Did studios began providing alterations for television (dubbed or reshot scenes to remove epithets, put more clothing on a girl, etc.), or were networks left to their own devices?
When I was a kid, the talk of the schoolyard was a television showing of "Goldfinger" with Honor Blackman's character identified as "(silence) Galore". Hard to imagine the Bond people reshooting for American television, but for lower-cost product I can imagine the studios wanting to smooth the way for a quick television sale.
Almost better than THE WAR LOVER is Martin Caidin's book EVERYTHING BUT THE FLAK, which chronicles the story behind the restoration, refurbishing, and flying across the U.S., then the Atlantic, of three B-17's for use in the shooting of the film, a total adventure itself, in which Caidin went along for the ride, and my old stunt pilot friend Don Hackett flew one of the planes, as well as working on the film itself. That story might have made an even better movie.
Say, I hear a rumor that BLogger is actually going to wipe out it's blogs, is Greenbriar in any danger of disappearing?
RICHARD
John replies: The rumor is new to me, but obviously a concern. I Google'd the matter and found this link:
... but it's from November and who knows what may have developed since. I probably should move Greenbriar over to something more secure, but lack tech skills to do so. Anyone got suggestions?
Should Greenbriar go poof, I would probably follow Sherlock Holmes' example, retire to Sussex, and keep bees.
Griff considers movies revised to meet network broadcast standards:
Dear John:
Love Reg Hartt (and I do worry about the plight of the bees), but the only bees we want you to tend are b-movies -- all movies, for that matter. Do not go gentle into that good night. Heck, do not go anywhere.
Donald Benson brings up a good point -- how did Columbia and CBS deal with the problems of broadcasting the today-mild but back-in-the-day-salacious stuff in WAR LOVER? There are at least two scenes in the movie that probably just had to go, per standards of '66. I can't imagine that CBS aired the film without cuts. [I wonder whether Columbia sneaked stuff back into the film for syndication.]
I am reminded for some reason of Frank and Eleanor Perry's dilemma in preparing a TV print for NBC of 1970's DIARY OF A MAD HOUSEWIFE. There was so much immediately broadcast-censorable material, stuff that could never have aired, in the picture, the Perrys had to script and shoot additional "cover" scenes during production in order to make the narrative of a TV version work (and also run long enough for a two-hour NBC time slot). By 1970, Universal gave very specific instructions to its producers, "creative rights" and mature content notwithstanding: a broadcast-acceptable version had to be assembled for possible network sale and eventual syndication. HOUSEWIFE, a critical and commercial success, did eventually receive two network plays on NBC. A few of those additional scenes shot for the TV version were, well, kind of strange, but they had some bite and distinction and had clearly been scripted by Eleanor Perry.
5 Comments:
Did studios began providing alterations for television (dubbed or reshot scenes to remove epithets, put more clothing on a girl, etc.), or were networks left to their own devices?
When I was a kid, the talk of the schoolyard was a television showing of "Goldfinger" with Honor Blackman's character identified as "(silence) Galore". Hard to imagine the Bond people reshooting for American television, but for lower-cost product I can imagine the studios wanting to smooth the way for a quick television sale.
Richard M. Roberts checks in via e-mail:
John,
Almost better than THE WAR LOVER is Martin Caidin's book EVERYTHING BUT THE FLAK, which chronicles the story behind the restoration, refurbishing, and flying across the U.S., then the Atlantic, of three B-17's for use in the shooting of the film, a total adventure itself, in which Caidin went along for the ride, and my old stunt pilot friend Don Hackett flew one of the planes, as well as working on the film itself. That story might have made an even better movie.
Say, I hear a rumor that BLogger is actually going to wipe out it's blogs, is Greenbriar in any danger of disappearing?
RICHARD
John replies: The rumor is new to me, but obviously a concern. I Google'd the matter and found this link:
https://www.digitalinformationworld.com/2018/11/not-closing-blogger-service-comments-google.html
... but it's from November and who knows what may have developed since. I probably should move Greenbriar over to something more secure, but lack tech skills to do so. Anyone got suggestions?
Should Greenbriar go poof, I would probably follow Sherlock Holmes' example, retire to Sussex, and keep bees.
You'd make a fine beekeeper. Lord knows, the bees need keeping. We should all keep bees.
I would surely despair your departure, John.
Griff considers movies revised to meet network broadcast standards:
Dear John:
Love Reg Hartt (and I do worry about the plight of the bees), but the only bees we want you to tend are b-movies -- all movies, for that matter. Do not go gentle into that good night. Heck, do not go anywhere.
Donald Benson brings up a good point -- how did Columbia and CBS deal with the problems of broadcasting the today-mild but back-in-the-day-salacious stuff in WAR LOVER? There are at least two scenes in the movie that probably just had to go, per standards of '66. I can't imagine that CBS aired the film without cuts. [I wonder whether Columbia sneaked stuff back into the film for syndication.]
I am reminded for some reason of Frank and Eleanor Perry's dilemma in preparing a TV print for NBC of 1970's DIARY OF A MAD HOUSEWIFE. There was so much immediately broadcast-censorable material, stuff that could never have aired, in the picture, the Perrys had to script and shoot additional "cover" scenes during production in order to make the narrative of a TV version work (and also run long enough for a two-hour NBC time slot). By 1970, Universal gave very specific instructions to its producers, "creative rights" and mature content notwithstanding: a broadcast-acceptable version had to be assembled for possible network sale and eventual syndication. HOUSEWIFE, a critical and commercial success, did eventually receive two network plays on NBC. A few of those additional scenes shot for the TV version were, well, kind of strange, but they had some bite and distinction and had clearly been scripted by Eleanor Perry.
Regards,
-- Griff
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