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Post by kylerickards on Dec 26, 2018 20:23:09 GMT
Hi
I’ve asked on another forum so apologies for double posting.
Are these two episodes more or less being shown in the state they were found or has lots of restoration been done?
Also, are these the only two episodes from BBC Series 1 that exist plus a small edited section from another episode?
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Post by John Wall on Dec 26, 2018 20:59:22 GMT
Hi I’ve asked on another forum so apologies for double posting. Are these two episodes more or less being shown in the state they were found or has lots of restoration been done? Also, are these the only two episodes from BBC Series 1 that exist plus a small edited section from another episode? They were recovered as B&W prints.
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Post by garygraham on Dec 26, 2018 21:22:23 GMT
Absolutely brilliant. Especially the first one which is up there with the well-known Christmas specials in terms of laughs. Congratulations to everyone involved in making this happen. An absolute miracle really to see them "on video" and in colour.
Bit surprised by the low production values! The studio floor looked to be covered with white cardboard and the studio seemed small. I wonder where they were recorded?
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Post by kylerickards on Dec 26, 2018 21:22:35 GMT
Hi I’ve asked on another forum so apologies for double posting. Are these two episodes more or less being shown in the state they were found or has lots of restoration been done? Also, are these the only two episodes from BBC Series 1 that exist plus a small edited section from another episode? They were recovered as B&W prints. Thank you John
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Post by John Wall on Dec 26, 2018 21:28:30 GMT
They were recovered as B&W prints. Thank you John Don’t thank me! Thank everybody involved - identified after the shows were broadcast.🍺🍺🍺🍺
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Post by martinjwills on Dec 26, 2018 22:01:35 GMT
Hi I’ve asked on another forum so apologies for double posting. Also, are these the only two episodes from BBC Series 1 that exist plus a small edited section from another episode? There is the other episode [2] that has been used for drastic recovery methodology from mush, and a few short sections now exist, the recovery was featured on here and in a BBC technical info, the film has been cut into cubes with a laser.
Articles here
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Post by Marie Griffiths on Dec 26, 2018 22:15:02 GMT
The second episide has important social history too. A lighthearted sketch about the IRA would be impossible just a year later with Bloody Sunday and the troubles. The very sexist attitude towards the dancers who were just playthings would change just a few years later with the womens lib movement. It was in someways refreshing to turn over to the respected Irishwoman Prof Aoife McLysaght and Professor Alice Roberts presenting The Royal Institution Lectures we gave fortunately come a long way.
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Post by cjones on Dec 26, 2018 22:18:34 GMT
Quite. I love Monty Python, but the casual racism on show in some of the later episodes is very grim.
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Post by markhumphries on Dec 26, 2018 22:28:47 GMT
Hi all, The episodes are uncut as far as the film copies are concerned. However, a broadcaster in the past has cut a chunk out of the opening sketch in episode 7 where Eric discusses getting a knighthood. I doubt anyone will notice. There is also a jump cut during the closing credit crawl which proved too tricky to repair. Episode 5 is intact although the print is slightly warped, so not perfectly stable. However, only eagle eyed boffins will be able to spot any issues. Paul How could a broadcaster make a cut if they where audition prints? That could mean a few things. 1. They where returned originally and the BBC sent them out again. 2. They where screened aboard but not paid for. 3. Damaged while being played in the cinema and repaired.
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Post by Paul Vanezis on Dec 26, 2018 22:33:55 GMT
Great colour recovery. I seem to remember Eric as a fisherman as a child so this must have been repeated unless he did the fischerman sketch more than once. Repeated in early 1969 on BBC1... in black and white! Paul
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Post by Paul Vanezis on Dec 26, 2018 22:37:46 GMT
Hi all, The episodes are uncut as far as the film copies are concerned. However, a broadcaster in the past has cut a chunk out of the opening sketch in episode 7 where Eric discusses getting a knighthood. I doubt anyone will notice. There is also a jump cut during the closing credit crawl which proved too tricky to repair. Episode 5 is intact although the print is slightly warped, so not perfectly stable. However, only eagle eyed boffins will be able to spot any issues. Paul How could a broadcaster make a cut if they where audition prints? That could mean a few things. 1. They where returned originally and the BBC sent them out again. 2. They where screened aboard but not paid for. 3. Damaged while being played in the cinema and repaired. Why send a brand new print to audition when you would send out a fresh set on purchase? Or perhaps they didn't expect a high return on a sale to Sierra Leone and just sent what they had on the shelf, or bicycled it on from another country. I think the latter is more likely. Paul
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Post by martinjwills on Dec 26, 2018 22:42:45 GMT
We know that Episode 2 went to Nigeria, and Episodes 5 & 7 Went to Sierra Leone, were the cans from the same batch, ie labels, then the other episodes may have gone to other African locations as audition prints.
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Post by John Wall on Dec 26, 2018 23:06:51 GMT
Seems the 1971 Christmas show was originally 65 minutes but tonight we only got 43 minutes.
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RWels
Member
Posts: 2,861
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Post by RWels on Dec 26, 2018 23:36:02 GMT
How could a broadcaster make a cut if they where audition prints? That could mean a few things. 1. They where returned originally and the BBC sent them out again. 2. They where screened aboard but not paid for. 3. Damaged while being played in the cinema and repaired. Why send a brand new print to audition when you would send out a fresh set on purchase? Or perhaps they didn't expect a high return on a sale to Sierra Leone and just sent what they had on the shelf, or bicycled it on from another country. I think the latter is more likely. Paul Charles Norton, when working on the desintegrated episode, concluded that it had come from Australia.
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Post by mattg on Dec 26, 2018 23:56:26 GMT
Well they were brilliant and a welcome (yet sadly all too rare) respite from the dross typically masquerading as 'quality' festive entertainment these days! Pity the BBC decided to colourise the episodes though. Was this really necessary? Alas though these recoveries have proven my long held doubts to be correct: Sid and Dick really shouldn't have participated in the sketches as they were truly awful. Barely audible, lousy timing and terrible acting just about covers it. Still, yet another big 'thank you' to Phil Morris for these much appreciated returns! (Finally, and aimed at no one in particular, remember it's always prudent to not judge history by unforgiving modern standards... )
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