1963 missing scenes
Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2015 4:06 pm
I was watching the 'extras' disc from my newly acquired Right Stuf 1963 ELV DVD set this morning. There is an extensive collection of scenes cut from the Japanese originals to create the ELV. In most of the cases the same portion of the episode is show in both the English and the Japanese to illustrate how they differ.
Some of the modifications were to remove scenes containing Japanese language signs to disguise the fact that the show originated in Japan.
However, most of the missing scenes were removed because of mild violence, religious content, or death scenes.
There were several scenes where the villains shot and killed someone (though only the gun shots and the bloodless aftermath were seen.) A few episodes had someone praying or crossing themselves (Tamao and Shub did this when Astro flew their boat at supersonic speed across the lake in 'Grass Boy'). There were also scenes of someone at a graveside mourning someone.
However, the most common deleted scene was Astro firing his fanny guns! Clearly Ladd didn't universally remove this feature of Astro's powers, but wherever possible he substituted another explanation for him getting out of a fix. In some episodes he didn't completely remove those fanny guns, just prevented Astro from 'over doing it'.
I'm getting a tongue in cheek idea for a story where Astro is recruited as a spokes person for the NRA, or maybe is singled out as a bad example of why a stronger gun control law needs to be passed!
Some of the modifications were to remove scenes containing Japanese language signs to disguise the fact that the show originated in Japan.
However, most of the missing scenes were removed because of mild violence, religious content, or death scenes.
There were several scenes where the villains shot and killed someone (though only the gun shots and the bloodless aftermath were seen.) A few episodes had someone praying or crossing themselves (Tamao and Shub did this when Astro flew their boat at supersonic speed across the lake in 'Grass Boy'). There were also scenes of someone at a graveside mourning someone.
However, the most common deleted scene was Astro firing his fanny guns! Clearly Ladd didn't universally remove this feature of Astro's powers, but wherever possible he substituted another explanation for him getting out of a fix. In some episodes he didn't completely remove those fanny guns, just prevented Astro from 'over doing it'.
I'm getting a tongue in cheek idea for a story where Astro is recruited as a spokes person for the NRA, or maybe is singled out as a bad example of why a stronger gun control law needs to be passed!