I have heard that in flight movies are edited to remove content relating to air crashes etc., but just yesterday was the first time I actually noticed it in a movie I had seen previously.

"Thirteen Days" was showing on a UA flight. If you have seen this movie, I noticed the following 2 edits (there may be more, this is just what I noticed):

1.) Removed: the wing of an A-7 gets peppered by ground fire when doing a low pass photo run over Cuba. They left, however, the scene on the ground showing the damaged wing and the pilot explaining it as "sparrow strikes".

2.) Removed: the U-2 getting hit by a SAM. They left, however, the same plane's successful attempts to evade a couple of other SAMs, but the scene of actual impact was cut.

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Who is John Galt?
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This has cropped up before. It is quite a common practice especially on North American airlines.

I remember THAT sequence in 'When Harry met Sally' was missing from the BA performance (and no doubt from most other airlines').

So far as I am aware, Virgin Atlantic is the only major airline which does not show censored films.

In the old days of one screen at the end of the cabin, you could understand airlines' sensibilities, but now most airlines have individual seatback screens or screens on stalks, it does seem a bit unnecessary.

For an even stranger experience, try watching movies on the Fox Family Channel. Whole scenes disappear throughout Blazing Saddles, and everyone is left referring to Lilly Von Sch..., since schtupp is such a naughty word.

CX shows uncut movies in FC and BC. Watching a cut up movie is the same as watchin a movie on network television: not worth the effort.

I watched Pretty Woman on UA. Quite a different experience. A lot of scenes were quite different. No Julia Roberts touching Richard Gere's penis and no words such as f-u-c-k, is this just American puritanism?

Strange because the Americans I have met don't seem so bothered by my use of the English vocabulary. Not that I swear all the time it just seems strange that the airlines would edit the original scenes just because of "dirty" words.

Another example of censorship is Rainman - Dustin Hoffman's famous speech about Quantas being the only airline not to have a crash is completely left out of the airline version - so you're left wondering why the brothers decide to drive across the country...

I personally got to watch "Glengarry Glen Ross" on a plane - watching this David Mamet cussfest under those restrictions is like watching a badly dubbed Hong Kong action pic - Alec Baldwin would speak whole paragraphs and the soundtrack would only say "forget you"!

If you're interested, there's a list on my website of "standards and practices" for US TV networks and what words they replace the bad ones with plus some other quick info on censorship in the "land of the free"... it's pretty hysterical if you ask me :-) it's at http://www.thegirlsroom.net/sex.html

cheers,
Irene, who sez "don't get me started on the MPAA's rating system for feature films...grrr"

(1) Yes, it is American puritanism.
(2) No, we are not generally bothered by proper use of the vocabulary.
(3) However, airlines, corporations, et. al., ARE. For instance, it is perfectly acceptable in most European nations to use the word "penis" in a sentence. It is also, techincally, perfectly acceptable to use that word in general conversation here. BUT, do it in a corporate environment, and you are gonna get some funny looks.

Don't look for any logic in this. WE don't all necessarily like the double and triple standards, either. But you wouldn't think so y looking at how we deal with similar issues like sex education in school, birth control programs, etc. There are a large number of people who subscribe to the Archie Bunker school here: "My kids can learn about that on the street just like I did!"

I am reminded of a Christmas dinner at our house a few years ago, when we forgot to put out ketchup(catsup), mayonnaise, mustard and pickle relish on the table until after the meal started. Among the guests was my brother-in-law who was a Southern Baptist minister and his family. I said, "Oh, here are the condiments!" as I got up and put them on the table. Dead silence. Everyone looked off into space for just about 2 heartbeats, until they realized I was saying condiments, not "condoms" or something similar! I mean, dang!, people!

I guess I probably should present some view from the other side here, but all I gotta say about that is,

"Do I contradict myself? Very well, then, I contradict myself. I am large, I contain multitudes."

Thanx for a very good question!



[This message has been edited by hnechets (edited 09-10-2001).]

A few years ago I watched a detailed, explicit documentary on the Apollo capsule fire in which three astronauts died. Seemed like an odd choice of in-flight movies. I'd rather watch Julia Roberts touching anyone, anyplace.

I can vouch for the fact that Virgin Atlantic don't censor their in-flight movies. I was quite surprised at first as I was flying to Orlando on vacation, and American Pie was showing without any cuts. The plane was 50% children, and was surprised but I prefer it this way. Virgin do mention in the Inflight guide that they may not be suitable for children, anyway most kids will sit and play with Super Nintendo Gateway system instead, Unless they are on one of the older planes.

One ironic flim that was shown in its entire version with some very strong language (C words too!) was 'Snatch'. The title itself has a strong slang meaning in the UK!

Thanks,
Richard

Nowadays they could have just driven to Louisville and flown Southwest to LAX. Would have made the movie less interesting, but perhaps Hoffman's character could have multipled everyone's boarding pass numbers together or something.... Twenty-nine and thirty, the first group, the first group, definitely the first group


I generally agree with this statement, but most TV stations did use the word penis when covering the Lorena Bobbitt story. I mean, what other word could you use?

Are passengers expected to view "clean" movies
on their personal equipment (laptops, portable DVD
players...)? What would happen if I were to watch
"Boogie Nights" or "Last Tango in Paris" while
seated next to someone who has very conservative
viewing tastes? Are flight attendants in a position to
censor what I bring on board to watch during the
flight? Just curious...

Well, just about every airport in the US has newsstands selling Playboy, Penthouse, and Hustler. I always assumed everything was sold for in-flight reading.

I was once sitting behind a guy who was watching "Wild Things" on his personal DVD player and just as he was getting to the great threesome scene he fast forarded it!

In regard to watching a personal DVD with "R" rated scenes ... I don't think that we should put it in the hands of the FA's to say something. I think we should use personal discretion. When it comes to language, I cringe when I hear people swearing loudly. I think it makes people sound self-important and ignorant. (But I admit to being a prude!)

Now, vis-a-vis screen movies.... anyone remember the spoof movie "Airplane"? One scene showed the passangers watching the onboard movie in which an airliner is crashing!

Ansett shows mostly uncut films on its international routes. Of course, you said "major" airlines, so this doesn't contradict you.

Singapore Airlines cuts films a lot less than airlines from the USA. ... which is pretty amazing, since some of the things that go to air in SQ's movies would, I'm fairly sure, never be allowed on TV in Singapore.