View Full Version : TV shows edited on DVD
The German
03-04-2004, 13:55
The attached thread form 'Home Theater' Forum' is a very worrying look at TV episodes edited on DVD. This appears very common with American companies issueing TV edited versions. In the UK the BBC cut episodes for music copywrite reasons, Filthy, Rich & Catflap. What's the point of paying money to buy a programe taped for free off TV when it's cut?
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htforum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=190978
thescrounger
03-04-2004, 16:07
As you say, bits often cut for copyright reasons. Only happens with older shows though. Newer shows get DVD clearances built in from the outset.
ryonhilluk
03-04-2004, 17:18
The TV DVD's i get are fine, it only seems to be older series that are affected.
Originally posted by thescrounger
As you say, bits often cut for copyright reasons. Only happens with older shows though. Newer shows get DVD clearances built in from the outset.
Would you like you substantiate this with any evidence? Age of shows has nothing whatsoever to do with it. It's all to do with how the original legal contracts were worked out and whether they are applicable to TV broadcasts only, or pre-recorded formats too. To buy copyright clearance for perpetuity on any format has prohibitive costs for any show.
thescrounger
03-04-2004, 17:24
Originally posted by Adamant
Would you like you substantiate this with any evidence? Age of shows has nothing whatsoever to do with it. It's all to do with how the original legal contracts were worked out and whether they are applicable to TV broadcasts only, or pre-recorded formats too. To buy copyright clearance for perpetuity on any format has prohibitive costs for any show.
Yup, and all those rights are bought out for shows these days, makes sense dunnit? Give me evidence of a TV show made in the last 5 years that couldn't get full clearance for a DVD release and had to be cut.
Age has to do with it because 20-30 years ago home video distribution rights didn't exist, which is why these clearances often apply to older shows. :wave:
Well, you said it didn't happen to newer shows.
I'll name some modern shows off the top of my head without looking at my shelf that have been cut or edited.
Bob and Rose
The Second Coming
CSI season 1
Queer as Folk
thescrounger
03-04-2004, 17:28
What was cut from them? To be fair, those are all UK TV releases. Obviously their budget is restricted.
The original post was refering to American TV shows.
Roswell is one recent show that springs to mind as having had major cuts/re-edits of the music due to rights issues.
thescrounger
03-04-2004, 17:31
Ok so some slip thorugh the net, but generally it's a given these days that these things get clearances for video/DVD distribution from the get go.
Originally posted by thescrounger
Ok so some slip thorugh the net, but generally it's a given these days that these things get clearances for video/DVD distribution from the get go.
How many straws does that make? :lol:
thescrounger
03-04-2004, 17:49
:lol:
I think the point is, basically is what i was saying is, say for example Miami Vice which was made featuring a truck load of expensive to clear popular music, you can't tell me that if Miami Vice was being made today that the DVD/Video clearance costs would not be taken into consideration from the outset. Of course they would.
ALL dvd releases (whatever the region) of "Dawson's Creek" (complete seasons 1 & 2 so far) have had a LOT of music replaced due to rights issues.
Full seasons of "Ally Mcbeal" may never get to region 1 dvd for some bizarre music rights reason that only seems to affect the US. Strangely the WHOLE series (5 seasons) has been released in regions 2 and 4.
Yes, Richie, that is yet another intricacy of music rights. What is cleared in one country isn't necessarily cleared in another.
There was an amusing case with Dr Who - Remembrance of the Daleks. It had to have a Beatles song replaced on the UK R2 DVD with a cover version. Then when it came to releasing the R4 and R1 versions, they couldn't even clear the replacement, so they had to replace the replacement.
Originally posted by Richie
ALL dvd releases (whatever the region) of "Dawson's Creek" (complete seasons 1 & 2 so far) have had a LOT of music replaced due to rights issues.
...
This is true and in this case the music was often crucial to the narrative of each episode. They're not the same now with the music stripped.
Of course "The Wonder Years" may never get a DVD issue due to licensing costs and if it did much of the 'magic' would be lost without the music - which had been specifically chosen (with occasional genius) for the scenes in question. The 'popular music' of the time evokes the time period so well and so succintly without dialogue too.
Mike.
DeadKenny
03-04-2004, 21:02
The licencing issues come down to TV stations, like radio, having the rights to broadcast a lot of copyright material on the basis of the old theory that it's a one off and no one's going to keep them. This was set in stone before video and tape recorders became popular.
When it comes to DVDs, the rights are very different.
Strangely it's been less of an issue with VHS. For example, the VHS version of The Young Ones, has everything intact, but the DVD is heavily cut, not just by replacing music but excising a complete scene with Jools Holland :mad:. Maybe it's to do with a more global market with DVD :searchme:
P.S. Miami Vice is struggling to get onto DVD because of the large content of copyrighted music that's just too expensive to clear for DVD.
Captain Gorgeous
03-04-2004, 21:34
The Wrong Trousers has been butchered music wise on R2. Wallace and Gromit will never be the same again
pompeyfan
03-04-2004, 21:43
If you read the thread linked to, it's not just cuts for rights, but cuts due to the DVD producers using the wrong recordings for the masters as some shows are cut for time (or other reasons) on re-runs.
Originally posted by Adamant
Queer as Folk
I thought some of the music was replaced rather than the programme actually being cut or edited.
Same happened with Phoenix Nights IIRC.
As for newer programmes that have been cut, how about I'm Alan Partridge? Also, don't know about the DVD release (though suspect it's the same) the Ab Fab Last Shout VHS has the whole PP Arnold scene cut.
The German
04-04-2004, 12:09
I can understand older series having music cuts, although I don't approve, but the originial thread refers to series where the DVD uses the edited for time syndicated version and this is inexcusable. Examples include series 3 & 4 of Little House on the Praire and Series 1 Lost in Space and Soap. These are new releases.
Malcolm In The Middle Season 1 got released ages ago.
Malcolm In The Middle Season 2 DVD was planned and ready to roll, but apparently they cannot obtain rights to use the music in Season 2 on a DVD release, so it is on hold indefinitely.
Additionally ER on DVD doesn't have the "Previously on ER" introductions to each episode.
Floop
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