Small Soldiers (lost deleted scenes from action comedy film; 1998)

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The film's theatrical poster.

Status: Lost

Small Soldiers is an action comedy film released on July 10th, 1998, by director Joe Dante, who is best known for directing Gremlins.

Originally, the film was designed as an R-rated dark satire, in keeping with Dante's signature approach. At the last minute the producers determined it had more appeal as a PG-13 action-comedy. As a result many scenes were cut from the film in a (not-entirely-successful) effort to switch focus.

As Dante recalled it :

"Originally I was told to make an edgy picture for teenagers, but when the sponsor tie-ins came in the new mandate was to soften it up as a kiddie movie. Too late, as it turned out, and there are elements of both approaches in there. Just before release, it was purged of a lot of action and explosions."

While a few deleted scenes have since been released as DVD extras, the most violent ones remain lost save for brief glimpses in very early trailers and TV spots.

These include a shot of Commando Butch Meathook causing the Abernathy house to explode, seen in several trailers; the ruins of the house can still be seen in the background of the finished film near the end, as Stuart Abernathy complains to Gil Mars. Also fully lost is a scene of the Commandos scaling human legs with grappling hooks.