Just taking a break from politics and the burning issue of our time, women's right to vote (a short break, I promise!) I noticed today that KNCC has implemented a ratings system for its movies.
Ever the skeptic, I have to wonder about the point of this ratings system since movies in Kuwait have so far only been censored for sexual content (and criticizing America), not for other criteria like violence or unsuitable language or even drug use. And it's not even KNCC that censors the films, but a bunch of illiterate goons at the Minsitry of Dis-Information who couldn't tell one film from another.
For example, the Oscar-winning movie Ray was rated PG-13 in the US "for depiction of drug addiction, sexuality and some thematic elements". Here in Kuwait, it's rated PG and that's because it has been cleaned up of any scenes depicting Ray Charles's notorious womanizing.
Does this mean stricter controls at the box office when kids show up to see any movie? Are the poor hapless KNCC employees authorized to refuse entry to any Kuwaiti child ملسون or his/her mother أم لسان? I am still traumatized by the memory of seeing "Gladiator" at the cinema in Souk Sharq, in which heads were chopped off and limbs were severed, with blood gushing all over the screen - all in the first 5 minutes!! - and there were small children present with their parents!!!!
I love going to the movies, but I rarely go here even with our flashy new theatres because my blood boils every time a scene gets cut. Besides, I find myself agreeing with one guy who said that he prefers to watch movies at home because he gets to eat real food, smoke, drink, stop the movie to go to the bathroom..etc.
And yet I can't even find the time to sit down and watch a movie at home... sigh!
One reason I don?t go to theatres in Kuwait: I like to view movies the way they were intended to be experienced, and hence I don?t waste time and money on our movie theatres. I also have other reasons.
ReplyDeleteAnti_reason... what other reasons do you have? Please share them with us
ReplyDeletei don't go to KNCC because people in kuawit never respect other people rights to watch a movie , each movie i go to there is always people that used laser pointers , chatting on mobile , throwing silly remarks about the actors
ReplyDeleteits not a theature play ! the actors will not throw an extra joke if you interact with them
I was chatting with a colleague of mine about this, & he said that this might be a good idea only if they (KNCC) would stop their censorship on movies! I think it makes sense.
ReplyDeletebo ghazi... KNCC doesn't do the censoring. It's the fools at the ministry, following rules written by your local friendly fundamentalists.
ReplyDeleteIn Oman we complain that the censors go too far because instead of just cutting out the nudity they cut out the kisses too. Thank God our censors are mostly illiterates who don't speak English and have no idea what they're censoring.
ReplyDeleteThe first time and only time I went to see a movie in Kuwait about 5 or 6 years ago, the movie was about 20 minutes shorter than it's intended running time. They had cut out not just the sex and nudity, but most of the violent scenes and every single four letter word in the movie. The movie didn't make any sense, and for some reason they had an intermission in the middle even though movie was just 90 minutes long.
last time i went to the cinema in eid alfe6er cause i have a date,
ReplyDeletethe movie was after sunrise they cut everything in the movie ,
i dont know why they cut a scene if a girl wear a bikini cause in kuwait there is no problem if a girl wear bikini and go to the sea.
once i went to a movie (day after tommorow) there was a family they bring there 2 years old son with them and he was crying from all the time then his father took him outside the theatre and you still hear him crying.
i hate to go to cinema in kuwait now i just go if i have a date.
I prefer to watch movie in home because:
1-i can watch full movie
2-you can find a dvd for the same movie the same time or after 2
month that movie available in cinema
3-i can eat drink (even drinks not allowed in kuwait) and the important thing i can smoke
4-Big screen TV
5-as forza said you will not hear a guy shout at the actor.
BTW today i will go to white noise its good ;)
Muscati
ReplyDeleteThank God they discontinued the intermissions now. They used to drive me nuts especially because they weren't even in the middle of the movie.
Violence and 4-letter words don't get cut these days. Just kisses, even cartoon kisses. And sex scenes of course.
