Comparison between the Theatrical Version and the Unrated Version (both on the US-DVD from Sony)


- Theatrical Version (PG-13): 92:09 min. (96:51 min. incl. ending credits) in NTSC
- Unrated: 94:48 min. (99:30 min. incl. ending credits) in NTSC


14 changed bits, including
* 6x alternative footage
* 3x audio censorship

Difference: 158,9 sec (= 2:39 min)

The movie

Zed (Jack Black) has eaten an apple from the forbidden tree and now sees himself as chosen by God in search for the meaning of life. His own tribe does not agree at all, sending the lowlife off into exile where he hangs around with the shy Oh (Michael Cera), meeting Cain and Abel, Abraham and Isaac (Christopher "McLovin" Mintz-Plasse) or the warrior Sargon (Vinnie Jones).

A nice cast, Harold Ramis (Ghostbusters, Groundhog Day) as director and Judd Apatow as producer – but the outcome is pretty underwhelming. The subject matter has been realized in much funnier ways before as not only the Life of Brian quote reminds us.

The versions

Especially from Apatow we are used to being provided with Unrated Versions. Even movies that are somewhat too long on their own get extended even more with more or less unnecessary storyline sequences, as seen in The 40 Year Old virgin and probably also the upcoming two and a half hour movie Funny People.
Year One does not really fit in there, lacking the R-rating that the other movies mentioned had for their Theatrical release. This movie as well got the R for "some sexual content and language" against the plans of the studio. An objection to the rating was unsuccessful and only after some censorship the movie got the planned PG-13 rating.

So the release of an additional version for home cinemas really made sense and we can assume that the DVD advertised as “Unrated” is the version preferred by director and producers. The cuts are mainly dialogue censorship but since the movie was to target a younger audience from the beginning the language is pretty tame to begin with. In addition to that we get some new storyline sequences presumably cut out of the Theatrical Version for time schedule reasons. Either way anyone interested should favor the Unrated.

Running time data is placed in the following order:
Theatrical Version / Unrated Version

Alternative footage
06:50 / 06:50-07:05

Oh explains to Zed why he goes to take a dump behind his own hut.
"I could be wrong, I think what it is is that all the poop in the area fertilizes the ground and it gives the leaves a softer feel for wiping. It's not that nobody respects you. I haven't heard that from everyone."
Zed: "I've had it. Let's go."

In the Theatrical Version only the previous shot is 0,2 sec longer (no screenshots).

Unrated 14,8 sec longer

Alternative footage
13:05-13:09 / 13:20-14:00

The shot of Zed is the same but longer in the Theatrical Version (screenshot of the missing moment).
Shaman: "I wish there was something I could do for you. But I can't."

In the Unrated he says: "I know I'm being a dick right now, man, but I'm just trying to help you."

After that the talk continues:
Zed: "Do I detect a little bit of jealousy because I now have the knowledge of good and evil and you don't?"
Shaman: "You think it's easy being the shaman of the village? You think I like putting on a boar's head every morning? Putting a bone through my face? I know we've known each other for a long time. We throw the rock around. We have fun together, man, but I can't be... You know what I mean? Plus, wanna know something? I am high as shit right now, dude. I just licked like three toads. I've been up for like 27 suns up and suns downs."
Zed: "Okay..."
Shaman: "I just wanna get a meal... I wanna take a fucking nap."
Zed: "This is bullshit."

Unrated 35,9 sec longer




13:13 / 14:04-14:21

After the PG presents one single “fuck” in "You fucked the pooch on this one" the Shaman goes on in the Unrated.

Shaman: "Hard."
Zed: "I say what I did was a good thing."
Shaman: "Oh, yeah?"
Zed: "Yeah. Really, really very good thing. And I should know because I have the knowledge of good and evil."
Shaman: "Oh, okay."
Zed: "So I ought to know when I know what I'm saying is what I know what I'm saying."
Shaman: "Good."
Zed: "And I'm not leaving."

17,3 sec

Audio censorship
19:05-19:12 / 20:13-20:21

As the camera pans away from the trees the dialogue between Zed and Oh is different and the shot longer in the Unrated.


