Does the unrated cut make a difference?!?!?

I can't remember everything that it does, but I really remember it lengthening the scene at the fair. Not necessarily in a good way, either. It just gets kind of weird... including the part when Aidan is snapping photos in the bathroom, for some reason Samara is just behind him and glides closer and closer to him (I know she's behind him in the theatrical version as well, but just for one shot).

The opening is definitely more slow-burn. Loved how they extended that. Jake's friend has dumber dialogue though. Can't remember what it is, but I remember that the theatrical version's dialogue wasn't as bad.

I'm going to try and rewatch it in the next 18 hours, so maybe I can tell you more then. Of course, I won't know how to compare it to the theatrical if I don't watch that one as well.

Ultimately, I sort of remember it simply being longer for the sake of being long, but as long as you could go well with the way Nakata was trying to tell his story, you might end up appreciating it more. I know there were more things (one thing where Aidan is in his bed and breathing versus holding his breath changed the circuitry voltage in his room)... sorry I'm rambling, just thinking about the moments as I remember them.

** Rest in peace, Timothy Volkert (1988 - 2003) **

Just re-watched it. Problem is I've only seen the theatrical version once... in theaters. This one only has the unrated cut. So I can only do the best I can with what was included. Let me try and bullet-point the things that I know for sure weren't in the original theatrical cut:

- Longer opening sequence, starts with Jake and Emily on swings then moves into the house. Much longer conversations ensue there as well, plus a slower pace when the TV turns on with the well.

- When Aidan is in bed, he holds his breath to stop electrical circuitry around his room run haywire, whereas every time he breathes they start causing a scene again. There might be some more imagery in the room itself by the time that Rachel appears.

- At the fair or whatever it was, there are a lot of extra dialogue moments. Aidan also watches kids bob for apples, then later is in the bathroom and passes by a bunch of toilets that flush and gargle on him, then as I said earlier there is a shot of Samara strangely "gliding" toward him as he is snapping photos in the mirror.

- "Don't stop the car!" During the deer scene, Aidan says it at least one more time in the unrated cut, with a cheesy zoom-in on his face when it happens.

- An orderly tries to fix the static on the TV in Aidan's hospital room, and while looking at the back you get a flash of the well (stock from the first film) before she unplugs it. Then she sees that Aidan has woken up from his coma.

- Before Rachel submerges Aidan in the bathwater to purge Samara out, there are some strange visions and moments Rachel has (sees the burning tree outside, hear's Aidan's voice as he tells her to kill him, etc.).

There must be more here and there given that it's 18 extra minutes, but it's just too far removed from the theatrical version that I simply don't remember anymore.

Most of the unrated stuff just further enhances the whole estranged Samara mythos, but it doesn't help encapsulate more fear with the exception of the opening scene. I in all honesty cannot call this a horror film, much like I can't with The Babadook.

** Rest in peace, Timothy Volkert (1988 - 2003) **