Feds vow to lash movie pirates, but does it matter?
Ottawa has reacted to the pressure brought to bear simultaneously by “The Governator” Arnold Schwarzenegger and the big movie studios, by promising stiffer penalties for anyone caught video taping a movie in a theatre. So what?
Ottawa has reacted to the pressure brought to bear simultaneously by "The Governator" Arnold Schwarzenegger and the big movie studios, by promising stiffer penalties for anyone caught video taping a movie in a theatre. So what?
Personally, I don’t download movies illegally from the net. The politically correct reason I would cite is that I’m so opposed to the practice for ethical/legal reasons. However the truth is I can’t be bothered. Parents of young children don’t have a lot of spare time for diversions like movies, especially if it requires finding a movie online, then going through what is often a multi-hour download process, to then watch it on a tiny computer screen.
But let’s just say for second that I was ethically okay with all of the above and actually had the time to do it. If it turned out that what I had downloaded was a copy some guy made of the latest blockbuster by whipping out his handycam just as the trailers finished, man would I be ticked off! Have you ever seen what this stuff looks and sounds like?
Maybe I’m just too much of a movie purist, but I want great picture and wake-up-the-neighbours surround sound when I sit down in front of the TV. So I can’t imagine putting up with shaky picture, bad black levels, crappy stereo sound and other defects that are the hallmark of camcorder bootlegs. For this reason alone, I just don’t buy the studios’ argument that stronger measures are needed to combat this practice.
Am I alone on this? Would you – c’mon be honest – go to the trouble of getting your hands on a sub-standard version of a movie just so you could avoid the price of admission at your local theatre? Either way, tell us why you make the choice you make.
Filed Under: Home Entertainment
I agree completely about not wanting to watch a movie recorded in the theater on a camcorder….but the movie studios have only themselves to blame for the increase in piracy…it has gotten almost to the point where the average family cannot afford to go to the theater to see a movie.
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There are many sites where you can stream movies for free. Also, they are great DVD quality, not camcorder. You do not even have to download anything – peekvid.com, easy-tv.org. tv-links.co.uk There are many more sites like these all over the net.
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Can't be bothered to download from the net or to purchase illegal "burns" from the street. The quality of the sound and picture is lousy. I purchased 1 ONCE (Pacific Mall…go figure)…wasted $5.00. Threw it out. I'd rather wait for the pristine copy the studio puts out….
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I can't be bothered buying a cheap illegal copy when I'd rather wait a few months and buy it legit. for much less than the cost of going to the theatre. Previously viewed copies are available from Blockbuster. Downloading, you take your chances with viruses etc. Not worth the risk. And don't the big studios make hundreds of millions on movies? So they're not hurting. The losses are projected not actual. Drop the prices of the dvd's and we will buy them.
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Chances with viruses? From a movie pay site? Why don’t you just quit the internet? Why are you posting on this site?
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what a wonderful country..film in a cinema get 5 years..smoke a joint get 2…rape yer neiboors daughter..with a good lawyer ..lucky you get any..besides hes right ..dam copies not even watchable
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This is ridiculous!! Not many people are going to want to watch a grainy, poor quality film recorded in a theatre, for one. Two, people will still find a way to either get around these laws or not get caught. I don't want to be possibly punished for something I didn't do by not being allowed to see movies! And I wonder, are these companies thinking about the fact that possibly, if everything wasn't so expensive, people might want to obey the law more? Is it possible that they are just rebelling? I'm sure not happy when I have to pay $30.00 or $40.00 for a dvd, or over $100.00 to take my family to the theatre. Maybe, if you would start lowering prices, etc. instead of wasting time making stupid laws, people would be more inclined to obey the law and not pirate movies.
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I have been known to download a movie or to. But they are movies that I wouldnt pay to go see in theatres because I know they arent worth the high admission price. Movies have gotten really, really bad in the last few years and if there is the rare movie that seems to have potiental I will go see it in theatre and pay the money.
If the industry wants to put more butts in the seats start producing movies that are worth paying the 10.95 for.
The music industry is experincing the same problem, artists can no longer fill a 12 track cd with 1 hit song and fill the rest with garbage then expect you to spend 20 bucks on thier garbage filled album..
We as consumers now have the power to demand quality for our money, and industry doesnt like it.
