MovieChat Forums > The Final Terror (1983) Discussion > Anyone ever see the extended version of ...

Anyone ever see the extended version of this?

posted 18 years ago by modernboy60451
20 replies | jump to latest

First let me say that I agree that the new DVD release of this movie really is terrible...it's worse than the VHS editions which were already too dark and hard to see anyways. I remember seeing the Final Terror on cable when I was younger and loving it because of it's new-wavey score and because of the fact that it had a little something above the other slasher in the woods imitations in that this is not the typical "everyone dies leaving one girl behind who discovers the bodies and fights the killer." At least the kids band together in this one.

Anyways, I'm rambling so I'll say what I came here to say. I saw this movie ALOT on cable back in the day and it's pretty much the version that's out on video and whatnot. Then my family moved to a new house and for some dumbass reason we couldn't have cable. Well, one night The Final Terror came on one of the local Chicago stations. We had 2 UHF stations out here that used to play really bizarre, gory horror films alot (Demons, Night of the Living Dead, Re-Animator, etc.)...

Well, it had been a while since I had seen the Final Terror, so I watched it and there were some major differences in the beginning of the film. First of all, the film began with an opening credits sequence with the new-wave/rock score and white titles. Then it fades in to the biker guy and girl at some highway lookout above the ocean....talking about how they need to "get back to the rangers station." There's alot of dialogue between them, and then they get on the motorcycle and ride down the freeway while some other rocky type music plays. Eventually, it fades out, and fades in to what you see on the standard video version...now they're in the woods and they have the accident and she runs to get help, comes back, he's dead, etc. But when she runs into the can lid trap and it hits her, there is an insert of her body with gashes on her stomache where the cans hit her...and then it cuts to "Momma" with her sickel standing over her, about to cut.

Then the film cuts to Eggar driving the bus to the Ranger Station at night, with the New Wave theme music, minus the red titles that are in the standard video edition. From there on out, the film was pretty much the same as the regular video releases...

...But one other major difference that I remember is the fact that the picture was so damn clear...in the sequences that look so muddy on video, you could actually see what was happening. And I remembered from seeing the movie on cable that it was DARK...

I was wondering if anybody else has ever seen this version??? I know I'm not dreaming it, because the TV station played it several times, not just once, and I watched it every time...we still had this *beep* old VCR that couldn't record UHF channels. I assumed that they had extra footage to pad the running time for the time slot...but the extra footage seemed like necessary footage rather than the usual "pad the running time" footage...Anyways, I just wanna know if anyone else has seen this. I know imdb doesn't even list this alternate version...Maybe Anchor Bay needs to pool their resources to come out with a better edition of this.

Dave

[–] mazinz 18 years ago

That is very interesting to know. In all more likliness you saw a TV version which as you mentioned did add extra footage to either pad out a running time or for footage they had to cut out. I wish you were able to record that on your "crappy" vcr back then as I'am guessing now trying to find anyone that did record it would be very hard indeed.

However at one point in time I did come across a rental version that did use the original title of "campsite massacre". I do not recall renting it, but it would have been very funny to find out the version of the film that uses the CM name had the extra footage you mentioned.

I would submit what you listed above for alternate versions of the film (mention what tv station you saw it on).

I saw something similar with the old horror spoof film "student bodies". I dont remember exactly what, but seeing the tv version (which I thank ran on USA back then) and then seeing the version on laserdisc, I remembered the opening scene and first killing were slightly different. Wish I had recorded the TV version.

Tv versions for films are notorious for adding extra footage or just showing a completely different version ingeneral. Too bad most stations no longer show the early slashers like they used to

[–] modernboy60451 18 years ago

Maybe that's what happened mazinz...but the thing is that the version I saw on TV was actually better than the version that's been out on video. I've never really seen "padded" movies on TV that were better than their original versions. The extra footage added to the film rather than taking away from it. And like I said you could actually see what was happening in the very dark scenes. That's so weird that you saw a copy of it under the name Campsite Massacre. I even tried googling the other titles this has shown under with no luck. I'm going to take your advice and try to submit it to imdb alternate versions, and see if they add on that info.

Now as for Student Bodies...that's a movie that's SCREAMING for a DVD release. I finally found an old VHS of that.

[–] mazinz 18 years ago

Their are a ton of films that were actually better on the tv version than the original (superman 1 and 2 are among them). Well with the info you gave, that is now just one more item I will keep an eye out for.

[–] fnv790 18 years ago

Thanks for teasing me! I, too, would love to have this extended version!

[–] Filmmaker84 18 years ago

USA and TNT used to add footage to their movies all the time. One of which was Jaws 2, after the helicopter goes down in the water the shark attacks the guy while he's trapped in the plane. The scenes on the DVD now, but was really radnom and kind of cool to see the extra bit when your flipping through channels and it catches you be surprise.

