On July 6th 2006, edited movie viewers across the country let out a collective “darn.” On the aforementioned date, a judge in Colorado ordered CleanFlicks and other movie editing companies to stop producing edited versions of Hollywood movies. I was one of the many who was disappointed by this legal decision, until I looked a bit closer.
In what appeared to be legal measures, CleanFlicks was editing movies and both selling and renting these copies to a nationwide membership, though most reside in Utah. CleanFlicks felt that as long as they had purchased an original copy of any movie, it was their right to do whatever they wanted to it. The judge however, ruled that the actions of CleanFlicks and others were against the law because of the illegal copies being made and distributed for revenue.
I happen to agree with the ruling regarding the CleanFlicks situation, but I am saddened as well. Why is it that the USA Television Network, or TNT, can show edited movies when a small business can’t offer the same service? The answer is in the fine print. The big television studios have paid big bucks for the right to edit and air the edited versions of these movies when CF hasn’t. It goes the same with airlines, who also show edited versions of popular movies on long flights.
So if Hollywood will allow television studios and airlines to show edited movies, why won’t they make such versions of these movies more available to the public? When the DVD player was first introduced, it was billed as a player that would be able to show different versions of the same movie. A tactic used to appeal to the conservative audience. Unfortunately, the only versions of movies being released today are either un-rated or have now garnered an “R” rating. No movies have been released that have removed objectionable material from “R” rated or even some “PG-13” movies.
The facts are here before us. As of April 1, 2007, only three out of the top 50 highest grossing movies (domestically) have an “R” rating. The highest on the list ironically is Mel Gibson’s The Passion of The Christ, coming in at number 11. Coincidentally, Mel Gibson released a scrubbed version of this movie to appeal to the more conservative American, but sued CleanFlicks for doing the same thing he felt needed to be done.
I am a movie fanatic. The recently released 300 is one of my favorite movies, but why can’t I watch it without the nudity? I also loved Martin Scorcese’s The Departed, why can’t I enjoy it without hearing the “F” word 237 times in 151 minutes. Please explain to me why Hollywood won’t offer either DVD’s or DVD players that allow movies to be viewed how the viewer wants, not how Hollywood demands.
