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Walmart: censored movies

13K views 17 replies 15 participants last post by  Jason Doyle 
#1 ·
Has anyone discovered any Blu-ray or HD-DVD movies bought from Walmart that have been censored?


I ask this because I just bought The Patriot (NR) and before I open it, I'm curious to know if Walmart has their hands in the HD Media content. If so, then it needs to go back.


They are notorious from censoring music CDs, and I read there are a few SD-DVDs that were edited to "Walmart values" (8-Mile, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, for example).


If the Walmart is censoring HD movies, then perhaps a list could be made of the ones that are to give a heads up for everyone.
 
#3 ·
Are you sure?


With a little search I found this site that says an entire scene of the movie Schindler's List was cut out because it showed death camp inmates naked.


Another from Slashdot a poster says Fast Time at Ridgemont High (one I already mentioned) had any scene that has to do with abortion was removed.


I don't want to discredit you. In fact, I hope you're right. That's why I started this thread. I'd like to know if anyone discovered any.
 
#6 ·
From what I recall, they have been found to sell edited versions of some movies - but only from the sense of the studio's edits - not Walmart breaking out a copy of Final Cut and remastering.
Something to the effect of, given the choice, they'd rather sell the less "evil" of two versions of the same film.
 
#7 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by B Leisle /forum/post/0


From what I recall, they have been found to sell edited versions of some movies - but only from the sense of the studio's edits - not Walmart breaking out a copy of Final Cut and remastering.
Something to the effect of, given the choice, they'd rather sell the less "evil" of two versions of the same film.

This is correct. I hadn't heard about Wal-Mart doing this, but this is exactly what Blockbuster was infamous for a few years ago. I'm not sure if the continue to get the "edited for content" versions of films.
 
#10 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nox /forum/post/0


With a little search I found this site that says an entire scene of the movie Schindler's List was cut out because it showed death camp inmates naked.

I bet Speilberg would be pissed, he would probably rather keep the scene in than sell a single dvd at wal-mart. That's why Iam sure that didnt happened, there would have been a huge controversy.
 
#11 ·
Any stories about Wal-Mart editing DVDs (or HD media) are simply urban legends. Wal-Mart doesn't "censor" films or music... although they sometimes decide not to stock certain releases.
 
#14 ·
they carry a bunch of edited SD DVD's....they label them with "Full Screen Edition" right on the top. Easy to avoid that way
 
#15 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by edo9125 /forum/post/0


I bet Speilberg would be pissed, he would probably rather keep the scene in than sell a single dvd at wal-mart. That's why Iam sure that didnt happened, there would have been a huge controversy.

Yeah, I don't believe that at all. I bought the DVD at Wal-Mart and that scene is there.


Concerning the CD's, you have to look at the barcode (not the packaging from the record label) to see if it is edited. Oh, and there are some music video DVDs that contain edited content (usually rap but sometimes rock). Again, check the barcode to be sure.


No movies are edited. It's just that they sometimes only choose to carry the rated version when available and when the rating would likely be higher than an R if submitted. These days "unrated" is such a marketing gimmick that many "unrated" titles would keep the same rating if submitted to the MPAA. So, while it may seem that they have loosened up, they really haven't. They still won't carry anything that's NC-17 or would get an NC-17 if submitted. The conspiracy theorist in me wonders if this "unrated" thing is a ploy involving WM and the studios to get consumers to believe that WM will carry any unrated title.
 
#16 ·
As to if "Unrated" is a gimmick depends on the title.


The Descent was rated R, but the 'Unrated' version isn't any more graphic, it just cut the ending differently. On the other hand, High Tension was submitted uncut and got an NC-17 and thus had to be cut for an R-rating. (Hostel's "Sicker and More Twisted" unrated cut ended up restoring only a half-second of footage, while Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning lost 5 minutes of graphic violence.) I don't know if Wal-Mart has ever carried movies rated NC-17 specifically, but as I could probably count all of the films released with this rating without resorting to toes it isn't that big a deal.
 
#17 ·

Walmart has an online streaming service called "VUDU.COM."   I am a member.  Recently, I purchased the final season (5) of Breaking Bad.  

 

The profanity in this season was edited out.  This amounts to censorship of a commercial video release.

 

I notified VUDU Customer Care about this, and will not be purchasing any more videos from Walmart or from VUDU.com.
 
#18 ·

Wake up folks:

Walmart doesn't do this, THE STUDIO does this.  Most, if not ALL DVD released as Bluray titles HAVE BEEN CENSORED.

This dates back to any bluray released title from the inception of the commercial bluray.  These censorships are in the form of digital cuts with audio resynced, digitally edited in things like blood spatter, artificial underwear, and even altering the voice track of the film from the dvd going to bluray.

If you doubt me, take a look at the two versions should you have them.  A few examples are but CERTAINLY not limited to:

Dawn of the dead (2004 ver) - the woman naked in the opening scenes of the film by the bus now has her breasts covered by digitally added blood in the scene.  There is an unrated version of the bluray that allows the R RATED DVD VERSION (the same rating as the R rated blu ray which is now censored form the former release)

James bond in: from Russia with Love (nude scenes shortened / cut and underwear digitally edited in)

Marvel's The Avengers (death scene edited, several seconds removed)

Fast Times at Ridgemont High (abortion scene discussion edited out)

Revenge of the Nerds (panty raid scene tamed down to edit out frontal nudity)

The list never ends...

We've been duped all these years, since the start of this thread... since the FIRST BLUE RAY...
 
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