The compared versions are: The Original Version, taken from the German Paramount DVD and the Extended TV-Version.

As known to us so far, every DVD and VHS release worldwide only contains the much shorter Original Version. However the German TV-Version features a lot of footage which is not included in the worldwide DVD releases. It is very likely that the extended TV Version has been shown in other countries too. But that we can't confirm. If you have further informations regarding DVDs, VHS and TV-Version from other countries please contact us.

In the Original Version scenes were cut or shortened that add to the plot or deepen it. For example, in the TV version we learn what happens to Gene Randall, or we find out, why Neil Chase is visitting Colonel Hanley. The scene with the NASA people is left out entirely.

Note: Since the TV version was split into two parts, the end titles of part 1 have been regarded as superfluous for this comparison and were cut out, when the two parts were combined. Thereby creating one long version of the film, which has been used for this comparison.

11 cuts = 1406 Sec
1 scene change

0:01:25
Title caption of the DVD version (left picture) and the title caption of the TV version (right picture).

0:23:55
Neil drives Lesley home and accompanies her to the door.

Leslie points to the place where the telephone repairmen had parked the car.
Neil promises him that they will manage to fill the screen piece by piece and tells him not to worry about that. He then ask if everything is ok.
Leslie says good night to Neil and thanks him.
Neil says good night as well.

Neil goes back to the car, but stops halfway and looks to the spot, where the telephone repairmen had parked the car. He spots two kids on a bench, starring up to the skies. He walks over and talks to them.

Neil says "Hi!"
The Girl replies with a "Hi!"
Neil asks what they are looking at.
The girl says that they are waiting for the moon.
Neil asks puzzled if they are seriously waiting for the moon.
The girl states that her brother is afraid to sleep and does not want to go to bed. He claims that the moon had come down from the sky the day before. He said he had seen it landing on the ground.
Neil responds with an "aha!"
The mother orders the kids to go to bed immediately.

Neil goes to the spot where the telephone repairmen had parked the car and investigates a spot of burnt soil.

168 Sec

0:26:43 A bag of popcorn is thrown into a shopping cart.

1 Sec

0:33:23
Timmy is watching a basketball game, while Mary puts something into the refrigerator.

Mary asks if Timmy is full.
Timmy replies positively.

The doorbell rings.

Timmy states that that should be dad at the door.

Timmy goes to the door and opens it. Betty Williams is standing outside.
Betty says Hi to Timothy.
Timmy replies with a "Hi!"
Betty asks if mother is home.
Timmy says yes.

Mary goes to the door.

Mary says hello to Betty and states what a surprise her visit is. She then asks what brings her here at this late hour. She then says to Timmy that he must go to bed now.
Timmy says good night to mom.
Betty asks if she may come in.

Betty and Mary go into the living room.

Betty says that she had been worried a bit about Mary.
Mary asks why.
Betty explains that Sue Casey had told Kathy Andrews about an accident that Mary had had at the supermarket.
She reports that Kathy had been beside herself about that, as she had seen Mary driving through town like crazy. She then says that that was when she decided to come over immediately and ask what was up.
Mary reports that she had bumped her nose while she had been shopping it had started bleeding and that that had been all.

The telephone rings.

Mary excuses herself.

Mary goes to the telephone and answers it.

Mary finds out that Joe is calling and asks if he is still in Colorado.
Joe replies that he still is in Colorado and says that he is sorry since he had not slept and had been driving all night and was very exhausted and only wants to eat something quickly and then go to sleep. He then promises her to be with her the next day.
Mary says that Timmy will be pretty disappointed but understands the situation and says that she loves him.
She reports that Betty is with her and therefor wants to end the conversation and wishes for him to have a safe drive.

Mary hangs up. She then sees Timmy standing at the top of the stairs, having listened in on the talk between Mary and Betty.

