Home video releases: Versions of episodes

denis rigg · Post by **denis rigg** » Sun Dec 11, 2016 7:35 pm

Today I did the comparisions of DVD Optimum, French DVD-kiosk, and print from A&E for the episode The Danger Makers.

Result:

Optimum edition (unlike A&E version and French kiosk) have little cut, bit of the footage a duration two and a half seconds: Emma Peel writes something in a notebook and she reaches her hand to one of the books of cabinet, when Major Robertson comes into his office.

A&E edition (point on 31:27)
Optimum edition (30:28 )

First shot (after cut) of Optimum footage is as follows:

One of shots of A&E and French Kiosk footage from deleted fragment in Optimum DVD version is as follows:

Possibly that the British and German Blu Ray version has this cut, too.
Please, if anyone have it that to check, I will be glad for your comments.

Brendan Jones · Post by **Brendan Jones** » Sun Jan 01, 2017 12:21 pm

Hi Denis,

I checked the Aussie edition of The Danger Makers as you asked. The shot is identical to the Optimum Edition, but happens at 30:30.

Brendan

denis rigg · Post by **denis rigg** » Sat Jan 07, 2017 4:57 pm

Aha, great thanks, Brendan, this suggests that the most likely all versions of episodes 4 season on Aussie editions are identical to DVD Optimum. Certainly not the fact, but on moment I will stick to this hypothesis.

denis rigg · Post by **denis rigg** » Thu Jun 15, 2017 1:18 pm

Right now I started to compare of prints DVD Optimum, French DVD-kiosk, A&E and Russian from TV for the episode The Bird Who Knew Too Much.

And Oops, immediately discovered a defect on Optimum DVD.

While, storyline after open titles on the Optimum edition is goes in a black screen (with music), other mentioned prints are in good trim!

One of first shots of Optimum DVD footage is as follows (I did the lightening of the frame on an almost black screen):

One of first shots of French print, for example, is as follows (I did the lightening of the frame on an almost black screen, too):

We can see that at Optimum the image appears on screen when Peter Brace completely stepped with his foot to the ground, when on other prints the image appears when it only part comes.

Go back to the comparison and will soon make a report - I hope there will be news about ID some stunt persons.

denis rigg · Post by **denis rigg** » Thu Jun 22, 2017 1:42 pm

I finishing the comparing of prints DVD Optimum, French DVD-kiosk, A&E and Russian from TV for the episode The Bird Who Knew Too Much.

As usual, I will not talk about film defects on the screen (noises, hairs, lines etc) - Optimum DVD version does a good restoration in this area - move on to the topic "editing", which is interesting in this episode.

1. It's nice to notice on Optimum DVD, that footage from scene "Mrs, Peel, we're needed", which, I think, mistakenly played in reverse in all home video releases of episodes before (and probably all TV versions too, which had this scene), now is in right seqence.

One shot from footage:

2. Version of episode shown on Russian TV (this is abridged version about 4 minutes, including the lack of insert "Mrs, Peel, we're needed" - the same print was transmitted in some other countries, including France) contains a mistake in editing.
Very likely some of you have this abridged version recorded from a TV in your country.

So what's wrong? When Emma Peel in Lotus passes a Jordan's car, parked at his house, for a second of time the action interrupts the footage "view of the house of Jordan by the eyes of Robin", which follows soon:

After that the previous action follows, but from the point where Emma is already parking her car near the house.

Other news on the episode will soon be in the topic "Famous Stuntmen on Avengers":

http://avengersfanforum.s2.bizhat.com/v ... rsfanforum

denis rigg · Post by **denis rigg** » Tue Jan 02, 2018 8:18 pm

Right now I comparing of prints DVD Optimum, French DVD-kiosk, A&E and Russian from TV for the episode The Hidden Tiger.

On moment I discovered one difference.

