Only thing longer ‘Gangster’ kills: time

Ridley Scott is no minimalist when it comes to putting his films on DVD. In December, a collector’s edition of his “Blade Runner” delivered no fewer than four versions of the sci-fi classic. The director’s most recent project, “American Gangster,” follows a similar pattern in the newly released two-disc extended edition ($20) that includes the original theatrical release, already at a hefty running time of 2 hours, 38 minutes, and a longer version with 19 more minutes of footage added. (If that’s not enough, another version with three discs’ worth of material also was released.)

Add in some sizable extras, including a 1-hour, 18-minute documentary that covers the making of this story of drug mogul Frank Lucas’ rise and fall, and one starts to wonder who has the appetite to digest so much Denzel Washington. Allow me to simplify. Here is what’s worth watching: The original version of “Gangster” -- which earned two Oscar nominations, including one for steely supporting actress Ruby Dee -- and “Fallen Empire: The Making of ‘American Gangster,’ ” which follows the film from conception to its shoot on the streets of New York and Thailand to the editing room.

Now here is what you can skip: The mostly drowsy commentary track by Scott and screenwriter Steve Zaillian; the mildly interesting “Case File” featurettes; and the extended edition of the film. It may be very easy for some viewers to bypass that last item; a note on the DVD menu says that the extended version “may affect playability on some DVD models.” I had no problem watching it on mine, but if the alternate cut of “Gangster” -- the central selling point of this DVD -- can’t be viewed on some players, that strikes me as not only a major misstep by Universal, but also an outright rip-off. Of course, if you miss it, you won’t miss much. The most notable portion of those added minutes is the longer ending, which emphasizes the friendship that ultimately developed between Lucas and the cop who caught him, Richie Roberts.

While the features provide a lot of detail about how the film was made, they spend only a brief amount of time describing some of the messier subplots surrounding the picture’s genesis. Producer Brian Grazer does note that Antoine Fuqua had been slated to direct, but does not mention that the “Training Day” director departed due to “creative differences.” And no one addresses the criticism that some of what we see onscreen is not true.

As a matter of fact, Scott and his crew assert that everything was carefully researched, a notion that directly contradicts a judge’s ruling in a recent lawsuit.

Several former Drug Enforcement Administration officials sued Universal for $55 million, claiming that “Gangster” had ruined their reputations by presenting falsehoods as truth, including a note at the end of the film that says Lucas’ cooperation with police “led to the conviction of three-quarters of New York City’s Drug Enforcement Agency.”

Just last week, a judge tossed out the suit, but noted that “the ‘legend’ that appears onscreen at the end of the film is wholly inaccurate.” For a DVD overflowing with so much content, you’d think someone might have taken a minute or two to clarify.

Most bizarre bonus: During the portion of “Fallen Empire” that focuses on the re-creation of a Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier fight at Madison Square Garden, Joe Biggins, owner of a company called Inflatable Crowd Co., explains how he and his crew set up 1,500 mannequins to appear in the audience shots. It’s a funny detail that may make viewers look more closely the next time they watch that pivotal scene.