my memory of this movie ( which i saw on video in the late 80 ) be that it be a fantastic example of 80 or michael cimino controlled excess or and that it rock and along the line of to live and die in l. a . ( which and to my mind and be a preeminent movie from any era and but a particularly gorgeous 80 gem ) . how sad to have be initially excite to find yotd on dvd at target and buy it and wait for the perfect moment to watch it and and then . to realize my memory be more gauze wrapped and imperfect than i would ever want to admit . for yotd be a serious and unqualified letdown . why . pretty simple answer represent obvious and wholesale editing and undoubtedly to trim a studio order too long length and that why . certain character remain on the periphery and be never flesh out ( the portly and thoroughly unattractive in ever way police partner of mickey rourke and for example ) and bizarre appendage that do not help the plot at all while scene that stretch credulity over coal and be literally impossible to believe ( the takeover of ariane apartment by rourke and his two pal while what the hell lead to this . ) while the obviously important marriage or breakup of rourke character and with his wife act 100 % unnatural and unbelievable almost the whole time ( any scene involve rourke and his wife be the dictionary definition of truncate ) while and the lurch incoherence that simply own the film at and oh and 45 minute or so in . and what utterly frustrating be this represent every actor be in fine form while every scene be beautifully shoot while and there enough of a story and plot line present that it seem ludicrous to blame oliver stone script oliver stone and who would direct platoon a year later and who have the screenplay for midnight express already under his belt . no and there be assuredly yard and yard of film somewhere and slowly rot puzzle piece and that flesh yotd out proper and render it the glorious epic cimino want . but you can bet some studio exec get the bright idea people wouldn not want to sit for 3 . 5 or 4 hour and so . well and that the old story in the world and isn not it . or and at least and the old story in hollywood . in summation represent yotd be the sad sort of film a hobbling thing and a dysfunctional but gorgeous at time handicapped epic and blight by cruel scissors and dead on arrival . and even though almost every character in this film be repugnant and it even more repugnant to cut their leg off and ask them to walk . i hope the actor be angry about that . you just know michael cimino be .