bushwhacker
Member
10 Posts
7/01
|  Posted - Jul 12 2001 : 1:51PMSome time back, I ordered a video package from A&E which included a copy of "Bobby Sox". Much to my dismay, the version A&E is peddling has eliminated most of the Jamie Gillis - Chelsea Blue coupling (i.e., the banana scene). While I believe A&E has the right to edit material they feel is objectionable, ethics demand they inform the buying public of these decisions. I mean c'mon, one of the reasons I ordered this vid was because of this scene. My emailed complaint elicited an apology, a statement of A&E's policy in regard to censorship, and one of their ho-hum compilation videos. They haven't gotten another dime from me since. Caveat emptor. Edited by - Saki on Jul 12 2001 Topic Moved by - Saki on Jul 12 2001 Edited by - bushwhacker on Jul 14 2001  [Link] |
snowman872
RainCoatReviews.com
400 Posts
6/00
| Posted - Jul 12 2001 : 8:55PM
I maintain a list on my site dealing with dvds with content issues (including edited scenes).http://www.raincoatreviews.com/problemdvds.shtml I checked the list and Bobby Sox is listed: Bobby Sox, Vivid - A consumer reports the following scenes are shortened. The second scene between Chelesa Blue, Jenteal and John Dough. It allegedly ends now after "John paws Chelesa for a minute... no sex at all [is shown]." Scene five between Jay Ashley, Kim Kummings and TT Boy ends as Kim is giving oral sex to both guys. Again no sex is shown. The seventh scene with Chelesa Blue and Jamie Gillis is "sliced" from the film. Although some parts remain, the viewer stated that they are not worth nothing. Finally, scene eight, between Alex Sanders, Chloe and Steven St. Croix is reportedly "removed." Reported by DJWaxKilla on RAME, 08.13.00. In the future, you may want to take a peek at the list from time to time, especially if you enjoy older adult releases. It seems that many edited scenes come from older films. I update it as often as I come across information from viewers -- which is usually a couple of times a month. Snowman  [Link] |
HoustonDon
Member
Houston
561 Posts
11/99
| Posted - Jul 13 2001 : 12:11AM
Correct me if I'm wrong but the dvd is put out by Vivid. If A&E's store is selling it-that's because they offer dvd's from other companies. I think you need to direct your wrath at the source of the problem, not the store selling it.[Link] |
astroknight 
Questionable Moderator
Tastes so good...
4187 Posts
11/99
| Posted - Jul 13 2001 : 10:57PM
Ditto to what HoustonDon just said. Adam & Eve is both makes their own DVDs and distributes others. If a company puts out crap and the people keep buying their crap, don't blame the store. Blame the company putting out the crap.[Link] |
bushwhacker
Member
10 Posts
7/01
| Posted - Jul 14 2001 : 2:28PM
Houston Don, Astroknight: Good points. And in reviewing my original post, I see I should have been more clear. First of all, the Bobby Sox I received from A&E was a VHS tape. (Okay, I know it's Adult DVD Talk, but I still have one foot in the Stone Age. Plus, I figured problems related to content were relevant regardless of the medium. My apologies for the confusion.) Secondly, the label on the tape reads "Adam & Eve Presents Bobby Sox", and the tape was enclosed in one of their generic cardboard sleeves. My assumption was that A&E wasn't simply acting as a reseller, but was engaged in editing these videos to conform to their standards of propriety. The email I received from their customer service representative indicated that they do review the videos they sell and, if they feel it appropriate, edit them. Again, my complaint isn't so much with their policy; I just wish they'd disclose whether a video has been modified from the original version. What's interesting to me now is the report from Snowman (Thanks, Snowman -- great resource!) indicating that further censorship has taken place. I don't know what all has been removed from my version, but I can assure you there remains plenty of sex in the scene with Chelsea Blue, Jenteal and Jon Dough. Maybe A&E isn't so bad after all![Link] |
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HoustonDon
Member
Houston
561 Posts
11/99
| Posted - Jul 14 2001 : 2:53PM
Bushwhacker, my understanding (and I could be wrong), is that A&E reviews what they sell but don't edit anything themselves. They will simply not carry a tape if they think it will get them in hot water (they've been in court before over stuff like this). In any case, the Vivid produced movie was edited from 144 minutes on the original release to 107 minutes on the dvd (and reports have been that Vivid was the company that edited the tape version as well-they do that a LOT).I agree with you that any editing, by any company, should be fully advertised on the package and as part of any promotional advertisements. Further, any listing of awards a movie might've won should include a large disclaimer that "Award was for the original, unedited version of this hacked up piece of crap you are about to waste your money on" or words to that effect. Bobby Sox Review [Link] |
bushwhacker
Member
10 Posts
7/01
| Posted - Jul 14 2001 : 3:43PM
HoustonDon: You could be right. I can't find the email I received from A&E on the matter. I think it's long been trashed. Apologies to A&E if I've misrepresented their policies. What I can't understand is why these relatively mild scenes get chopped -- especially when converted to DVD it seems -- while some of the most brutal, misogynistic sex proliferates elsewhere (Max, Cocktails, Ass Clowns, etc.) Is it that the Vivids of the world are playing to the couples audience, so they tone down the things they think might frighten the ladies? And that the more hardcore stuff is for a niche audience, and its makers know it has no crossover appeal? Maybe it's not so much a legal consideration as a marketing one.[Link] |
Janitor
Retired
Porno movies, sexy videos, xxx. Adult DVD Talk at your service.
6409 Posts
11/99
| Posted - Jul 14 2001 : 3:54PM
bushwhacker:adam and eve spent millions of dollars defending themselves in a series of lawsuits. phil harvey, the founder of the company, wrote about it all in this book however, i do not belive adam and eve did the editing in this case. while i'm not all that familiar with vhs, i believe that some distributors simply do the duplication in house (hence the adam and eve presents packaging.) [Link] |
dumblonde
Senior Member
2352 Posts
7/00
| Posted - Jul 14 2001 : 5:09PM
Bushwacker ~
I agree wholeheartedly with your sentiments about not labeling edited movies as such, and this seems to be a widespread practice.
If it's found that A&E did not do the editing, in the spirit of fair play, could I talk you into editing your topic title? I just worry that too many people will see only that, without reading the thread. and it has more negative impact than people might think.
Too many unfair topic titles or charges could eventually diminish the clout and positive responses that ADT has managed to establish with the studios thus far.
Just a thought ~ DB[Link] |
bushwhacker
Member
10 Posts
7/01
| Posted - Jul 14 2001 : 8:39PM
No problem, DB. Already done. Not backing off my assertion, mind you, but you make a good point. (And may I say that for a dumblonde, you are very diplomatic ) I just wish I had kept that email. It was definitely not in the vein of "It's not us censoring the vids, it's the other guy" or "What?!? You received a censored vid?!?" Then again, it could've come from some poor guy on bottom rung of the customer service ladder, making far too little to deal with cranks like me, and he really didn't know what he was talking about. And I guess it's possible that A&E could've edited an already edited video from Vivid. Other possibilities start getting into my advanced age and diminished memory faculties, and are far too depressing to contemplate at this time. Regardless, I will certainly do my homework before ordering any more controversial titles. Thanks to all for your input.[Link] |
