MattMahdi said:
Amazing that it would air so much later in some countries, especially the repeat airings in Australia. I would have thought Lucas would have more control / clout than to allow that to happen.
Indeed! Well, the later airings in other countries weren't so unsurprising back then...that happened often with movies and shows that came out first in the US. But Australia is an oddity. No idea how they managed to repeat it so many times.
Notice that the airings did seem to cease after 1987. Lucasfilm acquired all rights to the Holiday Special retroactively in 1989, and all airings ceased. Maybe that's no coincidence.
I just found the French version on YouTube -- it's a weird transfer, because it looks like it's a video recording of a television broadcast, filmed at an angle. Weirder still, it's the WMAR broadcast. About 3:45 into the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f61JazO98DA
Do I have that correct? Did that version actually broadcast in France, or is this something else?
I'm stumped about that one. It's definitely the WMAR video, but the audio is French. Maybe someone substituted the French audio track for the better video quality of the WMAR? Because what I've seen of the French broadcast looked terrible.
And does anyone know of a clearer source for the French broadcast?
It was sold on videotape for a while back in the 90s by some group called StarWave Video, with a semi-professional looking cover and even some photo cards with some copies. It pops up on eBay from time to time still. It is in SECAM, of course, which almost nobody but the French (and the Quebecois, perhaps?) can play back.
Also, is the following an actual broadcast that was dubbed in Spanish?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQX6Xu3gKbE
Yes, I believe that's the real deal. The Mexican broadcast. I think that guy has the whole video, not just the cartoon. And the quality appears to be pretty good, which is amazing. I suspect maybe there was a later Mexican broadcast from when VCRs would be a bit more common.
Lastly, for now, I'm assuming that these subtitles are after the fact. Am I correct?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6oGpCHDyH8
The subtitles seem to be much clearer than the video, which makes me doubt them to be the broadcast you've listed. But I'd be happy to be wrong.
Thanks!
That's absolutely right; they were added later...and as none said, it's Rikter's copy they used.
--SKot