Movies on TV

[Big Disney Fan]

Have you ever noticed how some movies are often unscrupulously edited to fit within a fixed range and for content, instead of just going 100%? Why do they do that? To me, that's like editing the story of Red Riding Hood, by saying, "Once upon a time, there was a little girl in a red hood and a wolf ate her up. The end." Why do they that? And more importantly, what can one do to see the movie in question in its entirety with almost no unscrupulous edits whatsoever?

[littlefuzzy]

Have you ever noticed how some movies are often unscrupulously edited to fit within a fixed range and for content, instead of just going 100%? Why do they do that? To me, that's like editing the story of Red Riding Hood, by saying, "Once upon a time, there was a little girl in a red hood and a wolf ate her up. The end." Why do they that? And more importantly, what can one do to see the movie in question in its entirety with almost no unscrupulous edits whatsoever?

Buy the DVD...

[Big Disney Fan]

Have you ever noticed how some movies are often unscrupulously edited to fit within a fixed range and for content, instead of just going 100%? Why do they do that? To me, that's like editing the story of Red Riding Hood, by saying, "Once upon a time, there was a little girl in a red hood and a wolf ate her up. The end." Why do they that? And more importantly, what can one do to see the movie in question in its entirety with almost no unscrupulous edits whatsoever?

Buy the DVD...

What good would that do? Is that the only way? Even if it was, what good would that do?

[Cordy_Biddle]

I hardly watch TV anymore (thanks to my well-stocked DVD collection), but I agree with your argument.

In some movies, even the end credits are speeded-up so the movie will fit into the time allocated. I wonder what the filmmakers think of this (or whether they're just happy collecting royalty cheques).

[Big Disney Fan]

I hardly watch TV anymore (thanks to my well-stocked DVD collection), but I agree with your argument.

In some movies, even the end credits are speeded-up so the movie will fit into the time allocated. I wonder what the filmmakers think of this (or whether they're just happy collecting royalty cheques).

Yeah, that's another thing that bothers me, too. Sometimes the credit sequences are good, but do the TV moguls care? No. All they care about is money.

I've got it: what if we all somehow boycotted the shows and practically starved the studios into bankruptcy?

[Flanger-Hanger]

Three Words: Turner Classic Movies.

[Escapay]

Three Words: Turner Classic Movies.

Five Words: I Love Turner Classic Movies.

I've got it: what if we all somehow boycotted the shows and practically starved the studios into bankruptcy?

The writers strike may do that for us if it goes on long enough.

Scapsta

[Big Disney Fan]

Three Words: Turner Classic Movies.

Not everyone has TCM. Did you ever think of that?

I've got it: what if we all somehow boycotted the shows and practically starved the studios into bankruptcy?

The writers strike may do that for us if it goes on long enough.

Scapsta

Yet I can't imagine the studios all ceasing to exist due to the strike.

[Lazario]

Not everyone has TCM.

Don't rub it in. We just got a new updated freakin' Comcast package... And we still don't get Turner Classic Movies.


Most people who are serious about movies don't watch network broadcasts of them. I feel two ways about this.

One is- it's pretty much a free way to check out movies to see if they're worth buying. And I watch these movies sometimes and I only get upset when I flip through the channels and see a movie that I've seen and they cut out literally half of almost every scene. Basic Instinct is a good example. They cut out 2 minute scenes a piece just because 1 character would go on a swearing tyrade. Then, they'd cut out one long, continuous shot because a character swore. Then, they cut out more than 50% of the club dancing scene because the first part shows a couple of people doing cocaine. They didn't even cut it because of the drugs it showed, they cut it because it implied more than it showed. They flipped their wigs and said, "we have to cut implications too!" Movies are about 73% implications!

Two is- for some reason, the more censoring channels get more viewership. So, all new channels (Oxygen and Logo come to mind) think they can get more viewership if they censor their content as well. A lot of good content is now made crap - movies and TV - just because of the "protect our children from naughty words" lobby. Why would kids watch most of the pretentious stuff on a channel like Bravo anyway? Before their switch to "reality" based television programming, did anyone under the age of 17 ever watch that channel... at all? TV channels with mature content shouldn't treat their viewers like idiots just because the execs and that FCC (???) board think kids are stupid.

[Big Disney Fan]

You know another thing I hate about movies being broadcast on TV? The stations are notorious for sometimes putting in commercial breaks in the most awkward places.

But anyway, you never did answer my question about what DVDs have that TV does not. Can anyone answer me that question, please?

[DaveWadding]

But anyway, you never did answer my question about what DVDs have that TV does not. Can anyone answer me that question, please?

Well lets see...

No commercials
OAR
stop whenever you want
restored versions usually
uncensored

anyone else?

[Luke]

But anyway, you never did answer my question about what DVDs have that TV does not. Can anyone answer me that question, please?

Higher resolution, 5.1 channel sound, bonus features. As notable are some things that DVDs don't have: cuts, compromised framing, commercial breaks, and on-screen network bugs. Of course, it's annoying when TV airings have scenes not in the theatrical cut that aren't even presented as deleted scenes on DVD.

Have to echo everyone's praise for TCM -- it's great to see care given to movies somewhere on basic cable.

