Directors Guild of America is Fighting Edited Films

BoyPlankton writes "According to this article in the Salt Lake Tribune, film directors are gearing up to battle companies that are making a name for themselves selling/renting out edited films to consumers. The film directors claim that it's censorship and that it's morally, ethically, and legally wrong. The companies doing it claim that consumer rights trump the artists rights in this case, and that the artists don't have the moral ground to stand on because they already edit their films for T.V. and planes. Is this issue going to further erode our rights as a consumer, or will lawmakers take this opportunity to shore them up?"

Comments

LOL

[Anonymous Coward]

You guys crack me up!

Someone wants to basically "mod" a movie that they own and rent it and you cry foul.

Sony trys to stop you from modding a Playstation that you own and you cry foul.

Make up your damn minds.

Re:Art? Pah.

[TyZone]

haha, nice touch with Han Solo.

I wonder how many people will get it?

Hmmm...in a few months, people won't get it, 'cuz they'll have seen only the edited, re-release of the film, where Greedo pulls out ... a walkie-talkie!

But it's okay, folks, 'cuz Han Solo has already pulled out his own walkie-talkie under the table, and he quickly ... uhhhh ... irradiates Greedo's genitals with a high-power RF burst?

Re:Target George Lucas

[DavidLeblond]

If you just show the ship sinking, I'll be happy. :)

Free Hat!

[Anonymous Coward]

It was self defense!

Customization = GOOD THING

[Alzheimers]

I predict that sooner or later, all movies will be customizable to the particular viewer. Since the industry already has all my viewing habits and preferences on file, it should be no problem for them to fine-tune a movie for me. For instance, in *MY* copy of Attack of the Clones, Anakin is killed in the first scene and the rest of the movie is one long lez scene between Amidala...and her clone.

Re:My favorite theories...

[dillon_rinker]

3. They're afraid that multiple versions of a tape may cause consumer confusion that weakens demand for videos in general.
This general principle is why so few people are using US quarters these days. It's also why the Pokemon game was so unpopular. It's also why no one went to see the 20th anniversary version of Star Wars, and why no one bought the video version. It's why the sales of DVDs are approximately zero (all those scenes! all those options! too confusing!)

Re:Parents like it

[Erbo]

I'm really looking forward to the mormon version of Debbie Does Dallas. :)

Running time: 30 seconds.

Re:What? Watch TV?

[DrFrob]

1^2=1; (-1)^2=1; 1^2=(-1)^2; 1=-1; 1=0.

(x^2)^(1/2) != x

(x^2)^(1/2) = |x|

Re:Give consumers what they want!

[Quintin Stone]

"'Olsen's Standard Book of British Birds'?"
"Yes..."
"O-L-S-E-N?"
"Yes...."
"B-I- R-D-S??"
"Yes....."
"Yes, well, we do have that, as a matter of fact...."
"The expurgated version....
"I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that...?"
"The expurgated version.
"The EXPURGATED version of 'Olsen's Standard Book of British Birds'?!"
"The one without the gannet!"
"The one without the gannet--?! They've ALL got the gannet! It's a Standard British Bird, the gannet, it's in all the books!!!"
"Well, I don't like them...they wet their nests."
"All right! I'll remove it!! (rrrip!) Any other birds you don't like?!
"I don't like the robin..."
"The robin! Right! The robin! (rrrip!) There you are, any others you don't like, any others?"
"The nuthatch?"
"Right! The nuthatch, the nuthatch, the nuthatch, 'ere we are! (rrriiip!) There you are! NO gannets, NO robins, NO nuthatches, THERE's your book!"
"I can't buy that! It's torn!"