French DVD-kiosk and A&E

After scene "Mrs. Peel, we're needed", the door to the room of Sir David Harper opens at the moment when the screen is go to bright up.

DVD Optimum and Russian print from TV

After scene "Mrs. Peel, we're needed", the door to the room of Sir David Harper opens at the moment when the screen is already fully brightened.

denis rigg · Post by **denis rigg** » Sat Oct 06, 2018 5:58 pm

I finishing the comparing of prints DVD Optimum, French DVD, A&E and Russian from TV for the episode The Superlative Seven.

It has been discovered important point:

The British DVD edition (Optimum), and I think all the others that focused on this edition, is (are) different from the American, old French DVD editions and the episode version shown in Russia, at least.. There has a defect.

In the British DVD edition (Optimum), there are shots in the “air hole” scene that are played back to front: first, the one of aircraft steering wheels is deflected “towards itself” while the altitude barometer drops almost to the “seven” division...

...but then the steering wheel and the altitude barometer move in reverse direction (16:04).

In the other mentioned video editions, the frame changes after the altitude barometer drops almost exactly to the division “seven”.

It is interesting to note that the TV version of the episode shown in Russia has a shifted screen to the right.

Also, version of episode shown on Russian TV (this is abridged version about 4 minutes, including the lack of insert "Mrs, Peel, we're needed" - the same print was transmitted in some other countries, including France) contains a mistake in editing, like TV version of episode The Bird Who Knew Too Much (see above).
Very likely some of you have this abridged version recorded from a TV in your country.

So what's wrong? After Dayton addresses the team of people in the forest with the words “We'll spread out, make our way back to the house”, for a second of time the action interrupts the footage “forest view”, which follows soon:

After that the previous action follows, but from the point where a group of five people walk out.

denis rigg · Post by **denis rigg** » Tue Nov 13, 2018 1:35 pm

I compared of prints DVD Optimum, French DVD-kiosk, A&E, British VHS Kult TV/Contender and Russian from TV for the episode Death's Door.

I discovered one noticeable difference.

French DVD-kiosk, British VHS Kult TV/Contender and A&E

After open titles, the screen is go to bright up when photographers enter the hall.

DVD Optimum and Russian print from TV

After open titles, the screen is go to bright up when photographers going to go to the hall.

This is a good demonstration of what looks like when the episode was released for home video, problem appeared there with a late brightening of the screen - fortunately with the release of DVD Optimum, this has been fixed.

denis rigg · Post by **denis rigg** » Mon Dec 17, 2018 5:41 pm

I compared of prints DVD Optimum, French DVD-kiosk, A&E and Russian from TV for the episode Return of the Cybernauts.

Surprise, I discovered that on the British DVD Optimum there are two cuts.

The first cut was mentioned many years ago in various forums, blogs, etc, that is following .: in the British DVD edition by Optimum are cut out some seconds (three and a half seconds) of the beginning of the footage (this footage starts on 07:44, time by DVD Optimum), where the camera smoothly moves along the building, from where Dr. Neville comes out.
Footage starts from this frame:

Old French DVD edition presents other print:
This footage is cut a little less and begins with screen lightening (I'm sure this print is presented on some other European video editions too).

The American video editions, all or some Blu Rays editions, and the episode version shown on Russian television presents the full footage of this scene.

Now, we go to Second cut!!!

Footage starts on 26:03, time by DVD Optimum.

In the British DVD edition by Optimum are cut out one and a half second of a footage, where Paul brings the bottle to the glass on the table.

British DVD edition by Optimum starts footage immediately from this frame:

Other video editions (perhaps all those that were released before Optimum's edition) contain a full footage, starts from lightening of the screen with this frame:

As a result, if you want to have a full episode Return of the Cybernauts in your collection, then look for American prints

, because, alas, currently I can only confirm that exactly these prints are complete.

angel · Post by **angel** » Mon Feb 11, 2019 7:59 am

Is there any British version of the Avengers on DVD with English subtitles ?