Posted on 01/28/2011 7:39:40 AM PST by BenLurkin
Harvey Weinstein is trying to edit a new kid-friendly version of "The King's Speech." He's betting that with a PG-13 rating it could win the same family audiences in the United States that are packing theaters playing it in the United Kingdom. Previously, Weinstein fought the good fight to protest the film's R rating -- the MPAA ratings board slapped it with a restricted designation simply because, for a few minutes, the King spews profanities as therapy for his stammer. Weinstein wants to work out any new version with the director, Tom Hooper.
But this kind of tampering is almost always a big mistake.
Weinstein has said that he wants to position the film as being just as cool as its coolest best picture rivals. You don't do that by cutting curse words. I think "The King's Speech" is wonderful, but it needs all its rough, odd edges to fight against seeming twee. Weinstein would gain more respect by continuing to publicize the R for 'The King's Speech" as an example for how ludicrous the ratings system really is.
(Excerpt) Read more at weblogs.baltimoresun.com ...
Because then they’d have to resubmit. Its much easier to edit for the rating you want for the theatrical and then put the “unrated” one on DVD. The ratings submission process is expensive, time consuming, and owing to the rather random nature of what the review board decides highly annoying. The “clean version” audience just isn’t big enough to justify the effort.
The airlines censor language and other R rated stuff to show during flight so what’s the big deal?
One of the bright spots of the movie is when Logue tells him to spew a string of bad language and Logue encourages him on by saying, "And now the F word. Say the F word."
The King replies "Fornication!"
It brought a laugh. BTW, I loved this movie, even though I am a stickler about bad language. This story required it, however.
Funny thing, I don't remember the King saying "Bloody!" which (I think) was a well used English swear word of the era.
One of the bright spots of the movie is when Logue tells him to spew a string of bad language and Logue encourages him on by saying, "And now the F word. Say the F word."
The King replies "Fornication!"
It brought a laugh. BTW, I loved this movie, even though I am a stickler about bad language. This story required it, however.
Funny thing, I don't remember the King saying "Bloody!" which (I think) was a well used English swear word of the era.
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