Banned Movies and Video Games: How Do You Feel About It?

[Phalanx]

I think people should stop banning films and games.It's pointless, casue if it's out there and someone wants it, there gonna get it one way or another.If I hear something's been banned that makes me wanna see it 10 times more.

Probably doesn't help much with the piracy issue either.
Can't get a legal copy? = Download.
Guess telling people what they should and shouldn't watch is a more important issue, eh?

[fortunato]

mostly, it's just laziness. if you don't want to watch something, then don't watch it. if you don't want your kids to watch something, then take some parental action and don't let them. i'm not a parent myself, so i can only go so far with that one. i mean, i know it's impossible from keeping kids from everything, short of locking them in their rooms, but it's just ridiculous.
everyone wants a scapegoat i guess.

[PR3SSUR3]

I find no problem with the ratings of games and films - sex and violence are clearly for adults only. If you are not an adult, you cannot (or at least should not) access sex and violence. Some would argue that there are plenty of PG-13 sexy and violent horrors, but they aren't really are they? Comical/CGI gore and ditsy situations are very different to the extremities of hardcore horror and exploitation. Same goes for games such as the Manhunt series, which despite being essentially no more than a lot of moving pixels, do exhibit a large amount of cruel, sadistic, graphic violence.

If we're going to ban anything, ban fucking rap/hip-hop/elitist R&B which in the broadest sense absolutely, positively does glamourise and promote narcissism, misogyny and gun crime. And then ban MTV, which pays the interchangeable little gits to show off their mansions and supercars paid for by fat men in suits. And while we're at it, ban the kids who buy their records and we'll get shot of 'em all at once.

:D

[ChronoGrl]

I find it amusing that "Memoirs of a Geisha" is banned in China despite the fact that the leads are played by Hong Kong actors and actresses.

Then again, I wonder if the "banned in China" is the same as "banned in Hong Kong" (very possible that "Memoirs" wasn't banned in Hong Kong).

I agree with P in regards to selective censoring tactics. The news sensationalizes human horror and aggression as much as video games does (not to mention perpetuating and encouraging stereotypes and racial profiling).

It also amuses me in regards to what's banned in Australia, considering their rating system...

I was dating an Aussie boy a few years back... It was midday in Brisbane and we thought we'd catch a flick at this little indie theater. This movie called 9 Songs was playing and I suggested we see that.

My boyfriend: That's rated R. It's like, practically a porn.
Me (Being the know-it-all American perfectly familiar with the rating system): Oh, big deal?!

...

So, after an unexpected hour and a half of nudity and blatant sexual acts (she jerks him off with her TOES at some point) it dawned on me that I had just dragged my boyfriend to watch a porn movie with me in a theater.

...

My point: Australia will ban these films, but they will easily air pornographic movies in the middle of the day in a non-porno theater (I mean, had it been a porno-theater, I would have been upset if it WASN'T porn!)...

Selective censoring... At least be consistent.

[ManchestrMorgue]

Originally Posted by ChronoGrl

My point: Australia will ban these films, but they will easily air pornographic movies in the middle of the day in a non-porno theater (I mean, had it been a porno-theater, I would have been upset if it WASN'T porn!)...

Selective censoring... At least be consistent.

The Australian rating system is very different to the US rating system, even though we use some of the same letters.

R rating here means that no-one under the age of 18 is legally allowed to see it. It is more like the NC-17 rating in the USA, however not even these are really equivalent.

XXX is the porno rating here, but that is only allowed to be shown/sold in certain places - ie you can't buy a XXX video in Sydney but you can in Canberra.

And yeah, there is not much consistency. The same films are banned and unbanned and rebanned. Salo was available for a period of time after being unbanned but before being re-banned :-)

[ChronoGrl]

Originally Posted by ManchestrMorgue

The Australian rating system is very different to the US rating system, even though we use some of the same letters.

R rating here means that no-one under the age of 18 is legally allowed to see it. It is more like the NC-17 rating in the USA, however not even these are really equivalent.

Ha, yeah, I wish I had known that... Big dumb American... "Oh, it's an R rating... What's the big deal?!"

:p

And the consistency comment isn't just Australia... It's all over the place.

[ManchestrMorgue]

Originally Posted by ChronoGrl

Ha, yeah, I wish I had known that... Big dumb American... "Oh, it's an R rating... What's the big deal?!"

:p

And the consistency comment isn't just Australia... It's all over the place.

Lol don't be hard on yourself - it is pretty logical to assume that if the letters are the same, they mean the same thing.

[ChronoGrl]

Originally Posted by ManchestrMorgue

Lol don't be hard on yourself - it is pretty logical to assume that if the letters are the same, they mean the same thing.

True, and now my Ex can tell the story about how he was dragged to a soft core porn in the theater. lol

So I had this one girlfriend...

Good Ex story. :p

[ManchestrMorgue]

I'm sure he hated every moment of it :)