[–] comic_releif 18 years ago

Dunno why you all mention Campsite Massacre as the possibly best (extended) version of this flick... now imdb seem to be listing "Carnivore" as the American TV version. Please tell me if anybody finds this actual version for sale.

On a side note, I found a plot description on the back of a DVD with the title Carnivore:
"A group of unsuspecting teenagers become the target of a failed government experiment. The biogenetic mistake produced a monster that goes crazy in the rural section where the teens are spending the night. It's up to them to save themselves and the town."

I really hoped that one could be The Final Terror, but it's more likely to be this horror flick:
http://imdb.com/title/tt0251005/

[–] mazinz 18 years ago

Dunno why you all mention Campsite Massacre as the possibly best (extended) version of this flick... now imdb seem to be listing "Carnivore" as the American TV version. Please tell me if anybody finds this actual version for sale.

The main reason we mentioned campsite massacre as possibly being the extended cut is because that was the original title of the film. Later when the film was re-titled, it is quite possible the distributors cut down the release. So when you see a film using the original title, it stands that their might be a very slim chance it does have more untouched footage in it. Then again that is very rare when it does occur. At anyrate it was released on video at one point with the original title. I just wished I had rented that version back then

[–] carl-293 18 years ago

The film received a UK release at the cinema on a double bill with CUJO back in the 80s and I can recall the print containing far nore gore than that used in subsequent versions on VHS (I have yet to see the USA region 1 disc) but from what I gather the sex scene slaughter is cut for some of the nudity in order to qualify for an R rating. The BBFC originally passed the movie uncut for cinema audiences (in the UK you had to be 18 to see it) and then cut a further 27 seconds of violence for a Home Video release by Thorn EMI.

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] comic_releif 18 years ago

Well, it makes me kinda dizzy too... so, what about "Bump in the night"? Another title I want to find information about, with no results yet. ;|

Do you have any cover picture for "The creeper"? Want to find cover pics for every released version of The Final Terror! It's such a cool movie. :)

[–] c6h6u6d 18 years ago

I actually saw the version you are talking about on the now long gone channel 66 WGBO in Chicago. I also was lucky enough to record it as well. The extended beginning also explains how the killer gets the weird shaped knife.

[–] modernboy60451 18 years ago

Holy sh!t c6h6u6d!!!!!!!!!!! It was WGBO Channel 66!!! It's now the Spanish channel. I never was able to record the movie...do you still have a copy of it?

[–] griff-47 18 years ago

Damn. I would LOVE to see this too...

[–] Campsitemassacre 17 years ago

That sounds incredible!

[–] drhackenstine 17 years ago

Dang, I wanna know more about these extended scenes. I haven't seen the movie in a decade, but watched the hell out of it when I taped it from a rental tape (the store wouldn't sell me their copy) back in the early '90's. It makes me wonder why a UHF station in Chicago would be able to obtain a copy with different scenes and whatnot, but nowadays, all we can get are crappy VHS transfers onto DVD. With all these sites like YouTube, etc., you would think someone out there would want to put this stuff out there. My Bloody Valentine has an infamous 9 minutes of footage we haven't seen, I remember an alternate cut of Friday The 13th VI: Jason Lives that was shown on the now long gone KBD station that had an extended police station scene (Paramount didn't bother putting it on their dvd release), and the list goes on and on. Well whatever. I wish I took more advantage of television when they used to play these movies back in the day.

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] mazinz 9 years ago

Hey DrHackenstine!!

the extended version surfaced on youtube-- check my post here!!!!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082379/board/inline/247214949

99% of you people will send me a PM with questions and never bother to check that I replied to them

[–] LoneWolfAttack 9 years ago

It's strange, I saw this on broadcast and non-premium cable a few times from the late '80s to late '90s - the last time around '97 or '98 - and I swear I never saw that scene at the beach. I would have remembered if I had. Was I always tuning in when it was already in progress? Did the stations I watched it on simply take the laserdisc and cut the sex and curse words out themselves? No idea. But there it is. Also strange that somebody decided to hack out the part of the scene that gave those twits any character development at all. Considering it was a reshoot tacked in after they had trouble selling the picture, you'd think they would have been a little more selective with what they let roll.

Even stranger, I watched a ton of the USA Network back in the '80s and I don't remember that show at all. Looking at the dates of the commercials, I see this was right after I had blacklisted USA in retaliation for cancelling "Night Flight" (I lifted my grudge a year later when syndication picked it up), so I guess that's why. Not that I would have lasted very long trying to watch that. Yech. Will say that I'm impressed with modernboy's memory.

[–] Dan_Garten 8 years ago

Interesting.

[–] cbnspanky2 9 years ago

Thank goodness it turns out to have actually existed. This was starting to have a Candle Cove creepiness to it.