Blockbuster now puts terrorism warning stickers on videos.
November 21, 2001 5:49 PM   Subscribe

 
Hi, can you explain what Cyndi Lauper, giant squids and JFK have to do with the terrorism warning labels?

I don't follow.
posted by phatboy at 5:59 PM on November 21, 2001


What's this about? Is this a little pre-holiday drinking and linking?
posted by eyeballkid at 6:05 PM on November 21, 2001


Non sequitur. Well, oddly enough, these song lyrics, when considered in the light of this post, make a twisted sort of dadaist sense -- which is to say, no sense at all.
posted by Kikkoman at 6:14 PM on November 21, 2001


Yet another reason not to rent from Blockbuster.

My favorite comment, though, comes in the last paragraph when the woman points out that people could just read the back of the box.

Is there anyone you know that can't watch movies with terrorism in it now?
posted by drezdn at 6:23 PM on November 21, 2001


I've had a couple of requests for a Fight Club viewing that I've nixed. It just doesn't seem as funny now.
posted by BenNewman at 6:33 PM on November 21, 2001


fight club is alot more than just funny.

it all seems a bit silly, but not surprising.

you gotta remember that the blood is ketchup, the dead are rich actors, and the buildings are CG.
posted by Satapher at 6:39 PM on November 21, 2001


Not to mention that there are no actors in the CG buildings.
posted by ODiV at 6:42 PM on November 21, 2001


With the saturation bombing vis a vis media and terrorism, I'd imagine that people are so numb to it now that it would hardly matter.
posted by holycola at 6:43 PM on November 21, 2001


I want a bodycount on the videos I hire!
posted by skinsuit at 6:44 PM on November 21, 2001


Hi, can you explain what Cyndi Lauper, giant squids and JFK have to do with the terrorism warning labels?

No.
posted by swift at 7:16 PM on November 21, 2001


Fight Club seemed a lot scarier when my mysogynist roommate came home all fired up and raving about it.
posted by pudders at 9:16 PM on November 21, 2001


Would it have made any difference to me if I saw fight club after September 11th, and watched the city I work in get attacked? I don't think so. Would it upset some people I know? Maybe. I'm not sure that many people recognized the location as being based upon Wilmington, Delaware.

I did take a look at the blockbuster website to see if they wrote about this labeling. The online description of Swordfish at the Blockbuster website doesn't mention terrorism. They do include their press release about donating videos and DVD's to the crew of the USS Theodore Roosevelt. What I do find kind of interesting here is that the St. Petersburg Times is just reporting this now. MSNBC reported this on September 26th under the title Video warning: Terrorism on tape, and videobusiness.com also covered the story in September, showing a possible motivation (which Blockbuster denies) to maybe punish Warner for releasing the fim on video so quickly after the terrorist attacks.
posted by bragadocchio at 10:16 PM on November 21, 2001


I find it funny that we're trying to protect people from fake movie violence, when most of us by now have watched that infamous 9-11 footage probably hundreds of time and all we have to do to see the real thing is turn on CNN.

I never saw any of those coming with warnings. And if you do need a warning, isn't that what the adult content ratings on the movie box are for?

We need protecting, but it's from real violence, not John Travolta (well, maybe him too!)
posted by Jubey at 10:31 PM on November 21, 2001


Don't they realise that this country needs Chuck Norris now, more than ever?
posted by holloway at 10:52 PM on November 21, 2001


Blockbuster involved in another of their "big brother" ploys to keep you at arm's length from real life? I can't believe it!

This is the very same chain that refuses to stock any porn because, after all, only slathering perverts would want to rent that right? The very same chain who short ordered copies of "American Beauty" because reportedly the CEO disapproved of some of the sexual themes? I am so glad that there will be absolutely no chance that I could pick up a copy of The Siege without being forewarned that it might feature terrorists.

Now I have sort of a semi-serious question. I figure they got the bases covered in terms of the movies they have to label but what about the movies that don't feature terrorists but have trailers which promote the movies that do? And I was just kidding about me renting any video from Blockbuster.
posted by MAYORBOB at 11:57 PM on November 21, 2001


Blockbuster is a sinking ship. They let you pass on fines then send out threatening letters. When the C>E>O> places his book at the checkout counter, your a goner. also they did not put out new movies guides/catalog (to expensive i guess) Now they are going to point out which movies have terrorist content? they are bad. i dont go there and i encourage people people to give blockbuster a hard time at all times."but have trailers which promote the movies that do? And' Im sure the evil drones will find a way to capitalize on that.
posted by clavdivs at 7:51 AM on November 22, 2001


So they do that now eh? Then why CNN is still doing daily reruns of ID4? (at least in my zone). Right now, that should be one of the most tasteless, pseudo-patriotic drecks of all time (as if it weren't already before the attacks)

Seems like good intentions ended being just that after all.

Can you say "hypocrisy"?
posted by betobeto at 9:03 AM on November 22, 2001


D'oh, my bad. It was HBO, not CNN.
posted by betobeto at 9:22 AM on November 22, 2001


it's a shame that the u.s. probably won't be doing a theatre release of the new Cowboy Bebop movie for a whiiiiillle.
posted by lotsofno at 11:02 AM on November 22, 2001


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