WB - curious problem with WILLY WONKA trailer on DVD (1 Viewer)

[Mark Edward Heuck]

The problem, specifically, is with the older '70's-era trailer made when Paramount originally released the film. There is supposed to be a narration playing over all the scenes in the trailer, but it is strangely missing. Mind you, there is still audio from the movie itself, songs and dialogue, but the narration is gone. It has been this way on both your DVD releases of WILLY WONKA, the first "25th Anniversary" edition and the newer one from last year, which implies both times you used the same transfer each time.
My question is, was this an accident or an editorial decision? Did Paramount or David Wolper perhaps give you a tape master that already had the narration missing? Or is this another one of those bizarre copyright issues that seem to plague our favorite older movies. I would like to know as without it, the trailer plays rather odd and off-putting for people who have never seen it before.

 

[Patrick McCart]

I think it is possible that this is the trailer before narration was added for other countries.

Well, the tracks have been lost and all that survives is the main effects/dialogue track sans narration.

This is the case with a lot of trailers. (and the trailer seems to be from PAL, so it may be a rare one)

 

[Mark Edward Heuck]

I actually got to screen an actual 35mm print of that very trailer years ago during a revival engagement. While it was a little beaten up, it did have that narration on it.
Knowing the propensity for double-or-triple-dipping in this business, do you think if I tracked down said print there would be interest in lifting the audio from it and doing an ersatz "restoration"?

 

[Greg_M]

Mark Edward,

Warners will release Wonka in HDVD someday, and then the format after that etc. so yeah.