Either following advice from Disney or acting on his own, Bruckheimer demanded a PG-13 version from director Antoine Fuqua who had been guaranteed an R-Rated cut for the cinema before, in order to get some of the younger folks into the theater – without much success; with about 50 millions in profit “King Arthur” stayed way behind expected results while “National Treasure” made nearly twice as much money in two weeks.
To make an R-Rated war movie suitable for minors, lots of editing has to be done. Of the more than one hundred changes made about eighty contain violence that Fuqua wanted to show on the big screen but was not allowed to.
Apart from more blood and violence some storyline sequences have been added as well. Lancelot and Guinevere have some more time together and Arthur is seen as a child with his mentor. Guineveres character is more fleshed out than it was before, however, love is neither seen for Arthur nor Lancelot. She merely searches for the strongest man able to help her free her country.
Theatrical Version (British DVD BBFC 12): 120:34 minutes
Director's Cut (British DVD BBFC 15): 135:51 minutes
The Director's Cut contains:
79 new scenes
13 alternative scenes
7 edited scenes
2 changes in speed
In addition, 17 removed scenes of which four contain longer storyline extensions. Three minutes altogether.
Alternative scene: 3:03
Young Lancelot rides towards the Romans in different shots and looks at his new comrades.
TV: 3.09 sec
DC: 7.10 sec
4.01 sec. longer
3:27
More cheering.
2.10 sec
3:53
Young Arthur is seen with his mother and then with Pelagius to whom Arthur wants to give the homemade medallion. Pelagius says that Arthur should give it to him once he arrives in Rome. When they witness the arrival of the young Sarmatians, Pelagius tells Arthur that he is to lead and honor them just like his father. When Arthur says that they are not here voluntarily, Pelagius answers that there are always a few who have to die for many but that someday they might manage for everyone to live a free live.
The TV shows several shots of the Samaritans.
TV: 11.17 sec
DC: 120.15 sec
108.23 sec. longer
5:50
A few Woads are dragging Romans off their horses to kill them. Another Woad lashes out at a horse with his sword, causing it to fall.
20.13 sec
6:14
The Woads are fleeing from the knights. The Woad from the previous cut holds aloft a severed head and is beheaded himself by Arthur.
6.03 sec
Editing: 6:16
The spurting blood has been removed.
TV left; DC right
no time difference
6:20
A Woad is shot with an arrow.
1.06 sec
6:23
Another one is impaled with a spear.
2.08 sec
6:30
Another Woad is shot.
3.24 sec
Alternative scene: 6:40
In the TV a Woad is hit in the stomach and falls off a tree. In the DC another one is shot in the eye. The scene of the TV is in he DC contained in the bigger cut at 7:23.
TV: 1.00 sec
DC: 2.06 sec
1.06 sec. longer
Alternative scene: 6:53
In the TV the Woad is sent to the ground and struck with both swords in the Off. In the DC he receives a cut over the stomach, falls to his knees and receives another cut, causing him to spit blood, followed by a third hit in the Off.
The scene of the TV is in he DC contained in the bigger cut at 7:23
TV: 4.01 sec
DC: 3.18 sec
0.08 sec. shorter
7:04
The false Bishop watches Bors kill a man with his blades and kick another one in the face.
5.10 sec
Alternative scene: 7:18
In the TV Arthur battles two enemies. In the DC he kills one with his sword.
TV: 0.19 sec
DC: 1.20 sec
1.01 sec. longer
7:23
A knight shoots a Woad who is trying to kill another knight who is stepping out of the water. Lancelot battles a few Woads and slices one open with his swords. Here and there the two scenes from 6:40 and 6:53 are present.
16.22 sec. longer
7:25
Lancelot beheads a Woad with his swords in the Off. The other knights are busy killing as well.
21.12 sec
7:26
A short close up of Bors' blades.
0.06 sec
7:27
The DC is two frames shorter in the last shot.
After that we see Bors stabbing a man from behind.
2.03 sec
Editing: 7:49
In the TV the false Bishop has the arrow in his chest, in the DC in his head. The shot has been edited with CGI; it is the same shot..
