M.a.s.h.

FroodFrood Posts: 13,180
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Actually a DVD question.

It would appear that the later series of M.A.S.H. available on DVD give to the option of not having thelaughter track.

Des anyone know if this is true of the DVDs for the earlier series?

Without the laughter track this is one of the best programmes ever made. With it..... rubbish.

Comments

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 5,226
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    i doubt it. As I recall, later series of MASH were available to foreign broadcasters with or without the laughter, and the BBC took the laughless ones where it could. I very much doubt laugh-less versions of the originals exist.
  • FroodFrood Posts: 13,180
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    The BBC showed all the series, even the early ones, without the laughter track but the DVDs don't indicate whether this is an option for series 1-4.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 5,226
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    hmmmm. if that's so, it rather depends on whether the americans authored the early discs and didn't bother to find the laugh-less masters - I can fully believe they didn't worry too much about keeping copies in the US. It doesn't look good though!
  • SystemSystem Posts: 2,096,970
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    I can happily confirm that the US editions of the DVDs do have an option to turn the laughter track off.

    I buy the US versions as a) they are out about 9 months earlier and b) they are cheaper.

    No idea about the UK versions but I would assume that they would do.

    It is quite strange though. The laughte track bears little resemblance to the actual gags in the show. In one episode I was watching recently it was a full 5 minutes before I realised I had left the laughter track on.
  • FroodFrood Posts: 13,180
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    Thanks Alfster :)

    Unfortunately I do notice the laughter track. On one occassion the BBC showed an episode with the track switched on for the first ten minutes until someone realised. A lot of people had complained even in that short time.

    The writers and producers wanted the series done without a laughter trackbut the Network insisted. The only concession was that there would be no canned laughter for scenes in the operating theatre.
  • SystemSystem Posts: 2,096,970
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    <Unfortunately I do notice the laughter track. On one occassion the BBC showed an episode with the track switched on for the first ten minutes until someone realised. A lot of people had complained even in that short time.>

    Aggg! I never finished that properly!! I always noticed laughter tracks too. But on this particular episode it was a full 10minutes before they actually used it, at which point I turned it off. There seems to be a scatter gun approach to it as though the dullard putting it on does not know what funny is.

    I never knew they did not have laughter in the operating theatre...but no reason I would do really!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 41
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    The R2 editions, like the R1s have the optional laughter track.

    I've never watched a full episode with a laughter track and the bits I have "sampled" with it on are somewhat surreal and off-balance.
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