Comparison between the Theatrical Version (represented by the Hongkong-DVD by Panasia) and the Unrated DC (Sony-DVD, USA).
Only few releases amongst the current Director's Cut/Unrated-trend by Sony/Columbia proved themselves as useful extended versions. The Grudge is one of them since it had to be trimmed down quite a bit for a PG-13 rating. The DC is a great improvement. Extended shock moments, more violence and deeper characters define this version (authorized by director Shimizu) and make the theatrical version obsolete. The DC is the better choice.
The Unrated Director`s Cut is 6 minutes and 48 seconds longer than the Theatrical Version!
Time specifications in NTSC!
02:24 min. - 02:30 min.
A close-up of Peter Kirk's face. A puddle of blood spreads from under his head. The prior shot is a little bit longer in the theatrical version (TV).
Duration: DC is 2 sec. longer.
04:41 min. - 04:46 min.
Yoko takes the blood smeared reel of adhesive tape from Emma.
Duration: DC is 5 sec. longer.
13:21 min. - 13:28 min.
A little insecure and looking for the right way Karen walks along a small street. The prior shot is missing a few frames.
Duration: DC is 6,5 sec. longer.
16:10 min. - 16:31 min.
Alternate shot of Karen. She then asks Emma in the DC about the bloody band-aid on her finger but Emma isn't responding.
Duration: DC is 18 sec. longer.
Director`s Cut:
Theatrical Version:
18:52 min. - 18:59 min.
Karen mentions in the DC that the kid in the closet is Japanese.
Duration: DC is 7 sec. longer.
22:54 min. - 22:56 min.
Karen's eyes are widened in terror and a tear is rolling down her face.
Duration: DC is 2,5 sec. longer.
23:15 min.
The Williams family entering the premises is longer in the TV. Two extended shots.
Duration: TV is 5 sec. longer.
24:20 min. - 25:09 min.
In the TV the scene of Susan walking up the stairs looking for her mother Emma is running longer. The DC presents a new scene. Susan enters the room on top of the stairs and discovers a little porcelain statue of a black cat on a table. As she's about to leave the romm she sees cats painted on the walls. After she left the room there's another shot looking down the hallway. A door is shown. Now follows a shot from the TV of Susan walking slowly down the hallway, but this shot is extended in the DC.
Duration: DC is 39 sec. longer.
Director`s Cut:
Theatrical Version:
25:40 min.
The shot of the ceiling lasts longer in the TV.
Duration: TV is 2 sec. longer.
27:09 min. - 27:46 min.
Jennifer can't sleep and gets up. She bends over the balustrade in front of the bedroom, looking exhausted.
Duration: DC is 37 sec. longer.
35:34 min. - 35:42 min.
The shot of Williams is separated in the DC by two shots of a cat's shadow on the wall.
Duration: no time difference.
42:07 min. - 42:10 min.
Close-up of the mummified Williams family. In the TR the camera is farther away.
Duration: no time difference.
Director`s Cut:
Theatrical Version:
42:30 min. - 42:36 min.
The shot of the jaw in the attic is much longer in the DC. In the TR it's barely seen in focus.
Duration: DC is 4 sec. longer.
43:56 min. - 48:00 min.
Karen and her friend Doug hug each other longer. Then there's the conversation between Nakagava and Karen. It's a little longer in the DC than in the TR. There's footage of e.g. Karen taking the photo of the family.
Duration: DC is 244 sec. longer.
56:53 min.
The TV presents the conversation between Karen and Nakagava at this point. It's slightly shorter and misses e.g. how Karen takes the photo.
Duration: TV is 207 sec. longer.
57:01 min. - 57:10 min.
Doug greets more employees of the American restaurant and returns to learning before the TV sets back in.
Duration: DC is 9 sec. longer.
61:45 min. - 61:51 min.
The TV shows Yoko without jaw for about one second, the DC shows her for six seconds.
Duration: DC is 5 sec. longer.
64:39 min. - 65:04 min.
Doug is sleeping. Karen walks through the condo, absorbed in thoughts and kisses Doug goodbye.
Duration: DC is 25 sec. longer.
65:09 min. - 65:19 min.
In the DC the shot of Karen leaving the condo is in one piece. There's a shot missing of her sleeping friend Doug, that was seen in the prior shot but in exchange this shot is a little longer.
Duration: no time difference.
66:10 min. - 67:52 min.
Karen tries to explain to Mrs. Kirk that her husband didn't kill himself voluntarily. She says that Peter's death and her experiences are linked to another. Karen asks Mrs. Kirk if she knows Kayako. Mrs. Kirk says no and blocks all other question. Karen begs for so long that Mrs. Kirk takes out the photograph. This is seen in the TV as well.
