Home video is quite a temptation for directors. It allows them to go back play with, alter, tamper and second guess themselves. We get three versions via seamless branching on Blu-ray on one disc with a disc of extras and the films presented with extras over three discs on DVD allowing us to see Spielberg's thoughts on "CE3K" over three different decades. The latest 30th Anniversary edition allows writer/director Steven Spielberg to fix flaws in "CE3K" that have bothered him for years about the film. The original theatrical version editing he felt was rushed and unfinished while the "Special Edition" deleted some key scenes and added a completely unnecessary trip inside the Mothership (something he later regretted). --he's edited it again (it's 2 minutes longer with some scenes lengthened and others shortened plus the trip inside the Mothership has been left to the audience's imagination). The "Director's Cut" works better than both versions; Spielberg has licked some of the pacing issues that dogged the original film and he has eliminated the gaudy trip inside the ship. For those fans who HAD to see the inside of the ship we still get that edition of the film which is a good thing--this is the most comprehensive version of "CE3K" released. This is the definitive version(s)of the film.