my 4th annual dead men don't wear plaid question (1 Viewer)

[Brook K]

Why don't you just buy one of the longer VHS's and see if the scene is on there?

 

[george kaplan]

Because I don't know of a reputable store that sells one. The fact that a website advertises it as such, doesn't mean that I'd get that. Amazon is one of the better sites out there, and I ordered a film listed as 2.35, and got a pan & scan version instead. The older vhs's list a running time of 1:31, but the newer ones are 1:29, and I'm not confident that a website wouldn't send me the 1:29 (they probably just get the specs from some listing, and wouldn't pay attention to this).

If I physically saw a 1:31 vhs tape for sale, I'd buy it. As a matter of fact, at one point in time, it was my plan (back in the ld days, when no ld was forthcoming), to rent it on vhs and "lose" the vhs as a way of buying the film. But on my recent forays into video stores, they only carry the 1:29 version. :frowning:

 

[george kaplan]

As a follow-up, I did go to Amazon and look at the vhs.

The good news, is there are two different videotapes. One was released in 1992 by MCA Home Video. The other one was released in 1997 by Universal. I can only assume that MCA lost the rights to Universal, and for some reason at that time, something happened and they either cut that scene, or were using a master without it or something.

The bad news is, that Amazon isn't selling those tapes, only various individuals, which I don't feel comfortable with. And there's just no way to know for certain that they have the MCA version, and not the more readily available Universal.

So, going back to Rob & William, if you, or anyone else, has the MCA vhs tape, let me know if the scene is on there, and if so, if you'd like to sell it to me (I'd trust an HTF member much more than some anonymous seller on Amazon or Ebay).

 

[Brook K]

MCA and Universal are/were the same entity.

Excerpt from Universal Studios history:

 

[george kaplan]

OK, but there still were two releases of the vhs tape, and for whatever reason, the second release is missing the scene in question.

 

[rich_d]

I've bought a lot of stuff from Amazon marketplace over a few years and have been quite pleased with the transactions.

I'd shy away from someone with just a few transactions as infrequent sellers may be a little slower getting stuff out. But those with a bunch of very good ratings haven't let me down.

A good way to pick up some film books too on the cheap.

 

[george kaplan]

I'm just a very wary person when it comes to stuff like this. I've never bought anything off of Ebay, and for a long time I wouldn't order online unless I could call in the order. I eventually tried Amazon, and of course they're large and reputable.

At the minimum, I'd have to converse back and forth with any potential seller to make sure it was the right tape, and probably get them to verify that the missing scene is on there, which I suspect is more trouble than most guys selling a tape for $6.50 are willing to go through.

 

[rich_d]

Well, anyone that has MCA down in their description is not dreaming it up so you would get the tape you wanted. As for asking them to check out a scene out for you, that's a bit much.

Another option is to do an on-line search through your library (including inter-libary loan). For example, doing a search of all libraries in Connecticut brought up both the 89 and 91 minute tapes and locations, MCA or Universal, year of release etc. That way you get the tape in your hot little hand and not rely on guys like Rob Willey.

My guess is that your local librarian will be more than happy to help you.

 

[george kaplan]

That's not how it works at Amazon. There are two very similar pages each showing one of the two tapes (that look almost identical). Then you click on a list of sellers. That list doesn't include any descriptions from the sellers, you just assume that they're selling what's on the page. But with the major similarities, I wouldn't be at all surprised to find that half the sellers have linked to the incorrect version of the tape, and probably don't even realize there's a difference. I'm not worried about getting the wrong film, just the wrong version.

Your library idea is a good one, though frankly, libraries aren't very good here in San Antonio, but I'll probably check it out.

 

[TonyD]

hmm, rich, the library in connecticut offers an online inventory search of movies?

if i could figure out how to locate the website of the library in southeastern pa i would love to see if they offer that too.

i'm very interested in seeing if the Kaplan dead men dont wear plaid edition is on a home video medium.

http://www.script-o-rama.com/movie_s...id-script.html
i found a script taken from This script is a transcript that was painstakingly transcribed using the screenplay and/or viewings of Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid.

dont know if this will help.

i was able to find something that says the penn state library has the screenplay/script.
"Photocopy. Hollywood, Calif., Script City, [1987?]."

 

[rich_d]

I see two sellers that specifically mention MCA Video

link:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/off...?condition=all

But that then raises the question of whether all MCA Video are 91 minutes in length. At least that, the buyer should be able to confirm.

With the library, it shouldn't be limited to what they have on-hand, but what they can get from from other libraries for you.