TV left; DC right
no time difference
Editing: 9:43
Same here.
no time difference
10:16
Arthur's knights approach the Bishop with drawn weapons before Arthur recognizes that the situation is under control.
10.12 sec
Cut in the DC:
TV: 11:46
DC: 15:21
A longer dialogue is missing in the DC.
35.07 sec. shorter
16:35
The knights are drinking at the round table.
21.06 sec
Editing: 30:40
The blood has been edited out as Cerdic strikes down one of his men.
TV left; DC right
no time difference
32:24
The knights are preparing for their journey. The mood is tense between them and the Bishop as he orders his secretary Horton to travel with them.
78.19 sec
Cut in the DC:
TV: 40:01
DC: 43:15
A scene of the knights resting and talking in the rain is missing.
85.13 sec. shorter
57:15
They ride past some dead soldiers. Arthur says this to be the Saxons doing.
18.20 sec
57:35
Guinevere tells Lancelot that this land is Heaven for her. He answers that it has been Hell so far for him but that Guinevere represents Heaven here. When it starts to rain in addition to the snow he says this to be a bad sign.
55.23 sec
58:36
Guinevere again has a long talk with Lancelot. She asks about his home and he tells her how beautiful it is. She compares his description to the freedom they are fighting for and says that this makes them equal. She goes on to ask if he wishes to have a wife and sons when he comes home. Lancelot answers that he has no right to have sons after the many sons of others he has killed. When she asks if he believes in anything without family or religion he answers that he would have left her and the boy to die in the dungeon and walks away.
141.16 sec
61:53
The talk with Merlin is cut differently and different shots have been used.
TV: 22.10 sec
DC: 33.14 sec
11.04 sec. longer
73:34
A shot of the fortress is shown. After the group has ridden through the gate it is closed.
26.23 sec
75:52
Dagonet is buried.
54.04 sec
76:01
Bors sits at Dagonet's grave, drinking. Guinevere approaches Arthur.
15.06 sec
The colors during Guinevere's and Arthur's talk are more intense.
TV left; DC right
Cut in the DC: 76:01
Shorter shot of Arthur.
2.03 sec. shorter
Cut in the DC: 76:03
The end of the shot is shorter as well.
0.16 sec. shorter
76:06
Guinevere stands beside Arthur longer.
6.11 sec
76:17
Both are sitting longer beside each other.
0.16 sec
76:26
Guinevere is seen longer.
0.06 sec
76:28
Dito
1.02 sec
76:59
Arthur tells of Pelagius teaching him that the worst death is the end of hope. Guinevere says that they are not the polite people from the poems but blessed and cursed by the times they live in. Arthur claims that they themselves are responsible for their curse. Guinevere asks what he is afraid of. He is like the land. A Briton with a roman father but Rome is dead. Britain is his home and everything that is important to him.
59.19 sec
77:05
Both look at each other longer. In exchange, the last shot is longer in the TV.
1.18 sec
13.13 sec
77:13
Arthur is seen longer before the Saxons are presented, sitting at the fire. Cynric wants to take his life to make up for his failure but Cerdic refuses, then mars Cerdic's face with his sword. He then names Raewald his successor, disinheriting Cynric.
82,14 sec
While in the TV Guinevere gets into Arthurs bed after the Saxons have set camp in front of the wall, she gets into Arthur's bed beforethis in the DC until they are interrupted and get atop the wall at night.
The DC is missing two sequences but it's not really clear where they belong so only the time index for the TV is provided here.
Cut in the DC:
TV 77:13
Arthur recognizes the medallion broken by Germanus before noticing the ruckus outside caused by the Saxons.
14.07 sec. shorter
Cut in the DC:
TV 79:42
Guinevere and Lancelot look at each other after Arthur went away, standing alone at the round table and looking at a map of the fortress.
26.04 sec. shorter
81:59
The Coitus Interuptus is of course missing in the TV.
5.00 sec
84:28
The knights ride away and many fires are burning..
15.12 sec
91:15
The Saxon runs up to his men in different shots.
no time difference
91:17
Another man is grinning in the DC.
2.08 sec
Editing: 99:34
Blood has been edited away.