OK, here are a few things ? some of which were already mentioned by the esteemed readers:
ReplyDeleteCensorship.
The movie theatres appear to cut corners with the quality of the presented films: scratched prints, improper volume levels, and poor projection ? maybe in order to prolong the lifetime of the projectors filament.
Mobile phones: ? although I?m told today jamming devices are installed to prevent the reception. Also morons with the laser pointers ? whoever
you are, you deserve to @#$%^&*/ 70 times over, and then executed by a firing squad!
Couples who bring their toddlers and the maid(s) to the theatre.
People who yak, yak, yak, ? . In other countries when you can?t shush the yakers, you have the option to complain. Here, what is the poor Asian cinema attendant is gonna do? Also, men with ?mesabee7?, clackity clacking all thru the movie
Subtitles: While I understand the need for subtitles ? it is infinitely wiser to subtitle that dub ? but whoever is responsible for Arabic subtitles needs to learn that the image need not be destroyed with the miserable print job they apply.
People who can?t do away with their smelly foods and noisy eating habits: where are those people from? What is the matter with them, are they starving they can?t abstain from food for a couple of hours?
People who don?t get the movie and keep asking questions / people who seem to have the impression viewers appreciate knowing the ending of the movie. Also, people who come to movies that are not suitable / intended for them, and proceed to make noises about how awful the film is. Look,
if you fancy Wa7eed Saif and think he?s the greatest thing on the planet since sliced bread, which does not make you a good critic for the Godfather!
PS: Jambino, ?Hanibal? sheeseerlik? :-)
PPS: BusyNow: ?White Noise? is terrible! Thank God I watched it for free!
anti_reason
ReplyDeletenoooooooooooooooooo :(
i just booked the tickets online,
i wish that i book for hitch instead of white noise .
I stopped going to Kuwaiti cinema since Space Jam. They cut out teh female bunny cheek-kissing Michael Jordan.
ReplyDeleteI am glad I did. My friend told me that trashy people where yelling "Khaneeth, AIDS, AIDS" when Colin Farrell expressed his love to Jared Leto in Alexander.
What a bunch of fun loving people.
Finally I could find somebody who agrees with me about movies in Kuwait. I Love Ya'll bloggers. Everytime i complained my friends were like "C'mon man you're being unrealistic." Here is why i prefer to watch movies at home in Kuwait:
ReplyDelete1. Censorship:
I won't add anything to what you guys said, but Zaydoun abashrik! kisses are now allowed in Cartoons: I saw Shrek kiss the lovely Fiona last summer. So 7amdilla our censors are becoming open minded :P
2. Subtitles:
Even when they're well positioned and don't take away from the picture, they're just a distraction. I can't take my eyes off of them.
3. Concession Stand 7armana:
Maltesers with a mideum coke for 850 fils! Maykhalif that's how the business model works. That's where you make money in theaters, but even Napkins are for sale!
4. Talky people:
Watching "King Arthur" last summer with my Mother and my little sister at Plaza theater at midnight to avoid people. We were the only ones there + a couple (looked to be on a date). I was unlucky enough that they picked the seats next to me. I looked at her a couple of times and she was obviously so obsessed with her BF that she was looking at him almost all the time, and asking him "Hey what did he say? .. What did she say?." EEeh Watch and you'll know for yourself damn it! .. Not to mention the cuddling and the holding hands. I mean i don't care about you dating but at least show some respect to my little sister if not my mother!
5. Silly people:
Who think they're funny by throwing remarks on the actors or others.
6. Cell phones:
Although KNCC is doing a good job blocking the signal, but believe me .. some phones make it. And sometimes i feel that someone paid the 2.5 KD just to beat the signal! He'd forget about the movie and keep swinging his hand left and right looking for the signal. It's like his life quest!
I can go on and on. But this post is getting a little too long and boring. Great topic Zaydoun.
Good posting....I like this blog.....But need to be more informative.
ReplyDeleteBathmate