Flubs and Bloopers

Has anyone put together a complete list of the episodes that had bloopers removed when they were transferred to DVD?

I'd really like to get those eps on VHS and burn'em to DVD - 

You might want to do a search for posts by Selby_D_Pearson (on either the Current Talk or Calendar/Announcements boards from 2003).  As the DVDs were being released initially, he would post scene-by-scene comparisons of what parts of the videos had been excised from the DVDs.  However, nobody has posted a complete list of all the deleted bits from each of the DVDs in one single thread.

ProfStokes

Thanks, ProfStokes, I'm gonna check into that -

Using my best calculations, the original series run will end with a 2-disc set to close out the shows from 1971.  I'm hoping that MPI will use the other two disc slots for make-up discs that will contain unedited versions of the episodes that had bloopers and glitches edited out for DVD.  Two discs would be enough for 20 episodes.  That should be enough to cover all of the "lost" episode footage.  I don't care if they have to splice in missing footage from the VHS tapes, as long as the FULL episode is included intact.  Of course, the ideal would be to re-issue the DVD discs that contained the edited episodes, but I won't hold my breath for that.

BTW, has anyone heard definite plans for releasing the "Collector's Series" on DVD?

Hello Katsfan,

I haven't heard anything about the Collector's Series being released yet. I hope that they don't decide against releasing them. I haven't seen many of the pre-Barnabas shows yet, I saw a couple of the Laura returns shows thought and am eagerly awaiting the DVDs of the first shows.

I was also thinking how glad I am that MPI didn't release the original show in the cropped widescreen like the 1991 version was. I don't know why they thought editing out anything that would be considered a blooper was a good idea, but at least they didn't think people would want a fake widescreen release.

Misa

i'm confused about this.

at the begining of each dvd there is a disclaimer saying something along the lines of their being unable to fix the glitches in the episodes without editing them and that mpi has decided to air them unedited.what is being edited out?

If it says they're being released unedited, then nothing is being edited out.  All the glitches, gaffs and goofs should be there....

at the begining of each dvd there is a disclaimer saying something along the lines of their being unable to fix the glitches in the episodes without editing them and that mpi has decided to air them unedited.what is being edited out?

As the first five or so sets of DVDs were released, people began to notice tiny bits missing from the supposedly unedited episodes.  These were mainly minor technical gaffes like the camera spinning wildly, or incongruous sounds (I believe Grayson Hall's off-stage coughing was dubbed out of one scene.)  The most flagrant example came during the infamous appearance of Bathia Mapes when the director should be heard calling a cue to the actress from off-stage; on the DVD, I understand that the sound of a thunderclap was used to dub over the prompt.  There was a lot of debate about the worth of these cuts, as you can see if you search through some of the older posts: some people grumbled that the edits damaged the integrity of the original broadcast, not to mention the "complete and uncut" advertising, while others argued that tweaking the episodes made them look more professional and more acceptable to a mainstream modern audience. 

What had happened was that the early DVDs were being made from some 1980s-era tapes of the show that were aired on public television. (Supposedly, these tapes offered a clearer picture than the 1960s-70s originals.)   Whoever was in charge of those broadcasts had taken it upon him or herself to edit out certain "mistakes", either not understanding that the bloopers were supposed to be part of the show, or deliberately trying to spruce up the episodes.  Eventually, MPI took note of the problem, a representative posted an explanation/apology on the board, and every DVD release from that point on has been made from the original, uncut, flubbed footage.

ProfStokes

ProfS-- Thanks very much.  I'm so glad that you settled this whole thing, and that this thread didn't once again leave a great big frustrating question mark on this problem.    Now that I hear all this, it strikes me that I want very much to have both versions available.    I want things absolutely as they were originally, AND I want to have the things, like blown lines, that interfere with disbelief-suspension done away with.