Tales From Avonlea has CUT/EDITED Eps! (1 Viewer)

[Josh_HI]

I was watching the first episode from Avonlea last night and started getting this weird feeling when some scenes were ending abruptly. My first suspicion was when Nanny Banks leaves Avonlea. Sara was about to start chasing after her wagon but the scene faded to black quickly. I specifically remember her pulling a tontrum and crying, and yelling as she chased after the wagon. That was not on there.Then later towards the end of the episode there is a part where they show Sara playing in the hay with Felicity and the other kids but they only show the end when Olivia finds them. They never showed how Sara ended up friends with felicity and the others and how the hay fight got started. Then the most obvious scene where you can tell something is cut out is right after that when Sara leaves the barn with Olivia. She had to make a decision to stay in Avonlea and they never show her thinking. You hear a music cue that starts but then it cuts to Hetty King and a whole different music cue and Sara tells her she is staying. That confirmed for me that these episodes have things cut out of them.

Does anyone have an email address where I can complain to the studio or something? This is a fantastic show and I'm really disappointed that this set has cut/edited episodes.:frowning:

 

[LCD22]

Here's the e-mail address for Disney:

[email protected]

Let me know what you find out. Did you also tape "Avonlea" off of the original, first-run Disney Channel broadcasts? I only have a couple on tape, but none from the first season. I haven't seen the show since it left the Disney Channel.

I have a couple questions:

1) Did they keep the original theme/opening credits for the episodes in Season 1 intact? It ran over a min. or so and had a arching "Avonlea".

I'm curious if they kept the mention of both CBC and the Disney Channel in it (I'm sorry I don't remember how its credited, but if it's there you'll know what I'm talking about).

2) Did they keep the end credit music for each episode? And does "Sullivan Entertainment" also appear at the end? They used different music sometimes for their end credits.

I don't understand why this show would be edited. It aired commerical-free, unless it is a technical issue or a legal issue with its Canadian producer Kevin Sullivan. The previous release "Tales from Avonlea: Beginnings" (which was just a re-package of those VHS tapes on to DVD) was also edited.

 

[Josh_HI]

No I wish I had taped it. I was young when they first aired though. I hadn't seen it since the disney channel either. Brings back a lot of memories.

1)Thankfully yes the theme song appears to be exactly the same.It runs for 1 minute and 20 seconds. And has the Arching Avonlea title. I wish they would just release it as Avonlea. I think it's kinda dumb how they put it as Tales From Avonlea or when people call it Road To Avonlea. I always remember it being promoted as Avonlea and that's what it says in the theme so it's kind of annoying any other way.




The only thing I saw was a mention of Disney Channel in the end credits.

2) Just watched episode 2 and the end credits appear to be the same.

I guess I'll just send an email to the address complaining and asking that they please use unedited episodes for future releases.

BTW
Episode 1 ends after credits at 44:05
Episode 2 ends after the credits at 43:53
Ep.3 ends after the credits at 44:01

So so far the times are all different

 

[Josh_HI]

Episode 4 has the theme from Anne of Green Gables on it. It shows the same footage and pictures but plays a different song.Don't know if it was originally aired that way..but nothing appears to be cut out of the theme, still same length.

 

[MatthewA]

Which episode are you talking about?

 

[Josh_HI]

The episode I was talking about in my first post is the first episode.

 

[MatthewA]

If episode 1 runs only 44 minutes it is indeed edited...by 11 minutes! The Sullivan entertainment DVDs are not cut. This was the only episode to run that long. Most ran 44-48 minutes.

 

[Josh_HI]

That's just HORRIBLE!

 

[MatthewA]

What about the picture quality? Is it any better than the Sullivan Entertainment DVDs?

 

[Bryan Tuck]

This is really strange, indeed. As Chris mentioned, the show aired commercial-free, and as far as I know, it was never syndicated, at least not in the U.S.


I don't know about the DVD, but I'm pretty sure the VHS was not edited.

 

[AnnaMaria]

Road to Avonlea was the title used throughout the series. I guess when they aired it in the states they changed the title.

I did tape the show, but I haven't seen it in awhile so can't comment off the top of my head whether scenes have been cut.

 

[Gary OS]

I have purchased all 5 Seasons of the Sullivan Entertainment dvds and can tell you they are very well done. Excellent picture and audio quality, IMHO.

On the other hand, having just received the Disney set this past week, I can also say that it's not as well done. The picture quality is grainy and as has already been mentioned, they use the alternate theme that the Disney channel employed (which is inferior, IMHO).

Although they cost more and are harder to find here in the U.S., I'd recommend the original Sullivan dvds.

Gary "my wife and daughters love this show" O.

 

[Don]

anyone know how/where i can get the road to Avonlea Sets/Special Holiday DVDs. also are they Playable here in the States. i'm glad i Didnt get the tales From Avonlea set. and i'm thankful i found this thread about it.

 

[Josh_HI]

Well I sent an email to the above email. See if the respond..

 

[MatthewA]

I don't think the Sullivan DVDs are all that hot either, personally. They did all the post-production on analog 480i30 video (though shot on film), almost all episodes omit opening credits (thus removing guest star, writer, and director notices), and the price is a little steep. ($99 at sullivanboutique.com) But it's better than nothing. The episodes are not missing any footage that I can recall.

Hopefully when HD is standard we'll see remastered episodes, and not cropped to 16x9.

 

[Josh_HI]

Well here is what I sent them:


Atleast I know they read it. Glad they responded. Hopefully now something will be done about this. Feel free to send a quick email yourself.