Molto

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.