Natural Born Killers LaserDisc audio

The original ending of NBK is a quick montage accompanied by a Nine Inch Nails song called Burn. This was how it was released in theaters, VHS and LaserDisc. DVD Era NBK had a director's cut where this part was changed to generic tribal music and every release since has continued this tradition. I thought it would be a nice easy project to restore the original ending to whatever release is considered the best image quality today, some grammar school level restoration that I can handle (although if anyone more experienced wants to take the project, I will get out of the way). Oliver Stone has never mentioned preferring the tribal music to Burn, so I've always thought it was a mistake, or an omission beyond choice. Either way, I find the NIN ending a superior exclamation on the film.

Here's a video of the two endings if you're interested to see the difference. (NSFW)

[ac3]

The old directors cut DVD from trimark i think had much stronger bass
too bad I sold all of my dvds years ago

[spoRv]

Interesting find!

Frankly, I don't see any reason to replace few seconds of the original track music with another (better or worse does not matter) EXCEPT if there are rights problem... could it be the case, here?

Interesting find!

Frankly, I don't see any reason to replace few seconds of the original track music with another (better or worse does not matter) EXCEPT if there are rights problem... could it be the case, here?

For once, it being a rights problem seems unlikely because Trent Reznor did the soundtrack and there are other NIN songs in the movie (in that scene!). My assumption, based on no actual evidence, mind you, total speculation, was the "Director's Cut" predated the R cut, it probably existed that way without the NIN song, got an NC-17, then when they cut down to get an R, that's when they added NIN. Then when they reverted back to the Director's Cut during the DVD era, it wasn't an omission of the song, it just was never in that version to begin with. That's the only scenario that makes sense to me.

For my personal preference, the Director's Cut is better EXCEPT for those last few seconds without NIN, and I'd love to put it back in there.

[SpaceBlackKnight]

There's a Warner Diamond Luxe Blu-Ray that has both the theatrical and Directors Cut versions via separate discs. Sounds like audio change on the Directors Cut was an intentional thing, unless Trimark (who put out the first DC DVD release and briefly had those rights licenced from Oliver Stone before Regency/Warner got wind of it) weren't able to secure the licencing due to costs and had Stone reedit the audio for that portion.

The Theatrical cut Blu should have the original song if Warner did manage to clear it for one of the DVD releases with the TC.

[dvdmike]

I have the TC LD and 2 of the pioneer DC box sets plus both BDs (more than one copy of each)

I have the TC LD and 2 of the pioneer DC box sets plus both BDs (more than one copy of each)

Beautiful. With the Warner Diamond Luxe BD existing, this project is seeming less necessary.

Do you have a preference on NBK cuts?

[CSchmidlapp]

Are there open matte 4:3 versions of both cuts of NBK available on DVD (or in HD)?
Getting the Laserdisc audio for both would be awesome.

I much prefer the 'Burn' ending also.
When I got the Dir Cut VHS back in the day I also was disappointed this was changed.
I always thought it was because of rights issues with Warner / Interscope records (all reference to Warner Bros on the main feature was removed from my VHS).

I have the Diamond Deluxe BD somewhere Ill dig it out.

EDIT: The Diamond Deluxe TC does not contain the 'Burn' ending!

[dvdmike]

I have the TC LD and 2 of the pioneer DC box sets plus both BDs (more than one copy of each)

Beautiful. With the Warner Diamond Luxe BD existing, this project is seeming less necessary.

Do you have a preference on NBK cuts?

The BD doesn't have it.

The DC, it's the complete movie and the only way to watch

[Stamper]

Not sure if there was a thread for this before, but the foreign dubs all have the NIN song intact.
So all you have to do is line up the tracks, and switch to the foreign dubs for the end part.