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first of all it's up to them (the industry) to protect their own investments (IE: CD's DVD's satelite/cable signal ect…)
they just need to make them "pirate" resistant…its that simple.
then that would actualy take some effort on their part not to mention cost money to protect their own investments when it's much easier and cheaper for them to invent some lies and sad story to make the governments beleive that they need to act fast to introduce new laws to protect them or else their whole industry will crumble and dissolve… yeah right !!!
just what this world needs more and more stupid laws…
wait a minute will the industry pick up the tab for making these new laws?
or pick up the tabs for the investigation and prosecution of 'potential' offenders?
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Living in Calgary, Alberta Canada, and having 3 children, basically your normal middle class family, here are the realistic pricing for movies up here.
Admission 12.50 x 5 = 62.50
Pop 7.00 x 5 = 35.00
Popcorn 8.00 x 5 – 40.00
total price for a family movie 137.50
Total length of time for average movie 1.5 hours.
Reading about movie companies complaining about the number of movie goers dropping dramatically and not understanding why?? Its because as the average family can't afford to go to the movies, thats why.
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They are crying fowl after a few with their handy cam or video phone. (Naive am not)
These (Hollywood) cry babies are making us (the stupid canucks) believe that thanks to the few Pirates of Canada that their Movie industry will sink. And perhaps their movie stars will have to stay in subsidized home…
Hey! There are MORE pirate copies available on the streets of ASIA AND AFRICA. And Damn Good quality too!
Some movies were available on the street of INDONESIA even before the scheduled release date here… in Canada.
Our politicians not only bent but cracked to the pressure of some Hollywood Mogul. (Money hungry…)
YOUR price at the theatres is TOO high! While the Ushers are making the minimum salary!
Piracy will thrive. Unless movie goers get the just value for their hard earned cash.
P.S. I do not own any v cam or YET
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I happen to know that torrent downloading can be quite efficeint, and if you know where to find the files, good quality. Also viruses are not a problem with torrents cause you can vuew the to be donwloaded files before they are actually downloaded.
And hollywood expects us to pay $29.99 a DVD when i can buy 100 blanks at the local wal-mart for the same price, go figure. i personally wont stop downloading until hollywood stops being rediculous, consideing most of the bonus features are crap anyway, and with a torrent file .avi ina DIVX codec, 1 movie is between 700-1400MB, i can put up to 6 movies on a single DVD, wow, go figure
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O yes downoaded a few movies , saw them also at the show , spent money , dont know why , just to see if I can do it. Have it on hand I guess. Yes not good , but blame Bill Gtaes for this and his computers! Its like cigarettes , when they put them out , hey!
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I don't download movies, I used to copy some but to tell you the truth some of the movies coming out of Hollywood now are just plain crap. Always having to do remakes of past successful films to keep alive.There are a few good ones. The Film industry has lost the art of telling a story, always relying on special effect to wow the audiance. We've gotten board with the same ol same ol all the time.
Secondly reading all the other comments there is one theme.The average Canadian is being crushed with a burden of taxes and greedy corporate bull (oil companies).The film makers and movie houses just cant admitt or acknowlage the fact we've had enough. Lower the prices, but that won't happen, they are not listening.I have absolutely no simpathy for them at all.
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right on
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gotta asmit that for me the biggest compulsion to download movies (i use bit torrent) is the fact that otherwise u cant see em out of studios for at least 3 months . . . .nice little marketing ploy there for the studios. Id be happy to buy a movie instead of download it (monney is really not that big of an issue) but wait three months to see it . . .nah
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It all started in school 1976, on Apple 2e's we all played games and copied, traded games like hockey cards. Some made games in "010101010" WOW. Now I would love to watch my divx movie with ac3 5.1 surround sound mp3, on my 16.9 flat screen, I can and do it's WOW time
again….
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Anyone for Monopoly? How about a game of chess? As a kid, I used to watch alot of TV and didn't interact with my family that much. Now, I've moved out, married and have a 2 month old son. I don't own a TV or even a computer. I've quit movie going (in agreement w/ Rick).
Point is – I've saved lots of time! Time for myself and my family.
"Check-mate!"