TV left; DC right
no time difference
99:53
More Saxons are chopped down and fly through the air.
7.13 sec
99:54
Two more Saxons die. One loses his arm.
3.10 sec
Cut in the DC:
TV: 99:54
DC: 105:56
Arthur smashes a Saxon's shield.
1.05 sec. shorter
99:54
The spurting blood is missing.
0.05 sec
100:08
Three more men are chopped down.
1.09 sec
100:44
The only survivor is seen longer.
3.17 sec
Cut in the DC:
TV 100:47
DC 106:53
The survivor runs towards his people.
2.22 sec. shorter
100:47
The survivor crawls towards the Saxons and is struck dead..
20.18 sec
105:44
The ax in the Saxon's chest is seen longer. Another Saxon is hit by an arrow an Merlin orders his men to attack.
3.07 sec
105:58
Another Saxon lies dead on the ground. Knights and Woads are approaching.
4.09 sec
106:09
Guinevere stabs an enemy she has beaten down just before.
0.17 sec
106:15
Arthur gets up, pushing an enemy off him.
1.23 sec
106:17
The Saxon who has struck Bors off his horse is seen, as well as another Saxon.
1.08 sec
Cut in the DC:
TV: 106:17
DC: 112:54
The same Saxon is seen a bit shorter here.
0.22 sec. shorter
106:18
The Saxon with the ax in his chest turns towards the camera before he dies.
0.21 sec
106:25
Bors chops down another Saxon.
2.18 sec
106:30
Knight and Saxon fight each other. Blood splatters.
3.11 sec
106:36
Longer shot of the knife in the Saxons throat.
0.12 sec
106:37
A knight kicks two Saxons down the stairs
3.17 sec
106:41
Guinevere stabs a Saxon.
1.06 sec
106:42
Then she smashes his face in.
0.19 sec
Cut in the DC:
TV: 106:42
DC: 113:32
Guinevere is seen longer.
0.10 sec. shorter
106:44
A Saxon and a Woad are fighting.
1.03 sec
106:45
Again the blood has been edited away.
TV left; DC right
no time difference
Alternative scene: 106:45
Different shots of the dead Woad, one with blood and one without.
no time difference
Alternative scene: 106:49
Arthur rams his sword into an enemy's throat, barely visible in the TV..
no time difference
106:51
Arthur recognizes Cerdic throwing a Woad to the ground.
2.08 sec
Cut in the DC:
TV: 106:51
DC: 113:44
Some fighting.
0.08 sec
106:56
Arthur sees Tristan being shot off his horse.
1.09 sec
Cut in the DC:
TV: 106:58
DC: 113:49
Gawain grabs the arrow in his shoulder.
1.11 sec
107:00
Gawain grabs the arrow in another shot while a Saxon approaches him from behind and is killed by Arthur.
4.23 sec
107:01
After he pulled the arrow tGawain stands around longer in the DC before killing the next enemy. Tristan gets off his horse (at 107:20 in the TV 4.05 sec), looks around and kills another enemy, just like Cerdic. Cerdic sees him and pulls his sword out of the dead Saxon from before. Guinevere comes running and strikes at a Saxon without stopping. The Saxon is only slightly injured when another woman strikes at him, again without much impact.
16.15 sec
Cut in the DC:
TV: 107:01
DC: 114:20
Guinevere runs towards the Saxon in the TV.
2.05 sec
Editing: 107:11
Again, the blood has been edited as a Woad woman stabs the Saxon in the back.
TV left; DC right
no time difference
107:12
The Saxon groans in pain as Guinevere gets up and another woman strikes at his legs with an ax..
2.07 sec
Alternative scene: 107:13
While he only screams a bit in the TV, four Woad women jump at him, stabbing and screaming.
TV: 0:13 sec
DC: 4.01 sec
3.13 sec. longer
107:14
Guinevere chokes him with a rope while the other women are nearly tearing him to pieces.
1.21 sec
107:15
More choking.
0.17 sec
Alternative scene: 107:15
After he is finally dead, the Saxon is put to the ground in different shots. In the DC he is choked a bit longer and one of the women plunges her dagger in him one more time.
