know that there were copies."

1:36 Min.


[01:07:01][01:16:30]

Both are seen earlier while having oral sex.

5 Sec.


[01:07:02][01:16:36]

Green and Katrina are seen longer having oral sex.

11 Sec.


[01:07:14][01:16:58]

Both are seen earlier having intercourse.

1 Sec.


[01:07:25][[01:17:11]

Alternative scene.

On the DVD, the screen freezes and zooms in on Katrina.

4 Sec.

On the VHS we see them having sex a bit longer.

1 Sec.


[01:09:42][01:19:26]

Alternative scene.

On the DVD, there is no cut and we see Matt and Katrina leave the room.

4 Sec.

On the VHS, the movie cuts to Corelli looking through the mirror.

4 Sec.


[01:10:05][01:19:49]

Alternative scene.

On the DVD, Corelli lowers his head.

3 Sec.

On the VHS, the scene continues.

Corelli: "There's somebody in there." (points to the mirror)
Hargrove: "Where?"
Corelli: "Is there?"

Corelli walks to the back and open the door rather violently. A man is in the room.

Corelli: "What are you doing here?"
Mann: "The district attorney thought it would be a good idea. Due to the sensitive nature of the investigation."
Corelli: "Get the fuck out of here."

Corelli yanks him outside.

Corelli: "Who knew about this?"
Hargrove: "What difference does it make? ... she know Sacramento doesn't get involved."
Corelli: "Sacramento is involved. This is the governors men."
Hargrove: "... You to close to this."

Change of scenery. Matt and Katerina are driving home.

Change of scenery. On the VHS, the scene in which Corelli and Vesko find the car comes now, but later on the DVD (see next cut).

1:27 Min.


[01:11:04][01:22:12]

Now they find the car in the DVD version.

36 Sec.

On the VHS, we see Corelli earlier. He listens to the CD he found at Medfords home.

14 Sec.


[01:19:21][01:30:08]

Longer sex scene.

16 Sec.


[01:19:24][01:30:26]

Earlier how Katrina works on the penis with her shoe.

5 Sec.


[01:19:42][01:30:49]

More oral sex.

4 Sec.


[01:19:58][01:31:08]

A few shots of the sex scene are missing.

11 Sec.


[01:28:57][01:40:17]

Katrinas house from the outside. In a car in front of the house a man is setting up surveillance equipment.

28 Sec.


[01:30:37][01:42:25]

The DVD has a longer black screen before the ending credits.

8 Sec.

The VHS offers an alternative ending. Katrina lies down on the bed wearing a mask and lingerie. The man in the car turns out to be Corelli who has listened to the conversation. He leaves the car and walks up to the house.

1:07 Min.