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Movies that were updated, then the original was "lost"(other than Star Wars) — Page 5

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JayArgonaut said:

I completely forgot about this one and I'm surprised no-one else has picked up on it. The theatrical release of Avatar in its 2.35:1 (2D) OAR is unavailable. On TV and home video, it's shown in Cameron's preferred 1.78:1 though there's a debate here regarding which version shows you more information...  

 I remember that debate--it's not over whether the BD release shows more information than the theatrical (it unquestionably does) but rather whether the additional information benefits or detracts from the movie.

(I say bring on the full screen, but apparently some people just love they letterboxin'...)

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Another one that I forgot is Die Hard... Apparently the German dialogue spoken by Hans Gruber's heist team was re-recorded for the home video versions, starting from the remastered Special Edition VHS release, to resolve grammar and punctuation issues that were present in the theatrical cut. Only Alan Rickman's German dialogue remains uncorrected.

I don't know if McTiernan has followed the footsteps of Lucas/Spielberg by ensuring Fox only provide the fixed version for TV broadcasts, I'd have to compare my W/S THX VHS and SE DVD alongside my HDTV recording to confirm. 

“Logic is the battlefield of adulthood.”

  • Howard Berk
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The Big Boss is an older example I can think of. There was the original 115 minute Hong Kong premiere version, which had loads of scenes and shots that were cut out for the international edit and the HK censors board compliant general release (e.g. the coal cart sequence, the infamous "saw in head" shot, Cheng's extended vow of revenge, the second prostitute scene, etc.) Some of the deleted bits are notorious for appearing in the original Mandarin and international trailers. After a final showing in the UK a few years later, the original Mandarin cut disappeared entirely because all the cuts were done on the camera negative.

Then there's the topic of the original English dub that was jettisoned after the Peter Thomas score and the new dub were recorded (the export dub remained notoriously rare for a while and is still only really available in an 87 minute fragment). All foreign versions' scripts are based on the original dub, however, and sometimes fall back on the Mandarin score for a few scenes.

The original base international version had all of the cut bits of dialogue that now only appear in the FSK 18 German VHS version of the film (and what's left of a battered release print of the original English dub), and the fully uncut ending where Cheng stabs the boss and the entire staredown is shown (this appears in the original French version minus the final punches).

The 1973 U.S. version and a lot of foreign dubs that use the Peter Thomas score censor the final stabbing scene, but keep the staredown. The Cantonese reissue version on the other hand shows the blood flowing down Hsiao Mi's shirt, but trims the staredown.

Most DVD releases that have the U.S. dub but use the Cantonese cut for the picture fall back on the export dub for the river scene for some reason.

So, a new book came out and we learned so much, and it is called, “Anguilosaurus, Killer of the Living”.

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The home video version of The Fugitive from 2001 onwards has been digitally altered to remove the sight of a crew member's head from the train crash scene. I'd have to check the next TV airing to see if WB are supplying the new master for telecasts. 

Allegedly, the fight scene between John Candy and the drunk clown during Uncle Buck was edited by Universal for profanity after complaints from parents. The original theatrical prints were recalled and replaced with what's now the standard version. Perhaps John Hughes fans can confirm the accuracy?

“Logic is the battlefield of adulthood.”

  • Howard Berk
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Neglify said:

Hahaha, I just learned about this one…

“The Santa Clause” (1994)

The theatrical and original VHS version had a scene with Tim Allen talking to his ex-wife and she gives him the phone number where she’ll be spending Christmas. Allen looks at the number and makes the joke, “1-800-SPANK-ME. I know that number.”

They had to cut the scene after a couple kids actually called 1-800-SPANK-ME and were redirected to a 900 number phone sex line and racked up over $500 in charges.

Source: http://www.cracked.com/article_22820_6-inappropriate-moments-wisely-cut-from-famous-movies.html (#2)

Scene in question: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GspSdNkoD8Q

The BBC aired this today (upscaled, I think) and I set up my PVR to record it, just on the off-chance that the “wrong” version might slip through and my optimism paid off! They screened the original theatrical release with the infamous gag included. Interesting that Disney have omitted the scene from the DVD (and now Blu-Ray) releases but they’ll supply the film uncut to TV companies.

