>Point being, that there really can't be any recut that can be regarded as the "proper" version beyond what was ultimately released because, for all practical purposes, Browning was transforming it during production.<

Which is the most standard practice, through most of film history.

>It's not like he had intended to shoot the screenplay as is, did so, and then the studio butchered it and a "director's cut" becomes necessary. The version we know already reflects Browning's vision - a vision that called for changes in the script. Altering it is, in essence, attempting to 'improve' upon Browning to suit our personal taste. In other words, we've essentially created our own movie.<

Exacty so. Your "point" here, Casey, is the crucial one throughout all of this.

-Craig

Monsterkid since the Kennedy Era