[Lazario]

The stations are notorious for sometimes putting in commercial breaks in the most awkward places.

Oh, there's nothing redeeming about TV stations showing movies. We have all the patience. And even those people boiling underneath are still far more grateful than the people showing these Chop Job versions of movies.

[blackcauldron85]

Of course, it's annoying when TV airings have scenes not in the theatrical cut that aren't even presented as deleted scenes on DVD.

I don't really know what you mean. Where would these scenes come from if they're not a part of the film and they're not bonus features?

[Lazario]

I don't really know what you mean. Where would these scenes come from if they're not a part of the film and they're not bonus features?

Original television broadcasts of each movie. A lot of movies, if not most, broadcast on censorship-friendly TV channels are not VHS / DVD versions of these movies. They're actually sort of passed down from each one broadcast network to another. They don't see any need of changing the movie or getting another copy when they have one that already has all the approved cuts.

The scenes themselves come from the actual filmming of each movie. In some cases, film crews actually came back to production after wrapping just to re-shoot scenes for the TV version. One famous example is John Carpenter's immortal Halloween (1978). They actually shot 3 or 4 completely new scenes just for the 1979/1980 TV version that were never shown in theaters or on VHS.

I imagine the people who would give each movie to the people who put TV versions of already-made movies together have full access to the movies and all the extra footage, so they put in scenes the directors take out. I think the studios have rights to all the footage, so they just pass it on to the TV people because of the money they make. The TV people then just do whatever they want with all the footage.

[Escapay]

Of course, it's annoying when TV airings have scenes not in the theatrical cut that aren't even presented as deleted scenes on DVD.

I don't really know what you mean. Where would these scenes come from if they're not a part of the film and they're not bonus features?

There are several films which exist as the "theatrical" version and the "television" version, where footage is added to the television airings. It's either as a way to pad out the film and make it an "event" (Superman: The Movie used to take two nights to air in the early 80s, as did Far and Away in the mid 90s - both added about 45 minutes of deleted footage), or to fill in time that was removed due to its content (Halloween's TV version added newly filmed scenes to replace some violent ones. ETA: looks like Laz beat me to it!)

Movies off the top of my head that I know have footage added for its television airings. Most of them have the added footage available on the DVD (either as a supplement or as part of an extended/director's edition)

The Godfather Saga - a massive undertaking, all three films and all their deleted footage are re-edited into one chronological film.
Saturday Night Fever - the television version was also re-released in theatres to reach a broader audience
Superman: The Movie
Halloween
Star Trek: The Motion Picture - up until 2001, the extended TV version was the only one available on home video
Superman II
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Dune - David Lynch hated the TV cut that he disowned it and it's famously credited as "Directed by Alan Smithee, written by Judas Booth"
Sixteen Candles
The Breakfast Club
Legend
Far and Away
Waterworld - improves the film's narrative and enhances several character motivations...but it's still a Fishtar.

Scaps

[Big Disney Fan]

OAR

What does that mean, anyway?

There are several films which exist as the "theatrical" version and the "television" version, where footage is added to the television airings. It's either as a way to pad out the film and make it an "event" (Superman: The Movie used to take two nights to air in the early 80s, as did Far and Away in the mid 90s - both added about 45 minutes of deleted footage), or to fill in time that was removed due to its content (Halloween's TV version added newly filmed scenes to replace some violent ones. ETA: looks like Laz beat me to it!)

Movies off the top of my head that I know have footage added for its television airings. Most of them have the added footage available on the DVD (either as a supplement or as part of an extended/director's edition)

The Godfather Saga - a massive undertaking, all three films and all their deleted footage are re-edited into one chronological film.
Saturday Night Fever - the television version was also re-released in theatres to reach a broader audience
Superman: The Movie
Halloween
Star Trek: The Motion Picture - up until 2001, the extended TV version was the only one available on home video
Superman II
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Dune - David Lynch hated the TV cut that he disowned it and it's famously credited as "Directed by Alan Smithee, written by Judas Booth"
Sixteen Candles
The Breakfast Club
Legend
Far and Away
Waterworld - improves the film's narrative and enhances several character motivations...but it's still a Fishtar.

Scaps

And don't forget "Who Framed Roger Rabbit". Believe it or not, some TV airings of this movie include the infamous "pig-head" scene not seen in the actual movie (on the DVD, it's available as a standalone bonus feature).

[TheSequelOfDisney]

OAR

What does that mean, anyway?

Original Aspect Ratio

[blackcauldron85]

Thanks, Laz & Scaps! I'm still kind of confused- I've just never ever heard of anything like that before. I've seen "Sixteen Candles" and "The Breakfast Club" on TV only- so, if I bought the DVDs of these films, they would be missing some footage that I saw on TV, but they would include footage that I haven't seen?

[Flanger-Hanger]

Thanks, Laz & Scaps! I'm still kind of confused- I've just never ever heard of anything like that before. I've seen "Sixteen Candles" and "The Breakfast Club" on TV only- so, if I bought the DVDs of these films, they would be missing some footage that I saw on TV, but they would include footage that I haven't seen?

The Breakfast Club DVD doesn't have the extended sneaking around the halls scene that the TV version has. Instead it's the original pot smoking scene.