M*A*S*H Opening Credits - Disappearing Chopper?

It's just over-aggressive Visual Noise Reduction applied (whether automated or manual) when mastering for DVD. It was corrected as further season sets were released.
 
REL said:
What the?

data_chopper.jpg
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:lol It HAD to be Data!
 
after seeing the looping video clip, I would say that the helicopter goes behind a tree on the mountain which hides it.
 
Kerr Avon said:
And that's why the choppers were painted in camo colors.
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That's some amazing camo, hehe.

0neiros said:
Nerdiest thread EVER!!! :)
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Wow, high praise on this forum—I'll take that as a compliment. :lol

robn1 said:
It could be bad telecine work in the earlier season. Or maybe 5 O'clock Charlie had something to do with it.
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I had forgotten about him, looking forward to that episode! :)

Treadwell said:
It's just over-aggressive Visual Noise Reduction applied (whether automated or manual) when mastering for DVD. It was corrected as further season sets were released.
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AHA! That seems like a plausible answer to me. I hadn't even thought it might be a result of our "all too perfect" digital age.
 
Actually it is the brand new (for the Korean war era) Stealth Helicopter! Unfortunately it was so stealthy that it was lost and never found again.
 
That can't be the case because the chopper "doesn't disappear" in later versions (season openings) of the same sequence.


Kevin
 
"Cure for cancer found!" Is what this thread would be titled if the same scrutiny/energy was devoted to a world problem that actually mattered.

I kid because I love!
 
My vote is behind the tree. Even for the split second of the "disappearance" I can still see movement in that area.
 
The highlighted area would have to be one big-ass tree. And the chopper would have to be flying insanely close to the mountain to pass between it and the tree. The highlighted area is not just one piece of vegetation, it's the side of a friggin mountain. There are hundreds of plants or whatever in that region.
 
I think Treadwell's dead on.

Do we know for sure this scene was shot live action? Perhaps this is a visual effect error from the start?
 
Come on peeps.... haven't you been following Fringe lately? The chopper swapped places in that split second with the chopper from the alternate dimension. Sheesh.... this wasn't all that hard to figure out!!:lol
 
SSgt Burton said:
In the 70s? Yeah I would say (with confidence) that it was a live action shot.


Kevin
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I'd back ya up on that too, Kevin. This series debuted in 1972. And although camera tricks and film compositing had been done before, it would have been more convincing and cost effective to just shoot the scene for real.

You guys are putting forth some great theories though. :lol
 
Here's my take on the way the shot went down.

GoogleEarth view today
MASH.jpg



The area looks mountainous but its actually just a small valley surrounded by some short rocky ridges. The chopper passes just above and behind the near ridge when its momentarily blocked from view by a rock or tree.
The low resolution 16mm film used for the shot makes the "disappearing act" look more weird.... or something like that
MASH2.jpg
 
I am planning a trip there in the near future. I'll be sure to look for the tree.

Of course large sections of that area burned. Added to the finale after it happened for real.
 
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