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You are here: Home / Politics / Media / Not Sure What His Point Is

Not Sure What His Point Is

by John Cole|  April 9, 20048:35 pm| 9 Comments

This post is in: Media

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I am not sure why Jesse finds this idea so bad:

Wal*Mart is getting ready to sell a DVD player that strips out the offensive content of movies for you.

Clearplay scans movies for dodgy content, and then programs that data into its system.

Subscribers can then watch standard copies of the 500-or-so films on its list, with the assurance that they will automatically skip over mute anything that children or the squeamish may not like.

Now, if you want to take precautions on live television, fine. But nobody forces you to put anything into your DVD player. If you want to watch a movie, but without the sex, swearing or violence, here’s a novel idea: there are thousands upon thousands of movies on VHS and DVD. Watch something else.

I can’t decide if this is just lazy or stupid, but part of me really wants to see the Clearplay version of Wild Things. I’ve heard it’s thirty minutes of the finest Matt Dillon standing, sitting, walking, and blurting out sentence fragments that Hollywood has to offer.

This is what is known as a market solution, and I am all in favor of it. This is personal responsibility- they are buying a product which allows them to view what they want, without material they find offensive, and guess what- it does not impede or infringe on the rights of anyonke.

Jesse has it ass-backwards. He should be encouraging this sort of idea.

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9Comments

  1. 1.

    MM

    April 9, 2004 at 9:14 pm

    It’s not that there’s anything “wrong” with it., Although I have some concern about it furthering the victim culture in this country:

    “Heathens get DVD players for $39. We are forced to spend more for our DVD player”.

    Mainly there’s just something ludicrous about a DVD player that would reduce Full Metal Jacket to a 30 second movie.

    Open scene: Several men getting their heads shaved, clearly preparing for boot camp.

    Cut to Gunnery Sargeant Hartman: “Do you love the Virgin Mary, Private Joker?”

    Roll end credits.

    Not that I wouldn’t buy one if it provided me with the delightfully ridiculous WGN cut of the breakfast club.

  2. 2.

    Ricky

    April 9, 2004 at 10:55 pm

    [General comment] Some folks still think like 17 year olds & haven’t a clue as to the notion that people have children that they don’t want to raise seeing certain things, yet.

    Thus, a movie with mild violence can then be viewable to all & everyone still gets to see it.

    And, if the prospective purchaser doesn’t want that option, how’s about NOT FREAKING BUYING THE DVD PLAYER?

    Oh, I forgot, we’re still in the “WalMart is bad because they don’t have DNC contributin’ goonion members” (forgetting that nasty part about Hillary serving on the Wal Mart board during the days when she was a Cubs fan Arkansan).

    If the market doesn’t want the product, it will fail. You know, just like liberal radio has done consistently.

  3. 3.

    jesse

    April 9, 2004 at 11:00 pm

    I think you have what I’m saying ass-backwards.

    As MM said, it furthers a mindset that I find really, really goofy – I never said that the idea shouldn’t be allowed. And I’m not sure why the market furthering the ability of people to shelter themselves from things that offend them. It’s just a mindset that I find silly and reactionary. If something offends me, but I’m not forced to be exposed to it…I just don’t look at/watch/experience it. Problem solved. It’s a mindset that says nothing should ever offend me, and if it does, then instead of moving on with my life, I want someone to change it so that I’m not offended. Regardless of who’s doing it, the mindset is, to me, lazy and silly.

  4. 4.

    jesse

    April 9, 2004 at 11:01 pm

    Wow, Ricky, how’s them strawmen? Fighting back yet?

  5. 5.

    shark

    April 9, 2004 at 11:28 pm

    Dude, if they ever attempt to clean up Wild Things, it’s riot time :)

  6. 6.

    bains

    April 10, 2004 at 5:02 am

    The point – certainly not the DVD player. It’s Walmart. Its an evil corporation, and anything that can be used to tarnish the company will be used, regardless of relevance.

  7. 7.

    Ricky

    April 10, 2004 at 4:20 pm

    Jesse, a general comment isn’t against an actual person, by design.

    That’s why I started off the comment with those words.

  8. 8.

    Dave_Violence

    April 10, 2004 at 4:57 pm

    1. I would never consider buying such a toy.

    2. Movies that were released rated “R” should be seen as they were released. Even the ones that aren’t “art.” If you’re an adult who doesn’t want to hear bad language in your home, don’t rent these films – ever. What would a film like “Blue Velvet” be like without the “offensive” parts? Or “A Clockwork Orange” or “Lion King” with the fart jokes.

    3. While I agree that there’s a marketing angle to this, the anti-art angle is more important. I hope they go bankrupt with this asinine idea.

  9. 9.

    Veeshir

    April 10, 2004 at 6:37 pm

    I’m embarassed that I watched Dogma on Comedy Central and I liked it better when Jay said, “Hell” instead of “F—“. (I don’t want to cuss on your page.)

    I doubt I’d buy one, but it is a perfect free market solution to a problem that some people have.
    I’m wondering about the mechanics, what’s offensive? Do you get a choice? Can you remove only bad language? Only extreme violence?

    I can think of one hysterical result. Imagine a very religious person who has one and they buy The Passion on DVD and get a 3 minute movie.
    Now that’s funny.

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