<P> After post-production was nearly completed in 2001, the film was delayed for over a year . The official justification was, after the September 11, 2001 attacks certain elements of the picture may have made audiences uncomfortable; the film's closing shot is a view of modern - day New York City, complete with the World Trade Center's towers, despite their having been leveled by the attacks over a year before the film's release . However this explanation was refuted in Scorsese's own contemporary statements, where he noted that the production was still filming pick - ups even into October 2002 . </P> <P> Weinstein kept demanding cuts to the film's length, and some of those cuts were eventually made . In December 2001, Jeffrey Wells reviewed a purported workprint of the film as it existed in the fall of 2001 . Wells reported the work print lacked narration, was about 20 minutes longer, and although it was "different than the (theatrical) version...scene after scene after scene play (s) exactly the same in both ." Despite the similarities, Wells found the work print to be richer and more satisfying than the theatrical version . While Scorsese has stated the theatrical version is his final cut, he reportedly "passed along (the) three - hour - plus (work print) version of Gangs on tape (to friends) and confided,' Putting aside my contractual obligation to deliver a shorter, two - hour - and - forty - minute version to Miramax, this is the version I'm happiest with,' or words to that effect ." </P> <P> In an interview with Roger Ebert, Scorsese clarified the real issues in the cutting of the film . Ebert notes, </P> <P> His discussions with Weinstein, he said, were always about finding the length where the picture worked . When that got to the press, it was translated into fights . The movie is currently 168 minutes long, he said, and that is the right length, and that's why there won't be any director's cut--because this is the director's cut . </P>

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