TV-version of Film on Disc
 

What do you think of this idea?

On each disc, include a version of the film that would be good for kids to watch. Like a PG/TV friendly version of the film. Watching AMC last night with my ten year old daughter and Platoon was on. I have the disc, but have never put it on with her around. But AMC, like most broadcast channels, ran a cleaned up version of it.

It's one of my personal faves, and she was surprised how I knew all the lines to a movie she's never seen or heard of, considering the amount of movies we've watched together. She loved the movie so it made me wonder if its possible to put such a version on the disc so that such films can be shared with the family? Anyone else like this idea?

It is already being done, but you have to buy both versions; e.g. The Osbourne Show, censored and uncensored. That is just one of several examples.

I think it's one of the worst ideas I've ever heard.

If you love Platoon that much how could you stand to see it desecrated that way? Whether you cut out the profanity and violence or not, Platoon is not a film to share with a 10 year old

I have to agree with Pants on this one... the whole point of Platoon is that war is profane and violent. If you remove that, you fundamentally change the film.

I personally think you are doing your daughter a disservice by exposing her to a 'sanitized' film rather than just waiting a few years until it's appropriate for her to view it as intended. (The fact that she 'loved' the movie rather than felt it was disturbing just reinforces that point.)

And, yes, I would think that the themes and plot of Platoon is fairly inappropriate for that age. Even with all of the blood and eff-words removed.

As comicbook guy from the Simpsons would say:
Worst Idea Ever

Yes! We must protect the children! Shelter them from everything, so they grow up to be maladjusted nerds that can't handle confrontation or intimate relationships.

Don't forget to remove the red M & Ms from the bag.

I think a good idea is TV version on one side and widescreen on the other, where TV is the Fullscreen, and includes additional scenes that might not have been part of the theatrical cut. And Widescreen is the theatrical cut.

That's better than Widescreen and the same exact thing chopped up to fit the screen, and oftentimes DVDs won't have a Deleted Scenes section even though there are additional scenes edited in for TV.

But I don't really care, and I'm happy with just Widescreen.

How about OAR, and only OAR! And if you don't like it you can go back to VHS!!!

For 20 years of VHS tyranny I didn't have a choice. Now everyones worried about giving everyone a choice. There is no choice. There is only one way to watch a film.

Re: TV-version of Film on Disc
 

Its over-protective parents like you that make my blood boil. You think its safe pull the wool over your kids eyes by simply editing the violence out of someone else's movie when <b>you should not be letting them watch the movie in the first place</b>!

You should stick to visiting this site and let us <b>normal</b> movie viewers have our uncensored movies.

I was going to post earlier, trying to think of a polite way to question the appropriateness of Platoon for a 10-year old, but I see other people are letting you have it, Sernov, and rightly so I think.

I have a young child, and I can entertain the idea of what you propose, when it's a PG film that's really a G film that's just been pushed into PG territory by a couple words of dialogue. And a number of video stores in Utah are getting sued for doing exactly what you propose. But a film that is unquestionably an "R" because its very theme is the horrors and violence of war, well, you shouldn't expect any official encouragement from the studios so that you can expose young children to that, or a sanitized version of Boogie Nights, or Happiness, or a multitude of examples that could be offered. We're in America and I can't make you do the right thing, I can just offer my opinion.

Question, do they cut the scene where every one is cussing out the villager's since they don't know english. (its around an hour and fifteen min in)

I believe they leave that scene in but they keep talking about "maggot farmers" for some reason. :D

Re: TV-version of Film on Disc
 

What reason would kids have to watch R-Rated films? Most of the themes are over the kids heads, contain things children shouldn't be exposed to, and those edits totally butcher a film's premise.

There is a company trying to put software out to do this, and its been met head on with opposition and for good reason.

Why have different versions on each side, why not seamless branching?

Oh I see this has brought out the thought police... What I choose to show my kid is my business. I know what she can handle and her maturity level. Just because there are ten year olds that are stunted developmentally in your families doesn't mean mine is.

Why do you think I chose to let her watch the TV version anyway? Why do you think they even offer the TV version?? Gee, so FAMILIES can watch it... brilliant idea isn't it?? Why not throw that version on the disc also, not instead of it is my question. The only one to grasp this concept was LBPound, everyone else is either a highly overprotective parent with ritalin deprived children, or nerdy teens who take any offence to taking out the "cool" parts in "their" films... please.

If the studios want to release a "family" version of their R-rated films, I'm not going to lose sleep over it, but I seriously doubt that very many directors/producers would allow this.

