Discuss all things Ghostbusters here, unless they would be better suited in one of the few forums below.
#4841188
Put me down for one of those when someone offers it. I loved the ABC broadcast version (as you can tell by my signature quote below) but haven't seen it in many years.

Actually, considering the TV version was Pan & Scan instead of widescreen, what would really be awesome is if someone with some great editing software could digiitize the alternate lines and other edits, cut and paste them into the widescreen shots to extend the frames back out, and cut it together with better picture quality.

(Sort of like what some enterprising Star Wars fans did with the 'human Jabba' footage, which they pasted over the digital slug Jabba to show what the on-set footage would have looked like in widescreen. )

Another problem with the ABC broadcast version of Ghostbusters is that they sped the film up slightly, what's known as time-compressing, which makes the voices seem a little chirpy. They do this to fit in more commercials, I suppose. It would make it a little harder to do that combined edit I was dreaming of above, but surely there's ways around that.

Here's a small 400x300 version of the video as hosted on SpookCentral.

http://www.theraffon.net/~spookcentral/ ... 9-1989.htm

And if you want to see just the alternate shots, check the bottom of this page. Each is paired with its regular version for comparison.

http://www.theraffon.net/~spookcentral/gb1_deleted.htm

Alex
NSGhostbusters liked this
#4841200
I think I might actually still have a recorded VHS copy from ABC in the late 80's. Looks like I'll be digging in my attic tonight. :) Coincidentally enough, I actually also have a VHS to DVD converter coming from Amazon too. :)
Alex Newborn liked this
#4841218
Yeah, if I can find this thing, we recorded it in either '88 or '89. I do recall a lot of the swearing being edited out as well as Ray's ghost lovemaking scene. I saw that in the DVD and was like "Where did this come from? I don't remember it!"
Personally, I show the unedited version to my kids (5, 4, and 2) without hesitation because what you see in the movie isn't anything you wouldn't see on basic cable anymore.

Just out of curiosity, and I'm really not trying to start a parenting war, what is it you don't want your kids seeing?
wkbarkov, Smeghead liked this
#4841227
I want a DVD of this as well, WITH the commercials intact. It's a nostalgia thing for me more than anything. For the longest time, the only copy of this I had was a VHS recording of the ABC broadcast. For me it was like a time capsule to watch this with the commercials and the family friendly dialogue. Eventually, VCR gave way to DVD and bluray players and I got an official unedited copy of the movie in both of those formats, but I'd love to watch the TV edit again. I still have the VHS tape, but it's worn out real bad, various areas don't play very well anymore, and my VCR has got to the point where sometimes it likes to eat tapes and I don't want to take the chance of destroying what's left of my old tape by putting it in there.
TK5759 liked this
#4841228
TK5759 wrote:Just out of curiosity, and I'm really not trying to start a parenting war, what is it you don't want your kids seeing?
I let the cursing slip by, and just remind my kids they can't say any of that. But when the ghost blowjob comes on screen, I cover their faces. I really don't want to explain to them what's happening there.
TK5759 liked this
#4841236
I saw that scene as a tiny kid, never once asked what was happening, never knew til later in life. Kids often don't know some things are obscene unless there are pointed out.
seekandannoy liked this
#4841262
If I find my copy and it's still playable, I'll sell them at cost of the DVD plus shipping for my time as a service to the community. :)
There won't be any fancy editing however. It'll be grainy and the lovely 1980's commercials *ahem, Toyota Tercel, ahem* will still be in it. I'm talking a straight, raw transfer.
DrGrim, Glenn Frederick liked this
#4841263
Rodimus wrote:Can you define what is tame and needs to be censored bout Ghostbusters? There's no foul language in it? I'm just curious?
I have to wonder if your only copy IS the ABC-TV version if you don't think there's any bad language in it. Why exactly did you think it got the PG rating?

As for what needs to be censored... how about all of the things that Reitman knew wouldn't be broadcast-friendly and replaced with alternate takes for the ABC version?

For the complete list of what all they took out, watch the comparison videos at the bottom of this page:

http://www.theraffon.net/~spookcentral/gb1_deleted.htm

I actually thought this was one of the best family-friendly versions of a movie ever done. Far better than all the ones where they had some guy come in and loop different words over the same footage. (I always wondered why they weren't protecting lip-readers too.)

[Fun fact... one of Dave Coulier's early gigs as a voice artist was looping Richard Pryor's movies for regular TV. He said in an interview with former RGB costar Arsenio Hall that even though it was flattering to be hired as the best sound-alike, he was sure audiences didn't think it was really Richard saying "Shoot! Those doggone guys just ran right past us!" et al.]

