Bleep! Censoring Hollywood

Interesting looking documentary on AMC tonite:  Bleep! Censoring Hollywood (2005). Here’s the blurb:   

"Self-appointed movie sanitizers claim they are making films safe for American families. In today’s DVD/home video marketplace, several small businesses are buying copies of Hollywood’s most popular movies to edit out sex, violence, and foul language. Once "cleansed," they are sold again as so-called "family-friendly" versions — without the consent of the films’ directors or film studios.

A cut here, an edit there — it’s driving Hollywood crazy.

BLEEP! CENSORING HOLLYWOOD, produced by ABC News Productions, reveals how this controversial movement is rocking the boardrooms at Hollywood studios, the Directors Guild, and home entertainment companies while gaining an increasingly mainstream following among parents who want peace of mind and more control over what their kids watch. In addition, the one-hour documentary profiles major players in the "film sanitizing" business, such as CleanFlicks and ClearPlay, explores the broader debate of censorship vs. artistic freedom in the digital age as well as addresses the motives and passions of various political and entertainment advocates involved in this ongoing debate."

The articles below have more details . . .

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Sources:

"Bleep" an unsanitized look at censoring
Kay McFadden
Seattle Times, Monday, April 25, 2005 – Page updated at 12:00 a.m.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/artsentertainment/2002251737_kay25.html

TV Review: ‘Bleep: Censoring Hollywood’
Barry Garron
Reuters, Fri Apr 22, 2005 08:13 PM ET
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=reviewsNews&storyID=8271070

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What's been said:

Discussions found on the web:
  1. Jon H commented on Apr 26

    The flipside would be to edit movies down to the “good”, sexy parts.

  2. John commented on Apr 26

    Sad.

    I think the basic problem here is that parents have forgotten how to tell their kids “no, you can’t watch that.” As to the lack of time to supervise the kids argument, I’d humbly offer this perspective: If you don’t have time to raise them, perhaps you should not have them at all.

    Okay, maybe not so humbly.

  3. Rich commented on Apr 29

    The point is even the parents that do keep an eye on their kids viewing habits can’t be around 24-7 and also their is not enough content for kids that’s not loaded with stuff.

    Plus, it’s not just about children. There are many adults who do not care to be barraged with the garbage too. It’s all about choice. Some like Pepsi, others like Diet Coke. People should have the opportunity to view content any way they want. And that’s where the digital age will head to. Custom tailoring for the individual will be the future.

    If the director doesn’t like it, tough. They’ve already sold their souls (artistic rights) to TV long ago. TV movies are so chopped up to fit commercials it’s a joke that they would even use that comment there view is distorted with other edited versions.

    As far as their name becoming dilluted because they weren’t involved in the third editing; Hey Hollywood, nobody knows you outside of your back patting movie producer circle. When most people go to a movie, they couldn’t tell you or cared who produced or directed that film. There are very few directors the public even recognizes. Is their ego’s that big that they think people sit around and discuss what the producer or directors true arttistic vision of Spiderman was?

    If people have different preferences. Let them choose.

  4. Mitchel Olivier commented on May 2

    To whom it may concern:

    Loved the show, hated the ruling. There is something spooky about that judge letting businesses blatently violate copyright laws. If these companies and the parents they cater to don’t want to watch those movies, then don’t. “Sanitizing” a film is still violating the intellectual property of the creators. Period.

    I wish I had been involved in the interview for my opinion. Cleaning up R-rated movies to make them family-friendly… the jokes make themselves. What are they going to do next? Are they going to “sanitize” Deep Throat so my six year old can watch “clean” porn?

    I sincerely hope that law makers and judges don’t continue to trample on our first amendment rights. In the meanwhile, please rebroadcast this show as often as you can. The word needs to get out. Meanwhile, I think I’ll cruise over to the strip mall. I have to see if they’re really making a “Hooter’s Jr.” (God forbid)

    Sincerely,
    Mr Mitchel Olivier

  5. Jason commented on May 2

    Well, you’re right parents can’t be around 24-7 and eventually they are going to see some offensive material somewhere so you better start teaching them right from wrong and stop leaving it up to dvd filtering and the ratings system. You should teach them why they shouldn’t view certain movies. And let me ask you something, would you ask a museum to cover up the private parts of Michaelangelo’s David or the nudity in the birth of Venus. I think not. Why don’t raise be a better parent and stop asking technology for so much help because I don’t it fixes the problem it just delays it. Also if you are an adult and you don’t want to see that garbage, then don’t watch it! I you think it is garbage then why do you still buy it when some of that money goes to the people who made the original. See, it is a little hypocritical huh? I agree, there probably are some big egos out there and they already sold their souls to TV long ago but it is still copyrighted for a reason. I don’t think they want some guy from Utah deciding what to edit based on his own views. I would be like me going to bookstore buying Dante’s Inferno, taking out the offensive parts, then reselling it. That just would not fly, so why should this be any different.
    People do have different preferences and if they don’t agree with some of the “garbage” in the movie then don’t watch it.

  6. Jason A. Hunt commented on May 17

    I don’t understand why so many people are upset that edited movies exist. If you want the original version with the full content, then buy the original. But where is the harm if some wish to view the same movie but not risk offending anybody?

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