I would NOT, NOT, NOT stand for having both versions on the same disc. I am not willing to give up bitrate/PQ, DTS soundtrack, or extras so that some people can have their censored version.

If you want to show watered down movies to your kids, buy/rent it separately.

Brad

.....or to satisfy those adults who believe the world as we know it will collapse completely if movies contain flashes of flesh, real-life brutality, or language that is commonly heard in any schoolyard.

Why do you think I chose to let her watch the TV version anyway? Why do you think they even offer the TV version?? Gee, so FAMILIES can watch it... brilliant idea isn't it??

I dont think it was anything to do with families watching it. They simply make a TV version of a film because its the only way they are going to play the film on TV is if it is censored. Its not that hard of a concept.

I SERIOUSLY doubt that anyone ever thought "hey, now that we took all the cussing and blood out of Platoon, Kids will love it!!

Especially 10yo kids who I highly doubt know 1 thing about the vietnam war to begin with.

Sernov- If you love Platoon that much how could you stand to see it desecrated that way?

Considering it is an R-Rated film, the guideline stipulates it should be fine for ten-year-olds to watch the film as long as a parent or adult guardian is with them.

I have no problem with Sernov showing his child Platoon, but I don't agree with watering down the film. A film like Platoon, Schindler's List, or any R-rated film that flexes its level of violence and horror to accurately portray an issue should be seen as is, not in a castrated version.

I don't really mind if the filmmakers have themselves reshot scnes for TV audiences, but TV edits of films are the wrong way to see a film.

Sernov, I have no children of my own, so I admit I can't relate. But my brother, so far anyway, hasn't let his children watch his copy of Full Metal Jacket, and wouldn't let them watch it on TV anyway. And he's in the military.

I would reccomend that you keep to films that you can enjoy together and leave the more adult films until a later age, when she can appreciate them better. If she is old enough to understand the film, there should be no reason why you wouldn't let her watch the R-rated version, then.

My natural choice is to watch the unedited film for myself, but I like having that choice even with one of my favorite movies.

I do remember Schindler's List being broadcast unedited once. And I believe they recently showed Saving Private Ryan also. Both Steven Spielberg movies... hmmmm why only his movies??

:hscratch: You started this thread by explaining how you would never let your ten year-old daughter watch the unedited Platoon, but only let her watch a "cleaned-up" version. How that indicates that she is mature escapes me. It pretty much says just the opposite, if you ask me. But I'm not here to pick on your daughter, even though you seem quite willing to call all of us names because we don't agree with you. Since I am neither a "highly overprotective parent with ritalin deprived children" or a "nerdy teen", I'll clue you in. What you are talking about is 1) Censorship and 2) Editing for Content...two things you will never find much support for on this or any other movie lovers' board. Most of us cherish the director's/artist's vision, and fight tooth-and-nail to see it preserved (just do a search for "Original Aspect Ratio" and you'll get a grasp of what I'm talking about). If you think your children are so mature and intelligent, let them watch the movies unedited and discuss them. If not, wait until they are. It's that simple.

Oops, sorry about that. When you were asking for our opinions, I made the mistake of believing that you actually wanted to hear them. Won't happen again.

Can you use paragraphs? Makes for an easier read. I didn't ask you to judge how mature my kid is, especially from the movies we watch together.

You realize kids ask alot of questions? Our country (USA) was just involved in a war in which I talk to my kid about to help her understand. I know she can handle the concept of war, especially me having served in one and her knowing I was in one.

I understand about preserving the vision of the filmmakers completely. But when did I say to replace the original version with the edited one?? Have it as an option, or as another poster said, seamlessly.

Opinions on the subject I don't have a problem with. The majority of responses, unfortunately, were not.

I'd point you to the very first 2 sentences of your post:

Every single response was directly on this subject. If you didn't want people discussing whether or not it was good for a kid to watch a sanitized R-rated film, you shouldn't have brought it up.


Again, in direct response to your question, I do not think this is a good idea to include this version on a DVD (or, honestly, to create this version in the first place).

Platoon is trying to make a specific point -- that war is violent, horrible, and obscene. To remove the violence, horror, and obscenity makes the entire movie pointless... Do you think that Oliver Stone wanted *anyone* (whether they are 8-years-old or 80) to watch a version of Platoon that shows the Vietnam war as bloodless? Doesn't that defeat the entire purpose of the film?

Most R-rated films (including Platoon) are not meant to be viewed by the 'family', they are meant to be viewed by adults or mature teens.