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Interesting story about the ever changing movie exp.
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Senior Member
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5. November 2005 @ 20:14 |
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Hey all,
Thought this might be an interesting read of some sorts.
I omitted the names and email addys per aD rules, so don't be surprised if there are some x's and such in the article.
Also note that this was "borrowed" from Slyck.com and the original starter of the thread gets full credit for this.
Here it goes:
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How the MPAA killed the movie theater experience: a first-hand report
[I'd be glad to share other experiences, or a reply from the MPAA should
they choose to send one along. --(Name deleted)]
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: MPAA kills movie experience.
Date: Fri, 4 Nov 2005 11:22:20 -0500 (EST)
From: xxxxx xxxx <xxxxx@xxxxx.net>
To: xxxxx@xxx.com
Hi (Name deleted),
My girlfriend and I are writers here in Toronto and
I thought I'd share this, as if you needed evidence
that privacy abuses are out of hand, here's our
completely insane experience with the MPAA from
last night.
OMGMPAA1984WTF?
I wonder what kind of dystopian cyberpunk
future we live in when you are physically
searched before entering a movie theatre.
Last night (November 3rd), my girlfriend brought me
along to see a screening of Derailed at the Paramount
theatre in Toronto, which she had to
review for a magazine she works for. The lineup
for the screening was unusually long, as I think
they also fill seats at press screenngs with radio
call-in winners, who in hindsight, might have
accepted such poor treatment in exchange for
the ostensible privilege of paying for $30 worth
of parking and fast food at a free $13 movie.
Anyway, the line was moving slowly because they were asking
customers to raise their arms so that they could be
electronically frisked with a metal detector, and
women's purses were being searched by uniformed
security guards. Try to remember that this is
Toronto, Canada we're talking about here, not
New York, Tel Aviv or London.
People who submitted to the search (everyone from
what I could tell) had their cellphones taken from
them and checked at a table set up in front of
the theatre and they were given a ticket to reclaim
it when they left.
I was having none of this, and checked
the back of my ticket stub to ensure that there
was no mention of being required to submit to a
search listed as a condition of sale. As my girlfriend
and I made it to the front of the line, the guard
looked at me and asked me to raise my arms for the
search. I politely declined saying "No, thank
you", and proceeded to the ticket taker. I could hear
him calling "Sir! Sir!" behind me, but even though
I slowed my pace in case he was really going to do
something about it, as I had expected, I wasn't
stopped.
The ticket taker took my ticket and I waited for my
girlfriend just inside the gate, as her purse was
being subjected to a thorough going through by one
of the guards.
Since she was there for work, and her deadline was
that night, she was not ready to risk not seeing the
movie. Her 150 words won't have room for what
happened next.
Her phone was taken from her and put in a sealed
plastic bag with a claim ticket, and she
joined me where I was waiting, past the gate, and
we walked into the theatre together.
To add further insult to the debacle at the
gate, near the exits at stage right and left
were two uniformed security guards at each door,
all four with video cameras scanning the crowd
and making themselves very conspicuous.
This was not just a bit of pre-show MPAA theatre,
they stood there for the entirity of the movie, red
LED's glowing, scanning the crowd to remind
us that we were under close surviellence and our
actions were being recorded.
If you have sat in a chair in a dark room watching
disturbing scenes unfold in front of you, while four
uniformed people with video cameras stand in front
of your, silently recording your reactions, you might
be reminded of scenarios from a Clockwork Orange,
Brazil, 1984, Videodrome, and strangely,
that 90's relic: SFW.
Security guards regularly use handheld video
cameras to harrass and intimidate people,
particularly during political rallies and protests,
as the guards know that the cameras carry with
them a clear implication of future retribution
against those being recorded. The cameras are
quite literally, a threat.
( The threat is that if you do not behave as
the camera holder asks, the recording of your
actions will be used to persecute or discrace you.)
Upon leaving the theatre, my girlfriend and I
had to stop at the security desk to claim her
phone, which involved them searching through a
pile of bagged cellphones for the correct one.
We took another moment to turn the phone on
and wait for signal in the threatre to validate
that we in fact had the correct phone.
My girlfriend had said that if she hadn't already
agreed to her deadline, she would have made
a point of walking out of the screening and
giving the PR person a talking to. I did not
confront the camera wielding guards in the
theatre because she was my host she had a job
to do.
