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Gone in 60 Seconds - and films of H.B. Halicki Preservation (* unfinished project *)

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 (Edited)

The DVD release of the original Gone in 60 Seconds(1974), featured a completely reworked soundtrack. A few lines were changed/removed as well as all the sound effects re-done. The original release featured the original authentic sound effects and such. As well the credits were modified on the DVD, see imdb:

  • The line “Unit 10 and 1-Baker-5, 10-4, stand-by on Ocean”, said at the start of the chase by the female dispatcher (over the shot of the first black-and-white and unmarked Mercury leaving the Long Beach PD parking lot), has been removed from the DVD release. Also missing is half of a line spoken over shots of the big crash in Redondo Beach at the end of the chase. In the DVD, we hear, “Redondo Fire this is Mobile Rescue 2. We’re at the scene of a four-car collision with multiple injuries. Have a ladder truck respond Code 3, we’ll need the jaws-of-life”, before it cuts off as we see the shot of Maindrian driving. Originally, the dialog continued over this shot and we said, “Have Goodhew respond Code 3, and give us an ETA please.”

  • The original end credits sequence has been completely changed on the DVD release, with production stills replacing the shot of Billy and his friends getting out to examine their wrecked car, although their dialog and sound effects can still be heard. The black screen (with credits imposed over it) that features after the “Billy” footage is also gone, with the stills carrying on. Most of the credits have been reformatted, with 'H.B. Halicki’s credits now shown as ‘H.B. “Toby” Halicki’, and the original music/sound effects credits gone completely. All of the non-police “special thanks” credits have been removed as well, and the “Low-Riders” credits merged with the “Special Guest Appearances” credits.

  • “Special Edition” re-release VHS/DVD version features remastered video, and audio. The soundtrack has also been completely changed.

I plan to first simply sync the VHS audio with the DVD and fix the ending credits. I will be using a very old VHS release if anyone has a decent VCR(i.e. JVC SVHS) and could capture if that would be swell and probably optimal results. This will be the original preservation them I may try and modify the DVD’s soundtrack and provide the changes but I’m not sure how hard it will be.

Following Gone in 60, H.B.Halicki made the film The Junkman. As well the DVD release of this saw many changes, luckily I still have my original VHS. So here are the changes:

  • The DVD release omits a scene after the end credits with the pig farmer (‘Ronald Halicki’) still sitting in the Rolls Royce at the party, looking around in dismay and saying to his pig, “Let’s get out of here, Farrah. These Los Angeles people are just too weird!” before shaking his head. This is replaced by the credits for the DVD remastering crew. Also removed are some lines of “coarse” dialog, most of which are spoken by director/star H.B. Halicki, including very unoffensive lines like, “Dammit”, “Christ”, and “I don’t need a gun”. Also removed is the “Shit!” said by Sgt. Gullen when he sees the Goodyear blimp outside his window, and the blimp skipper’s “What the hell?” when Harlan jumps aboard. This was all done by Denice Shakarian Halicki, who was in charge of the remastering process.

  • Also missing from the DVD release is a line of dialog from the second female police dispatcher, spoken over the shot of the pile-up taken from the helicopter during the main chase. She says, “Attention all units. CHP aircraft airborne from Kings City, ETA twenty-two minutes. Units from the cities of Paso Robles, Atascadero and San Luis Obispo are assisting. CHP units are also responding from Bradley, San Lucas, San Miguel, Tempelton and Blackwell’s Park.”

  • In the DVD release, the soundtrack from the original film has been completely replaced by a generic synthesizer music score.

I will simply capture my audio and sync it and see what I can do about the credits.

Next his film Deadline Auto Theft also went through a muck of changes:

  • There are many lines of dialog missing from the DVD release, most said at the start by director/star H.B. Halicki as Maindrian Pace. These include lines to the helicopter pilot upon taking off from the silo, and during the warehouse scenes of the opening pursuit. Also missing are lines from the police dispatcher during the same pursuit, where she announces a long list of units responding, and warns them that Captain Gibbs does not want “any accidents”, highlighting the goofy nature of the new scenes. The “Unit 10 and 1-Baker-5” dispatcher line and the “Goodhew” line missing from the “Gone in 60 Seconds” DVD, taking place during the big chase, are also missing here.

  • Almost all of the sound effects and all of the music has been completely changed for the DVD release, in both the new “Deadline” footage and the old “Gone in 60 Seconds” footage.

I need to find an original VHS of this and it will follow suit.

