Jaws 4: Alternate Opening

[lotsofdvds]

Jaws 4 has a cult following here at DVD Talk, right?

Maybe someone can explain this alternate opening sequence...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfnYbQkqEC4

[TheNightFlier]

All it needed was Rod Serling smoking a cigarette.

[tellybox]

What the hell was that.....

[Artman]

The tv version is the only one I've ever watched.

[i86time]

Has that narration always been on the TV version (regular or pay TV)? I was so excited when this came out in theaters, but I've only seen it maybe twice since then. That narration does sound vaguely familiar though, perhaps it was used in the making of... promo that aired when the film was released (would like to see that again). I remember my friend and I went to the first showing on opening day. Before the movie they had a trivia contest and were giving away hats and posters. They never called on me, but my friend won a poster and gave it to me (which hung on my bedroom door in my parents house for nearly 20 years before they remodeled). Then for some reason, this lady told the usher that one of her relatives was the woman who got it in the banana boat scene, and then, for reasons I still don't understand, the usher announced it to the audience. When that scene was onscreen, she and everyone with her cheered really loudly.

I still have yet to see the footage where Jake lives.

[devilshalo]

I've seen it twice.. but never with that beginning. I've seen both versions with and without Mario Van Peebles dying.

[Eplicon]

That "happy" ending was really out of place. I first saw the overseas version of the film when I was in Hong Kong in 1988 on the hotel's movie channel. Some time later when I caught the film on HBO, it almost felt like two different movies.

[Seantn]

There's no way that the narration has always been on the tv version. The only times i've ever seen it were on television, never on DVD or video, and i've never heard this narration version (thankfully!)

[Matty-O]

Anyone other than me get an Ed Wood vibe from that?

[Seantn]

I think it's hilarious, I mean what is the point? A film that has been out for 20 years, and they're tweaking it? I wonder if that was done for some international version of the film, and it just now made it's way onto US television. They actually try to explain why the shark is STALKING her (which makes no sense anyway!). She gets onto an airplane and the shark FOLLOWS them! If you're gonna do that in your movie, don't try to explain why (Oh, I get it! It was fate!)

[Artman]

I remember recording this off the tv in the early 90's, so it's been around for awhile.

[jeffkjoe]

You have to watch this:

This is Richard Jeni's comedy stand-up routine about how STUPID Jaws 4: The Revenge was:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qilt73tQd_8

[TylerDurden_73]

I caught this about a month ago on starz/encore. Finally after 20 years of wondering about this "happy" ending with van peebles....and they showed it. I don't know what's worse...Admitting that I watched it or the happy ending itself. Bad movie or just alltime worst.

[raven56706]

:suicide:

more like fate to me

[devilshalo]

:suicide:

more like fate to me
And it is in the humble opinion of this narrator that this is not just "Something That Happened." This cannot be "One of those things..." This, please, cannot be that. And for what I would like to say, I can't. This Was Not Just A Matter Of Chance. Ohhhh. These strange things happen all the time.

[Ronnie Dobbs]

Reminds me of shark week. But more like shark WEAK.

[Fincher Fan]

Anyone other than me get an Ed Wood vibe from that?

First thing I thought!

[Shannon Nutt]

You have to watch this:

This is Richard Jeni's comedy stand-up routine about how STUPID Jaws 4: The Revenge was:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qilt73tQd_8


Jeni shouldn't get so upset about a silly movie...it could lead to depression, and possibly... Oh, never mind. :blush:

[Seantn]

:suicide:
more like fate to me

Was this in response to the Richard Jeni thing, or the Jaws video?

[Giles]

Jeni shouldn't get so upset about a silly movie...it could lead to depression, and possibly... Oh, never mind. :blush:

ew, you're evil... ;)

[raven56706]

Was this in response to the Richard Jeni thing, or the Jaws video?



oh man... i didnt notice that remark.... :rock:

[Kudama]

:lol: Finally got around to watching those (can't at work). You should have made this a poll where we vote after watching that first clip.

o Fate
o Circumstances
o Circumstances
o Fate!
o twikoff

[Julie Walker]

Networks always had crazy re-edited narrated filled versions of films 'back in the day'. So this is nothing but the old 80's tv edit making an appearance after all these years.

Most networks in the past decade have just used the theatrical versions of films edited for content. But 'back in the day'. The networks would completely re-edit and ruin in many cases films with their bad editing attempts.


The rare tv version of Halloween 2 airs on AMC from time to time. And it's horrible! Check it out if you get the chance!

Also TBS has unearthed the rare original tv version of John Carpenters The Thing,narrated filled and butchured in the extreme(it must run 80 minutes without commercials!).

So if you think network editing of films today is 'bad'. Wait until you see the above edits! True Romance and Showgirls are the new worst edited for network content films in recent years though.

Pulp Fiction may be as well,but I never bothered wasting my time on the most likely 90 minute tv(2 hour time slot) edit that was created. And recent airings on commercial networks have the film running in 3 hour time slots. So I suspect they just went back to the theatrical length and edited for content of course.

[Kudama]

Anyone else see that TV version of Videodrome? They commissioned this bizarre mural depicting shit from the movie all connected in some kind of collage type way. Then they panned over it with the camera.

That always struck me as creepier than the movie. I guess I was traumatized by Night Gallery as a child.

[Julie Walker]

I've seen the tv version of Videodrome(it airs on A&E and Sci-Fi from time to time). I found the mural collage pretty creepy as well. The music used over it made it surreal and creepy.

Other than that,the tv version sucks since it's so heavily censored. It makes little sense at all. Another good example of old school network editing though!