To amplify on what is mentioned elsewhere: "Two versions of this film were made, the one called "Long Version" by the director and a shorter one, named "Short Version"....The background for this is that Noé promised the investors to produce an alternative Version should the final movie be longer than 140 minutes. He solved this problem by simply removing the seventh movie reel. During the removed 17 minutes, nothing essential for the movie's story happens, as he said. However, since it is especially those hallucinatory and impressive sequences that impress the viewer, most people interested in the movie will turn to the longer variant." (Quoting from Novie-Censorship.com)