MovieChat Forums > Little Darlings (1980) Discussion > Version Clarification - Help?

Version Clarification - Help?


I just saw this again after aeons, and I am very confused about some scenes that I thought were in the original version versus the TV version.

I saw, on HBO (or some earlier incarnation), the original movie with the 'unavailable' soundtrack; this is the version I just re-watched, but some scenes (one in particular) that I vividly remember are not in this original version. One example is where Mr Callahan gets fired (or at least is packing to leave), and the girls turn on Cinder and confess to save Callahan job. As I remember it, Cinder then gets in trouble, and we see her marching alone to the head camp counsellor's office, smoking a cigarette.

A few years later, the movie was shown on TV; I forget what channel, and I forget if the soundtrack was different, but I do remember the Angel-saves-Ferris canoe scene, and slight plot changes, because I was trying to explain to my best friend at the time why I was so head-over-heels for a TV movie she thought was just 'meh'.

So my question is this: is it possible there are more than two versions? One that was originally aired on HBO, one that was aired on TV, and one with a different soundtrack? I am almost certain that the Callahan leaving, Cinder with a cigarette version was the actual original I saw, because I remember laughing hysterically over thinking '...and Cowboy Cinder burns down Camp Little Wolf for revenge!' when Cinder is marching enraged to talk to the head counsellor and flings her half-smoked cigarette into the forest.

The TV version I also remember was different, because I was young enough to not know about TV censorship, and tried to explain to my friend that I guessed they had remade the whole movie (ok; I was very young and naive), because the movie I saw was so much better (imo).

I am open to any explanation that doesn't involve the Illuminati. ;) Thanks in advance.

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*to save Callahan's job. This dumbphone autocorrect will be the death of me.

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There are only two versions. One is the theatrical version, the other is edited for TV. For example, the entire scene where the girls steal the condom machine is not shown in the TV version along with other scenes deemed too vulgar for TV.

The most logical explanation is they used scenes they had cut originally, to make up the time difference where they had cut scenes for tv. Although the tv version is not great and does make the story confusing and nonsensical at times, it does have some cool scenes, like when the girls are walking back from the gas station after the bus breaks down, and the one you mentioned about Cinder (as well as the rest of the girls) explaining to Miss Nichols that Gary was innocent, etc. They play a cool piano instrumental during those scenes but I've had no success in finding it or even the name of it.


Anyway, this film is one of my faves and I wish they would settle the music dispute and put it out on DVD with BOTH versions intact.

Take care

This is a faithful saying...Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

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Thank you, and I couldn't agree more on the issue of the dvd. There is so much "empty" entertainment available these days; it would be nice to have a relevant movie with a message available. I think most young women could benefit from seeing this, it is a really positive, honest, funny film that didn't sugar-coat or glamorise anything, and really showed the value of friendship and self-respect. Those are rare these days.

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You're very welcome 

This is a faithful saying...Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

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