On a recent DVD I saw a public service announcement that tries to say that it’s cool to obey the law and not buy black-market DVDs.
Ironically, the DVD was Death Race 2000, where the coolest characters machine-gun their opponents’ fans and kill authority figures (nurses, doctors, politicians) by running them over. Yes, the same company that was peddling the kitschy fun of murder, political revolution, nudity, and promiscuity, was also peddling obedience to property law.
I’m sorry, but “cool” can not be manufactured from scratch. There are many reasons not to buy black market DVDs, but the “cool” factor is not one of them.
I’m reminded of the scene in Harold and Kumar where the two title characters get high and watch hysterical anti-drug PSAs. “Dude, I am so high! Me too! Hey, let’s play with your dad’s shotgun!”
I have no objection to corporations protecting their intellectual property. But when they try to crack into youth culture with manufactured “hipness,” they lose a lot of credibility.
Also, as a law-abiding member of the choir who spends between $15 and $30 per DVD, I resent being preached to. Just show me the movie. Don’t waste my time with your self-serving PSAs.
Here’s hoping these PSAs don’t become a permanent fixture on DVD releases.