vaderdarth
Master Member
The shadow on chopper 2 was caused by chopper 1. Simple stuff. 
M*A*S*H Opening Credits - Disappearing Chopper?
- Thread starter MaxPlague
- Start date
Darklighter
Sr Member
I'm going to make a decision based on my gut, without reading any of the comments before this one.
wizard did it.
Did you guys know its visible in the season 2 intro?:cool
wizard did it.
Did you guys know its visible in the season 2 intro?:cool
SSgt Burton
Sr Member
MaxPlague
Well-Known Member
I agree with you—and I certainly don't see any tree in the GIF you posted, so I'm inclined to say there isn't one there at all.
It seems, however, as a group, we are split again then. Because if it's the same shot from Season 1 to Season 2, then there can be no tree on that ridge.
I have not seen an HD version though, so I can't speak to that. I'd be interested to see this "tree" micdavis speaks of.
I'm sticking with my theory of gunk on the film print from Season 1. Guessing they either cleaned it or used another print (same shot though) for Season 2. If someone can disprove this theory though, hey, I'm all for it. Enlighten me.
I'd really like to see this "tree" that is often mentioned though ... it would have to be huge—which doesn't seem like it would belong in those hills of mostly scrub-brush shrubbery.
I also watched the movie a few days ago. Didn't see this shot used at all, so it might have been just extra footage they shot. (unless I missed it)
vistaVision
Sr Member
Nothing was re-shot, but maybe re-transferred from film to video. The 2 "versions" being different is likely nothing more than an artifact of the 3:2 pulldown telecine process. A lot of messing around goes into transferring 24 fps movies into 60 field (30 fps) video.
MaxPlague
Well-Known Member
Actually, there was a scene or two in the movie where Radar was wearing the stocking cap—but that's me just being nit-picky. I only noticed because I just watched the movie a few days ago and initially noticed the regular Army cap, and then thought "Oh, there it is" when he finally had the stocking cap on.
It's not a STOCKING CAP! It's a Jeep cap!
Clear as day.
Also I pulled out the first episode that I happen to own on 16mm and ran it.
It's a tree on the ridgeline.
The simplest solution again is the correct one.
MaxPlague
Well-Known Member
It's not a STOCKING CAP! It's a Jeep cap!
Oops! :lol
Frame-rate matching the prop rotation speed? Still freaky lookin! :lol
The credits for the show change quite often. In the first episode you actually see Radar catch a football, then turns his head to see the choppers.
So it is easy to guess that when the second season came along, the print of the credits was just brighter, making it possible to see the chopper beyond the tree.
Remember this was long before syndication happened with VIDEO, stations received for the most part 16mm prints which was run through what was called a film chain, for broadcast.
It's a tree. No doubt.
So it is easy to guess that when the second season came along, the print of the credits was just brighter, making it possible to see the chopper beyond the tree.
Remember this was long before syndication happened with VIDEO, stations received for the most part 16mm prints which was run through what was called a film chain, for broadcast.
It's a tree. No doubt.
Yes, a classic.
One marvels at the preciseness of the universe that allows us to see that.
vaderdarth
Master Member
I just figured all this out. Chopper 2 is really a Klingon Bird Of Prey and she's cloaked for one second.
sbaxter
Sr Member
Sorry to exhume such an old thread ... The credit sequence was edited more than once through the run of the series. The most obvious example is seen in the beginning of season four, when shots of Mike Farrell as B.J. Hunnicutt were added, replacing shots that showed Wayne Rogers as Trapper John. Other shots in which Rogers was originally visible were re-framed to exclude him. However, the character of Lieutenant Dish, who was supposed to be a regular supporting character but who appeared in only one or two episodes, actually appears in every episode in the credits as part of the group running to the helipad. The only known shots made for the original film that are included are the closer-in shots of the two choppers (which appear to show the choppers flying backwards because the helicopter with the camera was flying faster than the pair you can see) where the M*A*SH title appears on-screen, and the aerial shot of the 4077th. The shot of the choppers was filmed for the movie but not used therein. In the latter shot, some of the tents are in the same place as in the series while others are not, and some are not included at all in the TV version of the camp. In addition, if you look closely in the top left quarter of the screen you can see a light-colored dog come out from behind a tent and start trotting up the road; I'm 99 percent sure the same dog appears in some ground-level shots in the film.
SSB
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