‘The Master' Deleted Scenes

One of the first things you may notice about "The Master" is that many, many of the scenes present in the film's marketing did not make it into the finished film. An LA Times article cites Joaquin Phoenix as saying that PTA doesn't worry about continuity, he's open to improvisation and often scenes that might take up one-eighth of a page can shoot for a day and a half. The actor told Time, "Paul will write many, many scenes that won’t make it into the movie." In some cases entire scenes have been left unused, while in other cases the scene in the trailer is an alternate (and sometimes substantially different) take of the one in the film (ie: the "Just tell me something that's true!" is not present during the finished jail sequence). To make note these changes, we've compiled a list of the deleted scenes as well as extended and alternate takes from the various marketing materials that don't appear in the final cut.

DELETED SCENES FROM THE SCRIPT

Read them here.

ALTERNATE TAKES & EXTENDED SCENES

Scenes From The Beach

Phoenix told Time, "There were a lot of scenes where we saw what Freddie had experienced in the war, and a lot of the physical damage that had occurred. There is reference to some of that in the beginning of the film." These snapshots of Freddie on the beach were seen in teaser #1 and the full-length trailer.

Debriefing Scene Added Bits

During the debriefing scene in the film we're never shown Freddie in the room with the other soliders but both shots here show Freddie in the room in close up and wide angle. Seen in the trailer.

Inkblot Test Alternate Take 
Alternate camera angles and even filthier (and completely hilarious) dialogue for the inkblot test scene. Seen in its entirety in teaser #6.

Meeting Peggy - Additional "Time Holes" Dialogue
Freddie sits down with Peggy and she explains Time Holes in an extended version of this scene from teaser #3.

Freddie: What's this "time hole" business?

Peggy: It means going back to a place and realizing you're on the wrong track. And getting ready to start life over from the ground floor so that you can get out of your hole.

Processing - Alternate Dialogue
After Freddie is asked if he is unpredictable and farts during processing, The Master chides him by saying, ""What a horrible young man you are. You're a dirty animal who eats its own feces when it's hungry," instead of the much more playful version in the film where he says it's good to laugh. Seen in teaser #7.

Mildred Drummond's House - Extra Bits
A few extra shots from Mildred Drummond's house in NYC from the "Back Beyond" compilation.

Alternate Jail Scene

Probably the most iconic dialogue in any of the trailers - "I know you're trying to calm me down but just tell me something that's true!" - is not used in the actual film. The take used in the film features Freddie with his shirt torn off as he and Dodd yell at one another.

Post-Jail Horseplay- Alternate Take
The Master welcomes Freddie home from jail by throwing him over his shoulder in this alternate take from "Back Beyond."

Window To The Wall - Extra Bit
The Master and Freddie dance happily during Freddie's window-to-the-wall processing (seen in teaser #8).

Peggy Close-Up - Additional Dialogue
During Peggy's mental exercise with Freddie where she instructs him to turn her eyes black, she also offers the following excised instructions in teaser #7. "I want you to place something in the future for yourself that you would like to have.  It's there, waiting for you."

Window To The Wall - Extended

This outtake was utilized excellently in trailer #2. Freddie banging on the window is likely a longer/alternate take during his 'window to the wall' exercise. In the film he completes the task and it's still daytime but here it's night which wouldn't fit in the continuity.

Ranch Photo Shoot - Alternate

In this alternate take, The Master poses on the fence for Freddie (seen during "Back Beyond.")

Motorcycle Sequence - Extra Bits
After Freddie rides off on his motorcycle, it The Master, Elizabeth and Clark wait for his return in this production still and the camera continues to track Freddie in teaser #8.

Casper Reverse Shot
Casper the Friendly Ghost cartoon which Freddie can be heard watching at the movie theatre (from "Back Beyond").

DELETED SCENES

WWII Glimpse
Brief shot of two soldiers lighting a cigarette during WWII (from "Back Beyond").

Jumping Off The Ship
Presumably Freddie and another sailor jump off a Navy ship. Seen in the trailer and extra shots from "Back Beyond."

Freddie On Shore Leave
Freddie still in his Navy uniform attends a party (from "Back Beyond").

Freddie Makes Out In The Car

Freddie makes out with an unnamed woman in the backseat of a car in trailer #2. Additional footage from "Back Beyond."

"I Lost My Ship"

Freddie runs across the dock and tells some other sailors that he's lost his ship. Seen in its entirety in teaser #4.

Freddie Makes Hooch
Freddie mixes up some of his potion in a Navy latrine (from "Back Beyond").

"Was There A Fight?" - Alternate Interview Scene
An army doctor questions Freddie. Seen in its entirety in teaser #1.

Gone To China

Freddie leaves a note that he's heading to China. Seen in its entirety in teaser #5.

