Compared are the shortened UK-DVD by J&N Media (BBFC 18) (identical to the German DVD (not rated) btw) and the uncut US-DVD by J&N Media (Unrated)


- 2 Cuts
- Difference: 21.9 sec

Background

After Don't Try This At Home, (The Tour) and (Out On Bail), a forth video called The Early Years has been released for fans of Jackass star Steve-O. Besides commentaries of friends, associates, relatives and Steve-O himself, who has been fascintated with video cameras since his childhood, the DVD contains several clips he shot in the 90s before he became a star.

Those who expect footage similar to the previous Don't Try This At Home videos will be disappointed but if one is really interested in what he did before Jackass, the video reveals some interesting things. Above all, there are loads of moments that provide inside into his personal life which makes it easier to understand how good old Steve's behavior became more and more extrem until he was living on the edge. Many scenes already imply what he wrote down years later (2011) in his very recommendable biography Professional Idiot - 3 years after he'd gotten clean. He's living clean and sober ever since. In this context, I'd like to point out the documentary Demise & Rise on youtube.

The Versions

Like all the previous videos, easily-copyable scenes needed to be removed for its release in the UK. One scene at the beginning of the video shows that Steve has always enjoyed getting choked till unconsciousness, even as a teen. Similar to the third one, especially the younger audience shouldn't watch that because it's not the healthiest thing one can do to the brain / the brain cells so it got removed. Furthermore, there's a little recap to that scene at the end. It got removed as well - for obvious reasons.
Both cuts look anything but smooth so that anyone should notice - even if you don't know about the cut(s).

And contrary to the Don't Try This At Home trilogy (at least the German releases contains the uncensored US-Versions), there's no uncensored European release available. The German DVD with additional German, French and Dutch subtitles contains is identically censored - the same in France and the Netherlands.

Furthermore, only the US-DVD contains further bonus material - more short clips and a 20-minute-film (Steve-O's first skater video shot in his bedroom at the early age of 15); similar to part 1 and 3. For some reason, this isn't on the censored releases. Not to mention the screwed up NTSC to PAL-transfer. The subtitles are supposed to be simultaneously to the dialog / comments on the screen but they're not. The decision should be obvious: go get the US-DVD!



Time index refers to
BBFC 18 / Unrated

Slightly longer black screen at the beginning of the US-Version.

1 sec


01:54 / 01:55-02:15

Steve-O keeps talking from the off - the part in brackets is also in the BBFC 18-Version resp. it ends after that very comment and immediately continues with the following shot of Steve-O's dad.
"(I figured I would completely fail in life) and totally, like, die young. And I kind of thought, maybe I would be discovered after I die if I have enough home video footage, you know?"

The image is shacky at first, one can see a very old shot. A girl has a younger Steve in a headlock already well-known from his third video and also removed in the UK. Steve loses consciousness and goes down.
While Steve is regaining consciousness again, the camera man hums from the off: "Steve-O is dead and there's gonna be trouble, he-la, he-la! Nah, you're awake. Welcome to reality!"

19.9 sec

43:02 / 43:23-43:25

When Steve-O's sister Cindy explains she's alright with as long as Steve didn't drive, an establishing shot of Steve doing the exact same thing follows. Also in the UK-Version but she subsequently mentions he shouldn't do anything that causes permanent damage. Here, we have a pretty rough jumpcut because a short matching scene of Steve getting choked - from the beginning - (Steve goes down) actually follows. In the UK-Version, Cindy just keeps talking. Like I said before, it's way beyond obvious that something is missing here.

2 sec