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short answer is no. i don't download/buy pirated dvds. can't be bothered. in fact, can't be bothered buying dvds, period. prefer the theatre experience…
having said that, i think the more important issue here is that the canadian government is indeed cracking under pressure from the very powerful american movie industry lobby. but that's not new. the actual conservative government is no more guilty of lacking backbone in this story than previous administrations, regardless of political views. this has been going on for decades. you can look it up. in fact, this could make an interesting piece of investigative reporting if someone bothered to pursue it. in essence, the government's argument that this new legislation is an attempt to also protect the canadian film industry is a false one. if they really care about that, there are other ways of going about it. when's the last time you saw a canadian production in one of those cineplex / famous players multiplexes? vertical integration. no incentives for big theatre chains to promote – or even screen – what are considered higher risks films. a measure as simple as a levy system, or quota, could have a much stronger impact on our local industry. (you know, something along the lines of what the crtc does with its can-con…) but the fact is, every time that canada has tried to implement such a policy, – even as little as a couple of percentile points – the american film lobby has stepped in and essentially flexed their muscles until we dropped the idea. ask mr. chretien about his early days before party leader, in the 80s. (i don't have the dates in front of me, can't remember which position he held at the time, but he played a key role in this aborted quota attempt…) such a quota system is in effect in many countries off the continent, and one of the reasons they don't get as much pressure from the u.s. lobby is because – amongst many things – of the language / cultural barrier. in countries where english is not the official language, it's easier to promote your local industry… harder in canada, especially considering the physical proximity of our two countries…
as for the 'risk' of job losses for the crews… let's put it this way. the film industry (especially the american one) is such a gargantuesque industry – there will always be a demand for entertainment; it will NOT come to a halt. and this is coming from crew people themselves…
anyhow, that's my rant. it's late, i'm going to bed…
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Lm tired of paying Hollywood for their mistakes. Like all businesses they just pass it on to the consumers. Tom Cruise and the likes of these type putzes made a killing. Zippo talent! Why pay Paris Hilton, Mike Myers, Adam Sandler (oh, Adam is jewish so put him in movies) Billy Crystal was ok…the Stars lawyers are making Hollywood sign contracts to put most actors in follow up movies which are in most part pretty stupid movies, but bread & butter for the movie industry as poor sequeals lure us in. How did BEN MALROONY get a job in Hollywood? His Dad of course! Brian Malroony raped our country like most Prime Ministers did the past 30 years. Hey Brian, you still got that nice mansion in the Bahamas for letting the off a huge deficit years ago? Everyones in for a quick fix and to line their pockets hile they can! They probably named the Loonie after Malroony! BEN MALROONY looked like Ben on Gentle Ben with those eyes..now he looks zestfully revised?…l think plastic surgury Ben was your TV option if you wanted to keep your job on screen with the stars. Must be nice to have your dads name to be able to afford plastic eye lifts, chin etc. Youd need a chainsaw for your dads chin…Brian Malroony should have been Dudely Do-Right the Mountie with that jaw breaker. GET A NEW BREED OF ACTORS in so movies will be more believeable, cheaper for Hollywood, which will lead more room for money to make quality movies again. l buy all my movies on ebay for 5.00 + 4.00 shipping from the USA. They are all the best ones ever made. Its even worth buying a used Dvd if you can save 80% of what Blockbuster, Amazon etc. charges. The CDN POST Office is the BIGGEST RIPOFF in the world with the highest rates…more GOV jobs that are a joke! One day it will all cave-in for the rich & greedy as were becoming more aware. Canadians are not crooks, we are just smarter the Americans as far as knowing the value of a dollar goes, no wonder we are noted for being the WORLDS WORST TIPPERS! Brad Pitt is a great actor, so is Russell Crowe if he stops his tantrums. George Clooney is a selfish ego womenizer putz, the worlds sexiest man? ha!..ever seen his mom lol. He knows that if he got married shed just leave him after 3 years with her cut. Matt Damon, Tom Cruise etc. are just little short boys in mens roles. Leonardo Dicaprio looks like a child as well but he at least is a decent actor. Keep pirating movies Canada, its a great way to WAKEUP HOLLYWOOD to get their act together again. Their all rich living high on the hog and wont take losses, they just raise the prices, well enjoy it while you can..those days are coming to an end. Gretzky, William Shatner, Alan Thick-head, Pamela Anderson, Mike Myers ane the rest of you traders…get your butts back home where you belong…even you Ben lazy-eyes Malrooney. What a joke Hollywood has become!
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I've downloaded a movie or two before, but they are movies that I wouldn't pay to watch any ways. If a movie is worth it, then I don't have a problem going out and paying to watch it. But other movies they wouldn't have gotten my money because I wouldn't have paid to watch it. So what's wrong with that? They aren't getting any more or any less from me, they are still getting the same from me. Like other people said, maybe if they produce better movies and lower the prices of DVDS maybe people wouldn't do it so much.
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