More speculation on the alleged cutting of Inglourious Basterds

On his new blog, Patrick McGavin cites an unnamed source who debunks reports suggesting that Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds will be cut; as I said, I wasn't sure I believed them. Patrick's suspicion is that we're in for only a few minor tweaks—no harm, no foul—and a new scene clarifying the positioning of Brad Pitt's platoon during the lengthy tavern sequence. (The lack of a clear game plan didn't bother me, but whatever.) Patrick is correct to point out that almost nothing could be removed from the film without turning it into a total head-scratcher—though of course, the prospect of incoherence didn't prevent anyone from taking a hacksaw to Once Upon a Time in America. As I said to Patrick by the Palais mailboxes, I really think this movie is commercial—just unconventionally so. More than any of Tarantino's other films, it's full of old-fashioned, movie-movie appeal: glamorous spies; tough commanders; a Nazi villain who earns every hiss; a powerful, revenge-themed story. The reaction back on earth might be very different from the mixed reception the film received at Cannes. But if I were to hazard a guess, I'd say cutting the movie might actually make it less popular.