Posted on 07/08/2009 11:14:42 PM PDT by Cedar
Our organization has just viewed the upcoming “R-rated” movie “Brüno,” which is scheduled to come out in local movie theaters Friday, July 10. Having attended a screening of the movie, we can factually state that the movie contains the following obscene, pornographic and offensive material (and more besides):
• Extremely graphic sex scenes (including depicted heterosexual intercourse, depicted oral sex (including anal licking), depicted homosexual sodomy, and sadomasochistic whipping of a homosexual in his bikini briefs by a fully nude female “Dominatrix”); • Scenes of full frontal male and female nudity (including extended close-ups of a man swinging his fully nude penis) • A mocking, sexually explicit interview with a pastor who specializes in “making gay people straight” that is clearly intended to provoke the pastor by crudely offending him in a vulgar manner; • Adopting an African child as a fashion accessory and “man magnet” to be “in” with American culture like Madonna and Angelina Jolie (then shipping that baby – whom the protagonist names “OJ” – on a plane through checked baggage in a cardboard box); • Images of a black baby from Africa in a hot tub with white adults who are clearly interested in performing sex acts at some point with one another; • Making light of the Holocaust and Jews, including mentioning Adolph Hitler in a positive light and a homosexualized outfit mocking traditional Jewish dress; • A sequence mocking African Americans and black people; and, • Explicit verbal descriptions of sex acts.
Regardless of your views on sexuality, or your definition of humor, one thing is clear: the content of this movie should not be seen by children of any age, including underage teenagers. Originally rated NC-17, “Brüno” has since been given an R rating. An R rating simply suggests that theaters restrict viewing by children under 17 unless they are with an adult. However, Federal Trade Commission studies have shown that almost half of movie theaters do not enforce the Motion Picture Associations restrictions, and that one-third of unaccompanied 13-year-olds have purchased tickets for an R-rated movie. Additionally, many children sneak into R-rated movies or get tickets from some sick adult who finds it humorous to flood an impressionable child’s mind with obscene content. Clearly, however, “Brüno” still contains NC-17 content as well as pornographic content.
With this reality in mind, we formally ask your City Council to file an injunction against the showing of this movie in your city, or at least restrict the film to 17 and over regardless of adult accompaniment. To determine whether this movie fits the community standards of your locality, as legally defined by the United States Supreme Court, you may have to require your local movie theaters to screen the movie ahead of time for the Council, or a duly designated committee of the Council, to determine what formal action to take regarding “Brüno.”
Please let us know if there is something we can do to help you in this battle for our children.
Sincerely,
Ted Baehr, Juris Doctor Publisher of Movieguide®
Movieguide® has sent a letter asking local government officials throughout the U.S. to consider stopping the screening of the controversial movie "Brüno" starring comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, Movieguide® Publisher Dr. Ted Baehr announced today.
In the letter, Movieguide® asks officials to get an injunction against screening the movie on Friday until officials can look at the movie and determine whether it should be banned because it does not fit the "community standards" in their area, as defined by U.S. Supreme Court rulings on obscenity and pornography.
"This movie has been cut to get an R rating," Dr. Baehr said, "but it still contains much pornographic, offensive content."
Among the "pornographic" content in the movie, according to Movieguide® and Dr. Baehr, are "extremely graphic" sex scenes, including depicted intercourse, depicted homosexual sodomy, a depicted orgy, and depicted oral sex (including anal licking); explicit shots, including extensive close-ups, of full male and female nudity; and, "obscene" language about sex acts.
"The movie also contains scenes mocking Jews, African Americans and Christian evangelicals," Dr. Baehr said.
He noted that a 2000 Federal Trade Commission study showed that nearly half of all movie theaters in the U.S. actually sell tickets to children and underage teenagers trying to get into an R-rated movie by themselves, without an adult.
"Supreme Court rulings on obscenity allow local, state and federal governments to ban such movies like ‘Brüno,' or at least restrict them to 17 and over regardless of adult accompaniment," Dr. Baehr added.
"Government has a duty to protect the community, especially vulnerable children and underage teenagers, from this kind of pornographic material," he concluded.
Dr. Baehr is chairman of the Christian Film & Television Commission® (CFTVC) ministry which publishes Movieguide®, CFTVC's family guide to movies and entertainment. CFTVC and Movieguide® are an international non-profit ministry dedicated to "redeeming the values of the entertainment industry by influencing industry executives and by informing and equipping the public about the influence of the entertainment media."
I’ll tell you what you can do with your First Amendment...
No doubt. Censorship isn’t the answer. Ask Tipper Gore.
This is child pornography and not free speech.
Sacha Baron Cohen should whack himself.
Yeah, I’m sure the Founding Fathers meant for explicit pornography to be shown everywhere..../sarc
Didn’t Frank Zappa write a song about her silly antics?
My guess is that citizens will not be forced at gunpoint to march into theaters to watch this movie.
That being the case, the government should not prohibit adults from voluntarily seeing Bruno.
In that case how is changing the rating going to matter?
How about some parental responsibility?
The author’s concern here is for children (who easily get in to see movies).
Seems like bad parenting, doesn’t it?
Oh yes, I forgot. It is always for the Children!
However if that is the case, why did the writer pen the following?
With this reality in mind, we formally ask your City Council to file an injunction against the showing of this movie in your city...
I don’t know. How many good parents have children who sneak into bad movies? It happens.
This movie apparently is exceedingly pornographic and should have strong restrictions.
From the description of it, I think most people would agree.
Hey listen, go see the filth if you want to. But if someone wants to complain about pornographic film possibly available to children, I’m glad they are complaining.
Well, good parenting should be able to offset anything the kids will see in a two hour film. This is still a FREE REPUBLIC, right?
I’m glad they are complaining as well. That doesn’t mean I think the film should be banned.
“we formally ask your City Council to file an injunction against the showing of this movie in your city, OR AT LEAST restrict the film to 17 and over regardless of adult accompaniment. To determine whether this movie fits the community standards of your locality, as legally defined by the United States Supreme Court...”
Why thank you, Mr. First Amendment! Without your permission to view a movie of my choosing, it would be like I lived in Red China or Iran.
But if someone wants to complain about pornographic film possibly available to children, I’m glad they are complaining.
And yes, the people that are complaining about the movie are not only exercising their First Amendment Rights, but they are also effectively working as a PR Machine and free advertising for the movie Bruno.
I am sure Sacha Baron Cohen very much appreciates your effort to promote his movie.
Only the real perverts would want to see this movie after reading the article.
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