So the Lion King 1 1/2 is basically the same plot as the original, but
this one told from the view of different characters. I think. ;-) 
What other examples exist of movies that are re-released, but with
different content. Is this a trend?

This trend isn't entirely new, although it has boomed with the popularity of DVDs. 

Steven Spielberg's "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" was re-edited
and rereleased twice. The 1977 film acquired a new ending that took us
inside the mothership in the 1980 "Special Edition." In 1997 yet
another reworking of "Close Encounters" was brought out, as a
"Collector's Edition".

"The first 'draft' of the film was released in 1977; however, director
Steven Spielberg released a 'Special Edition' in 1980. The Special
Edition was released in 1980 and contained many new scenes and dropped
many old ones. The ending was completely different, and the original
version dropped out of circulation soon afterwards. Therefore, The
Special Edition became the only version that most of the newer
generations have seen. The Special Edition version was an overrated
mess, and many fans were disappointed that Spielberg had denied them
the original version... Being that there are numerous versions of the
film, watching the newest version is like trying to remember if
something that happened to you actually happened or was just a dream.
There are scenes in the new version you'd swear you never saw before,
and there are scenes that you're sure are still missing."

DVD Times: Close Encounters Of The Third Kind: Collector's Edition 
http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=4779

Another Spielberg hit, "E.T.: The ExtraTerrestrial", also received a
resurrection. 2002 marked the 20-year anniversary of "E.T.", and the
sentimental sci-fi classic received a politically-correct facelift for
its theatrical reissue:

"For this release, the federal agents' guns are erased by computer in
favor of walkie-talkies, to make the feds seem kinder, gentler, and
more compassionate. Also, during the Halloween sequence, Elliott's
mother, Mary (Dee Wallace-Stone), nags his brother Mike (Robert
MacNaughton) about his costume. In the original movie, she tells him
he looks like a 'terrorist'; this time around, he looks like a
"hippie."

Pop Matters: Peace Frog
http://www.popmatters.com/film/reviews/e/et.html

George Lucas refurbished his 1977 masterpiece "Star Wars" for its 1997
rerelease to theaters, redoing many special effects shots and
restoring a scene in which Han Solo confronts Jabba the Hutt. "The
Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi" were brought back in
similar fashion, taking advantage of digital advances in the medium:

"For years, Lucas has been touting the approach of a new age of
filmmaking, a revolution of sorts brought on by advancements in
digital technology. He backed up his boasts with several key
maneuvers. In 1997, he rereleased his original 'Star Wars' trilogy as
Special Editions. Each film was digitally remastered for optimal sound
and picture quality and also included new scenes, shots and creatures
of entirely digital origin."

Salon.com: "The Phantom Edit" 
http://dir.salon.com/ent/movies/feature/2001/11/05/phantom_edit/index.html

Ridley Scott's 1982 version of "Blade Runner" featured a voice-over
narration by Harrison Ford; the 1992 version totally excised the
narration, and made other major changes, including a more pessimistic
ending. I believe this was the first reissued, re-edited film to bill
itself as a "Director's Cut."

"Ever since Stephen Spielberg released the 'Special Edition' of his
'Close Encounters of the Third Kind,' directors have been re-editing
their movies and releasing versions that are longer, or sexier, or
more profound, or in any event different from the versions that were
originally released to theaters.

Sometimes the changes are minor - a few more nude scenes, or longer
dialogue. Sometimes they are substantial, as in the new director's
version of Ridley Scott's 'Blade Runner' (1982), which is playing in
theaters on its way to home video. Scott has abandoned the Harrison
Ford narration of the original version, added some moments to the love
affair between Ford and Sean Young, fleshed out a few other scenes
and, most notably, provided what he describes as a 'somewhat bleaker
ending.'

...The Ford narration was added because the studio feared audiences
would not understand his story of a futuristic Los Angeles. The new
ending, which is ironic and inconclusive and gives Ford an
existentialist exit line, was of course dropped by studio executives
for a more standard violent outcome."

Chicago Sun-Times: BLADE RUNNER: DIRECTOR'S CUT 
http://www.suntimes.com/ebert/ebert_reviews/1992/09/776957.html

In 2003, another Ridley Scott film, 1979's "Alien", also got the
"Director's Cut" treatment for a theatrical rerelease. As with "Blade
Runner," some scenes were added, and some were cut:

"Twenty-four years after its original release -- and after perhaps a
half-dozen viewings -- 'Alien' can still make at least one
fortysomething filmgoer squirm in his seat like a baby. Ridley Scott's
hugely influential sci-fi horror film has been touched up by the
director for a rerelease -- bless him, he actually trimmed it by a
couple of minutes in a quest for not the last word but the best one."

All Movie Portal: Alien (1979)
http://www.allmovieportal.com/m/1979_Alien81.html

The first two installments of Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings"
trilogy, "The Fellowship of the Ring" and "The Two Towers", were
released on DVD both in their original theatrical versions and as
greatly expanded "Special Extended Editions" which added half an hour
to the films' length. The expanded versions were shown in theaters
briefly, just before the premiere of the trilogy's conclusion, "The
Return of the King".