Anyway, if there’s enough interest, I could make it available somewhere…

“Logic is the battlefield of adulthood.”

  • Howard Berk
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JayArgonaut said:

Another one that I forgot is Die Hard… Apparently the German dialogue spoken by Hans Gruber’s heist team was re-recorded for the home video versions, starting from the remastered Special Edition VHS release, to resolve grammar and punctuation issues that were present in the theatrical cut. Only Alan Rickman’s German dialogue remains uncorrected.

I don’t know if McTiernan has followed the footsteps of Lucas/Spielberg by ensuring Fox only provide the fixed version for TV broadcasts, I’d have to compare my W/S THX VHS and SE DVD alongside my HDTV recording to confirm.

When did the special edition VHS come out? I have an old widescreen Laserdisc version I could look at alongside the Blu Ray.

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Wazzles said:

JayArgonaut said:

Another one that I forgot is Die Hard… Apparently the German dialogue spoken by Hans Gruber’s heist team was re-recorded for the home video versions, starting from the remastered Special Edition VHS release, to resolve grammar and punctuation issues that were present in the theatrical cut. Only Alan Rickman’s German dialogue remains uncorrected.

I don’t know if McTiernan has followed the footsteps of Lucas/Spielberg by ensuring Fox only provide the fixed version for TV broadcasts, I’d have to compare my W/S THX VHS and SE DVD alongside my HDTV recording to confirm.

When did the special edition VHS come out? I have an old widescreen Laserdisc version I could look at alongside the Blu Ray.

I can’t find a confirmed date but going on my personal knowledge… There are two VHS releases of Die Hard that are billed as “Special Editions” (and “digitally remastered”), one that was released in the UK around 1991 (alongside widescreen versions of Alien and the Star Wars trilogy) and then a 1997 NTSC/PAL THX W/S VHS release (this is the one that I own).

If you do a comparison, let me know. I’d be interested in the outcome. 😃

“Logic is the battlefield of adulthood.”

  • Howard Berk
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Well, off the top of my head, Walter Hill’s The Warriors, The Terminator with the original mono, the teal-washed version of Aliens.

“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:

Walter Hill’s The Warriors

Well the theatrical cut isn’t “lost”. It was released on DVD, although that’s now OOP. But I’m almost certain that the version that’s currently streaming on Netflix is the theatrical.

Don’t do drugs, unless you’re with me.

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Neglify said:

Mike O said:

Walter Hill’s The Warriors

Well the theatrical cut isn’t “lost”. It was released on DVD, although that’s now OOP. But I’m almost certain that the version that’s currently streaming on Netflix is the theatrical.

I’d rather have a physical HD copy.

“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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Ronster said:

There is some deleted scenes on the new Blu-Ray but I think the Kurgen killing Yung Dol Kim is lost…

I suppose we should also add to the list.

Raiders of the Lost Ark (Steven Spielberg) - The theatrical cut has some bad language that was removed and also a scene in the bar fight …

In the original 1981 theatrical version of Raiders, there are a few additional seconds during the Raven Bar fight where the Giant Sherpa (played by Pat Roach) shoves Indy against several walls while one of the Nazi henchman laughs. This footage was deleted in all re-release prints and video releases.

It’s never been released in it’s theatrical form but again was on TV I think in P&S

Can anyone actually confirm this though?

It could be one of those rumours…

Fascinating. I wonder exactly why this was cut…

“That Darth Vader, man. Sure does love eating Jedi.”

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ATMachine said:

Ronster said:

There is some deleted scenes on the new Blu-Ray but I think the Kurgen killing Yung Dol Kim is lost…

I suppose we should also add to the list.

Raiders of the Lost Ark (Steven Spielberg) - The theatrical cut has some bad language that was removed and also a scene in the bar fight …

In the original 1981 theatrical version of Raiders, there are a few additional seconds during the Raven Bar fight where the Giant Sherpa (played by Pat Roach) shoves Indy against several walls while one of the Nazi henchman laughs. This footage was deleted in all re-release prints and video releases.

