Friday, February 10, 2006

MPAORIAA Warning Parody

A really great parody of the MPAORIAA warnings. You know: these message that accuse you of stealing the moment you start to watch the DVD you just bought. For some reason these message tend to be absent on illegal copied movies - I would even go as far as to say that this is pretty reliable criteria to check if a DVD is legal: it is legal if it accuses you of stealing.

But honestly, I'm totally at a loss to understand what the entertainment industry things when they put these message on their DVD's. I recently bought a box with 5 DVD - and EVERY SINGLE ONE started with "You wouldn't steal a car ... ", implying that I would "steal this DVD". This made me think ... really made me think who of my friends would like accept a copy of these DVDs*. And don't even get my started about the messages in cinemas: I'm not staying at home to download the movies, I AM paying 8 euros to watch 30 minutes of commercials and to be annoyed by people eating chips - only to be accused of stealing again. Simply the fact that I'm interested in movies makes me guilty in their eyes. And the german movie industry used to be pretty explicit about what they consider a fair punishment for beeing interested in movies: to get thrown in jail and be raped by other inmates**.

*: Of course I would never actually do such an illegal thing, much less admit to it in writing.
**: Sadly this is NOT hyperbole, they actually had a commercial that would show a young man arriving in jail with other inmates taking about how cute he is and who saw him first and hence could "have him". The spot would end with the message: firm but just.