Freddie Sees The Master
These shots appear to show Freddie's POV "skulking and sneaking" to observe The Master and his family when first onboard the ship. Seen in the trailer.

Dodd Family Dinner Scene

The Dodd's eat dinner together likely when Freddie first sneaks onto the ship, revealed during teaser #2 and an accompanying production still.

The Master Questions Freddie
Shortly after arriving on his ship, The Master casually interrogates Freddie (from "Back Beyond").

Freddie Runs

Freddie runs in this shot reminiscent of Barry Egan in "Punch-Drunk Love." From his suit we can assume this takes place on the same night he pays a late-night visit to John Moore. Seen in the trailer.

Clark & Freddie At A Bar
Clark tells Freddie about how dangerous The Master's book has been to those that come in contact with it (from "Back Beyond").

Clark Carries Freddie
Clark carries a limp Freddie in teaser #7. This scene looks like it takes place just after the duo attack John More.

The Master's Speech

In this deleted scene, The Master approaches a microphone with determination and addresses a crowd with the following dialogue, "I'd like to talk to you today about cold feet and narrow minds.  People who have cold feet cannot move forward. People who have narrow minds cannot move side to side. They both take courage.  This is what I'd like to talk about." It would appear this scene takes place directly after The Master scolds Freddie for beating up John More.

Freddie In Court
In this deleted scene, Freddie freaks out in the courtroom after being arrested, seen in teaser #8.

Elizabeth Close-Up

In this provocative closeup during trailer #2, Elizabeth sticks her tongue out and waves it around in a deleted sequence one can only imagine was due to fit into the window-to-the-wall montage (featuring Peggy speaking directly to camera/Freddie).

Helen Sullivan Processes Freddie
Helen attempts to process Freddie (from "Back Beyond") in Philadelphia.

Freddie & The Master In The Car
I've actually got no idea where this scene might occur in the film (they're clothes are so unfamiliar to me) but perhaps this takes place during the Philadelphia stay at Helen Sullivan's.

Arizona Convention Extra Bit

Freddie walking around the corner possibly either before he enters the convention or after he beats up Bill for insulting book #2. Seen in teaser #2. Freddie enters the room at the Arizona convention while The Master looks on from the crowd. From trailer #2 and "Back Beyond."

The Master Hugs Melora

Melora Walters is credited in the film as being in the "Voice" in the band of during the Philadelphia section of the credits but is unseen in the film. She's shown briefly being embraced by The Master during trailer #2. Additional footage from "Back Beyond."

Freddie Retraces The Past

Freddie lays on a bench outside Doris' house in teaser #7. According to the Guardian:

PTA explains that there was a scene near the end of the film that he eventually cut out, which showed Quell retracing his steps to a park bench where he had once been happy. Quell lies down on the bench, trying to travel in time; to cast himself back to a golden moment before the war. Damn it, says Anderson. He should never have cut that scene.

Freddie & Doris
Freddie visits Doris presumably in a flashback seen during teaser #3.

Freddie & Doris 2
Freddie visits Doris presumably in a flashback also during teaser #3.

Elizabeth Goes Shooting/Freddie & The Master Dig Up The Mystery Box

Elizabeth shoots a rifle before The Master and Freddie dig up the manuscript. Seen in trailer #2. Additional footage from "Back Beyond."

Freddie In The Master's Office

Freddie opens the crate supposedly containing Book #2 that he & The Master dug up and its contents burst into flames. Seen in teaser #7 with much more footage in "Back Beyond."

Freddie In The Woods
Freddie crosses the river to the approaching cars on the road. He appears to be wearing the same outfit he has while in Arizona watching The Master's briefcase so this likely takes place near that sequence. Seen in teaser #2.

Freddie Heads To England

One of the most beautiful/iconic shots from the trailer features Freddie leaning over the side of a ship extending his arms outwards. From his pea coat we can assume this scene takes place when Freddie is on his way to England to meet Lancaster at the end of the film. (Alt angle from "Back Beyond.")

UNFILMED SEQUENCES

Outer Space Dream Sequence.
"He had a scene that took place in outer space and he had a couple dream sequences that the followers of The Master were visualizing. But he ended up realizing he didn’t need them so we never shot them. That was one of the guys that was going into past lives. He was an astronaut and he got disconnected from his spaceship and flew out into space. We were trying to figure out how to do it because it had to be from a 50s sensibility. It was before we really had people in space so you couldn’t really use that as a reference even if he was making it up in his subconscious, it had to relate to stuff he knew from the period. It was a fun shot to plan but he ultimately didn’t need it." - Production Designer Jack Fisk

Ireland Dream Sequence.
"There was a scene in Ireland that we didn’t do, another one of the flashback scenes. It was a woman being killed by soldiers in a [barnyard in Ireland]. But that was back in the 1740’s." - Production Designer David Crank