MovieChat Forums > War of the Worlds (1988) Discussion > Different version of the pilot (first) e...

Different version of the pilot (first) epsiode

posted 19 years ago by the_jazzman-1
5 replies | jump to latest

I just going through the old SVHS tape, only to be thinking "that seems different to what I recall", but put it down to several years since I last viewed it.

Until the last 5 minutes, when I watched a completely different version of the escape/ chase from the hanger, even down to the music that was released on the dvd set.

So I am now wondering if there was a different version of this pilot for the international market (I live in the UK) to that which was aired in the US?

Can anyone help out?

Thanks

John

[–] the thorn of Thurisaz 19 years ago

I heard about this once. I can see no difference between the original U.S. airings, which I have on VCD, and the version on DVD.

If it is indeed different, I'd love to see this version. I'm in love with that climax scene, so I think could detect a miss in the beat that's tattooed in my heart.

----
Formless, faithless, and free.

[–] dredd1981 19 years ago

I too am from the UK. I own all of the cic video releases of wotw, i've seen it broadcast on itv (late at night...bastards) and now own the dvd set. he only difference I am aware of is between the dvd/video and the itv broadcast,
in the itv version in the chase from the hanger I remember that the war machine fired a good few shots from its main gun as opposed to the 1 or two shots in the video/dvd. As far as i know the music etc is all the same!

[–] Jasons_Argonaut 19 years ago

Why would a difference like this exist? Why trim a few shots of the heat ray from the American version? Couldn't they have trimmed a few seconds here and there that were pondersome and didn't cost money? I mean, this was the big money shot of the pilot, it makes no sense to trim it.

[–] tbeller80 17 years ago

There's a minute or two edited out if you're watching the two hour episode or two one hour episodes. The scene with the warships glowing to life (just in the cockpit) was cut out of the split episode along with one or two lines of dialogue.

[–] the_jazzman-1 17 years ago

What I'll try to do is capture the scene from the SVHS tape and the dvd and post them up for comment.

One thing, where would the best place be? A.b.m.scifi?