Is there a legal way to make a family-friendly DVD from THE DEAD ZONE? (1 Viewer)

[smithbrad]

Now, sir, be honest -- aren't there favorite movies in your life that, if could just edit out one unfortunate moment or sequence, would be even better? Not for the world at large, mind you...but for you and your family? That's all this is about.

Emphatically: YES.

 

[theonemacduff]

There's really no point in making a "family friendly" version of Dead Zone, since a big part of the movie's thematics is that the family itself is the source of untold horrors, for example, the relationship between the evil deputy and his even more evil mother, the fact that the wannabe President is basically running one of those "family values" campaigns (which is why holding up the baby undoes his political chances). Basically the only sane guy in the movie is the old doctor, who lost his family in the war. Families are the source of most of the world's evils seems to be the theme here, and while one may disagree (I do, in point of fact), it's a clearly articulated theme of which the deputy is the central example. So I don't think that was dropped into the film to get an "R" rating; I don't think Cronenberg works that way. If anything, in his films, he tends to work out the thematics a little too rigidly, and it makes some of his films (Crash, anyone?) sometimes a bit airless. As well, I'm against censorship pretty much of any kind, for pretty much any reason. When kids are able to handle stuff they should be allowed to; as to when they are able, that's up to the parents, and it's going to be different for each kid. I'm not sure I really understand why one would want to introduce them to adult content at such an early stage anyhow. Sure, Cronenberg is a fantastic director, a truly great artist, but he is definitely for grown-ups. So let the kids wait; it won't hurt them to do so; and they can discover him for themselves, if they want to.

 

[Johnny Angell]

I've actually done this many times over the years for my kids. It is not difficult to do. I use software I've purchased for various aspects of it but there may be some free-ware ones as well. Just PM me if needed. People can say what they want to about the integrity of the original film, but when it comes to one's children a parent does what they think best. I've even (some will shudder) edited out certain aspects of Disney films when needed. Now my kids are 10 and 14 so they no longer watch the one's i edited, but when they were much younger it was the way we chose to go.

I tried to PM you, but when I click on your name, there's no "Start a Conversation Option."

 

[Dick]

I tried to PM you, but when I click on your name, there's no "Start a Conversation Option."

Thanks for trying, and I'm not sure that didn't work for you. I have received a number of PM's recently from this site. Maybe a mod could help.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I tried to PM you, but when I click on your name, there's no "Start a Conversation Option."

Thanks for trying, and I'm not sure that didn't work for you. I have received a number of PM's recently from this site. Maybe a mod could help.

Wonder what's going on, fellas?

When I click on Dick's name I get the little box with the "Start a Conversation" option. Try again, Johnny?

 

[Charles Smith]

Just for the pure heck of it, I tried clicking on a few of the names here, saw "Start a Conversation", and then I tried smithbrad's.

No go. That one's not there for me either. Did you try his, Mike?

Edit: There were a couple of the other options that I didn't see on his, as well.

 

[David Norman]

Wrong poster referenced

 

[Alf S]

Charles,
I clicked your name and the conversation link worked for me, using Firefox.

 

[Charles Smith]

Right. I'm on Chrome, and the only one of the several I tried that didn't work for me is smithbrad's, the same one Dick couldn't reach.

 

[Alf S]

Does the system allow users to opt out of conversations?

 

[Charles Smith]

Does the system allow users to opt out of conversations?

Bingo. Looks like it does. Maybe he has it that way in his setup, intentionally or unintentionally.

 

[Johnny Angell]

Just for the pure heck of it, I tried clicking on a few of the names here, saw "Start a Conversation", and then I tried smithbrad's.

No go. That one's not there for me either. Did you try his, Mike?

Edit: There were a couple of the other options that I didn't see on his, as well.

Smithbrad is the user I tried to PM. I just tried again and still no conversation option.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Just for the pure heck of it, I tried clicking on a few of the names here, saw "Start a Conversation", and then I tried smithbrad's.

No go. That one's not there for me either. Did you try his, Mike?

