OK, biologists, do you believe the "9 to 18 months early" statement? According to this Wikipedia article, we are right in line for mammals of approximately the same body weight.
This has a faint odor of fake news. Once the location for a cable run was located, a hole large enough for a standard wall plate would have been cut. That would have easily given enough space to tape the cord to the clock and retrieve it.
This effect might be even bigger since (in my experience) movie ticket prices have risen faster than overall inflation. For example, "101 Dalmatians" cost $0.50 to see when it finally came to my little town. Current, first-run movies cost $12. That adjustment has it grossing an adjusted $3.5 Billion.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mammalian_gestation_durations
http://www.drunkard.com/10_06_andre_giant/
2. Well, yeah, cut out the action and alter the sound track then weird happens. This just is.