I’m porting this over from The “Is it in HD somewhere because I can’t find it” thread as it is relevant to this;
Seeing as it’s Christmas;
Raymond Briggs’ “The Snowman” (1982) with original intro, 4:3 aspect ratio and instrumental “Walking in the Air”.
The Blu Ray, which is still great quality, is cropped to 16:9 and lacks any of the three intros as part of the main feature. It does however include all 3 intros by Raymond Briggs, David Bowie and Mel Smith’s Father Christmas as a bonus feature in 1080i 4:3. (Although the Mel Smith Father Christmas intro is not the open matte 4:3 intro, it takes the cropped 16:9 version and stretches it vertically to 4:3)
The original Briggs intro version has never been release in PAL on DVD or VHS, let alone Blu Ray, in the UK. It was released Australia in 2004 in it’s original form but the quality is not great, though still very watchable. This is the only PAL version I’ve been able to find.
It was released in the US on DVD (NTSC) in 1998 (along with the William Dennis Hunt re-voiced “Father Christmas”) and much better quality than the Australian DVD, but it is in NTSC and speed/pitch is slowed down.
“The Snowman” was repeated on Channel 4 in 1991 (first time I saw the film) and again in 1992.
The instrumental “Walking in the Air” was soon replaced with a vocal version by St Paul’s Cathedral choirboy Peter Auty. This version is most commonly used in any version you watch (Brigg’s/Bowie/Smith Intro version) and is the version included on the 1998 R1 NTSC DVD. The Howard Blake score is not aligned the same way in later revised versions compared to the original, just to add to the headache.
An Australian VHS recording of the original broadcast version has been uploaded here;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgcZAv4HAHM
Original Raymond Briggs Intro repeat broadcast from 1992;
https://tvark.org/?page=media&mediaid=112976
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNTMLM3yu4s
Apart from that, nearly every year between 1983 and 2002 it’s been the Bowie version. Then there was the 2002 16:9 version with the Mel Smith Father Christmas intro, but since Smiths passing in 2013, Channel 4 have reverted back to airing the 4:3 Bowie version. I would love to have a decent quality original broadcast version in PAL 4:3 with original intro and soundtrack either in HD or SD. There’s always a chance the original will be shown again or maybe even a 40th Anniversary 4K release in 2022.
So to sum up;
1982 - Original broadcast with Raymond Briggs introduction and instrumental “Walking in the Air”. Thids maybe be a version that was sent overseas for other languages to be dubbed for the song. (AVailable on 1993 US VHS and possibly laserdisc)
1982(?) - Original Raymond Briggs introduction with Peter Auty vocal version “Walking in the Air” replacing instrumental. Blake’s score rearranged slightly in parts. (Available on 1998 NTSC R1 DVD)
1983 - David Bowie introduction replacing Briggs’ introduction. Very washed-out transfer and image cropped on both sides. End credits also slightly redone/repaced. (Available on 2000 PAL R2 DVD, double feature with “Father Christmas”)
2002 - “Special Edition” with Mel Smith’s Father Christmas introduction, cropped to 16:9 on UK DVD and broadcasts. Dutch DVD “De Sneeuwman” is 4:3 open matte but no English audio. End credits reanimated again. (Available on 2002 PAL R2 DVD)
2012 - 30th Anniversary Edition with no introductions on main feature (which is 16:9), though all 3 are included are extras and in 1080i50 (4:3). (Available on 2012 Blu Ray, R2 DVD either as stand-alone or compilation with “The Snowman and Snowdog”, or “TSM&SD” and “Father Christmas”)