Jessica Rosner
Kino
> From: Darryl Wiggers <Darryl.Wiggers@AllianceAtlantis.com>
> Reply-To: videolib@library.berkeley.edu
> Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2001 14:26:27 -0800 (PST)
> To: Multiple recipients of list <videolib@library.berkeley.edu>
> Subject: RE: VERY interesting copyright article
>
> My reactions are somewhat different. But, first, some questions....
>
> How can he make transfers and get around Macrovision? I assume he had
> something more sophisticated than two vcrs.
>
> Doesn't Blockbuster get away with doing much the same thing? The main
> difference is they don't do in-house editing. They simple pressure the
> studios to provide edited versions -- or they won't carry them. Ditto
> Wal-Mart. They have the clout to get away with this. Mr. Lines simply does
> not.
>
> "...films shown on television and airplanes are also edited. But experts in
> intellectual property rights and film company executives say those versions
> are edited in collaboration with the studios that make them."
>
> Huh? Not true. Otherwise my employer is in big trouble. But it is worth
> noting that studios such as Universal make tv-safe versions for
> broadcasters. However broadcasters are also free to make additional cuts for
> the sake of accommodating a 2-hour time-slot and commercials. They can also
> make creative changes. A local station, for example, will often air films
> unedited but... if a character says the word "motherf**cker" the word
> "mother" is bleeped (a whole new dimension of humour was added to Repo Man
> when they aired that). Or, in the case of Fast Times at Ridgemont High, the
> word "dick" is kept, but the word "pussy" is not. As a proud cat owner I was
> quite miffed when I saw that.
>
> All in all I don't mind viewing Mr. Lines as someone who is proving a
> desired community service, much like the broadcasters that decide what is
> appropriate to edit based on the community standards -- for better or for
> worse -- that exist in their area. Why should a community of Mormons not be
> given an option to view edited movies if that's what they want? Not in a
> million years is this guy suggesting that ALL video stores -- either in his
> community or elsewhere -- carry similar versions (whereas Wal-Mart and
> Blockbuster tend to wipe out competition and eliminate diversity). As long
> as he isn't making multiple copies from the same tape, I don't see how this
> would impact on multi-billion dollar corporations.
>
> Since when did the "Land of the Free" become the "Land That Bows To the
> Powers of Big Business"?
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jessica Rosner [mailto:jrosner@kino.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, January 31, 2001 2:48 PM
> To: Multiple recipients of list
> Subject: VERY interesting copyright article
>
>
> Check this out in Today's New York Times. I would LOVE to the see the
> studios bust this guy
>
> http://www.nytimes.com/2001/01/31/national/31UTAH.html
>
> This MAY require a registration to read
>
> Jessica Rosner
> Kino