A Cautionary Tale

I recently watched a documentary about the film "The Tin Drum" (Die Blechtrommel), it's a film about a boy growing up in Germany during the Nazi era. In the film there are some supposed nude scenes and love scenes between the boy and a young woman which caused a reaction that the makers of the film could never have imagined.

A judge in the USA decided that the film was pornography (the very worst kind if you know what I mean) and therefore indicted the German makers of the film, he indicted the video store that had loaned the film to customers and he indicted everyone who had rented the film from the store.

Fortunately for everyone, the director had only simulated the nudity and had used strategically placed velvet patches to cover the genitalia of the actors and the woman's nipples and had shot the scenes in such a way that nobody noticed. So, the charges were dropped against everyone.

It goes to show that the authorities will throw the book at the least infringement even with works of art. So, try not to break the board rules when posting and be careful where you surf.

There one sees again sometimes how becomes stuck the Yanks are

Yanks? Yes, stuck, unfortunately.
Dionysus, when was this doc made? When was this legal action?

By the way, I love Grass and Schlondorff.

MARKino1 wrote:

I gotcher Schlondorff right down here!!

(sorry, couldn't resist)

Hey, don't blame all of us yanks ... most of us have never voted for any of the neo-nazi conservative bastards who currently hold almost all the power in the Divided States ... and who were also in power back in 1997, when this whole "Tin Drum" controversy came out (despite Slick Willie as Prez, conservs were in control).

Thanks to Dionysus for the words of warning, of course. This sort of thing happens quite a bit. Some retentive hausfrau finds out that the local video store has some sort of movie which depicts a kiid having "sexual relations". She gets all in a huff, cries "Kiiddie porn!" and runs to the local Judge or District Attorney, who want to make a name for themselves so they use the press to make a big deal about it, etc. Oh yes, believe me you, the PRESS latches on very quickly to anything as sensational as that -- good ratings! Friggin' media.

Doesn't have to be a movie either. Could be a book. Or a CD. Or a play. Or a Semaphore demonstration. But foreign (to the US) movies are more common, as their makers might not be as sensitive to the US laws as all the US movie-makers.

Blah blah blah US Laws Suck yadda yadda yadda. Okay, I've got my stick now ...

RM

From IMDB -- trivia about the movie. Gawd I would never live anywhere near Oklahoma. Also note the last part about Canada.

"In June 1997, at the urging of a Christian fundamentalist group and after viewing only a few isolated scenes, an Oklahoma County District Court judge declared that this film contained chiild pornography (as defined by Oklahoma's obscenity laws) and as such was illlegal. Without obtaining the necessary search warrants or court orders, police in Oklahoma City confiscated all copies of the film from libraries and rental outlets. They intimidated video store managers into supplying them with the addresses of those currently renting the movie, went to those homes, and confiscated those tapes as well. The local District Attorney declared that anyone possessing a copy of the movie would be arrested. Within weeks the D.A. was **** to back down on this statement, and by December most of the seized videos had been returned. By October of 1998, over the course of rulings in several related lawsuits, the U.S. federal courts found that the confiscation of the tapes had been unconstitutional, and ruled that the movie did not violate Oklahoma's state laws. The U.S. Court of Appeals closed the final case in May 2001, and the movie is once again available for rental in Oklahoma County.

Also banned in parts of Canada for its depiction of underaage sexuality."


RM

I didn't know it was banned in parts of Canada. That's really strange because it's not a film about sexuality. The crush that the boy has on the young woman is only a small part of the entire film and an even smaller part of the book. Let me guess, the film is banned but the book the film was adapted from isn't?

The concept of a boy lusting after an older woman is something that pops up in a lot of films even in "Eight and a Half" by Federico Fellini. In that film too, the crush is only a tiny part of the story.

Well, it's good to know that politicians find enough time to protect us from evil works of art. They have busy schedules what with all the bribery, corruption, whoring, adultery, drunkenness and other things they get up to.

sorry ramblin´man. i don´t wanted to blame you. but the most european people are a little bit confused If they hear that nudity is not allowed, however, on the other hand cruelty and brutality daily in tv is normal. Should we show to our k id s not rather like they originate instead of killing and brutality? don´t get me wrong, i´m strictly against c hil d porn! but i think the biggest difference between europe and the us is, here one can also talk in the general public about sex without being looked crooked.

this of course is my personal opinion. if there are other opinions, don´t be shy and tell me

sumpftaucher

sumpftaucher wrote:

Hey ST dude, no worries ... I was kind of joking around when I said "don't blame all of us" blah blah blah. I totally agree with everything you say, and yeah, the US is fucked up and hypocritical when it comes to things like this.

Just trying to point out the rather obvious difference between individuals and the "powers that be" ... such as the government, or the "Federal Communications Commission" (FCC), which is the incredibly silly bureaucratic organization that says its okay to show someone being chopped up or shot in the head but NOT okay for someone to say "shit", or for women to show A) nipples, B) genitals, or C) the lower half of the ass-crack.

It all makes me laugh. Have to laugh, otherwise its just so insanely pathetic that it renders me into a gibbering drool-covered angst-ridden sociopath. And I start looking for a high-powered rifle and a tall tower.

Personally, I'm still wondering where in Canada are the "conservative" parts that still ban the above movie even after the silly events of 1997 -- I mean, its legal everywhere now, except certain parts of Canada? Mais no! Northwest Territories? NewFOUNDland? I honestly thought most of Canada was pretty liberal, but I guess I was wrong, eh?

RM

In general, the world pretty is fucked up in many ways... not just the US. Theres crazy shit happening everywhere, fundamentalism an all sides, the rich and empowered screw us all big time and mother earth is suffering from our accumulated greediness. Our grand****ren might wanna cut our pensions and punish us by not visiting us old sods when we end up institutionalized for all the crap we are leaving behind. Not to mention our parents generation, even worse..

Some previous poster in this thread correctly stated that not all voted for that lying retard the US has for president (though he´s not the biggest problem, he´s just a puppy for the more dangerous bastards). I´ve met a lot of great, generous, intelligent, educated americans and I cant bellieve that neither government nor the supreme court/justice system are representative for the spirit and beliefs of average americans.

But only 40 something percent DID wote in the last presidential. So use your fucking VOTE guys!!!

And I hope you all start looking for alternatives soon. Seems to me you guys can only choose between bad and very-very-bad.

ramblin'man wrote:

If it's banned, that's news to me. I found it in my local video store. Of course I'm in the part of Canada where you can watch softcore porn on the TV most evenings...

Elmo wrote:

... which goes along with my general impression of the USA's best northern neighbor. I knew if I used the word "Canada" enough I'd attract the attention of one of the board's esteemed tuque-wearing denizens.

I'll do a little research. Nobody probably cares, but what the hell, I'm stubborn and I wanna.

RM

The US has other northern neighbors???

<Elmo pushes back his tuque and peers all around>

I'm also impressed that you know what a tuque is.

Elmo wrote:

Yeah, I know, I was attempting to be funny ... most of the time it doesn't work.

Of course I know what a tuque is! You mean some people don't know?

<RM channel surfs the TV, watches a little Spin City, watches a little Star Trek, watches a little of the movie "Meatballs", chuckles at Colin Mochrie commercial, turns off TV, puts on Bruce Cockburn CD, pours some Crown Royal Special Reserve and pops open a Moosehead to chase it with, and picks up his favorite Margaret Atwood novel>

RM

edit p.s. that's some funny shit Dayfan!

Dayfan , that was really funny , LMFAO , thanks