Page 1 of Blackadder`s Christmas Carol - cut.

Has anyone else noticed that the BBC have cut out the "They wanna see us nail up the dog" joke? Which I loved.

This was also cut out of the old VHS release. I do know that this episode is included as an extra on one of the R1 DVDs (I think it`s the third series). Can anyone confirm whether the "nail up the dog" joke is included on the American release?

There`s some info about the cut in this article (the piece covers Blackadder in general, so you`ll have to scroll down to find it):

http://www.corpses.comedynetuk.com/editnews/blackadder.html

Quote: "When the episode was repeated in January 1998, this last line was missing - Baldrick`s `no, they loved it` line cutting to an inappropriately huge audience laugh. It is likely that the cut was made following accusations of blasphemy (presumably from only one or two viewers) following its original transmission."


Why they didn`t reinstate the cut for the video/DVD releases is a mystery - maybe they just forgot.

Mike

Hi guys, I checked out my R1 Disk of Black Adder the Third from the box set and here`s a transcript from the scene in question:

Ebenezer Black Adder: "Weren`t the children upset?"
Mr Baldrick: "Nah they loved it, they want us to do another one at Easter. They wanna se us nail up the dog."
Ebenezer Black Adder: "Ahh the playful young scamps eh?"

So It appears that R1is uncut, right?

This item was edited on Tuesday, 31st December 2002, 17:13

"So It appears that R1 is uncut, right?"

Yep, looks that way.

I very much doubt that said line is problematic in the context of a DVD release - they probably just cocked up and used the wrong version for the R2 DVD master.

Mike

I`m still not too sure. Anytime I`ve seen it on BBC2 or UKGold, the line has always been in it.

The copies owned by different departments of the BBC will differ. BBC TV (who made and own the original Blackadder episodes) and BBC Worldwide (who supply the masters for commercial releases and satellite broadcasts) have virtually no contact with each other.

Apparently, BBC TV would like to make a new series of Doctor Who (in time for the programme`s 40th anniversary) but can`t because BBC Films currently own the rights.

Do we really pay our licence fee so that one company can be fragmented and tied up in pointless red tape?

This item was edited on Sunday, 5th January 2003, 19:04