Mary says that it is nice of Betty to worry, but that there is absolutely no need to worry. She states that she honestly does not understand all the fuss about a simple nosebleed.
Betty says that she actually did not mean to mention it, but then reports that Bob Danfoss had been driving by the house early in the morning a couple of days ago and that he had seen Mary getting out of a police car.
Mary confirms this and says that she had called the police, but strictly on a family matter with no reason for any concern.
Betty asks worried what had been going on and points out that Mary can share all matters with her.
Mary says that she feels well and points out again that it was purely a family matter and thanks her for offering to help.
Betty then says that she is happy about all being well.
Mary say good bye to Betty.

Mary closes the door.

172 Sec

0:58:00
The following scene starts with the same shot (picture of the house) in both the DVD version, as well as the TV version. The dialogue between Neil and his daughter is longer in the TV version and starts with a cut to another scene. In the DVD version, the dialogue already picks up during the shot of the house, but is shorter.

The daughter argues with her father about her one-year long break from her studies, claiming that others do that as well and says that it is important for her to learn how to live on her own. She says that if it is wrong, she wants to find out herself and learn from it.
Neil accepts that and says that he does not want to stand in her way as he could not stand that.
The daughter is not very happy with that statement and wants him to say that he loves her, despite of what he thinks about her decision and she wants that he supports her.
Neil says that he loves her and that he believes in her.
The daughter asks if he honestly means that.
Neil says that really means it.
The daughter says that she loves him and puzzles what she would do without him.

The doorbell rings.

The daughter asks if he is expecting anybody.
Neil says that he does not.

62 Sec

1:33:21
Neil listens to the tape again, on which Lesley's hypnosis session had been recorded and compares it with statements Mary made about the aliens. Cut to a new scene: We see Neil visiting Mary's sister Leigh.

Leigh states her surprise about the visit and asks him in.
Neil says that he is sorry to intrude, but that he is aware that the two are about to fly away that day.
Leigh says that she is sorry to report that Mary and Tim are not in and that they have driven to the pier.
Neil says that he should have called and asks if Mary is feeling better.
Leigh says that she says she is feeling much better.
Neil acknowledges that.
Leigh asks him to come in as they should be back soon.
Neil agrees and says that he had planned to talk to her anyway.

101 Sec

1:45:44
Lesley and Ray are lying on a bench on the porch and are chatting.

Lesley asks if this all is real that is happening.
Ray asks her what she means.
Lesley says that she means all the wishes becoming true and that she had never been as happy in her life.
A short chat about the love they share follows.
Ray suddenly asks her if she had felt something and when she says that she did and asks what it was, he replies that it had moved.
Lesley says that this cannot be normal as her doctor had told her that she is only in her 4th month of pregnancy.
Ray says that he does not care as he had felt it.

46 Sec

2:00:53
Neil, Leigh, Mary, Joe and Timmy are standing on the lawn for a few seconds longer. Next, a cut to a new scene where we can see how the burnt spot is being investigated by scientists.

A man calls out for John.
John replies.
The man tells John to go up the hill and to take a picture from there.
A scientist says that not only the first layer of earth had been burnt, but also that it is completely sterile, everything is dead as deep as 1.7 meters.
Neil is asking if anyone knows the cause of that.
The scientist says that he does not have a clue, but states that it needs a source of immense heat to cause something like this.
The sheriff asks about the four holes they also found.
The scientist agrees that these are very interesting.
The sheriff asks how they should proceed.
Neil asks if there are any instructions.
The scientist states that these will be issued a little later.

Leigh, Neil, the sheriff and the scientist go to one of the holes.

