When you watch a film on TV, it’s not always the full version of the film you’re watching. Either the film or TV company will be responsible for providing a TV friendly version to put on the air. This can mean editing the film and, more than likely, dubbing over the foul language (ADR – Automated Dialogue Replacement). Not every company is cut from the same leaf though, and some are better than others. Here we look at some of the more questionable audio replacements and edits. Good ADR and cuts should go unnoticed; these stick out like a sore thumb.
(Nudity, bad language, yep it’s all here, you’ve been warned!)

The Big Lebowski – Find a stranger in the Alps

The Big Lebowski is a smart and funny film, but when you redub some of the “naughty” lines with something that sounds slightly similar, you end up with something that makes no sense, but is just as obscure and hilarious as the rest of the film. This is what happens when you find a stranger in the alps (Fuck a stranger in the ass!).

Weird Science – Candle Wax on Their Pimples

Even John Hughes beloved teen comedy could not make it on air without a few changes. Whilst the ADR was pretty spot on, probably recorded with the original actors, some of the lines that are cut are questionable. Why “freaked out” and “butter” were dropped is anyone’s guess.

Scar Face – Eating Pineapple

Scar Face is extremely violent and filled obscene language through out the entire film. It’s hard to imagine anyone trying to edit it so that it’s more family friendly. But that is exactly what happened. Using hilarious dubbed lines, terrible cuts and even a few outtakes from the film, this TV friendly version just does not have the same impact.

Snakes on a Plane – Monday to Friday Plane

Samuel L. Jackson is well known for his use of profanities, removing them is like removing the stripes from a zebra, but that’s exactly what the FX  channel did with Snakes on a Plane. Hiring someone, who barely sounds like Jackson, to dub over some of the more colourful lines, replacing bitch with “Basque” and mother fucker for “money fueler”.

But the biggest WTF moment comes with films big line. I’ve had it with these mother fucking snakes on this mother fucking plane, becomes something very different.

Casino – Foolish Spectacle

You have to hand it to the voice actors dubbing the TV Version of Scorsese’s Casino, they try their bests to put on a Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci voice, whilst saying things that De Niro and Pesci have probably never said in their lives. You stupid sucker you!

Back to the Future – Jeez Louise

Even a family friendly film such as back to the future was deemed too violent and expletive ridden to air uncut. With terrible edits and hilarious ADR replacements words, this TV version is a little too rough round the edges to enjoy.

Die Hard 2 – Mr Falcon

The terrible dubbing for Die Hard 2 is so horrible, that at times, it’s hard to even understand what was said. The TV studio clearly weren’t fussed that the voice actors sounded nothing like Bruce Willis or the rest of the cast, as entire lines of dialogue have been replaced with someone else’s voice. Yippee Kayee Mr Falcon.

Basic instinct – Private Joke Dum Dum

The ADR created for Basic Instincts TV cut, honestly sounds as if someone just went around the office, asking people to read lines into a tape recorder. The character’s voices change from scene to scene and audio quality and volume vary throughout. It’s hard to believe that this was created by a professionals. This is a classic example of TV studio, not giving a shit!

The Usual Suspects –  Fairy Godmother

The Usual Suspects is another violent and explicit filled film, but by dubbing over just one single line, you turn an iconic moment into something far funnier.

Shaun of the Dead + Hot Fuzz – You Silly Barstool

Edgar Wright knew that his Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy would probably not make it past the TV censors unscathed. So he had his cast do some intentionally hilarious ADR, as a way off circumnavigating those naughty words. “Peas and rice”, “Clunk” and “Mother Hubbard” are just a few of the side splitting replacements.

Showgirls – Floating Bras

Showgirls is a film filled with nudity, risqué dialogue and explicit sex scenes throughout. Not exactly something you want to sit down to watch with your mum and Nan, but apparently there is a market for it, as a pre-watershed edit was created, so that it could air on TV. Not only was the film dramatically cut and dubbed, but all the bare breast were covered over with what appears to be bras drawn in MS paint. With terrible ADR and strange floating underwear, this TV version is so bad, you have to see it to believe it!

Did we miss something? Let us know in the comments below? Tell us which of these films had the worst edits and ADR.