Extended cuts of films on television

I know this was popular back in the 70's and 80's to expand the length of a film for its broadcast premier so that you could...

- stretch it to 2 nights with King Kong
- restore a decent running time after the removal of violence with The Road Warrior

I know they also did this with films like Superman and On Her Majestie's Secret Service.

ABC did this a lot. I know I have seen many "ABC" cuts listed in trade lists over the years.

What other films are you aware of that this practice was utilized? And in your opinion did this make for a better viewing experience?

 

Not sure if this is what you're talking about, but I remember a lot of movies that had extra scenes in the TV versions that aren't on the theatrical or home video versions. Fast Times at Ridgemont High, The Jerk, and Plains, Trains, & Automobiles come to mind

One of the craziest TV versions I've ever seen is Cheech & Chong's Next Movie. They added a whole plotline about aliens that wasn't in the theatrical cut.

 

Close Encounters of the Third Kind was also famous for this...

Shalom, y'all!

L. Bangs

Late Edit - I checked imdb, and it claims the television version was simply the film with all the scenes from the original and the special edition combined. I'm not sure if that is all it was, but there we go...

 

There were a lot with added scenes. Naked Gun 2 had some as well. I'm thinking of more extensive additions or alterations. C&C Next Movie is a good example.

 

Many Universal films, including Problem Child 1 & 2.

Universal seemed to be the undisputed kings of extended cuts of films on television.

 

I forgot about that one.

 

I saw Aliens with the sentry gun scenes on TV, I believe that was back in the early 90s.

 

"Earthquake" had several new scenes that were shot and edited in, with actors in roles not in the original movie, when it was shown on ABC in the late 70's.

 

Star Trek 2: Wrath of Khan had some additional footage on TV not on theatrical cut. Eventually, footage was used in the director's cut.

 

They did eventually release that version as a Director's Cut on laserdisc. I remember making a copy on VHS so that I could show my friend. It also had the scenes of the settlers finding the derilect ship.

 

This thread sent me down the rabbit hole investigating the fabled (and probably absolutely false) alternate ending to Big some claim they caught on television.

Crazy, man, crazy...

Shalom, y'all!

L. Bangs

 

Never heard of this. What was it?

 

The Godfather: A Novel for Television is almost a crazy special case.

Shalom, y'all!

L. Bangs

 

Some people claim there is an ending where Josh (the main character) is sitting in class and a new girl is introduced. That girl is Susan, who has gone back to the fair and turned into a girl.

It is almost certainly this ending to another film people are confusing and conflating with Big.

Shalom, y'all!

L. Bangs

 

I just remembered Halloween. The television version was the first I watched. It has lots of alternate footage, but also quite a few added scenes.

Shalom, y'all!

L. Bangs

 

Some that haven't been mentioned:
The Goonies
Gremlins
Mallrats
The Brady Bunch Movie
The Breakfast Club
Weird Science
1941
Repo Man
The Naked Gun: From The Files of Police Squad
Pulp Fiction

 

Waterworld

 

I'd give anything to have legitimate copies of the first three Christopher Reeve era Superman movies in their longest possible extended television cuts, though I know that Richard Donner (or should that be Michael Thau?) voted against this back in 2001, which is why the first movie was instead issued in a new "Special Edition" with only a few of its possible extra sections restored. As for the sequels, II was padded out with mostly filler so isn't really as essential to have, most of the best material available as deleted scenes already. However, III is rather controversial since there are two sequences in particular that I can imagine someone at Warners deciding to keep locked away for good reason: someone actually dies as a result of a power cut that occurs while they are undergoing brain surgery, and the other implies that the Man of Steel spent the night with a human - still less controversial than him killing someone more recently, in my opinion. On the other hand, that television version of II would be quite important to have just so future generations can finally see that General Zod and his fellow Kryptonians didn't perish in the Fortress of Solitude, but were rather placed in the custody of the Arctic Police. Also, the fact Superman then went and destroyed his base of operations - in a shot with unfinished visual effects when it was originally broadcast, no less! - would open up plot holes with Returns, which claimed to carry on the original continuity where this appears unaffected by his previous actions. Similarly, it showed up in Superman IV as well, though I'd rather not discuss that film in its current butchered form... with the complete soundtrack now available, is there any reason the highly anticipated Metro Club segments can't be released? My understanding is that all of that footage exists in the vault and could not be included before due to licensing issues. Even a silent copy would be enough for more dedicated enthusiasts to produce their own complete fan edit, since this is the only major portion believed to be presently out of our reach.

 

Anybody know specifically what the extra material was from Wrath of Khan? I'd be curious to know, since (come to think of it), the last time I saw it on cable, it did seem longer that I'd remembered from he last time if seen it (probably some 10 years before).

 

"Midway" on tv was extended by 33 minutes to include another character and footage of the Battle of the the Coral Sea

 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084726/alternateversions

 

Star Trek: The Motion Picture also had additional footage for TV that was later released on video.

 

Airplane! had some extra scenes - there was a water cooler gag at the airport where Kramer and McCroskey use cup after cup as they discuss the plight of the plane. There were also more scenes with the juvenile couple "I like my coffee black...". I don't think believe most (if any) have been released on home video.

Here's the 'tubes link:

Mark

 

I never tire of this movie. Did the Long Haul DVD version of this have the extra scenes in it mixed with interviews?

 

Fast Times at Ridgemont High.......I freaking wish they would release this film in both versions.