- In the 106 minute Region 1 DVD by Artisan in 1999 there are several scenes which do not appear in the 97 minute 1994 UK VHS and TV broadcast versions such as Deputy Tomay's return to Jimmy Shoeshine's warehouse. The gun battle in the warehouse is much longer and bloodier and has a much higher body count.
- This film has at least (possibly more) two different endings. At end of the second hour, the versions differ from each other:
- The original version has Santee shoot Rudy with the Uzi from the top of the ridge many times. Severence grabs Rita and tells him to give it up. Santee appears and says 'I'm here, Severence. Let her go!' before stumbling down the ridge. But Severence overpowers him and kicks him off the edge of a cliff by stomping on his bloodied hands. As Severance is about to kill Rita he and Santee fight over a revolver. Rudy is still alive and they both shoot him before Santee pulverizes Severence with his fists. Just as he is about to crush his head with a boulder Santee says 'This is for Eddie', which is followed by a brief black and white flashback. Severence says 'Go ahead, kid. I'd do it to you' before Santee is interrupted by the police. Severence is then arrested by Sheriff Cepeda who claims he has seen the CCTV footage of him murdering Deputy Agnos back at Jimmy Shoeshine's warehouse. There is a denouement in which Santee is back at his dads ranch and Rita is in her Police Uniform. He mentions the fate of Eddie's wife and E.G. before kissing Rita goodbye.
- The other ending of the film has an extra fight scene between Santee, Severence and Rudy. Santee only shoots Rudy from the ridge once and Rudy is knocked out as he hits his head on a rock. Santee's descent from the ridge is shorter. His fight with Severence is the exact same but as he kicks Santee of the cliff his hand doesn't have as much blood on it as it did before. Immeadiatly after landing on a ledge Santee starts climbing back up the cliff. Severence teases Rita about killing her but is interrupted by Santee, who is then interrupted by Rudy holding an AK-47 to his head. Santee gives up and is beaten down by Rudy and Severence. Just as they are about to kill him Rita intervenes and claims that if they do, they'll never get the money he took from Jimmy Shoeshine. Even though the suitcase is hidden under a low railroad bridge elsewhere, Santee pretends it's hidden nearby. This gives him a chance to get the upper-hand over Severence and Rudy and bushwhacks them. All three of them fight but Severence is the first to run off as it's clear he's losing. Rita then beats him with a stick. Santee and Rudy are still fighting but he gets Rudy in a headlock. Rudy's last words before Santee breaks his neck are 'Eddie was just a nigger.' With Rudy dead Santee rushes back to Severence to stop him from hurting Rita. He pulverizes him and is about to finish him off with a boulder but there is no flashback and no mention of Eddie. The cops arrive and Severence is cuffed by Cepeda who makes no reference to seeing the CCTV footage. Santee is handcuffed right away and the films ends with no denouement or any loose ends tied up.
- The French DVD (region 2) runs two minutes shorter than the theatrical release and the VHS because two scenes in which the character Rita (Kristian Alfonso) lights up a cigarette are cut and the love scene scene between her and Santee is shortened.
- UK cinema and video versions were cut by 59 secs by the BBFC with heavy edits to scenes of violence and bloody gunshot wounds.
- A version of Joshua Tree seen on TV in Europe features alternate dialogue, clearer dialogue and more complete sound effects.
- The unrated version of 106 minutes was the one released in French cinemas (August 1993).
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