| Author |
 Topic  |
|
damalc 
"last watched: Sausage Party"
|
 Posted - 03/28/2007 : 18:32:28
|
all movie fans, particularly in the United States, have to see this film. non-film buffs, geeks, critics may be bored as hell.
but to see the secret society of the information nazi MPAA ratings board in action is outrageous. their totally arbitrary rating system is nothing more than a way to keep the big studios rich.
often the argument for an industry to regulate itself, rather than let the government regulate it, is that once the feds get involved, they may take over. that's why we have the MPAA, explicit lyrics labels on music, and advisories on some comics.
however, i think in the case of the film industry, it might be better to have an accountable government office, with public officials, led by specific guidelines, than this anonymous, untouchable oracle system in place now.
they break the law, and lie about their own practices in the name of protecting children, which is often a euphamism for control when it comes to the exchange of information.
maybe the current system is a good way but i doubt it. something else at least deserves a chance.
here's something funny, though. i hope i'm not the only person who didn't get the underlying raunchiness of the title "South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut." right over my head until Matt Stone laid it out in "Not Yet Rated." the original title that the MPAA wouldn't allow? "South Park: All Hell Breaks Loose"
|
|
|
Cheese_Ed 
"The Provolone Ranger"
|
Posted - 03/28/2007 : 18:37:03
|
Second the motion (picture association of america).
It's a good doc on a crap system. |
 |
|
|
damalc
"last watched: Sausage Party"
|
Posted - 03/28/2007 : 19:58:50
|
meanwhile, on the censorship front, this just in:
� LOUISVILLE, Ky. _ Students at a Louisville school were told to stop reading a classic novel about slavery after some parents objected to its sexual content and language.
� The principal at Eastern High School told 150 Advance Placement English students to drop "Beloved," Toni Morrison's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about antebellum slavery, and start over with "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The move came after at least two parents complained that "Beloved" includes depictions of bestiality, racism and sex. ..."
no racism or sex in "The Scarlet Letter," nossiree. high school students in an AP class should be expected to be able to deal with issues like this. there are worse tales in the Bible. |
|
|
|
MisterBadIdea 
"PLZ GET MILK, KTHXBYE"
|
Posted - 03/28/2007 : 20:46:00
|
| Matt Stone and Trey Parker are liars. Their story is untrue. |
|
|
|
Downtown
"Welcome back, Billy Buck"
|
Posted - 03/28/2007 : 21:29:35
|
quote:
Originally posted by damalc
meanwhile, on the censorship front, this just in:
� LOUISVILLE, Ky. _ Students at a Louisville school were told to stop reading a classic novel about slavery after some parents objected to its sexual content and language.
� The principal at Eastern High School told 150 Advance Placement English students to drop "Beloved," Toni Morrison's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about antebellum slavery, and start over with "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The move came after at least two parents complained that "Beloved" includes depictions of bestiality, racism and sex. ..."
Oh my God...how did things ever get that far? Thank God for the diligence of those two parents! If it weren't for them, all those kids might learn that there is such a thing as SEX! The horror!
Only in America.
By the way, if anybody would like to tell Principal James Sexton how they feel about this, he can be reached here: [email protected] |
Edited by - Downtown on 03/28/2007 21:43:41 |
|
|
|
BaftaBaby 
"Always entranced by cinema."
|
Posted - 03/28/2007 : 22:57:26
|
quote:
Originally posted by Downtown
By the way, if anybody would like to tell Principal James Sexton how they feel about this, he can be reached here: [email protected]
Thank you. I just did:
"Word has reached across the ocean of your unwise decision to ban a great work of contemporary literature in the mistaken belief that you can control teenagers' introduction to various socio-cultural issues. The decision diminishes you as an educator and a human being. Both Beloved and The Scarlet Letter should have room on your curriculum; think what a salutory discussion could be had from contrasting the two approaches.