Since Reitman wasn't sure what rating GB1 would ultimately take, they had shot scenes numerous ways. He always felt it would benefit from not being particularly vulgar. Go back and look at Stripes and Caddyshack with their gratuitous nudity, and you can see they really did make a conscious effort to be more clean.

Those unused 'clean' takes were a marvelous resource when taking out the few swear words that wouldn't work on regular TV.

Alex
#4841265
TK5759 wrote:If I find my copy and it's still playable, I'll sell them at cost of the DVD plus shipping for my time as a service to the community. :)
There won't be any fancy editing however. It'll be grainy and the lovely 1980's commercials *ahem, Toyota Tercel, ahem* will still be in it. I'm talking a straight, raw transfer.
It'd be disappointing if the commercials weren't in it. I'm interested in getting a DVD off of you if you do this.
#4841268
montclaire wrote:Not thrilled with the ghost BJ scene or the dickless comment, not for a young child anyway. If you can transfer the VHS to DVD let me know and we will work something out. Tks
DrGrim wrote:
TK5759 wrote:Just out of curiosity, and I'm really not trying to start a parenting war, what is it you don't want your kids seeing?
I let the cursing slip by, and just remind my kids they can't say any of that. But when the ghost blowjob comes on screen, I cover their faces. I really don't want to explain to them what's happening there.
As progressive as this sounds, there really isn't a wrong answer here. I've realized, after 5 years of being a dad, that true parenting is simply instilling your beliefs in your child and raising them to be good people. :cool:
#4841269
DrGrim wrote:
TK5759 wrote:If I find my copy and it's still playable, I'll sell them at cost of the DVD plus shipping for my time as a service to the community. :)
There won't be any fancy editing however. It'll be grainy and the lovely 1980's commercials *ahem, Toyota Tercel, ahem* will still be in it. I'm talking a straight, raw transfer.
It'd be disappointing if the commercials weren't in it. I'm interested in getting a DVD off of you if you do this.
Well, give me a little time. Working two jobs and raising three kids while planning to go back to school full time doesn't leave a whole lot of free time.
#4841291
I remember going to the movies and seeing GB1 when I was 5. It is the first movie I remember seeing in the theaters. The only thing that got to me was the Ghost in the library. I am planing on showing this to my three boys on a family movie night. We are going to have twinkies and hotdogs. I was thinking chinese food, but not sure they would eat it. My oldest son is from my wifes first marriage and his father shows him everything, no filter at all. He had already seen zombieland when he was 5. His dad told him they were the ketchup people. My other boys are 5 and 7 years old and I try to keep thinks a little more kid friendly. So I understand wanting to show the edit version or showing the non edited verison. My wife has some editing software, she took some classes for her degree, maybe once you sale it I can get a copy to have her play with it.
#4841326
Kids grow up soon enough, I don't see any reason to rush it. They learn enough from their friends to keep you busy. I think the hardest part is trying to explain adult concepts to them in a way that they will understand on their own age level, and in a way that they are ok with it.
#4841375
I tested the transfer equipment today and it works beautifully! Now I just need to find my copy of Ghostbusters. I probably won't have time to really dig for it until at least this weekend though so keep the fingers crossed! :)
Alex Newborn liked this
#4841378
I actually had to remind my friend (who has young twins) that even though Ghostbusters was rated PG... it should actually be PG-13. When it was rated, PG 13 wasn't a thing yet.

If that TV friendly version offer is going to happen, I'll let him know :D
#4841388
True... two other 198 films helped usher in the "in between PG and R" rating. And both the notorious films were made by Spielberg.

Gremlins, which he produced, and Temple of Doom, which he directed, were both considered too bloody for young viewers.

Ghostbusters is short on blood, though, so not sure exactly how many swear words or sexual innuendoes are required for a PG-13 rating.

Alex
#4841389
DrGrim wrote:I want a DVD of this as well, WITH the commercials intact. It's a nostalgia thing for me more than anything. For the longest time, the only copy of this I had was a VHS recording of the ABC broadcast. For me it was like a time capsule to watch this with the commercials and the family friendly dialogue. Eventually, VCR gave way to DVD and bluray players and I got an official unedited copy of the movie in both of those formats, but I'd love to watch the TV edit again. I still have the VHS tape, but it's worn out real bad, various areas don't play very well anymore, and my VCR has got to the point where sometimes it likes to eat tapes and I don't want to take the chance of destroying what's left of my old tape by putting it in there.

I just re-read this and I honestly don't know if my copy's any better. I watched this movie pretty religiously before DVD and Blu-Ray. :)
#4841944
Really?? Ghostbusters maybe had 1 or 2 bad words, and any of the other "Adult Humor" would go right over a child's head. My daughters watched it in school last Halloween and they were in 2nd and 3rd grade, so you know if a school shows it, you really don't need a "TV Edited" version. Best of luck finding one though.
twmedford23 liked this

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