DTV = direct to video
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — This Film Is Not Yet Rated
jabberttp — 13 years ago(March 14, 2013 03:30 AM)
DTV = direct to video
I'm noticing the trend of movies that have been released theatrically as R being later being release to DVD as "Unrated" adding either additional violence or additional raunch, sexual situations, etc.
And then with the DTV market it almost seems that the harder the rating, the better.
How is it that this seems almost opposite the effect ratings have on theatrical releases?
I personally liked this documentary but agree with many who've pointed out that the directors aren't having their films censored, just their potential profits curtailed.
I'm curious others opinions on these issues, thanks.
"Into every life a little coffee must spill." -
almighty_cinder — 13 years ago(March 27, 2013 02:24 PM)
WalMart is the only store that actually checks ID for DVDs, and that's because their cash registers ask them immediately "is the customer over 18?" after an R rated movie is scanned. Even then, they generally just click the button without doing anything. I've bought tons of DVDs from Target, many of which when I was 19 when I first got my DVD player (and I still look young despite being 30) and they have never batted an eye even once, regardless of what movie it was.
Stores have always been very lazy about things like that. They're always getting caught selling Mature rated video games to kids that reporters plant in the stores. I dunno about other places, but Safeway actually makes them SCAN the customer's ID to let them ring up any form of alcohol (even cough syrup), probably since they don't trust the lazy idiots to actually check them.
I think if the film companies thought the stores were actually doing their jobs, they wouldn't do so many Unrated cuts. As it is, they have no real reason not to since the audience is NOT limited whatsoever on the home video market.
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"Fine. You want to eat? Let's see if you can eat PIZZA!!!" -
Patmratm — 12 years ago(April 20, 2013 11:04 PM)
Incidentally, the MPAA was frustrated by the studio practice of releasing 'Unrated' versions of movies and asked them to stop releasing them. This has largely been ignored, as it's mostly done as a money-maker.
In many cases, a DVD/Blu-ray being marketed as 'Unrated' or 'Uncensored' is not a case of a film being reverted back to the way the director had envisioned. Often it's done by the studio as a marketing strategy, particularly with comedies. Often scenes will be added to the movie that were cut simply because the movie worked better without them, not because they would have given the film a different rating. Sometimes a studio will simply add scenes and market it as 'Extended.' Sometimes the studios will ask the director to make these extended versions or to sign off on them.
Sometimes the studios will release versions of DVDs/Blu-rays that are the versions the directors had wanted to make, but were re-cut to obtain a rating the studio wanted. The studios usually market these as 'Unrated Director's Cut' or simply 'Director's Cut.'