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"Battlestar Galatica" Syndicated Telemovie Versions

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I would like to know what you guys think of this project, and if anyone would want to see it...

A rare gem of Sci-Fi has been found in the depths of my VHS collection.
I've cleaned up the VHS video, tweeked the sound to remove unwanted hiss, and made the DVD mpg and AC3 files.

Only thing is, I would require the help of some of you to make DVD menus and also help me build a torrent for this lost Galatica Telemovie.

This is not a "Fanedit", but was officaly made by M.C.A. / UNIVERSAL back in the early 1980's for syndicated television sale. It was shown in television markets around the world.


"Experiment in Terra" (Syndicated Telemovie Version)

This telemovie is the only one based on one of the one-hour episodes. It actually features new footage not shown on the original run of the show, or on the new offical DVD set!!!

The telemovie version begins with some new footage of an "Earth" astronaut finding Commander Adama's log book in space!!!

We then see this astronaut return to his ship and begin to read the "Log Book Galactica".
Next is a heavly edited synopsis of the plot so far. This footage was taken from the pilot film and a few episodes, with **new** narrations by Patrick Macnee and Lorne Greene (reciting from the log book.) This is followed by more stock footage from the pilot episode, and a shortend version of "The Return of Starbuck" episode from the Galatica 1980 show.

This edit of the Galactica 1980 episode has had all the scenes and references to Angela and her star child removed, and is made to appear as if Starbuck took the part-Cylon part-Galactican escape craft back to the Battlestar Galactica.

This sequence is then followed by an expanded version of the episode "Experiment in Terra" from the original series.

New footage outside the newly made synopsis segment are:

1. Adama's Predicament (1m09s)
In between the scenes where Apollo peels off from the Viper patrol, and is captured aboard the Ship of Lights, there is a new scene between Adama and Tigh on the choices facing them on this mission. It begins with Tigh entering the commander's quarters.

2. Starbuck and Boomer - Prolog (33s)
After Apollo arrives on Terra, uttering the words "It wasn't a dream," there are several lines of dialog absent in the broadcast version, but shown unedited in the telemovie version. The conversation takes place between Starbuck and Boomer in their Vipers.

3. Starbuck and Boomer - Epilog (6s)
After Boomer waves off Apollo, there's six addional seconds of footage of Starbuck's Viper flying off, followed by Boomer rolling his eyes and giving a sigh. **This does not appear on The Complete Epic Series DVD set.**

4. Terran background (16s)
After Starbuck and Apollo's dialog with Generals Maxwell and Stone outside the Precedium, there's a shot of the planet Terra as seen from from space (11s), followed by a shot of scene in a desert (5s). The scene then switches to the Eastern Alliance war room, and then Starbuck and Brenda's search for his Viper. **This does not appear on The Complete Epic Series DVD set. **

5. The Precedium - The President's Speech (6m08s/2m36s)
This is a very long sequence, which begins after Starbuck and Brenda are searching for his Viper in her vehicle, and she tells Starbuck "I don't know what to believe." The scene switches to applause and speeches before the Precedium.

6. The Precedium - Apollo's Speech - Epilog (20s)
There's some additional dialog by Apollo before the Precedium, immediately after Starbuck at last finds his Viper, and before the Eastern Alliance leader orders a launch of the missiles. Words in italics indicate lines spoken in the broadcast version.

Apollo: ... freedom. Freedom cannot be negotiated. It is rarely given. It is usually won at great cost and sacrifice. Once lost, the price for regaining it will be ever higher. I came from a world where the people believed the oppositie of war was peace. We found out the hard way that the opposite of war is more often slavery. And that strength -- strength alone -- can support freedom.


WHAT IS A TELEMOVIE?

Although Battlestar Galactica had been a hit series, it had also been an expensive series, costing a then record of $1 million per episode. If you adjusted for inflation, Battlestar Galactica would probably be the most expensive television show ever made. The series lost money its first and only season, and an attempt was made by Universal to recoup its losses (although it had already easily recouped the $14 million spent on the pilot when it was released in theaters around the world).

A number of videos and "TELEMOVIES" were quickly carved out of the various television episodes to be sold on the home video market and for network broadcast as stand alone 90 min. T.V. movies. Some fare well, others not so well. Most of the movies have chopped and misplaced scenes, bad dubbing, costume and hairstyle changes from one scene to the next, and plenty of plot confusion. Today almost all of these telemovies have vanished.

Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack - This is a Re-Edit of the episodes "The Living Legend" and "Fire in Space"
(shown in theaters outside the U.S.A. in the late 1970's and then released on cable and Home Video around the world. *Not On DVD*

Conquest Of The Earth (BAD edit of some Galatica 1980 episodes) *Not On DVD*

Murder In Space - Combined episodes: "Murder On The Rising Star" and "The Young Lords"

Experiment In Terra - Combined episodes: "The Return of Starbuck" (Galatica 1980) and "Experiment in Terra" *Not On DVD*

Phantom In Space - Combined episodes: "The Lost Warrior" and "The Hand Of God"

Space Prison - Combined episodes: "Man With Nine Lives" and "Baltar's Escape"

Space Casanova - Combined episodes "Take The Celestra" and "The Long Patrol"

Curse Of The Cylons - Combined episodes "Fire In Space" and "The Magnificent Warriors"


FF
FanFiltration




Some info taken from:
http://www.battlestargalactica.com
http://www.blast.net/

“First feel fear, then get angry. Then go with your life into the fight.” - Bill Mollison

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I would love to see all of it. I've run across those tapes from time to time always wondering what they were and if they would be in the DVD sets (I guess not ).

Q: I recall seeing one that was about the Galactica and Pegasus meeting finally and plotting an attack on the Cylons (similar storyline to the new SciFi channel series episodes). Do you know if that was that also one of these or just some random episode collection tape?
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Originally posted by: guiltyspark
I would love to see all of it. I've run across those tapes from time to time always wondering what they were and if they would be in the DVD sets (I guess not ).

Q: I recall seeing one that was about the Galactica and Pegasus meeting finally and plotting an attack on the Cylons (similar storyline to the new SciFi channel series episodes). Do you know if that was that also one of these or just some random episode collection tape?



That is:

Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack - This is a Re-Edit of the episodes "The Living Legend" and "Fire in Space"
(shown in theaters outside the U.S.A. in the late 1970's and then released on cable and Home Video around the world. *Not On DVD*

This edit is not on DVD, but the two full episodes, and some cut segments can be found on the offical DVD set.

Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack, can be found on offical VHS at Ebay and half.com.

The Syndicated Telemovie Edits had never been on offical VHS as far as I know.

They are:

Murder In Space - Combined episodes: "Murder On The Rising Star" and "The Young Lords"

Experiment In Terra - Combined episodes: "The Return of Starbuck" (Galatica 1980) and "Experiment in Terra" *Not On DVD*

Phantom In Space - Combined episodes: "The Lost Warrior" and "The Hand Of God"

Space Prison - Combined episodes: "Man With Nine Lives" and "Baltar's Escape"

Space Casanova - Combined episodes "Take The Celestra" and "The Long Patrol"

Curse Of The Cylons - Combined episodes "Fire In Space" and "The Magnificent Warriors"

FF


“First feel fear, then get angry. Then go with your life into the fight.” - Bill Mollison

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The used shops I go to often recieve material originally supplied to TV & radio stations. If I run across any of those, I'll drop you a line.
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That's funny. I remember waching these, and knowing they weren't quite like the original episodes, but never understand what the changes were for. Thanks for the enlightenment.

<span class=“Italics”>MeBeJedi: Sadly, I believe the prequels are beyond repair.
<span class=“Bold”>JediRandy: They’re certainly beyond any repair you’re capable of making.</span></span>

<span class=“Italics”>MeBeJedi: You aren’t one of us.
<span class=“Bold”>Go-Mer-Tonic: I can’t say I find that very disappointing.</span></span>

<span class=“Italics”>JediRandy: I won’t suck as much as a fan edit.</span>

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Originally posted by: guiltyspark
The used shops I go to often recieve material originally supplied to TV & radio stations. If I run across any of those, I'll drop you a line.


Very Kewl!

Thanks

FF

“First feel fear, then get angry. Then go with your life into the fight.” - Bill Mollison

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I would like to see the european and canadian longer cut of the theatrical widescreen release of the pilot episode not on dvd and even harder to find.

“Always loved Vader’s wordless self sacrifice. Another shitty, clueless, revision like Greedo and young Anakin’s ghost. What a fucking shame.” -Simon Pegg.

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Originally posted by: skyjedi2005
I would like to see the european and canadian longer cut of the theatrical widescreen release of the pilot episode not on dvd and even harder to find.



That could be accomplished.

FF

“First feel fear, then get angry. Then go with your life into the fight.” - Bill Mollison

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I'd be interested in some of this stuff. Excellent work!
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This project sounds good. I used to have an official PAL video release of Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack, but I think I sold it in a boot sale years ago.
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I have the NTSC VHS of Cylon Attack if anyone is interested.
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Apologies for bumping a very old thread, are these TV movies still available online (acknowledging that they are not on DVD/Blu-ray

Thanks

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Apologies for bumping this VERY old thread once again, still interested 😀