It’s never been released in it’s theatrical form but again was on TV I think in P&S

Can anyone actually confirm this though?

It could be one of those rumours…

Fascinating. I wonder exactly why this was cut…

A guy told me recently that when he saw the film in theaters in 81 he saw a Nazi soldier hit in the head by the brick Indy pushed out to escape the Well of Souls. On the version I own I only see the soldier on the ground as they leave, but not him actually being hit in the head and dying. I’ve not been able to find this cut mentioned anywhere else so perhaps his memory is incorrect.

.

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Mike O said:

Well, off the top of my head… the teal-washed version of Aliens.

You mean the non teal-washed version, right? 😃

Despite the horrific teal vandalism visited upon the Blu-Ray and HDTV broadcasts, the original isn’t lost though. I own the 1999 NTSC SE DVD and there are tons of copies available to purchase brand new.

According to this blog, the original theatrical versions of the first two Godfather films are lost, due to irresponsible behaviour during the first 80s home video transfers, colour correction “guidance” imposed by Gordon Willis upon Robert Harris’s team during the “Coppola Restoration” and then Paramount’s destruction of the original negatives once the project was completed.

Makes for depressing reading.

http://www.godfathermuseum.blogspot.co.uk/2012_04_09_archive.html

http://godfathermuseum.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/screen-shots-and-technical-errata.html

“Logic is the battlefield of adulthood.”

  • Howard Berk
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Beyond the Poseidon Adventure had ~25 minutes of extra footage when aired on TV in the '80s. Some scenes on the Jenny, either a few alt takes or new scenes altogether standing on the hull of the Poseidon, and numerous others I can’t remember off the top of my head.
Never seen the light of day outside of those old broadcasts, and they’re near impossible to find.
Not that anyone really cares, though. BtPE is total garbage; no amount of new/edited scenes can save it.

What, a man builds a giant mound of dirt in his house and you aren’t entertained?

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JayArgonaut said:

Mike O said:

Well, off the top of my head… the teal-washed version of Aliens.

You mean the non teal-washed version, right? 😃

Despite the horrific teal vandalism visited upon the Blu-Ray and HDTV broadcasts, the original isn’t lost though. I own the 1999 NTSC SE DVD and there are tons of copies available to purchase brand new.

According to this blog, the original theatrical versions of the first two Godfather films are lost, due to irresponsible behaviour during the first 80s home video transfers, colour correction “guidance” imposed by Gordon Willis upon Robert Harris’s team during the “Coppola Restoration” and then Paramount’s destruction of the original negatives once the project was completed.

Makes for depressing reading.

http://www.godfathermuseum.blogspot.co.uk/2012_04_09_archive.html

http://godfathermuseum.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/screen-shots-and-technical-errata.html

Yeah, but only as an SD master. Every HD version has been teal-ified.

“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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One that hasn’t been brought up yet is Mulholland Dr. For home release David Lynch blurred Laura Harring’s bush in her full frontal scene. I didn’t see it in the theater so I’m not completely sure it was unblurred originally or it was always censored.

Don’t do drugs, unless you’re with me.

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Neglify said:

One that hasn’t been brought up yet is Mulholland Dr. For home release David Lynch blurred Laura Harring’s bush in her full frontal scene. I didn’t see it in the theater so I’m not completely sure it was unblurred originally or it was always censored.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0166924/alternateversions?ref_=tt_ql_trv_5

The DVD and VHS versions of the film were self-censored by Lynch for sexual content. He had an additional blurring effect added to Laura Harring’s crotch in the scene where she climbs into bed with ‘Naomi Watts (I)’. The blurring was requested by David Lynch himself because he disapproved of nude pictures of Harring being distributed on the Internet.

“An additional blurring effect”, seems like the scene was already blurred in the theatrical version and he increased it.

“Logic is the battlefield of adulthood.”

  • Howard Berk