# The Martian--now sanatized for your children's protection **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 27, 2017, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-martian-now-sanatized-for-your-childrens-protection/780953 "2017-02-27T15:50:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2017, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-martian-now-sanatized-for-your-childrens-protection/780953/21 "2017-02-27T22:53:37Z")
After 51 years of absence we can again now make a choice on ‘my favorite Martian’. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2017, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-martian-now-sanatized-for-your-childrens-protection/780953/22 "2017-02-27T22:57:49Z")
I was in highe school in the early seventies. In Spanish class we read a book in the original. \*El Sombrero de Tres Picos. \* And intro to the book said three short segments had been excised in this edition, to make it more suitable for young people. First thing we did was go to the library to find what we were missing. I was rather disappointed that even though then I was rather sheltered, the unexcised version didn’t raise any eyebrows with me ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2017, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-martian-now-sanatized-for-your-childrens-protection/780953/23 "2017-02-27T23:01:02Z")
> [@the OP's cite](#): > > “Imagine if you were stranded on Mars,” she said. “Do you think you’d say, ‘Goshdarnit’?” I’d probably say “Oh, this isn’t a _bit_ nice! This has made me _very_ angry! Very angry, indeed!” ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2017, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-martian-now-sanatized-for-your-childrens-protection/780953/24 "2017-02-27T23:03:50Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > Makes me wonder how many books have been re-published in “classroom editions” (as they’re calling this one). Tough thing to search, as publishers would have used a variety of phrases to describe the bowdlerized versions. Many moons ago, the classroom edition of Macbeth we studied was slightly edited for content (the bit I mainly remember is one of the gatekeepers “increases the desire, but taketh away the performance” or similar). The teacher explained the difference between the text we were reading and the recording we were listening to. And she showed us the Polanski film version uncut, so y’know,the text was all that the school had enough copies of. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2017, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-martian-now-sanatized-for-your-childrens-protection/780953/25 "2017-02-27T23:15:29Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I’d probably say “Oh, this isn’t a _bit_ nice! This has made me _very_ angry! Very angry, indeed!” [😃](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdq9B7OZ01s) ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2017, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-martian-now-sanatized-for-your-childrens-protection/780953/26 "2017-02-27T23:25:11Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Many moons ago, the classroom edition of Macbeth we studied was slightly edited for content (the bit I mainly remember is one of the gatekeepers “increases the desire, but taketh away the performance” or similar). The teacher explained the difference between the text we were reading and the recording we were listening to. And she showed us the Polanski film version uncut, so y’know,the text was all that the school had enough copies of. That reminds me of when I was in high school (around 1990) the school was putting on a performance of Greece, and someone had lost their script (a commercially produced one, around the size of a Cliff’'s Notes book.) The thing was _filled_ with hand-edits where the musical had been bowdlerized for the (again, high school) performance. Including every use of the word “geeze.” ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-martian-now-sanatized-for-your-childrens-protection/780953/27 "2017-02-28T00:09:53Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > When he repairs a pump without waiting for NASA, does Capcom not say to him, “You’re a dick!” ? OK, fine. 5 Dicks 1 Dicking 1 Dick-all Zero Cocks ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-martian-now-sanatized-for-your-childrens-protection/780953/28 "2017-02-28T00:14:07Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Just for fun I searched my Kindle copy: > > Shit: 65 times > Fuck: (and variations) 57 times > Asshole: 6 times > Zero cunts > [@BlankSlate](#): > > OK, fine. > > 5 Dicks > 1 Dicking > 1 Dick-all > Zero Cocks And 1 “boobies,” including the emoji! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-martian-now-sanatized-for-your-childrens-protection/780953/29 "2017-02-28T00:38:56Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > The book (or movie) does not contain any inappropriate language. When you’re the sole survivor stranded alone on a lifeless planet years away from the possibility of rescue, that sort of language is entirely appropriate. At most, you might want to preface the movie with a reminder that your students are _not_ stranded on a lifeless planet, and so that language is not necessarily appropriate for them. Someone upthread mentioned that the problem would be parents. I have never known a parent to be make sense where their child is concerned, whether on a lifeless planet or a Principal’s office. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-martian-now-sanatized-for-your-childrens-protection/780953/30 "2017-02-28T00:40:41Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > That reminds me of when I was in high school (around 1990) the school was putting on a performance of Greece, and someone had lost their script (a commercially produced one, around the size of a Cliff’'s Notes book.) The thing was _filled_ with hand-edits where the musical had been bowdlerized for the (again, high school) performance. Including every use of the word “geeze.” Wow. It must have been all Greek to you. