Dark CityYesterday we reported that Roger Ebert had publicly dropped the news about a new cut of Dark City being prepared for DVD release. He offered no details, however, about how this version would differ from the theatrical release.

Today, JoBlo posted an email report from a reader who saw a test screening of the film almost a year before its release, and was shocked at how much it had been changed when it finally came out. If Alex Proyas' new version is close to that original edit, the differences between it and the film we know will apparently be considerable. First, and most importantly, that original edit was voice-over free - which means that viewers are thrust into the movie's world with no idea whatsoever what's going on. That, to me, sounds incredible - and adding the VO sounds for all the world like something a studio would force on a young director because, you know, audiences are apparently too stupid to not have things laid out for them.

Among other changes the report mentions were to the editing style (it was sped up), the music, and the look of the Strangers - if the new version comes anywhere close to this early cut, it'll be fascinating to see.