You’re right about the “clean‑up” vibe studios usually push. A prime case is *Blade Runner*. The 1982 theatrical cut had a heavy voice‑over, a hard‑edge noir feel, and a very bleak, almost cynical world. When Ridley Scott got to make the Director’s Cut and later the Final Cut, he removed the voice‑over, added the “unicorn” dream sequence, and softened the pacing. The film shifted from a grim, almost pessimistic statement to a more reflective, almost hopeful meditation on humanity. It’s a textbook example of a director’s cut flipping the whole emotional tone.

Yes, a few of them stand out. *Apocalypse Now* – the original 1979 cut was tight, but the 1990 Director’s Cut re‑inserted the “last scene” with the fire engine, a new ending that feels more bleak and less tidy. *The Shining* – the theatrical release had a different cut of the final hallway scene, the 1997 Director’s Cut restores the original version, which feels more chilling and less tidy. And *The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King* – the extended edition adds the “Ring of Power” scene, the extra songs, and a longer, more reflective closure, changing the emotional feel. Each of those cuts gives the film a new tonal direction that the original version never hinted at.

I’ll add a few more. In *American Beauty*, the 2000 theatrical cut felt like a neat satire, but the 2004 director’s cut adds a brief scene where Lester leaves his family, giving the ending a more defiant, unresolved edge. *The Matrix* (1999) had a tight, slick tone in the theatrical release, but the 2001 extended version adds the “No. 2” scene and some extra action that makes the whole thing feel more rebellious, like a manifesto. And *The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies* – the 2014 theatrical cut was pretty bright and quick, but the 2020 extended edition slows the climax, adds the Elven council scene and gives the final battle a darker, more serious tone, turning a cheerful end into a somber, bittersweet one.