Comparison between the R-Rated Version on the German DVD from Mawa / VCL (Special Edition) and the Unrated Director's Cut, on the German DVD from Kinowelt (Special Edition)

Wes Cravens "Scream" should be known throughout the whole horror community. The movie triggered a Renaissance of the slasher genre and apart from two sequels and numerous copycats, even the parody "Scary Movie" managed to spawn three sequels.


While today and with films like "Saw" and "Hostel" movie violence has reached a whole new level, the MPAA had their doubts about the directors preferred version in 1996. So "Scream" had to be censored for the R-Rating while the uncut version got the less economical NC-17-Rating. Up until today this uncut version has only been released on Laserdisc in the USA but not on DVD.


The differences are marginal - most of the extensions are shorter than 1 sec, alternative footage is also almost unrecognizable.



From the first aberration on, time indexes are listed as follows: "R-Rated in PAL (Unrated in PAL)" - VCL DVD Special Edition (R-Rated): 99:54 min without ending credits (106:35 min with ending credits) in PAL

- Kinowelt DVD (Unrated DC): 100:00 min wo. ec. (106:41 min w. ec.) in PAL

- 13 changes (not including change of on screen title)
* 5x alternative footage
* 3x additional footage in the R-Rated
* 1x change of speed (identical footage)

- Cuts in total: 6,6 sec

00:24-00:31

Note concerning the VCL-DVD: The title also contains the German subtitle "Schrei!" ("Scream!" in German)

No time difference

VCL-DVD	Kinowelt-DVD

Steven

Additional footage in the R-Rated
07:50

In the R-Rated Casey's boyfriend Steven can be seen a bit longer (3 Frames) as the lights are turned on.

+ 0,1 sec

Alternative footage
07:52-07:54

In the R-Rated we only see a close up of Steven, his head sinking backwards.
The Unrated shows a long shot of his guts falling out.


R-Rated 0,2 sec longer

R-Rated (VCL-DVD)	Unrated DC

Alternative footage
07:55-07:57

While in the Unrated the close up of Steven has been re-integrated the R-Rated shows a long shot now - but only after the guts have already fallen out.
Screenshot only from the R-Rated because of the identical footage to that of the previous cut in the Unrated.

(This cut neutralizes the running time difference created by the previous cuts, so no audio editing was necessary.)

Unrated 0,3 sec

Casey

12:32

The shot of Casey's corpse is longer.

0,7 sec

Change of speed
12:33-12:36 (12:33-12:38)

The camera movement towards Casey's face is almost twice as fast in the R-Rated.

The footage itself is identical in both versions.

Unrated 2,8 sec longer

Additional footage in the R-Rated
12:41 (12:44)
The black screen is a bit longer (3 Frames).
+ 0,1 sec

Tatum

Additional footage in the R-Rated
64:56 (64:59)

In the R-Rated the cut to Tatum happens 1 Frame earlier; the garage door is also seen for one additional frame.

+ 0,08 sec

64:56 (64:59)

The R-Rated fades away earlier while in the Unrated Tatum's head is crushed a bit longer.

The Unrated is 5 Frames longer, one of that an additional frame during the changeover.

0,2 sec

R-Rated (VCL-DVD)	Unrated DC

Kenny

80:32 (80:35-80:37)

After his throat is slashed we see Kenny standing in front of the car a bit longer. He takes his hand from the wound and stares at it.

2 sec

Showdown

91:34 (91:39)

The shot is 6 frames longer in the Unrated.

0,2 sec

Alternative footage
92:05-92:08 (92:10-92:14)

Here we actually see Billy stabbing Stu rather than just hearing it from the Off like in the R-Rated. In exchange, a shot of Sidney has been parted and shortened in the Unrated.


R-Rated
- The shot of Stu is a bit longer.
- Sidney is on screen while we hear the stabbing from the Off. The middle part of this shot is in the Unrated a well.

Unrated
- Before Stu says "...sequel" the movie cuts to Billy stabbing Stu
- Stu turns around (the wound cannot be seen properly)
- Mittelteil der Aufnahme von Sidney
- Billy stabs a second time

Unrated 0,8 sec länger
=> Counted as two cuts because the shot of Sidney is contained in both versions in the middle of the scene.




Alternative footage
92:33-92:36 (92:39-92:42)

Differing shots of Sids father: the reason should be Stus bleeding hand.
In the R-Rated he turns his hand only one time without camera movement - in the Unrated the hand looks quite damaged and blood is dripping to the floor. The camera moves down towards the pool of blood.

Unrated 0,1 sec longer

R-Rated (VCL-DVD)	Unrated DC