RE: CENSORSHIP: Matrix Reloaded banned in Egypt

From: Pat Inniss (inniss@sprynet.com)
Date: Sat Jun 14 2003 - 01:53:43 MDT

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    In some ways, however, Egypt might not be that different from the USA 50
    or 60 years ago. I haven't seen Matrix Reloaded yet, but it is obvious
    that this film would have never been produced in the USA until a few
    decades ago (speaking of the social/legal restraints, not technical or
    dramatic ones), and if it had been produced anywhere else would have
    likely not been widely shown here, if at all. It would have been
    censored, just as Egypt censors it today. Back then there were quite a
    number of European films that you couldn't see in the USA because of a
    patchwork of industry regulations and government film censors.

    Under the Production Code observed by the American industry, to some
    extent even into the '60s, any movie challenging conventional religious
    belief was verboten. Some states such as New York required films to be
    licensed before they were shown, and the licensing authority did not
    hesitate to withhold authority from any film containing "sacrilege."
    They were, apparently, much influenced by church leaders, especially
    Catholics. These clerics and laymen didn't give up anything to the
    current crop of mullahs in their zealotry to control what ideas were
    presented. Religious issues would have almost certainly shot down The
    Matrix back in "the good old days."

    The Matrix would also have also been unproduceable and unscreenable in
    the USA because of its use of black characters in leadership roles. And
    finally the suggestion of drug usage when Neo is offered the pills would
    have violated a strict prohibition against even dealing with that whole
    subject, however obtusely.

    Regards,

    Pat Inniss
    inniss@sprynet.com
    http://home.sprynet.com/~inniss

    -----Original Message-----
    From: owner-extropians@extropy.org [mailto:owner-extropians@extropy.org]
    On Behalf Of Paul Grant
    Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2003 9:07 PM
    To: extropians@extropy.org
    Subject: RE: CENSORSHIP: Matrix Reloaded banned in Egypt

    > -----Original Message-----
    > From: owner-extropians@extropy.org
    > [mailto:owner-extropians@extropy.org] On Behalf Of Ramez Naam
    > Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2003 8:35 PM
    > To: extropians@extropy.org
    > Subject: RE: CENSORSHIP: Matrix Reloaded banned in Egypt
    > <snip>



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