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-martian-now-sanatized-for-your-childrens-protection/780953/31 "2017-02-28T01:35:46Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Someone upthread mentioned that the problem would be parents. > I have never known a parent to be make sense where their child is concerned, whether on a lifeless planet or a Principal’s office. Oh, I’m certain that is it. If I were a school administrator wanting to show the movie, I wouldn’t chance it. It was rated Rated PG-13: Parents Strongly Cautioned – some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. Middle School kids are going to be 12 -15, right? When I was in 7th grade, my father tried to give me shit when he saw a copy of _To Kill a Mockingbird_ in my room. I had to tell him it was required reading for school (which it was). ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-martian-now-sanatized-for-your-childrens-protection/780953/32 "2017-02-28T02:39:25Z")
I don’t have a problem when the original is still available. I love the film _Topsy-Turvy_ about Gilbert and Sullivan, and would love to show it to high school kids. But, for some reason, the director chose to insert a scene of Sir Arthur Sullivan cavorting with a couple of bare-breasted French prostitutes, and one of the actors using a completely gratuitous “fuck” giving the film an “R” rating. The sad part is DVDs and BluRays have the branching ability to deliver both the original rating and a Bowlderized version, yet I’ve never seen anyone do it. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-martian-now-sanatized-for-your-childrens-protection/780953/33 "2017-02-28T03:11:51Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > The book (or movie) does not contain any inappropriate language. When you’re the sole survivor stranded alone on a lifeless planet years away from the possibility of rescue, that sort of language is entirely appropriate. At most, you might want to preface the movie with a reminder that your students are _not_ stranded on a lifeless planet, and so that language is not necessarily appropriate for them. Eh, it’s not inappropriate language, it’s potentially problematic language when using the book in class. I wouldn’t care if my son read it at that age but it was the author himself who approached his publisher and asked about putting out an edited ‘student’ version so, if he’s okay with the integrity of his work, then who am I to get offended? ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-martian-now-sanatized-for-your-childrens-protection/780953/34 "2017-02-28T03:28:38Z")
I guess I’m a little surprised that this is noteworthy. Movies have been edited or dubbed for settings such as network television for ages. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-martian-now-sanatized-for-your-childrens-protection/780953/35 "2017-02-28T03:29:33Z")
If a book such as this is adopted widely by schools, the author can expect a steady stream of revenues for a good long while. So it’s in the author’s interest to agree to minor changes if his book will be used in schools. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-martian-now-sanatized-for-your-childrens-protection/780953/36 "2017-02-28T04:06:15Z")
> [@Richard\_John\_Marcej](#): > > This wouldn’t be the first time they did this. > After _The King’s Speech_ won it’s Oscar, it was rereleased with the language “sanitized”. > > In this day and age when we have multiple versions of dozens of movies released, as long as the original version is always available, I have no problem with this. > > So today, kids can watch the “sanitized” version at school. They can enjoy and learn from it. When they get older they can watch the original version and enjoy it as well. > > No harm, no foul. “No harm, no foul”? What the hell? A significant element to the therapy has to do with overcoming the stammer with profanity. How do they scrub that and not turn the movie into pointless blather? ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-martian-now-sanatized-for-your-childrens-protection/780953/37 "2017-02-28T05:32:41Z")
The worst thing I ever read in terms of self-censorship was when Epic Rap Battles started to released sanitized versions of their online rap battles so they could be shown in schools. I can’t imagine how embarrassing a teacher showing an Epic Rap Battle video in class would be, especially since you know they would think they’re the “Cool teacher” for doing it. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-martian-now-sanatized-for-your-childrens-protection/780953/38 "2017-02-28T14:02:01Z")
It would be unfortunate to lose the phrase “science the shit out of this”. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-martian-now-sanatized-for-your-childrens-protection/780953/39 "2017-02-28T14:27:18Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > It would be unfortunate to lose the phrase “science the shit out of this”. Indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-martian-now-sanatized-for-your-childrens-protection/780953/40 "2017-02-28T14:32:18Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I’d probably say “Oh, this isn’t a _bit_ nice! This has made me _very_ angry! Very angry, indeed!” Why am I picturing that in a John Oliver voice? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-martian-now-sanatized-for-your-childrens-protection/780953.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-martian-now-sanatized-for-your-childrens-protection/780953.md?page=3)