Video Collector said:
I'll settle for this being the KMAR version for the time being. Thanks for all your help.
I assume you mean the WMAR version? I agree that's most likely to be the one you have, especially since it was one of the most highly distributed copies.
Does anyone know anything about the European and the Australian broadcasts? The special was obviously shot on video, so these would have to be converted to PAL for broadcast outside the US.
I do know that Australia was the only known market to show the Holiday Special multiple times, as well as showing giving it the latest broadcast! It was shown at least twice, and likely even 3 or more times, throughout the 80s...confirmed as late as 1984.
What was the network procedure for such conversions at the time, I wonder. Did they have the ability to go directly from NTSC to PAL, or did they make a 16mm preservation and shoot a PAL version from that?
That's an extremely good question. I've never heard of a 16mm conversion (apart from an extremely dodgy eBay auction claiming to be for a 16mm copy of the show, which turned out to be false), though it's not out of the question. It was definitely shot on video, and the masters were stored on professional grade tape. My best guess is that they used those masters to create a PAL or SECAM version.
If anyone has them, I'd love to take a look at them. The Swedish broadcast is so close to home (Norway) I can't believe I'd never heard of it before.
You'll be interested to know that there have even been reports of a version having been broadcast in your own country as well. Unfortunately, we haven't turned up any hard evidence to support the claim. Here's what I have in my notes for it:
Stjernekrigens helligdags-spesial
("Star Wars Holiday Special")
Norwegian HS differences
Aired:
- [airdate unknown, but probably around May 31, 1979 when it aired in Sweden]
Running time:
- [unknown]
Subtitles:
- [unknown]
Notes:
Information has not been verfied with hard evidence.
-----
So basically all we have is a title, and a claim that it aired there. Can you do some research on that in Norway to see if you turn up anything? Maybe check with the TV stations there, or see if you can find any old listings.
The Swedish version, by the way, had material edited out. It would be interesting to find out if the Norwegian version was edited as well.
--SKot