Movie Studios Sue Companies That Sanitize DVDs

[mkt]

Movie Studios Sue Companies That Sanitize DVDs
BY Gary Gentile
12-17-2002

DENVER (Associated Press/Law.com) -- Hollywood studios have fired back at video rental stores and technology companies that allow consumers to watch films that have been altered to remove nudity, violence and foul language.

Eight major studios, which own the copyrights to the films, filed a lawsuit Friday in federal court in Denver, backing legal action by movie directors who claim the editors violate copyright laws.

The studios also allege the companies violate trademark law when they rent or sell an altered movie in the original packaging.

In August, CleanFlicks of Colorado, a dealer associated with Pleasant Grove, Utah-based CleanFlicks, filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Denver asking the court to rule that what they do -- rent and sell edited movies -- is legal.

The Directors Guild of America fired back in September with a countersuit, claiming that editing the films to make them more "family friendly" violates the creative vision of the director and misrepresents their work.

CleanFlicks uses a proprietary software system to sanitize the films. Individual video stores buy copies of video tapes or DVDs from the studios, then send them to CleanFlicks in Utah where they are edited and sent back for sale or rental.

A company called ClearPlay, also based in Utah, sells software that can be downloaded on a computer that mutes foul language or skips over objectionable scenes when a DVD is played on a computer.

Directors asked the movie studios to join the case because they hold the actual copyrights.

Friday's lawsuit complains the film sanitizers charge as much as $20 more for films that have been edited and asked the court to stop the practice.

"They intend to protect their copyrights and trademarks vigorously," said Jonathan Zavin, an attorney representing Warner Bros., The Walt Disney Co., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Universal Studios, Twentieth Century Fox, Paramount and DreamWorks.

The sanitized films are gaining popularity because Hollywood continues to make ever more violent and sexually explicit movies, the companies argue.

"For the studios to join in this suit is Hollywood hypocrisy at its worst," said Bill Aho, chief executive of ClearPlay. "Two years ago, studio executives went before a presidential commission saying they support tools to help parents deal with movies. Now that the tools exist, they go to court to get them banned."

The lawsuit is expected to go to trial early next year.

 

[dreamer]

This isn't the Magic Kingdom, Toto.

 

[MKCustodial]

If you're not comfortable with a scene, don't watch the frickin' movie. But what's the point of Armageddon without explosions?

 

[Yellow Shoes]

It's not so much the explosions. When I first heard about CleanFlicks, it was when Titanic came out.

Parents were saying that the movie was excellent from a dramatic and historical standpoint, but they couldn't let their children watch it.

The sanitized version cut something like 2-3 minutes (out of a 3+ hour movie). If you've seen the movie, you know which minutes they were, and they absolutely do not leave holes in the plot.

I sympathize with parents who are frustrated that every movie has language that their children aren't allowed to use in it.

However, we are talking copyright issues here.

Grab a snack--it will be a long court battle.

 

[MKCustodial]

Originally posted by Yellow Shoes
It's not so much the explosions. When I first heard about CleanFlicks, it was when Titanic came out.

Parents were saying that the movie was excellent from a dramatic and historical standpoint, but they couldn't let their children watch it.

The sanitized version cut something like 2-3 minutes (out of a 3+ hour movie). If you've seen the movie, you know which minutes they were, and they absolutely do not leave holes in the plot.

I sympathize with parents who are frustrated that every movie has language that their children aren't allowed to use in it.

However, we are talking copyright issues here.

Grab a snack--it will be a long court battle.

The boat was sinking! Do you expect them to behave nice and talk politely???



Just kidding, I know what you mean. I love the Indiana Jones series, but it's gonna take a long while before I let my future kids watch any of them.

 

[WDWspider]

Originally posted by MKCustodial
If you're not comfortable with a scene, don't watch the frickin' movie. But what's the point of Armageddon without explosions?

I disagree. For a long time I had hoped that DVD's would have two versions on the movie you buy, and edited, and an unedited. In some cases this would be a simple Alternate Soundtrack option.

At any rate, look at some Movies that beg kids to watch but are inappropriate unless a few simple things where changed... Beetlejuice, the Mask, Vacation, and Forest Gump are a few that the whole family could enjoy if a few things were out and dubbed. I hope if the studios win then they decide to have Edited Versions available in the future, or double sided discs... one acessible, the other restricted.

 

[dreamer]

Regarding that scene in the Titanic, I think the movie would have been better without it in the first place. It seemed like a cheap attempt to make the relationship seem "profound." The movie didn't need the scene. The drawing scene was much more erotic and established their sensuality.


Another example, The Shipping News. Unbelievably fantastic movie with an unnecessary ______ scene in the beginning. There to attract a few more people to the box office. The problem is that the people who will appreciate this movie don't need to actually see people *&#*ing to grasp the relationship.


For language, you can buy a device that filters movies as they play. Or watch the network version.