The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia (1981) ...any decent releases? (1 Viewer)

MielR · Apr 4, 2014

I don't think this film was a big hit, but I remember it fondly from when it ran on HBO back in the mid-80s. I'd like to get a decent DVD of it, if one exists. The MOVIES! network has been showing it recently, but it looks terrible: faded, P&S, and the Amazon reviews indicate that the DVD releases (at least one of them, anyway) look like they're bootlegged from VHS.Just wondering if there's ever been a decent release of this film. What studio owns the rights now? Certainly lesser films have been given acceptable DVD releases.

classicmovieguy · Apr 4, 2014

My dad had a copy of this on Thorn-EMI Video... those were the days.

MielR · Apr 5, 2014

The only copy I ever owned was one that I recorded off HBO way back when. I'm guessing there's never been a widescreen release of this film (LD?). Even though the MOVIES! network broadcasts in 16:9, their copy of the film is 4:3 and actually looks worse to my eyes than the old videotape recording I remember. That may be due to compression in-part, but the colors are also very faded now.

Mark Edward Heuck · Apr 16, 2014

Embassy released this in theatres and briefly on VHS, then it got a reissue by Trans World Entertainment. I've been told Viacom had a hand in the production by director Ron Maxwell himself, so I guess this is stuck over at Paramount.

Vahan_Nisanain · Jun 17, 2014

The film was originally released on video by 20th Century Fox Video in 1982, just before Avco-Embassy was sold to Norman Lear and Jerry Perenchio.

Steve Tannehill · Jun 17, 2014

Never saw the movie, but I remember the song on which it was based.

MielR · Jun 18, 2014

Steve Tannehill said:
Never saw the movie, but I remember the song on which it was based.

I was never that familiar with the original song, except that I knew Vicki Lawrence sang it. It's only recently that I discovered that the film version of the song (sung by Tanya Tucker) has totally re-written lyrics, which conformed to the plot of the film.

classicmovieguy · Jun 20, 2014

MielR said:
The only copy I ever owned was one that I recorded off HBO way back when. I'm guessing there's never been a widescreen release of this film (LD?). Even though the MOVIES! network broadcasts in 16:9, their copy of the film is 4:3 and actually looks worse to my eyes than the old videotape recording I remember. That may be due to compression in-part, but the colors are also very faded now.

I remember the colour looking very brown even in its original VHS release.

Home Theater

Entertainment & Streaming Content

Physical Media

Home Theater Equipment and Hardware

Other Diversions

Bargains and Classifieds

Home Theater Forum

Archives

Search

Home Theater

Entertainment & Streaming Content

Physical Media

Home Theater Equipment and Hardware

Other Diversions

Bargains and Classifieds

Home Theater Forum

The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia (1981) ...any decent releases? (1 Viewer)

More options

MielR

Advanced Member

classicmovieguy

MielR

Advanced Member

Mark Edward Heuck

Screenwriter

Vahan_Nisanain

Supporting Actor

Steve Tannehill

R.I.P - 4.28.2015

MielR

Advanced Member

classicmovieguy

Similar threads

Users who are viewing this thread

Sign up for our newsletter

and receive essential news, curated deals, and much more

Latest posts

Latest Articles

Members online

Forum statistics