Other films which have been rereleased in new versions include
"Saturday Night Fever", "The Exorcist", "The Abyss", "Das Boot", "Army
of Darkness", and "Apocalypse Now". The boom in DVD sales has fed this
trend tremendously. Today almost every movie that comes down the pike
receives a "Director's Cut" edition, with deleted scenes and alternate
endings abounding.

Here are some good articles on the subject of rereleased, re-edited movies:

E Online: "Star Wars" Starts Reissue Frenzy
http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,675,00.html

The Oregonian: 'Alien' retains 
http://www.oregonlive.com/entertainment/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/entertainment/106751882338070.xml

Telegraph: First person singular: directors' cuts
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2003/10/25/bfps25.xml&sSheet=/arts/2003/10/25/ixartleft.html

Guardian Unlimited: The final cut - but not the last word 
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/screen/story/0,6903,375558,00.html

My Google search strategy in locating the material above involved
pairing the titles of the films with keyphrases such as "reissue OR
reissued", "director's cut", "rerelease OR rereleased", "revision OR
revised", and "collector's edition".

Thanks for yet another interesting question!

Best regards,
pinkfreud

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Request for Answer Clarification by jhabley-ga on 14 Feb 2004 13:45 PST

Hi pinkfreud - thanks for this.

In the case of Lion King 1 1/2, though, the content is completely
different in that it follows different characters through the same
plot as the original. This is different than films which have had a
few scenes changed/deleted. It's more of an overhaul, riding on the
existing film's brand.

Were you able to find any movies closer to the model of Lion King 1
1/2?  Or can you find any that are upcoming?

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Clarification of Answer by pinkfreud-ga on 14 Feb 2004 15:19 PST

I'm sorry to have gone in the wrong direction with this. I have not
seen Lion King 1 1/2. From the descriptions I'd read, I did not
realize that the content was completely different.

There are, of course, movies that are remakes of other movies, and
sequels to other movies, but it's unusual to have a movie that is a
retelling of the same tale from the point of view of supporting
characters.

Are you aware of "Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead"? This is a play
by Tom Stoppard that was made into a movie in 1990. In it, Rosencrantz
and Guildenstern, two minor characters from Shakespeare's "Hamlet",
are shown in a plot that parallels that of "Hamlet," but from the
perspective of these two nobodies:

"Gary Oldman and Tim Roth are the titular Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern... on the course to Hamlet?s castle of Elsinore, where
they are quickly dragged into the machinations of Hamlet, Claudius,
Polonius, Ophelia and the rest; flawlessly delivering their lines from
Hamlet... only to have absolutely no idea what?s going on once they
are again shuffled ?off stage? and left to their own devices... As the
events of Hamlet continue to play their course, the pair become
increasingly concerned with the complex events they seem to just be
bumbling around in..."

Mutant Reviewers from Hell
http://www.mutantreviewers.com/rragad.html

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Request for Answer Clarification by jhabley-ga on 14 Feb 2004 16:03 PST

If you could find just one more example, that would rock. I'll close
and rate this question now, though, to be fair. :)

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Clarification of Answer by pinkfreud-ga on 14 Feb 2004 16:17 PST

"Snow White: A Tale of Terror" is a retelling of the familiar Snow
White tale, but with a twist: the evil stepmother is now the major
character. Sigourney Weaver makes the most of her role as the
stepmother.

Cinephiles
http://www.cinephiles.net/cgi-bin/store.php?ASIN=B0000694XX

I'll keep thinking about this. If I come up with other good examples,
I'll post them here for you.

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Clarification of Answer by pinkfreud-ga on 14 Feb 2004 16:29 PST

"The Mists of Avalon" (2001) is a version of the King Arthur legend,
retold from the female viewpoint. This is an adaptation of a novel by
Marion Zimmer Bradley.

"The Mists of Avalon is the story of legendary Camelot, as seen
through the eyes of the women who wielded power behind King Arthur's
throne."

NJKingdom
http://www.njkingdom.com/mists/

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Clarification of Answer by pinkfreud-ga on 14 Feb 2004 16:46 PST

Here's one that I haven't seen, but it sounds as if it meets your specs:

"May  8, 2000 -- Drew Carey is first out of the gate in this second
full week of the May sweeps in the title role of "Geppetto" on ABC's
'Wonderful World of Disney' (7 p.m. EDT/PDT, today). The classic
family-friendly tale, best known from the 1940 animated classic
'Pinocchio,' gets a live-action makeover, being retold from the point
of view of the puppet turned real boy's 'single father.' This musical
production includes Julia Louis-Dreyfus ('Seinfeld') as the Blue Fairy
and original songs from Stephen Schwartz."

Hollywood.com
http://www.hollywood.com/news/detail/article/312287

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Request for Answer Clarification by jhabley-ga on 15 Feb 2004 11:08 PST

Perfect, thanks so much for the rework, pinkfreud. I forgot that once
I close the question I can't tip you, so please see #307005.  :)

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Clarification of Answer by pinkfreud-ga on 15 Feb 2004 12:32 PST

Glad to have been useful. I love to answer questions about movies!

~Pink