I first saw this movie at it's theatrical release and then later stumbled upon the original director's cut video(red box) at Best Buy. This is absolutely the one to see. I watched it again last night, and then went to this data base to review other viewer's comments and finally to vote (9) myself. The director's cut is fabulous as far as I am concerned. The acting (esp. Douglas) is super, the tight hard boiled dialogue and dramatic scenes are excellent, the music score is "eery" and perfect for this type of movie, and the whole production design keeps the viewer spellbound throughout. The only real hangup is the icepick at the very end. It "throws" the viewer into a state of limbo and leaves the ending a bit unresolved in the viewer's mind. To be sure, those who have seen this one either loved it or hated it, but on must view the director's cut on it's own terms: that is of good sound, well done movie making regardless of the subject matter.