That's it. I see the option to PM Brad (but I suppose mods CANNOT be denied! ). But I checked and Brad has his ability to be PM'd by members turned off. I can turn it back on if need be, but I will wait to see if he needs help or really wants that to happen. He might have decided he REALLY doesn't want Johnny contacting him!

 

[David Norman]

Deleted -- misread the initial reports

 

[smithbrad]

Smithbrad is the user I tried to PM. I just tried again and still no conversation option.

Sorry about that. I think i fixed it.

 

[RobertR]

There's really no point in making a "family friendly" version of Dead Zone, since a big part of the movie's thematics is that the family itself is the source of untold horrors, for example, the relationship between the evil deputy and his even more evil mother, the fact that the wannabe President is basically running one of those "family values" campaigns (which is why holding up the baby undoes his political chances). Basically the only sane guy in the movie is the old doctor, who lost his family in the war. Families are the source of most of the world's evils seems to be the theme here, and while one may disagree (I do, in point of fact), it's a clearly articulated theme of which the deputy is the central example. So I don't think that was dropped into the film to get an "R" rating; I don't think Cronenberg works that way. If anything, in his films, he tends to work out the thematics a little too rigidly, and it makes some of his films (Crash, anyone?) sometimes a bit airless. As well, I'm against censorship pretty much of any kind, for pretty much any reason. When kids are able to handle stuff they should be allowed to; as to when they are able, that's up to the parents, and it's going to be different for each kid. I'm not sure I really understand why one would want to introduce them to adult content at such an early stage anyhow. Sure, Cronenberg is a fantastic director, a truly great artist, but he is definitely for grown-ups. So let the kids wait; it won't hurt them to do so; and they can discover him for themselves, if they want to.

Interesting analysis, but Rick admitted that his objection to the scene in question actually has nothing at all to do with showing it to kids. He simply doesn't like that scene in the movie, period, kids watching or no kids watching.

 

[Dick]

Interesting analysis, but Rick admitted that his objection to the scene in question actually has nothing at all to do with showing it to kids. He simply doesn't like that scene in the movie, period, kids watching or no kids watching.

Well, it has lsomething to do with kids (grandchildren) watching, but yeah, I do not like that sequence. I totally get why some here would object to my wanting to edit the film for any personal reason (censorship), and I would be horrified if I discovered that a commercial release of any film on video was "edited for content," which is the term t.v. stations use to disclaim this practice. However, once bought and in my collection, should I decide that the general plot and substance of a given film is something I would want to share with young people, even if it means editing out a few minutes of footage to make it more suitable their age, I will do it if I have the means.

My OP was to determine whether the means are available to me to achieve this using an affordable software program.

That's all.
Really.
All.

 

[Johnny Angell]

This reminds me that I have done my own "virtual" editing of Jaws. I find the opening attack on "Chrissie" to be the hardest to take in the whole movie and I often zip thru it. Not sure I feel the need to produce a hard copy of that, though.

 

[Dick]

But there is food for thought in this film regarding love and loss, having to cope with an unusual talent, accepting that you are going to have to use that skill to save countless lives by destroying pure evil, even if it means sacrificing yourself. Those and more are quite beautifully woven into King's thoughtful and introspective novel,

Certainly there has to be dozens if not hundreds of movies geared towards KIDS that achieve the exact same goal you are shooting for. Why destroy a film NOT made for kids just to push your agenda on them? It makes no sense to me at least.

Whoever suggested destroying it? Not I. As I said, I have the original. It won't be going away. This thread was started merely to ask a simple question but has turned into an argument against what is perceived to be, as you put it, my "agenda." If I don't get it done, then I don't. This isn't that big a deal, so I'm all for moving on here.

 

[WillG]

the relationship between the evil deputy and his even more evil mother, the fact that the wannabe President is basically running one of those "family values" campaigns (which is why holding up the baby undoes his political chances).

To be fair here, using a baby as a human shield against a sniper would almost certianly undo your political chances no matter what platform you're running on (unless, I suppose, you were specifically running on a "Use babies as human shields against snipers" platform)