BTW, Grand Theft Auto 3 was banned in Australia because of the prostitutes, and the fact that you could beat them up after a “trick” and get your money back. The prostitutes were the only thing taken out in the cleaned up version.
Interestingly, Blockbuster will not carry films rated NC-17, but they will carry films released unrated. So, you cannot rent the director’s cut of Requiem For A Dream there, but you can rent softcore porn released by Playboy.
MPAA ratings aside, Blockbuster has refused to carry some R-rated movies in their theatrical form. They “suggested” to the makers that certain edits be made. Since Blockbuster is virtually a monopoly, these edits are made and you are not told this. Ditto KMart etc. (How they rationalize the Playboy videos is beyond me. I guess just naked it okay. Two hot and sweaty people aren’t?)
Blockbuste,r and even lesser chains, also will not carry popular movies in letterbox format. So you get pan-and-scan or clipped versions. (Unless it’s a DVD with both versions, for example.)
If you think you are renting the same film that was shown in theaters, you are greatly mistaken.
I don’t patronize these places as I’m still mad about dropping Beta.
Beta???
I was miffed when 3/4" went out of vogue.
Cite??? Exactly what movies were re-edited specifically because Blockbuster “suggested it.”
Oh god please don’t let leechboy come back in here. That is one of his fav. rant topics.
Mind you having seen “Ace Venture - Pet Detective” in wide screen and in Pan-and-scan I can see why sometimes its not a good idea to do the pan-and-scan thing. There was a whole scene where this lady is ripping his clothes off and he is meant to be nekkid but in pan-and-scan you can see he is wearing boxers.
I was always under the impression that Australian Blockbusters were less prone to the ultra-conservative attitudes of the American parent. However, I thought it kind of odd that my local shop didn’t have any copies of Happiness or Solondz’ earlier Welcome to the Dollhouse in any format for that matter. Even stranger in that the guy I spoke to when I joined, claimed they were the only non-corporate owned Blockbuster in Australia.
The other thing that Blockbuster does is put that sticker (Warning! For mature audiences only!) for every movie that does not have a rating. I watch a lot of Asian movies, and I can remember one Chinese movie (Not One Less) that has absolutely nothing objectionable in it. This could be a G-rated movie. This mislabeling is not uncommon at all at Blockbuster. *
I asked why people were being warned away from this sweet and touching movie (and other movies) for no good reason. The answer was that Blockbuster would rather knee-jerk in ignorance than have knowledge of what they put on their shelves.
*I also saw the back of the Blockbuster box for the movie Kickboxer. "Catch Jean-Claude Van Damme in other starring roles, such as Predator!. Hello! What’s wrong with this picture???
For a time, Blockbuster was refusing to carry The Last Temptation of Christ, apparently they’ve changed their position on this as I saw a copy in my local Blockbuster the other day. (Totally surprising since this is the heart of the Biblebelt.)
Not much; Van Damme was the original Predator but quit after realizing that he wasn’t going to get any credit. Accoding to the director, there’s still one scene in the movie with Van Damme in the Predator suit.
Likewise. AFIK, there is no proof that any video renter/retailer required editing movies for it to be on their shelves with the execption of an independent video store owner in Utah.
Regarding editing on non-NC17 movies to appease Blockbuster, just do a search on Google. Easily found this page for example. There’s a partial list (halfway down) which includes the “R” rated Lolita for example as well as unrated films.
While searching I also found out what might be behind the original OP issue. Some people feel that independent films are getting socked with far too many “NC-17” ratings, which locks them out of most theaters and video stores. Big studio films with the same content are alledged to be getting far fewer "NC-17"s. The difficulty in appealing an “NC-17” without editing is apparent given that Clerks appears to be unique.
And this justifies to you advertising Predator as being a Van Damme vehicle? You don’t feel this would be misleading to someone renting the movie expecting to see Van Damme?
It’s bad enough that movie distributors do this. (“Starring Jackie Chan!” and the myriad of movies “starring” Bruce Lee); we don’t need Blockbuster contributing to the problem. I know my example is ignorance on their part, rather than outright deception–but I won’t excuse it.
ftg, I read that BB bought the rights to Lolita, so they were the only store that had them for
rent for a certain period. Ironic. Another local video store sent me there to buy a couple
of used copies of it for $4.99 each.
The co-founder of Troma Films (Toxic Avenger, Class Of Nukem High, Surf Nazis Must Die, Cannibal: The Musical, A Nymphoid Barbarian In Dinosaur Hell, and many many more) says that BlockBuster does in fact edit some of the films it carries and does not notify customers of the editting.
Cite- All I Need To Know About FilmMaking I Learned From The Toxic Avenger- The Shocking True Story Of Troma Studios
Page 194
Lloyd specifically mentions that the Blockbuster version of Last Tango In Paris has a lamp superimposed over the buttocks of Marlon Brando in the “Famous buttery anal sex scene”*.
- Lloyd possesses both a sick mind and a flair for the dramatic. Since I’ve never actually seen Last Tango, I don’t know if there actually is a buttery anal sex scene, or whether Lloyd refers simply to a sex scene involving butter **
** Having read the book, I can say Lloyd is not simply being dramatic when describing BlockBuster censorship. He is quite passionate about filmmaking, the MPAA, and censorship of any kind. ***I admit that Lloyd could be wrong about BlockBuster. But he isn’t intentionally exagerrating or lying.
**** If we can’t rent uncut versions of Blood Sucking Freaks or Rabid Grannies, the terrorists have already won.
No it doesn’t but I can understand how the suggestion got there.
Posted by DocCathode:
"* Lloyd possesses both a sick mind and a flair for the dramatic. Since I’ve never actually seen Last Tango, I don’t know if there actually is a buttery anal sex scene, or whether Lloyd refers simply to a sex scene involving butter ** "
I’ve seen Last Tango, and there is indeed a buttery anal sex scene. IIRC, there was no lamp interfering with the view.
Thanks for that information JC. That completes phase 1. Now, we need a volunteer to rent Last Tango from BlockBuster, and watch for a lamp.*
*I’m ineligible. BB and other video stores require a credit card for membership. Due to the Syndicate, and the desire to keep extraneous magnetic fields out of my laboratory I have no credit cards.
Last Tango in Paris is a stunningly beautiful film and must be seen on a movie screen to truly appreciate. It was originally rated “X” as there was no “NC-17” back then. Since it was somewhat successful, many hoped that it would finally open up the American theater market (no Blockbuster back then) to “X” but not porn films. But no such luck. (Cf. “Midnight Cowboy”)
The “butter scene” only shows the girls buttocks from the side. No views of Brando’s or Schneider’s privates (in that particular shot).
IMHO, nothing remotely requiring an “X” rating in the entire film.
I’ve seen it twice in theaters and, IIRC, no lamp obscuring anything.
Last Tango in Paris has been shown on free-to-air TV here uncut. It’s available at most large video stores, and by today’s standards it’s an incredibly “tame” movie. There’s no lamp in any version I’ve seen (cinema, rental, or TV), but then there isn’t really anything worthy of censoring in it.
I agree with ftg that it’s a stunningly beautiful movie and one well worth seeing.