In September of 2014, Paul Schrader directed “Dying of the Light,” a grim thriller starring Nicolas Cage as a CIA agent, obsessing over catching terrorists in the midst of suffering from terminal brain disease. The movie’s producers didn't want the artsy spy thriller that Schrader delivered to them, so they created their own cut and released it in theaters without his consent. This was met with severe pushback by not only Schrader but Cage as well, they both openly urged audiences not to watch the movie. This prompted Schrader to secretly re-edit “Dying of the Light” into an entirely new movie, attempting to splatter his original vision on-screen. The new cut was made available at the UCLA film archives and the Harry Ransom Center at UT Austin, but soon after, it appeared on Torrent sites. The mystery of how it got there has lingered for a few years, until now.
In an interview with Vulture, Schrader admitted to torrenting a director's cut of his misbegotten 2014 film. Consider me impressed by his direct openness.
