12 replies to this topic

[George White]

Apparently, in 1976, ABC had acquired the rights to the film, had no idea what to do with it due to the obscurity of Lazenby and recut it into two 90 minute (including ads) chunks as a miniseries with some narration by Alexander Scourby with a dreadful Connery/Lazenby accent, billed as starring Telly Savalas and Dianna Rigg (sic) and recut the film so that the ski-chase and "Do you know how Christmas Trees" were at the beginning!

http://www.dailymoti...-the_shortfilms

http://shatterhand00...tedVersion.html

http://www.mi6-hq.co...mss_abc_tv.php3

Edited by George White, 01 March 2015 - 06:10 PM.

[Admiral Messervey]

Apparently, in 1976, ABC had acquired the rights to the film, had no idea what to do with it due to the obscurity of Lazenby and recut it into two 90 minute (including ads) chunks as a miniseries with some narration by Alexander Scourby with a dreadful Connery/Lazenby accent, billed as starring Telly Savalas and Dianna Rigg (sic) and recut the film so that the ski-chase and "Do you know how Christmas Trees" were at the beginning!

http://www.dailymoti...-the_shortfilms

http://shatterhand00...tedVersion.html

http://www.mi6-hq.co...mss_abc_tv.php3

 

Bluegh! This is just as horrible as what they did with Monty Python's Flying Circus with the equally bad editing

[AMC Hornet]

Ah, yes.

 

I suppose the ABC boffins found the first half too 'boring' so they inserted scenes from the ski chases and car chase, with Scourby's narration to 'make sense' of the precursors.

 

The second half contained scenes from the first half as a 'recap' before just letting the rest of the film play out.

 

I remember pleading with my father to let me watch both parts, while my sister was pleading to watch a Neil Diamond concert broadcast on the first night. Eventually my sister went over to a friend's house and enjoyed her show in peace.

 

To think - I could have seen a one-night-only Neil Diamond concert instead of this travesty. Still, it makes me one of those who was 'there'.

[Admiral Messervey]

Ah, yes.

 

I suppose the ABC boffins found the first half too 'boring' so they inserted scenes from the ski chases and car chase, with Scourby's narration to 'make sense' of the precursors.

 

The second half contained scenes from the first half as a 'recap' before just letting the rest of the film play out.

 

I remember pleading with my father to let me watch both parts, while my sister was pleading to watch a Neil Diamond concert broadcast on the first night. Eventually my sister went over to a friend's house and enjoyed her show in peace.

 

To think - I could have seen a one-night-only Neil Diamond concert instead of this travesty. Still, it makes me one of those who was 'there'.

You have my condolences

[Bryce (003)]

I have a copy and also remember seeing both parts as a young lad back in '76.

 

What...were...they...thinking?

 

Next to a "Star Wars Christmas", this has to be one of the greatest blunders ever to one of the greatest Bond films ever.

 

I'd really like to meet to genius who came up with this one. Not so much to give him the "blunt instrument" round to the brain, but really just to actually question the logic. What's more, ABC, who had the exclusive rights to broadcast the Bonds in the 60's and 70's on American TV, to actually agreeing to this.

 

I blame disco and coke (not the cola kind).

[AMC Hornet]

"But we improved it!"

[Major Tallon]

I also was among those watching the original broadcast, and I also was mystified by their treatment of the film.  Once ABC made the decision to show it in two parts, they decided that the first half was too slow (and that opinion continues among some fans), and that they'd have to frontload it with action scenes from the second half if they were going to be able to hold their audience for the second night's telecast.  Thus the unforgiveable chop job they did on OHMSS.  I still  have an audio recording of it, though it was shown in the days before video recorders, or I'd have my own copy of this abomination.

[Hockey Mask]

They were correct that the first half was too slow IF you're going to split over two nights. Splitting it was their first mistake.

[Turn]

I saw it too when I was a grade-schooler. I'd seen OHMSS on the big screen on a rerelease two years before and didn't remember all of that going on, but I honestly didn't recall a whole lot about it. What I found weird was it was broadcast on consecutive weeks rather than in one week, so that may have contributed to the decision for the recaps and frontloading some of the action as well.

 

This Saturday, though, will mark the 35th anniversary of an important day in my progression of a Bond fan: a March 7, 1980 broadcast of OHMSS, in the right format, in a 3-hour timeslot on the ABC Friday Night Movie. I loved OHMSS and have counted it among the best Bond films ever after.

 

As a bonus, later that night, I watched Diana Rigg as Mrs. Emma Peel on an episode of The Avengers, which was being run on the CBS network's late night schedule. And I became a lifelong fan of that series as well.

[The*SPY*]

I remember seeing this version but it was not in 1976 but rather sometime around 1980.  I had watched my first Bond movie (LALD) sometime after Moonraker and before FYEO.  I remember being so interested in Bond that I forwent some outside activity with my friends so I could watch OHMSS on a Saturday night and then again on Sunday night.  Some of the history on the other websites say that the version was condensed into one showing but I'm almost sure it was two nights.  Anyhow, I definetaly remember the voice over and remember thinking how "odd" it seemed when I finally saw the original theatric version.

Edited by The*SPY*, 03 March 2015 - 01:56 AM.

[Shaun Forever]

Was there even any official word from Cubby about all this? Surely he would have been absolutely fuming about it?

[FlemingBond]

i think i read he  told them he was displeased.

i was too young to see that at the time. ABC use to make a lot of cuts to the films. They also expanded some of the films they showed and showed them in 2 parts such as Superman in february 1982, but not like what they did to OHMSS

Edited by FlemingBond, 28 March 2015 - 01:48 AM.

[dtuba]

This was the first time I had ever seen OHMSS. Also some time in 1980 I think.  When I saw the proper version some years later, I was mystified - where was the flashback at the beginning? It didn't even register that it wasn't Lazenby doing the voice over.

Edited by dtuba, 28 March 2015 - 02:11 AM.