As far as my laserdisc copy goes, they mostly zoomed in on certain scenes to remove the black centaurette. (The affected shots are super grainy as a result.) The uncut scenes can be seen here. Since the maker of the print, Derann, is based in the UK, I was getting my hopes up since Disney hasn't exactly kept Song of the South buried over there.
MST3K in it's prime had a dozen writers behind the jokes. Obviously, just one or two of the cast doing a film by themselves isn't going to be at the same level.
So, does anybody remember the lenticular 3D Star Wars cards from '97 or so? The depth effects on those were impressive considering they were working from 2d film frames. It still bugs me to this day with all the merchandising you can think of in existence, George never thought about having viewmaster reels shot on the set.
I have already burned a disc of it. I'm going to be out of town for the next two weeks, but I'd be happy to send you a copy when I get back. This is my Mom's favorite Christmas special and she hates the cuts that have been made. I picked up the older DVD a while back with the same idea in mind you have. Sorry, I don't have the other special.
It so happens I taped Emmet Otter in 1998 off of Nickelodeon, (probably the last time it was shown on tv) in Super-VHS. All Kermit scenes are present and it is the same cut as the HBO version, AFAIK. The only problem is a three second cable dropout during the talent show sequence.
I could have sworn Pioneer had at least one PAL/NSTC model at some point? It drives me nuts when I find a obscure/rare title I'm looking for and it was only released on a PAL disc.
This is a great book, if you can find a copy! It's the most unfiltered look at the production of a Star Wars film we'll ever get to read. Which is probably why it will never go back into print.
It's hard to nail down the precise timeframe the Ewok movies take place in. There was an article in the old fan club newsletter Bantha Tracks referencing a scene (apparently cut) where a young Ewok plays with a carved wooden Imperial Scout Walker. Wicket has learned to speak english (Galactic Standard?) in Battle for Endor, but there have been cop-out explanations to explain away the fact he doesn't speak it in Jedi. On the other hand, if all the characters introduced in BFE laid low during the Imperial presence, why didn't Wilford Brimely's character try to contact the rebels or go looking for tech he could salvage when there would be tons of wrecked Imperial hardware lying about? The fan film "The Invisible Enemy" would fit in nicely before Jedi.
Interesting. Perhaps the theatre I saw BATB several times at back in '91 (the last time I recall a movie staying in release almost a year!) goofed up? Because it looked more like 1:66 at the time. One showing I actually had to go bug the manager because the the framing was screwed up vertically, (much like an old tv with a bad V control knob) and there didn't appear to extra image info visible before they fixed it. This theatre was actually pretty good with it's presentations most of the time, something I kind of miss now.
Actually BATB, and Lion King both had scenes redone for the IMAX presentations, and the original scenes aren't on the DVD's no matter which cut is selected. BATB also is cropped to 1:85. The laserdisc was 1:66...
In one of the Tag and Bink comics, our bumbling heroes make it to the secret base after the Rebels have left the Yavin system. In the remains of what looks like a wild celebration party thown in the temple, Chewie's medal is discovered.
It's a minor edit, but the fact they changed it for the third(?) home video incarnation speaks volumes on the lack of spines at the house of mouse. (They've all but validated the people who said it was a boner all along!) The lack of the original sound mix on this new release makes me glad I have the LD! I'm starting to wonder if any Disney "classic" has made it to DVD in it's original form at all.
http://www.laserblazer.com/ These guys have been around since the good old days and still deal in Laserdiscs. They don't have it listed in stock currently, but you could call them and maybe they will keep an eye out for a copy?