He's going to check with Bay about my Faith Hill question. I kind of see no place for it if they're toning down the love plot.

Dan (UK)

There were so many problems and arguments between Bay and Disney execs over this movie, they really didn't know what they wanted to make nor who they wanted to aim it at. Neither could decide ultimately on a descision that they both loved.

The way it seems then is, Bay played along with Disney's want for it to be a love story, they wanted a Titanic, Bay wanted a Pvt Ryan of sorts. Disney wanted a PG13, they didnt want all the violence Bay wanted or many extra scenes of historical importance (stuff that would not appeal to love sick teenagers). Heck, Disney didn't even want to make the movie in the first place.

It's amazing Disney are even letting Bay go and do his re-cut, they're taking a risk even doing these three alternate releases of the movie (the two on Dec 4th and the VISTA disc in Jan) although they seem unlikely to grant his wish of wanting to release this Director's Cut theatrically in December.

It's clear to me from discussions with David Prior on the HTF that these arguments and different demands of both the filmmaker and the studio were very much existent. If you read Dan's interview with Hans Zimmer over at SountrackNet, even he speaks of how Pearl Harbour did not turn out to be the movie he signed on for.

So, I think here, in regards to scenes Bay regards vital to the movie which were cut anyway, it just wasnt his call at the end of the day. But again, if his vision was just more gore, then his abilites as a director are still questionable... Maybe he should watch Tora, Tora, Tora a few times before running back over to his Avid suite.

Dan (UK)