The scientist says that this is a perfect cylinder shape, roughly 1.3 meters in diameter and each exactly 1.5 meters distant from the edge. Each cylinder is exactly 60 centimeters deep. He then asks if they want to know what these are and that he does not have a clue about that. He says that he will send the probes to the lab and then they have to wait for the results.
The sheriff thanks him.
The scientist says goodbye and points out that they will meet Neil again.
Neil says thank you.
The scientist says that it had been a pleasure to meet Leigh.
Leigh says thank you for that.
The sheriff asks Neil to accompany him to the car and asks what all the talk is about, asking about UFOs or something else.
Neil says that UFOs are not part of his job.
The sheriff points out that since he is a psychiatrist, he thought that they would be part of it.
Neil agrees with that.
The sheriff reports that it had been a couple of weeks ago that a few very strange reports had come in. Most callers reported strange things they had seen, ghost lights or something like that, which were spotted in the sky. He then points out that he does not give much about such things he can not see. He says that he needs proof like fingerprints or pictures. But he thought that the doctor could make use of these reports.
Neil states that this has helped him quite a bit.

After the sheriff has left with his car, a cut to a new scene takes place, which shows how Neil runs down the steps to Mary's house with luggage in his hands. When he reaches the end of the steps, Timmy speaks to him.

Timmy greets Neil.
Neil greets back.
Timmy says that he only wanted to say that he is sorry for being so angry at him.
Neil says that it is all forgotten.
Timmy says that he knows what has happened and that he knows that it was not Neil's fault.
Neil acknowledges that.
Timmy asks if they are still friends.
Neil says that they sure are, even the best ones forever.
Timmy asks if he will come to visit him again.
Neil says he sure will and that he will bring his baseball glove next time.

216 Sec

2:18:52
Neil and his colleague Teracello are looking at slides of the object, which had been found in Mary's nose.
Neil gets a message from his secretary that two men from NASA want to talk to him. He asks them to come in.

The men suggest to Neil that he should no longer worry about the aliens.
Teracello says that this is very unusual and asks what the men think about it.
Neil says that he does not know.

The phone rings.
Neil answers it.
His secretary tells him that two men from NASA want to talk to him.
Neil is startled but tells the secretary to let them in.

Both men enter the room.

Doug Manning introduces himself and then introduces his colleague Ray Jardin.
Neil says he is happy to meet them and introduces Teracello.
Jardin asks if he can speak to Neil in private.
Neil negates that and says that he can say everything in front of his colleague. He then offers them a seat.

Both men sit down.

Neil asks what the men are doing at NASA.
Manning says that they are quality inspectors in the department of technical development. He also says that it is a rather boring job.
Neil asks what he can do for them.
Manning says that they are in the area for business reasons and that they have heard about Neil's work and have become curious about it and wanted to meet him before they have to fly back.
Neil asks about which part of his job they were primarily being interested in.
Manning states that this was about the alien abductions.
Neil asks him, where he had heard about that.
Manning says that the news about that had been going around.
Neil is puzzled and wants to know what Manning wants to know exactly.
Manning openly admits that they are surprised that a renown doctor like him is wasting his time with such matters.
Neil states that he is involved in a variety of subjects and that that is part of his job.
Manning agrees that this is part of a psychiatrists job and that people with such malfunctions naturally seek help from him.
Neil questions the use of the word "malfunctions".
Manning agrees that the word had been unfit and that maybe these people are not mad and that maybe there even is life in space. But all that is only in theory and he then points out that they have yet to find an alien.
And he points out that aliens landing in other people's gardens have all proven so far to be false reports.
He then gives Neil the advice not to worry about the aliens anymore as it is a waste of time.
Neil says thank you for the information and asks if that is the only reason for the visit.
Manning says that this is all and that they have to take off for the airport now. He also hopes that they will meet again.
Neil dismisses them.

The two men leave the room and Neil has a short talk with his colleague.

Teracello asks why two men from NASA worry about what they are doing.
Neil responds with a questioning sound to that.

The secretary comes in and says that Dr. Epstein had called while they had the visitors and wants to speak to Neil immediately.

213 Sec

2:24:41
Gene Randall is released. Neil speaks to him one last time.

