Yay: The Zack and Miri Make a Porno DVD will hit shelves next Tuesday, Feb. 3! But on Wal-Mart's shelves the title may look a little bit different. Wal-Mart requested that director Kevin Smith change the title on the DVD covers so the word "porno" isn't there, and Smith has agreed to do it. Here's more:
Smith said Weinstein Co., which released the film Oct. 31, has complied with Wal-Mart's request and created new DVD covers for the retailer, but the director worries that some unsuspecting customers will be fooled when they see the shortened title.
[Smith said,] "I mean, at least with the word 'porno' in the title, you can kind of give people a warning about what they're in for."
That's a good point, really — is it actually doing anyone a service to take the word "porno" out of the title? Or is it understandable that Wal-Mart would want the DVD cover to not include that word?
Photo courtesy of The Weinstein Company
Koah
Duccio Del Duca
Fantasie
That makes absolutely no sense to me. The official name was all over the place months ago, and now that is a DVD (relatively less important and without all media buzz) the name is gonna change for Wal-Mart????
1in the movie they're still going to be making a porno no matter what the box says
2If Walmart really has an opposition to the movie, then they shouldn't be selling it all. Changing the title will not change the content of the movie. It's absurd for them to sell a movie they're opposed to and expect the director to change the title for them...ugh.
3I gonna tweeter Kevin and tell him not to cave to the big box.
4Don't do it LUNCHBOX!
People know what the name of the movie is. This is why I don't care for Walmart.....or censorship, especially when the censorship is ridiculous. Are they going to ask directors to actually change the content of their movies for them too?
5If Walmart objects to it, they can chose not to sell it. They'll lose out on some major revenue, but they have to make that choice. I've never really understood Walmart's super strict policy on things like that, anyway.
Why can't walmart just stick those yellow smiley face stickers over the word porno on the plastic wrapping? That seems like a pretty simple solution. The word porno isn't visible, but the DVD covers won't be missing a word.
6This is one of the reasons why I have such disdain for Walmart. CDs with edited lyrical content, bowdlerized movie titles, among many other things. You can change the title of the DVD to Zack and Miri pet kittens but you're still going to see Zack and Miri making a porno. Puritanism is foolish.
7F*CK WAL-MART!
8I don't see anything wrong with a retailer asking a distributor to adhere to its (Walmart's) morality policies... in this case it seems a little silly since it is the title of the movie. I agree with chaton about the smiley stickers too - that's an easy and a lot less expensive way to adhere to the Walmart Way.
Personally though, I applaud Walmart for trying to keep a shred of morality in its stores.
9Wal*Mart is stupid..
10Wal-Mart has chosen not to sell lots of other things in the past. They stopped selling men's magazine like Stuff, didn't they? They just shouldn't sell this DVD then. I mean, I get what they are saying, but why all the fuss? Don't sell it if you don't like it. If they object to the title, certainly they object to the content- which I assume is way worse than just a word on a cover.
11Wal-Mart SUCKS.
12No way! I can see why WalMart wouldn't want it's slower customers to be fooled (I'm imagining the queue for returns), but it's that individual's responsibility to read the back of the DVD. It's an insult to the customers, in my opinion.
They censor music so I'm not surprised they're censoring movies now too. I'll be at Target, peeps.
13I'm sorry - this movie totally sucked! I just can't see anyone rushing out -- ANYWHERE -- to buy it!
14How moronic, the movie content is the same, so essentially Walmart is trying to fool their customers? If I opposed to a title so much that I wished it was changed, I would opt to not carry that title. But I suppose Walmart being Walmart feels the right to ask for the change. I've lost a little respect for Kevin Smith for agreeing to it as well -- there are plenty of other venues to sell to, Walmart isn't the end all and be all.
15They can't change the content, so if people are going to be offended, they'll be offended either way. I don't understand the big deal anyway. People are so uptight.
16Changing the title doesn't mean anything - the movie stays the same, and everyone already knows what the title is anyway.
17Exactly. If the contents the same what does it matter about the title?
18it's ridic to ask him to change the title. WalMart should just not carry it or get over it. I wouldn't change it if I were him.
Zack & Miri make a .... milkshake
19thats so ridiculous. WalMart is going to turn into Blockbuster-status soon with the movies... I couldn't believe all the gay porn movies at Blockbuster... i was like.. wow i thought they were all like insanely christian or something... i guess they decided to go with what sells and makes money...
20No way. What prudes.
21I don't think they should have to change the name! What if someone gets confused and makes the purchase not realizing what the movie is about. I'm not a fan of Wal-Mart in the first place though, they should just sell it like all other retailers.
22I don't like that Walmart is forcing it. They are so anal when it comes to stuff like this.
23I know that when it was in theaters here they just called it Zack and Miri so that is what they should do.
Retail idiocy at its best. Either keep the original title or don't sell it!
I mean, children enter other DVD shops/isles too. They will not wither and die if they read the word "Porno."
24I HATE Wal-Mart. As weird as it is to say about a Kevin Smith comedy, the movie is an original work of art -- including the title! It shouldn't be altered just because a corporation (with its own questionable morality!) dislikes it.
25I voted No, they shouldn't change it. I don't think its worse than some other things they have out there.. including GUNS? in Wal-Mart? Also, I remember when it came out and people kept getting "Nick and Norah" mixed up with "Zack and Miri" because they came out around the same time.. what if a parent went to pick up Nick and Norah (teen movie) and mixed it up with this one? Not good. Anyway, its just a title. Don't change it.
26Maybe not for Wal*Mart-- but I still think it should have been changed months ago when it was in theatres. To see the word "PORNO" flashing all over NYC for about two months straight, got a bit uncomfortable after a while. And it begged for some awkward questions from my 6 year-old niece who's learning to read.
27i don't really see how wal-mart has strict policies on things like this, like changing the name of a movie title, but is fine with selling guns and rifles, etc. for hunting (some do!) i just think it's pretty weird.
28i remember when they were airing commercials for this movie it was just 'zach and miri' during primetime - though CLEARLY the commercial made it pretty obvious what the movie was about. i thought it was ridiculous.
29One more reason to continue boycotting Walmart and the rest of their stores!!
30i can understand why Wal-Mart has asked for the title change, but smith's point is very valid. without having the word porno in it - you're not being upfront about what it's about.
31What the heck is SO wrong with the word "porno"? I can understand if it was an actual crude word...if they can sell actually offensive gross stuff like "Repo! The Genetic Opera" and other nonsense, then they can surely sell a funny, kind of romantic movie that just happens to involve making a porno.
At least then people will know EXACTLY what they are getting! Leave it to Wal-Mart to be the freaking moral police...
32Will Wal-Mart change their policies on guns?
No need to change the title. Censorship is censorship. It's no wonder I don't shop there.
33I really don't see why he should change the name of the movie just for Wal-mart - its the name of the movie!! Everyone who would buy it knows thats the name and other who chose not to see it know the name as well....what sense does it make?
34I HATE Walmart. For so many reasons, and a new one to add to my list.. HAHAH JennJennBubt, Zack and Miri make a milkshake.
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