Where can I get a TV edit of Ghostbusters on DVD ?

Ghostbusters Discussion General Ghostbusters Discussion
1

Any idea where I can get a TV style edit of Ghostbusters on DVD? Looking for a semi-clean version for younger kids, something similar to what would have aired on TV before cable started showing films uncensored. Thanks

2

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/stuff/gb1_1-29-1989.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

1 Like
3

I’m not really worried about crystal clear picture/sound quality, I just want something a little more tame that my daughter can enjoy until she’s old enough for the full version.

4

I, too, would love to find a family-friendly edit. My entire family could be involved, instead of just myself.

5

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. :slight_smile: Coincidentally enough, I actually also have a VHS to DVD converter coming from Amazon too. :slight_smile:

6

Sweet! Keep us posted.

Alex

7

Looks like there is a low-res version available through Spook Central. It was even discussed here:

http://www.gbfans.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=27829

Hopefully a “newer” conversion could be better.

8

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?

9

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.

10

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.

11

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.

12

My oldest is about to be 12 though. So she’s not a tiny kid.

13

Can you define what is tame and needs to be censored bout Ghostbusters? There’s no foul language in it? I’m just curious?

14

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

15

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. :slight_smile:

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.

16

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

17

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.

18

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:

19

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.

20

I saw Gb1 when I was 4 or 5. We owned it on vhs. Maybe I was a bit nieve but I never questioned the ghost bit scene or any other so called gratuitous scene. Hell I don’t even ever seeing a censored version of Ghostbusters.