Theatrical Version:

Oh: "So what am I gonna say next?"
Zed: "You're gonna say That's not what I was gonna say."
Oh: "That's not what I was..."
Zed: "See."
Oh: "That's not fair."


Unrated:

Oh: "So what am I doing in ten minutes?"
Zed: "You're having sex with a zebra."
Oh: "That's not funny."
Zed: "I'm not joking. Hope you're ready to bone some zeeb."

Unrated 0,7 sec longer

Alternative footage
27:58-28:00 / 29:07-29:10

In the Theatrical Version Oh only tilts his head after Zeds confession that he has been mating with sheep. In the Unrated he goes on to stick his finger into Ohs face, saying “Smell that!”.

Unrated 0,5 sec longer

Theatrical Version	Unrated

29:44 / 30:54-31:04

The Unrated provides what Seth has meant by his little trick before Zed and Oh bid farewell to Cain.

Oh: "Your brother Seth is an interesting guy. Did you know he can put his own penis in his mouth?"
Zed: "I did not know that."
Oh: "Whole thing. Right in there."
Zed sighs.

10,6 sec

Alternative footage
34:28-34:30 / 35:48-36:08

The Theatrical Version shows Oh and Eema, then Zed and Maya a bit earlier than in the Unrated.

The Unrated shows Oh and Eema, it appears to be somewhat crowded.
Eema: "Sorry, do you think you could move your hands, please?"
A bit of shuffling around; oh takes his hands off her hips. He speaks to the man in front of him: "Enmebaragesi, can you move that way a little bit? We're crowded back here."
Man: "Oh, yeah, no problem. How's that?"

Unrated 17,5 sec longer




34:40 / 36:18-36:22

The shot begins earlier in the Unrated and Zed answers "Not gonna be possible, Marlak. I told you..." to Marlak, after he warned him to stay away from Maya.

4 sec

34:47 / 36:28-36:43

Marlak: "That's it."
Zed: "What?"
Marlak: "I'm gonna kill you!"
Of course that's not that easy being imprisoned and all and Zed retorts: "I'm gonna kill you. You always say, I'm gonna kill you and you never do."
The slaver mopes: "Be still. Don't make me come in there."
Marlak: "I'd like to see you try."

14,6 sec

Alternative footage
41:49-41:50 / 43:45-43:47

The Theatrical Version shows a shot of Oh while the Unrated stays with Zed. That way the “cock” could be taken out of the sentence.

"You're saying you have too much cock?"

Unrated 0,8 sec longer

Theatrical Version	Unrated

Audio censorship
43:25-43:28 / 45:22-45:25

Isaac emphasizes on his circumcision as he has walked off screen..

Theatrical Version: "Did you or did you not hear me scream?"
Unrated: "My dad just trimmed my dick skin."

The following line "I think I deserve a drink" has been put in as well.

Screenshot for indexing

Audio censorship
44:05-44:08 / 46:02-46:05

Isaac uses different words wanting to get in. Since he's seen only from behind the same shot has been used..

Theatrical Version: "Hey, ladies, we don't got no foreskins!"
Unrated: "Let me in, I want to get my dicky sticky!"

Screenshot for indexing

53:59 / 55:56-56:13

More discussion with the irritated man.

Man: "Where do you think rain comes from? Clouds? My 6-year-old knows."
He looks downstairs: "Hey, how do you get rain?"
A child answers: "Burn a virgin" and the man looks at Oh.
Oh: "I didn't think it was anything related to..."
Man: "Yeah, yeah. I didn't think, I didn't think. It's the gods and it comes from virgins being burned."

17,8 sec

Alternative footage
77:33-77:35 / 79:47-80:14

In the Theatrical Version the camera pans up the building longer.

Die Unrated shows Zed trying to comfort a girl but being irritated by Marlak..

The girl approaches him with a bucket: "Want some water?"
Zed: "You're from the village, aren't you? I'll bet you wish you were back there right now."
Girl: "Yeah."
Zed: "Don't give up. You'll get home someday."
Marlak kicks him to the ground: "Who's gonna take him there? The chosen one?"
Die Theatrical Version continues with the following shot after Zed has already gotten up.

Unrated 24,4 sec longer