TV: 1.15 sec
DC: 2.18 sec
1.03 sec. longer
Scene moved: 107:20
More fighting – a bit earlier in the DC.
no time difference
Scene moved: 107:20
Tristan gets off his horse – seen earlier in the DC.
no time difference
107:30
Tristan approaches Cerdic.
1.00 sec
107:33
On his way to Cerdic he kills off another enemy.
13.07 sec
107:36
Tristan and Cerdic are standing in front of each other.
2.16 sec
107:50
Bors and another warrior are killing several enemies. (A part of the shots of the other warrior are seen in the TV at 108:19. 3.18 sec. Bors is stabbed in the back with a spear but manages to get up again. Then follows the first scene from 107:20, running 6.08 sec.
17.18 sec
107:50
Ganis kills a Saxon but runs off as more enemies approach.
8.11 sec
Several scenes are interchanged now, for example the last part of Lancelot fighting the Saxon leaders son or the Saxon leader fighting one of the knights. Here the order of the Theatrical version is used.
108:01
Guinevere fights Cynric as Lancelot tries to pull his swords out of a dead Saxon.
5.14 sec
Cut in the DC:
TV: 108:06
DC: 116:25
Lancelot watches Arthur fighting.
4.06 sec
108:19
Arthur stabs an enemy and another man is stabbed in the face.
Here follows the part that was missing at 107:50.
4.19 sec
108:50
TCerdic hits Tristan.
7.17 sec
108:50
Cerdic cuts into Tristan's leg, sending him to the ground.
16.05 sec
109:22
Cerdic stands above Tristan n the ground, picks up his sword and sticks it into the ground. He picks up Tristan's sword and walks across the battlefield.
12.24 sec
109:26
Arthur kills another Saxon.
1.14 sec
109:48
Tristan is picked up by Cerdic and stabs a dagger into his leg. Cerdic pulls it out, slices his sword across Tristan's arm and then stabs him with it, while Lancelot is stabbing away at another Saxon.
9.06 sec
109:54
Tristan falls to the ground longer.
1.05 sec
Different speed: 109:50
Arthur running towards Cerdic is in slow motion in the TV.
TV: 4.04 sec
DC: 2.09 sec
1.20 sec. shorter
110:04
Longer shot of Cerdic standing on the battlefield after killing the knight.
2.04 sec
Cut in the DC:
TV: 110:07
DC: 119:49
Cerdic turns to Arthur.
2.10 sec
Cut in the DC:
TV: 110:11
Lancelot pulls his sword out of a dead Saxon.
2.14 sec
110:11
Arthur kills another Saxon. Cerdic stands on the battlefield, followed by a shot of Merlin.
7.14 sec
110:31
Lancelot hobbles towards Cynric.
3.10 sec
Alternative scene: 110:34
Cynric drops to his knees in different shots and dies in the TV. Lancelot stands there a moment longer. In the DC, Cynric remains on his knees.
TV: 1.22 sec
DC: 1.03 sec
0.19 sec. shorter
Different speed: 110:39
Lancelot kneels longer in the DC, but in slow motion in the TV.
TV: 3.06 sec
DC: 2.11 sec
0.20 sec. shorter.
110:45
In the DC both Lancelot and Cynric are still alive. They crawl towards each other and Lancelot stabs him in the throat, intercut with Arthur killing more Saxons.
17.07 sec
111:14
Arthur and Cerdic are fighting longer.
4.15 sec
111:34
Cerdic is seen a bit longer..
1.15 sec
111:37
Arthur stabs Cerdic in the stomach.
14.07 sec
111:48
Arthur longer on the ground with Cerdic above him.
2.07 sec
111:55
Arthur turns his sword inside Cerdic's gut.
3.19 sec
Alternative scene: 112:25
In the TV Arthur holds Cerdic's head and then shoves him away. In the DC he holds his head in a different shot, stabs him one last time and shoves him away in a different shot as well.
TV: 4.04 sec
DC: 11.24 sec
7.20 sec. longer
112:30
Arthur stands beside the corpse a bit longer.
1.02 sec