"What a shame you've deprived scores of future citizens in this careless way."
|
|
|
|
turrell
"Ohhhh Ohhhh Ohhhh Ohhhh "
|
Posted - 03/29/2007 : 06:33:18
|
quote:
Originally posted by BaftaBabe
"What a shame you've deprived scores of future citizens in this careless way."
Not to mention the current citizens in his school. |
|
|
|
bife 
"Winners never quit ... fwfr ... "
|
Posted - 03/29/2007 : 06:58:23
|
quote:
Originally posted by Downtown
Only in America.
Er, not!
DT, you should try Singapore. Sex scenes and bad language are routinely cut from all movies and TV programmes. Society here, under the watchful gaze of the government, is very prudish in its attitude towards sex (although thankfully not towards skimpy clothing, the abundance of which is one of the joys of living here  ).
Mr Stupid complained in another thread about the gratuitous use of sex scenes in 300 - I watched it last week and didn't know there were any sex scenes in it. Leonides and the Queen did start to kiss at one stage, before we quicklyh cut to something else entirely. Interestingly, for the first time that I've seen it in Singapore, there was a glimpse of breast - but I think the sensors probably just missed it!
Of course, there are much more restrictive regimes areound the world than Singapore's, and Singapore's authoritarianism is at least generally benevolent, but I don't live in any of those other countries, and I wish they would leave my films alone! |
|
|
|
MisterBadIdea
"PLZ GET MILK, KTHXBYE"
|
Posted - 03/29/2007 : 07:09:22
|
| No one, but no one, should have to read The Scarlet Letter. |
|
|
|
Mr Savoir Faire 
"^ Click my name. "
|
Posted - 03/29/2007 : 07:21:13
|
quote:
Originally posted by bife
Mr Stupid complained in another thread about the gratuitous use of sex scenes in 300 - I watched it last week and didn't know there were any sex scenes in it. Leonides and the Queen did start to kiss at one stage, before we quicklyh cut to something else entirely. Interestingly, for the first time that I've seen it in Singapore, there was a glimpse of breast - but I think the sensors probably just missed it!
I want to make it clear that I was not saying that movies should not have sex scenes. The sex scene in this movie was about two minutes apart from Leonidas' quote "There is no room for love in Sparta", which to me is contradictory. Not to mention this scene is not in the comic at all.
As far as book censorship in school goes, I don't see this as always being a bad thing. Not condoning it entirely, as it gets out of hand many times, but people are always quick to proclaim Fascism. I am entirely against people removing excerpts from books because thay are offensive, but that's another issue.
For instance, one of the commonly banned books is Forever by Judy Blume. Many people assume that this book is tame because it is by Judy Blume, but this is not the case. While sex is an important issue to be dealt with, explicit descriptions on how to give blow jobs and handjobs are just too much. With 30 million books in the Library of Congress, surely there are more suitable alternatives.
Parents are quick to censure their children's music and television, but why is there a stigma about restricting what they read?
I am also against a government agency that rates movies. the current system has it's problems, but it is not the government's business to do such a thing. |
Edited by - Mr Savoir Faire on 03/29/2007 07:41:58 |
|
|
|
bife
"Winners never quit ... fwfr ... "
|
Posted - 03/29/2007 : 13:21:46
|
quote:
Originally posted by Mr Stupid
I want to make it clear that I was not saying that movies should not have sex scenes. The sex scene in this movie was about two minutes apart from Leonidas' quote "There is no room for love in Sparta", which to me is contradictory.
Sorry Mr S, I did realise that it was the gratuitous or 'misplaced' nature of the sex scenes you objected to, didn't mean to quote you out of context. |
Edited by - bife on 03/29/2007 13:22:08 |
|
|
|
Downtown
"Welcome back, Billy Buck"
|
Posted - 03/29/2007 : 17:08:39
|
quote:
Originally posted by BaftaBabe
quote:
Originally posted by Downtown
By the way, if anybody would like to tell Principal James Sexton how they feel about this, he can be reached here: [email protected]
Thank you. I just did:
"Word has reached across the ocean of your unwise decision to ban a great work of contemporary literature in the mistaken belief that you can control teenagers' introduction to various socio-cultural issues. The decision diminishes you as an educator and a human being. Both Beloved and The Scarlet Letter should have room on your curriculum; think what a salutory discussion could be had from contrasting the two approaches.
