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.