Duration: DC is 102 sec. longer.
68:18 min. - 68:19 min.
The shot of Karen and Mrs. Kirk is a little longer.
Duration: DC is 1 sec. longer.
71:46 min.
There's a shot of Peter Kirk asking Toshio for his parents missing.
Duration: TV is 5 sec. longer.
74:39 min.
The DC misses the beginning of the shot of Nakagawa.
Duration: TV is 1,5 sec. longer.
74:56 min.
Nakagawa tells Karen in the TV that the memories of the events repeat inside the house.
Duration: TV is 6 sec. longer.
75:17 min.
Nakagawa says "I`m sorry!" to Karen.
Duration: TV is 5 sec. longer.
75:27 min. - 75:34 min.
In the DC Karen is longer on the roof. Then there's a shot of newspaper articles about the Saeki case. In exchange the TV has a longer shot of the pan through the office to Nagakawa's desk.
Duration: DC is 4 sec. longer.
75:39 min. - 75:42 min.
Here the TV shows the two news articles of the prior cut. The DC shows us a third one.
Duration: no time difference.
Director`s Cut:
Theatrical Version:
77:37 min. - 77:39 min.
More footage of Nagakawa getting drowned.
Duration: DC is 2 sec. longer.
77:43 min. - 77:47 min.
And again more footage of Nagakawa struggling under water.
Duration: DC is 4 sec. longer.
79:07 min. - 79:09 min.
Karen runs longer through the traffic. We hear Doug saying "I love you" off screen.
Duration: DC is 1,5 sec. longer.
79:17 min. - 79:24 min.
Alternate shot of Doug entering the house. In the DC he quietly calls for Karen.
Duration: DC is 5 sec. longer.
Director`s Cut:
Theatrical Version:
85:55 min. - 85:56 min.
A shot of the dead face of Kayako..
Duration: DC is 1 sec. longer.
85:57 min. - 85:58 min.
A pretty obvious cut in the TV. The shot continues in the DC and again presents the face of the dead Kayako.
Duration: DC is 1 sec. longer.
85:59 min. - 86:02 min.
Again the pale, blood-smeared face of Kayako and the appalled reaction of Peter.
Duration: DC is 3 sec. longer.
86:05 min. - 86:08 min.
Peter's reflection is visible in Kayako's dead eyes. He steps back in terror.
Duration: DC is 3 sec. longer.
87:09 min. - 87:19 min.
Toshio pushes his father (who hung himself) against the wall. In exchange the following short flashbacks are longer in the TV.
Duration: DC is 9 sec. longer.
87:37 min. - 88:19 min.
The flashback of Saeki killing his family is more detailes and edited in order in the DC while in the TV it's all mixed together (there's also pieces of the Toshio killing scene from the second flashback contained since it's missing entirely) and one barely sees the violence let alone the events. More footage of Kayako getting abused until her husband breaks her neck. Toshio sees it all. Here one discovers where the Kayako-crawling and mumbling comes from.
Duration: DC is 17 sec. longer.
Director`s Cut:
Theatrical Version:
89:10 min. - 89:45 min.
The scene fades slowly from reality into the flashback. The camera rises from first to second story. Saeki drags the dead Kayako through the hallway. Then he drowns Toshio in the tub and throws the cat against the wall after he cut it's throat. Kayako is put away in the attic, Toshio in the closet.
Duration: DC is 35 sec. longer.
90:04 min. - 90:05 min.
Longer shot of Kayako's ghost.
Duration: DC is 1 sec. longer.
90:13 min. - 90:18 min.
Again Kayako crawling down the stairs in two close-ups.
Duration: DC is 5 sec. longer.
90:21 min. - 90:27 min.
More footage of Kayako's ghost. In a close-up she hisses into the camera in a terrifying way. Then there's a reaction by Doug and Karen.
Duration: DC is 6 sec. longer.
90:29 min. - 90:27 min.
The TV has the reaction of both from the prior cut at this point, the DC shows Kayako's face one more time, this time in an extreme close-up.
Duration: no time difference.
Director`s Cut:
Theatrical Version:
91:54 min. - 91:56 min.
Karen looks terrified, then there's a cut on Doug-Kayako.
Duration: DC is 2 sec. longer.
92:14 min. - 92:38 min.
In grainy shots from Karen's POV we observe the paramedics and firemen arrive and put her into the ambulence.
Duration: DC is 24 sec. longer.
The Director's Cut is 6 min. and 48 sec. longer than the Theatrical Version.