"What a shame you've deprived scores of future citizens in this careless way."
Very well said. |
|
|
|
randall
"I like to watch."
|
Posted - 03/29/2007 : 22:35:48
|
Back to this Dick's film:
Of course the MPAA ratings board is a sham, worthy of derision even from a people continuing to reel after similar two-steps from the highest levels of government. But having a trustworthy parental-guidance filter isn't a bad notion at all. What Dick doesn't show us is the hard part: how exactly would you fix this mess? IOW, give me a set of guidelines that would be accepted by everyone in America.
The MPAA viewing board is the proverbial school of fish in a barrel. They've actually done a service in recent months by explaining why the film got its rating. [My favorite one was for "slime horror," can't remember the picture.]
Changing the board members won't change the system. TFINYR doesn't attempt to fix that at all, because it's not cinematic... |
|
|
|
Sean
"Necrosphenisciform anthropophagist."
|
Posted - 03/30/2007 : 01:25:59
|
quote:
Originally posted by Randall
What Dick doesn't show us is the hard part: how exactly would you fix this mess? IOW, give me a set of guidelines that would be accepted by everyone in America.
A good question with a simple answer:- I'll be global censor. I'll decide what ratings to give movies and decide what's censored and what isn't. Solved.
I think wherever the line's drawn there will always be those who think it's too tough and others who think it's too liberal. Personally, I hate the concept of censorship, but accept that there are some things that kids etc are better off without. But I'd use a "if there's any doubt, don't censor" kind of rule. |
|
|
|
BaftaBaby
"Always entranced by cinema."
|
Posted - 04/02/2007 : 14:11:29
|
quote:
Originally posted by Downtown
quote:
Originally posted by damalc
meanwhile, on the censorship front, this just in:
� LOUISVILLE, Ky. _ Students at a Louisville school were told to stop reading a classic novel about slavery after some parents objected to its sexual content and language.
� The principal at Eastern High School told 150 Advance Placement English students to drop "Beloved," Toni Morrison's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about antebellum slavery, and start over with "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The move came after at least two parents complained that "Beloved" includes depictions of bestiality, racism and sex. ..."
Oh my God...how did things ever get that far? Thank God for the diligence of those two parents! If it weren't for them, all those kids might learn that there is such a thing as SEX! The horror!
Only in America.
By the way, if anybody would like to tell Principal James Sexton how they feel about this, he can be reached here: [email protected]
Just thought I'd share with you the entire contents of the reply I received from James Sexton -- it was all in capital letters:
YOU DON�T REALLY HAVE A CLUE ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON. GET ALL THE FACTS BEFORE YOU JUMP. NO NOVEL HAS BEEN BANNED. THIS IS ONLY ABOUT PROCEDURES TO CHALLENGE FROM PARENTS OR GUARDIANS. KEEP READING AND YOU WILL UNDERSTAND LATER.
Hmmm ... the thot plickens 
|
|
|
|
Whippersnapper. 
"A fourword thinking guy."
|
Posted - 04/03/2007 : 15:22:23
|
quote:
Originally posted by bife
You should try Singapore. Sex scenes and bad language are routinely cut from all movies and TV programmes. Society here, under the watchful gaze of the government, is very prudish in its attitude towards sex (although thankfully not towards skimpy clothing, the abundance of which is one of the joys of living here ).
I am completely against women wearing skimpy clothing.
The less I see of it the better.
|
|
|
|
Topic |
|
This Film Is Not Yet Rated