For now I will gather source materials and post when needed. If anyone would like to help that would be great, like I said I could use someone who has a decent VHS capture set up.

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I finally chased down a VHS tape of the original on eBay, and it’s in LP instead of SP. That’s some cosmic hilarity right there.

“What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one.”

Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death

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Did anyone ever do any work on this?

“What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one.”

Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnUb1KIWb5E&t=8s

Looks like the work of someone from around here 😉.

“What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one.”

Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death

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I should download it before YouTube takes it down. Is anyone here working on mixing the Blu-ray and the LD mono?

“What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one.”

Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death

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Mike O said:

I should download it before YouTube takes it down. Is anyone here working on mixing the Blu-ray and the LD mono?

where can one get LD mono? or any LD capture including video?

You really only need to hang mean bastards,
but mean bastards you need to hang.

John ‘The Hangman’ Ruth

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Luckily, center channel on Blu-ray is clean and packed with Eleanor roar,
so I took a stab at reconstructing original score.

opening scene
Chariot Ride

password: gone60

You really only need to hang mean bastards,
but mean bastards you need to hang.

John ‘The Hangman’ Ruth

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Cool stuff RDPlissken!

RDPlissken said:

Mike O said:

I should download it before YouTube takes it down. Is anyone here working on mixing the Blu-ray and the LD mono?

where can one get LD mono? or any LD capture including video?

That’s a good question. I guess I don’t know if this was ever even released on LD?

“What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one.”

Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death

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I’ve uploaded my reconstruction of original gone in 60 seconds score and closing credits to that favorite organ site.

You really only need to hang mean bastards,
but mean bastards you need to hang.

John ‘The Hangman’ Ruth

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Alas, no more invites. I have no doubt that you did excellent work though 😉.

“What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one.”

Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death

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RDPlissken said:

I’ve uploaded my reconstruction of original gone in 60 seconds score and closing credits to that favorite organ site.

And I must say, excellent work, thank you very much.

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RDPlissken said:

I’ve uploaded my reconstruction of original gone in 60 seconds score and closing credits to that favorite organ site.

Hello !

Is there a way to get this ?

I planned to sync a VHS audio track on the remastered video, but if yours is better quality, it would be great !

Thank you 😃

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funnily enough I just bought 4 Electronic press kits cd-roms and DVD and gone in 60 seconds is one of them with free preview of a game.

Anyway the other 3 other cdrom / DVD press kits were the main reason for the purchase.

Saving Private Ryan
Gladiator
Frost vs Nixon

If there is anything on it worth sharing I will share it here but keeping my fingers crossed for anything unique.

Next time you record VHS audio make sure you eliminate the HUM

Whoops I never knew there was a 2000 (Nicholas Cage) remake anyway thanks for putting it on the Radar.

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BobaFett69 said:

RDPlissken said:

I’ve uploaded my reconstruction of original gone in 60 seconds score and closing credits to that favorite organ site.

Hello !

Is there a way to get this ?

I planned to sync a VHS audio track on the remastered video, but if yours is better quality, it would be great !

Thank you 😃

I’d assume the easiest way would be to be a MySpleen Member.

“What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one.”

Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death

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restorations of Junkman and Deadline just got shared to MySpleen

Raccoons

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Is there any way to get this in 24p, or was the restoration not done that way? I found a version on Internet Archive, but it downloaded at 60p. Not a huge deal, just wondered.

“What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one.”

Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death

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SpacemanDoug said:

restorations of Junkman and Deadline just got shared to MySpleen

Unfortunately, if you’re not on MySpleen, you’re kind of SOL 😦.

“What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one.”

Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death

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Mike O said:

SpacemanDoug said:

restorations of Junkman and Deadline just got shared to MySpleen

Unfortunately, if you’re not on MySpleen, you’re kind of SOL 😦.

If you want them I can PM you an alternative

Raccoons

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SpacemanDoug said:

Mike O said:

SpacemanDoug said:

restorations of Junkman and Deadline just got shared to MySpleen

Unfortunately, if you’re not on MySpleen, you’re kind of SOL 😦.

If you want them I can PM you an alternative

I’d appreciate it. I particularly want GI60S in 24p with the original audio if you have it! As far as I know, MySpleen is pretty much closed off, sadly.

“What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one.”

Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death

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hummer3524 said:

Is this what you are looking for [link removed]

That’s the same restoration I posted on spleen, though my version in addition restores the original end credits as well

Raccoons