Comparison between the cut British DVD (PG) and the uncut German DVD (FSK 12)


- 16 cuts
- Total cut length: 58,6 sec



This rather decent adventure movie, which - as the Guinness Book of records states - was the biggest flop in movie history ($11 million at the box office with production costs totalling at $98 million), was one of the main factors that led to the ruin of the Carolco Studios. So far, it was only released in a censored version in Great Britain. In order to get the PG rating for the theatrical release, more than a minute had to be removed, four more seconds got lost on the VHS release. When the DVD was released in 2003, it would have been possible to release it uncut with the BBFC 15 rating, but the producers decided against it. The version that was given to the BBFC was already censored. Some of the previously cut scenes were put back into the movie, but others were removed instead. Still, one more scene (a headbutt) had to be removed in order to have the censoring agency let the film pass through without complaints.

This comparison is about the British DVD, which was slightly less censored. Almost all of the cuts are a bit shorter here. Actually, there is not a single instance of exactly identical cuts in the two versions. Unfortunately, there is a longer cut towards the end. Trotter shooting one of his own men in order to help the pirates was softened on VHS but completely removed on DVD. Therefore, an important character trait is missing. There are a few new cuts in this version as well, which will be marked as DVD exclusive. Importing the DVD from the US or Germany is recommendable for all British viewers.


Both the old and the new DVD editions that were released in Britain were checked: they contain the same cut version of the movie.


running times are formatted like this
British VHS in PAL / German DVD in PAL

05:41 / 05:41

In contrast to the VHS version, at least the end of the shot of Morgan's dad is still contained on the DVD. However, the hits are missing here as well.

0,3 sec

DVD exclusive cut
20:34 / 20:34-20:35

The first frames of the kick in the groin are missing.

0,5 sec

DVD exclusive cut
28:06 / 28:07-28:10

Morgan holds the knife to William's groin. He twitches shortly and looks down, then the knife can be seen in a close-up.

2,4 sec

32:18 / 32:21-32:25

The cut concerning the guard touching Morgan's breasts is even larger than on DVD. The DVD does not start before the breasts (which are not being groped anymore anway) are outside of the picture.

3,8 sec

DVD exclusive cut
38:40 / 38:47-38:48

The shot is a bit longer, Morgan also kicks the guy in the face.

0,7 sec

39:05 / 39:12-39:13

The VHS version completely lacks the next appearance of the guard with the eyepatch, the DVD only lacks the violent part: Morgan gives him a head butt and the following shot starts a bit earlier.

0,6 sec

42:46 / 42:54-42:56

Dawg shoots one of his men in order to avert the food shortage. The DVD shows the shot but not how the guy falls to the ground. Dawg throwing guns to his other men is contained again.

This cut is shorter than the one on VHS but still very obvious.

1,6 sec

DVD exclusive cut
64:30 / 64:40-64:41

The beginning of the shot was removed and Dawg's sentence softened: "Bitch stole my map!"

1 sec

84:16 / 84:26-84:29

The guard can be seen frontally, Morgan sneaks up to him and breaks his neck. Only the immediate neck-snapping (and therefore less than on VHS) was removed, but unfortunately the motion does not look fluid anymore.

2,4 sec

94:29 / 94:42-94:44

The shot is longer, William breaks an opponent's arm. The following punch into his face, however, is contained in it (in contrast to the VHS).

2,3 sec

96:50 / 97:05-97:07

Morgan kicks a guy's face.

Again, the DVD shows more than the VHS. She can be seen swinging her foot back and only the immediate hit in the face was removed.

1,2 sec

99:21 / 99:38-99:50

A short and a bit more brutal fighting scene is (almost) missing completely. Mr. Blair and another bald guy fight. Blair can disarm the other guy, but gets a punch in the face and goes down. His opponen sticks his arms into the ship's steering wheel and turns it – Blair screams in pain.

The DVD shows at least the first second, in which the bad guy attacks.

11,9 sec

99:24 / 99:53-99:55

The previous scene continues. Bowen helps Mr Blair by stabbing the bald guy. The rest of the scene can be seen on the DVD, a lot more than on VHS.

2,8 sec

Partially DVD exclusive cut
99:40 / 100:11-100:36

And on it goes: Mr Blair chokes the guy to the ground and smashes the wheel into his face (in the off, only a brutal sound effect can be heard). Again, the DVD shows at least the first second of this.

Afterwards, however, nothing happens on DVD. The VHS shows Trotter's intervention when he shoots the officer who is holding a gun at Blair's head. Obviously he is favouring the pirates and even willing to kill his own comrades.

The DVD starts with the next shot of Trotter, after he has lowered his gun.

25,1 sec

101:16 / 102:12-102:13

The bad guy kicks into Glasspoole's face. The cut does not effect the sight of him stumbling backwards afterwards.

1,1 sec

102:17 / 103:14-103:15

Morgan kicks Dawg into his groin.
The VHS does not show the last frames of the previous shot and only the first frames of the kick. In the DVD version, on the other hand, all but the beginning of the kick is cut.

0,9 sec