Good Luck.

Edit: Houston has one.

http://catalog.houstonlibrary.org/se...&m=g&b=&SORT=D

 

[TonyD]

i found some listings of different lengths of the mca version.

Bib util # zaccp2 b16541396
Author Reiner, Carl.
Title Dead men don't wear plaid [video recording] / written by Carl Reiner, Geroge Gipe & Steve Martin.
Imprint Universal City, CA : MCA Universal Home Video, c1982.
ISBN 1558803068
Descript B & W ; 1 hour, 29 minutes.


and



Bib util # z1cccl b1004125
Title Dead men don't wear plaid [videocassette]/ Universal City Studios.
Imprint Universal City, Ca : MCA, 1982.
Note Rated PG.
Credits Director, Carl Reiner ; producers, David V. Picker, William E. McEuen ; written by Carl Reiner, George Gipe and Steve Martin ; music, Miklos Rozsa.
Cast Steve Martin, Rachel Ward, Reni Santoni.
Summary Private eye Rigby Reardon investigates the death of a wealthy scientist with a little help from his "friends." A new technique recycling films of the '40s with a new story line.
Alt author Martin, Steve, 1945- Dead men don't wear plaid.
Reiner, Carl, 1922- Dead men don't wear plaid.
Universal City Studios.
MCA Videocassette Inc.
Descript l videocassette (VHS) (91 min.) : sd., b&w, 1/2 in.


sorry if that looks sloppy, i dont know how to format it to look right.

 

[george kaplan]

Part of the confusion here is that the later version (Universal) is actually called MCA Universal, and the earlier version is just MCA without the Universal. And of course, a seller who mentions the MCA version, could be talking about either one.

I did do an online search and none of the Texas universities have it at all. The San Antonio Public Library only has the 89 minute version, and I did see that the Houston library has a 91 minute version, which I will probably try to track down at some point.

I had already found the script site that Tony linked, and no, the missing scene isn't on there, but I only conclude from that, that it was transcripted from the later vhs or the dvd.

I also search Borders and Barnes & Noble, but they only carry the more recent vhs version.

Thanks for all the help, and if anyone does have the older vhs tape, and can check for the scene and/or sell it to me, let me know.

 

[TonyD]

how the version asked for in this thread.
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/...d.php?t=245761

"I saw this once on cable.. had about 20 minutes of extra footage. The best part was when Rigby (Steve Martin) gets into a knock down - 'Drag' out with Marlowe (Humphrey Bogart), both in drag, because Marlow has been killing blondes due to a fit of monster depression. God it was funny. the extra footage makes other scenes make SO MUCH more sense."

 

[AnsoDF]

Yes I DEFINITELY remember this scene! I have been asking movie people about it for like 20 years! We see Rigby pull into the gas station pointing screen right. The joke is that Rigby reuses his bit about being a big Hollywood movie producer, as previously told to Kitty Collins. Was beginning to think I had imagined it!

 

[Chuckreality]

I remember the deleted scenes quite well. In fact, the funniest sequence in the movie has been deleted. In it, Juliet asks Rigby if he meant what he said. Rigby responds asking what he said. Juliet tells him that he said that he loved her, to which Rigby responds "I said 'Lemea''. It's detective talk. It means "Leave Me Alone.' It's on the LaserDisk (remember those?), which I have a copy of, but unfortunately, no working machine. I also bought a DVD copy that was pulled from a source that yielded a very poor quality reproduction. I would love to watch the whole movie all the way through, intact.

 

[TonyD]

 

[Cineman]

I ask this about once a year, and it appears that hardly anyone has seen this film, so I never get an answer, but maybe a new member will know.

I have a vivid recollection of watching this and there being a scene with Steve Martin in a car at a gas station talking to Burt Lancaster while he washes the windshield. This is taken from the movie the Killers. However, on the dvd, this scene is missing.

So, my question is

a) does anybody else remember this scene?

b) does anyone know why it's not on the dvd? (it can't be rights issues, since there are other scenes with Burt Lancaster from the Killers still on the dvd)

c) does anyone by any miracle have a vhs or other version of this film with the missing scene?

Thanks.

Have you considered contacting Steve Martin to ask him about it? Through his agent perhaps? I have heard him calling in to a computer tech radio show from time to time just to chat and ask a few questions about computers and programs himself and he seems pretty open to responding to fan questions.

 

[TonyD]

https://twitter.com/stevemartintogo?s=21&t=eoikcYT3fQbT48ed0d2-kw