Where to get the original cut of the Gathering

[TurkishZath]

Can anyone suggest a place to find it?

I know certain foreign releases might feature the original version of the pilot, but I am not certain which ones.

I've also heard rumors that if I paid the $2 on iTunes I'd get the original version.

I've also heard that Columbia House has the original version.

Can anyone verify any or all of these claims? I want to get a copy of the original cut.

[Jan]

My understanding is that the iTunes version is the original. That's the only one I think is a sure thing.

Some of the Region 2 sets have the original but not all and from what I've read, there's no way to tell from the package which you get.

Columbia House *did* originally release the original cut but it was quickly replaced with JMS's preferred version.

Jan

[TurkishZath]

Thanks Jan! As always, you're the first to answer and helpful.

Can I impose upon you further and ask what 'rights' I get to the dowloaded iTunes file?

I've only received an iPod this last month, and have afore to that been quite averse to iTunes and iPods in general.

Can I write the iTunes download to a DVD? Or would I run into encryption issues? (setting aside for the moment the resolution question.)

Thanks again

P.S. I've also heard (and the review on amazon suggest, although they are all OLD) that the German version is ONLY the original. Can anyone speak to that?

[Jan]

I think I'll defer that one to somebody more knowledgeable. Joe D? Are you arround? Amy? Anybody else familiar with IP issues?

Jan

[TurkishZath]

FWIW, I did a little research myself and found out that Apple has protections that (as yet as far as I can tell) have not been cracked.

I did do research on the first question myself before posting it, just not the second one.

Edited to add:

Thanks again, Jan.

(and anyone else who wants to shed more light on the other question(s))

[*Starstuff*]

Concerning iTunes and the DRM (Digital Rights Management):
You need an US iTunes Account to buy movies. Those movies can be played on up to 5 computers, where you have authorized iTunes with your account (the one you used to buy the movie).

You can transfer the movie to your iPod (if it supports the video feature) and watch it there ... it's unlimited.

You CAN NOT (!!!!!!!!!!) make a movie dvd of this iTunes movie. It WON'T work. I am stressing this because many people are not aware of that fact. You can only play it in iTunes (when it is authorized) and on the iPod(s).

So, you can download it, watch it, put it on your iPod. You can BACK UP the file to dvd, but only if you make it a data disc. It won't play in ANY dvd player or on any computer like a movie dvd. You always need iTunes to watch it.

Hope that clarifies it.

Concerning the issue about the original cut and the German versions ... where's the difference between the original and "not" original? If I understand that, I can ask in some German forums (I am German), maybe anyone there can help.

[Morden]

Well, I'm from Germany, but I only own the JMS-"Special Edition" because I ordered it from the UK. I have heard many times now that the original German release ("Spacecenter Babylon 5 - Die Zusammenkunft) only includes the "old" version of "The Gathering", which has been critized many, many times by those Germans fans who didn't want to buy the original version from oversea. Some old VHS tapes may also be around in Europe and in the US that would include the original version, I presume.

[Morden]

Concerning the issue about the original cut and the German versions ... where's the difference between the original and "not" original? If I understand that, I can ask in some German forums (I am German), maybe anyone there can help.

The "new" version includes extra-footage and has been completey re-edited (and sometimes re-dubbed, I think...?), and may be a few minutes longer than the "old" cut. It also contains a new soundtrack, this time from our favorite Chris Franke.

[glindros]

I know people are aware of the Lurker's Guide. Heck, half the people here probably contributed to it one way or another.

It does have some good information on The Gathering and it's changes. It's almost as good as the script books.

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/countries/us/guide/000.html

[Jan]

The "new" version includes extra-footage and has been completey re-edited (and sometimes re-dubbed, I think...?), and may be a few minutes longer than the "old" cut. It also contains a new soundtrack, this time from our favorite Chris Franke.

Rather than RE-dubbed, Tamlyn Tomita's dialogue was UN-dubbed. WB wanted a softer, 'more approachable' tone to her and so she'd had to re-dub all of her dialogue. The first thing that JMS did is to restore the original dialogue files.

Jan

[*Starstuff*]

Thanks for the info's!

[TurkishZath]

If one of our German brethren would be so kind as to interpret the Amazon.de page for B5 and try to ascertain whether or not it's the original version, I would greatly appreciate it!

http://www.amazon.de/Spacecenter-Babylon-5-Die-Zusammenkunft/dp/B00007JWKK/ref=pd_bbs_10?ie=UTF8&s=gateway&qid=1201882524&sr=8-10

[Shabaz]

If one of our German brethren would be so kind as to interpret the Amazon.de page for B5 and try to ascertain whether or not it's the original version, I would greatly appreciate it!

http://www.amazon.de/Spacecenter-Bab...882524&sr=8-10

I'm not German, but from what I gather from those reviews, I'm pretty sure it's the old version. To quote:

Leider befindet sich auf der DVD nur die ALTE Version des Pilotfilms, die deutlich schlechter ist als der geniale neue Schnitt von JMS himself (mit vielen neuen Szenen und einer neuen Musik von Christopher Franke).

My German is absolutely atrocious, so take this with a grain of salt, but my translation would be:

Sadly the DVD contains the OLD version of the pilot film, which is clearly worse than the brilliant new cut from JMS himself (with many new scenes and new music from Christopher Franke).

Something that Joe DeMartino once pointed out to me is that a good reason a lot of these euro versions still cling to the old cut is that those regions require a local dub in their markets to be deemed viable (this is definitally true for Germany) and the new cut never got new local dubs made. So when it has a German alternate language track en is sold in Germany, you can be pretty sure it's the old cut.

[*Starstuff*]

Shabaz, your German is EXCELLENT. You not only got the meaning, but the translation is absolutely correct

[Shabaz]

Aw, thank you for saying that. Though my skills pretty much evaporate if I would attempt to speak or write in the language. I have about 4 years of highschool German classes under my belt, and they were kinda traumatic; I was absolutely awful. But I seem to do alright in the just understanding part.