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From: david@infopro.UUCP (David Fiedler)
Newsgroups: net.movies
Subject: Beware Buckaroo Banzai Videotape
Message-ID: <697@infopro.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 23-Feb-85 00:51:24 EST
Article-I.D.: infopro.697
Posted: Sat Feb 23 00:51:24 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 23-Feb-85 17:07:11 EST
Distribution: na
Organization: InfoPro Systems
Lines: 36

Susan and I are both big BB fans; in fact we heard about it first here
on the net, and have been avidly following the antics in LA such as
midnight showings. We just rented the tape and were *totally appalled*
at the number of cuts that were made.

The first time we saw BB  was in NJ when it had just come out. We saw it again 
in Harvard Square a few weeks later, and the infamous "sugar-in-the-coffee" 
scene had been excised. But the tape is even worse. Here is some of what you
will miss if you rent (or even make the mistake of buying) the tape:

- the license plate on the jet car
- many closeups of the control room, including "Overthruster Armed" on
Hikita's panel. Much of the jet car run is missing.
- the sugar, of course.
- more than a two-second glance at the Declaration of War (short form).
Most of the interesting text on same is gone.
- most of the action during the Yoyodyne fight.

It's almost impossible for us to remember all the things that were cut. 
We could swear that Whorfin/Lizardo's speech to the Lectroids was much
longer, for instance.  What burns us most is that many of these little 
scenes or parts of scenes add to the impact and/or humor of the film, 
and nothing is gained by leaving them out. Sure, now it can go on TV 
better with commercials (the running time of the tape version is 103 minutes), 
but TV will probably do their own cuts anyway. Since Sherwood Productions
seems to have gone out of business (at least, I could get no phone
listing for them at their last known address), who ya' gonna call to complain?

Phooey. We were really looking forward to the tape, but remembering
what has been lost makes us sad to watch it. Maybe we can pressure
20th Century Fox to re-release the tape (Now! The Uncensored Version!)
but I doubt it. What would Rocky Horror be like without all the cute bits?
-- 
          Dave Fiedler
{harpo,astrovax,whuxcc,clyde}!infopro!dave    People Phone: (201) 989-0570
USMail: InfoPro Systems, 3108 Route 10, Denville, NJ 07834