Wayne's World DVD question (1 Viewer)

[ToddL]

I purchased the Wayne's World DVD recently and noticed that it mentions in tiny lettering on the back of the case that the music has been edited from the theatrical version. I don't think I own any other movie that has music edits so I found this a bit odd. Does anyone know what has been edited as I don't have any other version to compare it with?

Thanks in advance.

 

[WillG]

They had to change the riff from "Stairway to Heaven" that Wayne played when he was in the guitar store that leads into the "No Stairway to Heaven" sign gag. Apparently, Zeppelin did not allow the rights for home video. The joke is still there, but the riff that Wayne plays is a replaced, vaguely sounding like "Stairway" riff

 

[ToddL]

Thanks Will. I was hoping that there weren't a huge amount of edits on the DVD. After I saw the disclaimer I was starting to wonder if I had make a mistake in buying it. I for one DO NOT FAVOR ANY EDITS on DVDs but I guess this one is unavoidable.

Thanks again.

 

[GuruAskew]

"Wayne's World 2" had the 60's "Batman" theme replaced with a soundalike, too.

 

[Magnus T]

Wouldn't the three notes Wayne plays of "Starway to Heaven" fall under the "fair use" law, though?

 

[CaseyL]

Yeah, unfortunatley that is not a new edit. I believe (correct me if I'm wrong) the only time that the actual "staiway" riff was used was in the films theatrical run.

 

[Steve_Knutzen]

The edit has been in place at least since the VHS release. Led Zeppelin is notorious for not allowing their music to be used in movies. Cameron Crowe, despite personally knowing the band, was unable to get Stairway for the Untitled release of Almost Famous and couldn't get a song from Led Zeppelin IV for Fast Times (but that kind of works in favor of the scene). On the commentary for the new Dazed and Confused: Criterion, Richard Linklater discusses how he wanted to use Rock and Roll for the end and even sent personal letters to Jimmy Page and Robert Plant. Page agreed but Plant didn't, likely because he wasn't getting along with Jimmy at the time. It took a video of hundreds of extras, crew members and Jack Black pleading with the band to get the rights to about thirty seconds of the Immigrant Song in School of Rock. To license Rock and Roll now-a-days it takes a sizaeable sum of money and its in a Caddilac commercial.

 

[Adam_ME]

Which makes it all the more confusing that a Zeppelin song played over the last 5 minutes of the One Tree Hill season finale. Maybe Page and Plant are big fans of Chad Michael Murray.

 

[Brian McHale]

They could probably get away with it if they didn't overtly let you know that it IS Stairway to Heaven.

I think they'd be hard pressed to win a lawsuit on this one. "But Your Honor, it's a simple plucking of a few notes; it could be any of a million songs ever written." "Then why does it sound exactly like the song on the sign they're pointing to?"

While I wish they could've left it alone, it's still a good DVD.