Neil says that Gene will be released this day and that he wants to congratulate him on that.
Gene asks what Neil thinks about that and states that it had taken a long time until this finally happened.
He then reports that someone from the veteran's association had come by and he promised that Gene would get a lot of cash from the government.
Neil asks for what all the money is for.
Gene reminds the doctor of the time in the desert when he had been under the influence of drugs without his knowing.
Neil ask how he means that.
Gene reports that the man from the veteran's association had explained to him that it had been some sort of experiment, which they had tried to keep secret. It was about some sort of secret weapon, a gas which caused hallucinations and they had tested that on them.
Neil asks if he really believes that.
Gene says that he does and that there is no better explanation and that even the doctor could not explain the ghost lights in any better way.
Neil asks if he has any objections if Neil wanted to talk to the veteran's association about that.
Gene asks the doctor not to dig any further into that as he now sees a chance to live beyond all his troubles of the past.
Neil says that he understands that and that he should not worry about it and then offers him to call him anytime he needs help again.
Gene agrees to that and says that he will call again.
Neil wishes him good luck.
Gene thanks him for all the help.

153 Sec

2:43:44
Neil's speech takes a little longer and a man cuts in.

The man says with all due respect that there are many people who believe in all this nonsense to be true. He says that they read about it, watch such things at the cinema or on TV and points out that this is a sick illusion of the space age. He then says that the people are no longer believing in Virgin Mary and that today they believe in alien kidnappers instead.
Neil refers to Robert Lifton's work about the survivors as common knowledge and summarizes how Lifton had worked with survivors of catastrophes like Hiroshima, the Holocaust and Vietnam. And says that all of them show the same symptoms that he had talked about: Fear, disgust, nightmares and distrust. He adds that the distrust is mainly aimed at psychiatrists, who always come up with false diagnoses. He points out that these are the reactions of real trauma patients and not of those with imagined traumas.

65 Sec

2:46:31
Neil and Teracello walk along a hallway and talk.

Teracello says that he feels remorse about this thing and thinks that this is with a very good reason.
Neil says that he thinks differently about it.
Teracello puzzles since Neil had been sacked for it.
Neil says that he had not been sacked but had quit the job.
Teracello tries to disagree, but Neil asks him to understand that he was fully aware of all the consequences.
Teracello asks him, if his work is not the most important thing for him.
Neil says that it is and that he did not lose that, he just has had enough of the so-called fast-food medicine and wants to do something else.

There is a cut to another scene and we can see how Neil and Leigh are roasting Marshmellows over a campfire.

Leigh says that she is full and then says that Mary had called the day before, asking if they would come over for Thanksgiving.
Neil asks if anything had happened.
Leigh says that she does not know but that Mary had said that she was feeling much better. She adds that she rather doubts that statement and wants to know if he wants to go.
Neil says that he surely wants to go.
Leigh responds that she still thinks that if she had not brought her over...
Neil interrupts her and says that he is happy that she had come.
Leigh issues doubts about his job situation.
Neil tells her to forget about all that.

Both are kissing. Cut to a new scene: A car stops close by and a man gets out. He rings Neil's doorbell. Neil goes down the stairs and opens the door. It is Manning, one of the men from NASA.
Manning greets Neil.

Neil asks what he was doing in this area.
Manning says that they have an appointment and asks if Neil had forgotten about it. He claims that he has a referral from Dr. Strauss.
Neil remembers the call about a man being afraid of fire.
Manning says that he thought this to be a good description to use.
Neil ask Manning if he is working for NASA too.
Manning asks him what he thinks.
Neil says that he thinks it is time for Manning to go.
Manning disagrees and points out to the saying, not to shoot the messenger and that he was only there to hand over an invitation.

Neil looks at the invitation.

Manning says: "Salisbury Club....11 o'clock."
Neil says that he will not be able to make the appointment as he is leaving town.
Manning says that there is still enough time before Neil flies to Omaha at 3pm.

209 Sec

2:23:10 (DVD)
We can see a scene on the beach (see above) after Neil had visited General Hanley. In the TV version, we see this scene before the visit to the general.

79 Sec