Only people who think they have done something
wrong, or deserve to be searched, submit to that
kind of authority, which is why guards get away
with it, and the rest of us continue to be
subjected to it and it becomes "normal".
Anyway, apparently this is Alliance Atlantis'
idea of how to treat an audience, then I for
one can certainly live without seeing any of
their films, and we will be skipping movies
at the Paramount theatre. I also know that
at least one reviewer will also be seeing
her movies elsewhere too.
I would also say that this is further evidence
that movie studios are losing revenue because
of the increasingly poor movie-going experience
and general low-quality of the movies they are
making, as after this, I can certainly undertstand
why someone would prefer to watch a movie on their
14 inch screen than suffer the indignity of a
multiplex.
http://www.politechbot.com/2005/11/04/how-the-mpaa/
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Interesting, huh?
Anyone else have this same thing happen. I know if I ever go to the movies and see this...I'll never hit another one again.
"From now on we are poison to you Spider-man...Thats why we call ourselves... VENOM"
 This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 5. November 2005 @ 20:14
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Senior Member
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16. November 2005 @ 18:51 |
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i swear i didnt even read this post.i just wanted to point out the lack of response to this thread is in noway because of the length of the post.
and by the way,im on page 1243.im getting tired of reading.how does this story end?...you know im only kidding.:P
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Senior Member
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16. November 2005 @ 19:36 |
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Hehe...it's ok, I didn't realize how long it was till I just looked over it again.
My bad.
Ok, to sum it up...it is saying that there are theaters that have you relinquish your cell phone and other digital devices before going into a theater. At that one, located in the story, they had security guards all around the theater using video cameras to record everyone's behavior....JUST to stop and deter people from doing cam version of new released movies.
Kinda scary to want to go to the theater and get patted down or strip search before going in there, huh?
:P
"From now on we are poison to you Spider-man...Thats why we call ourselves... VENOM"
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Senior Member
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16. November 2005 @ 19:45 |
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no, i actually like the strip search.im a lonely person and i crave the attention.its just them video taping it that makes me uncomfortable.i mean,i have a reputation to uphold.
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ddp
Moderator
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17. November 2005 @ 11:18 |
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doing things you don't want other people to see!!
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Senior Member
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17. November 2005 @ 13:13 |
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no,really i want some royalties from the sale of the video.that video should be copyrighted.})
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dikdimond
Member
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17. November 2005 @ 13:57 |
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Society is headed for some sad times if this is a sign of things yet to come.
My robot is mad!  |
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Daniel_G
Suspended permanently
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17. November 2005 @ 15:46 |
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You know, i actually took the time to read this, and this seems familiar to me.
Here in Holland, most movie theaters have a policy of checking bags, backpacks and purses for laptops, camera's and such, they have devices placed that kill cellphone reception, and security people that keep watch during the film to ensure no one's taping it.
And the worst thing is, if you decline being searched, they can refuse to let you in, without a refund... which is one of the reasons why there is such a lively trade in illegal copies of newly released films here...
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Senior Member
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17. November 2005 @ 15:55 |
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Never had this happen to me before or even seen it happen here in seattle. Here there are like two people working and they don't care about anything. Hope this never happens here, that would suck.
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xboxdevil
Suspended permanently
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18. November 2005 @ 18:06 |
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just go to the movies completely naked and they can't say anything.
xbox 1.1 80GB hdd xecuter 2 unleash x dash(possible upgrade in future) very old pc(new one should be coming soon)
bottle of bacardi(depending on how drunk i am sometimes the bottles empty)
packet of smokes(until i smoke them all)
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Senior Member
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18. November 2005 @ 18:40 |
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HELL YEAH BABY!!!
Now, that would be something else...however...where would you put your wallet?
"From now on we are poison to you Spider-man...Thats why we call ourselves... VENOM"
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Senior Member
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18. November 2005 @ 19:46 |
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the same place a street drug dealer would put his stash...well im sure nobody will want to steal your wallet after that.and thats for sure.
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Senior Member
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18. November 2005 @ 19:48 |
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LMAO!!!
Apparently not...I know if they are that desperate, they deserve to have it.
;)
"From now on we are poison to you Spider-man...Thats why we call ourselves... VENOM"
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