Borat movie banned in Russia

[RusskiSoldat]

link
While some will use this opportunity to comment on censorship, the death of democracy or whatever else in Russia, I have to say this is one of the few times when I think censorship is the way to go.
Kazakhstan is a former Soviet republic, and as such is not some distant alien land to Russia, but rather a nation all are familiar with, and many have friends and relatives in. Also, Nazarbayev operates on a principle similar to Putin, and has recently been looking to Moscow for support. This move as an act of solidarity will undoubtedly be useful in the long run.
As for the film itself, the fact that it's funny is based largely on where it's shown (Jew related jokes got more attention here in Brooklyn, probably because of the large numbers of Jews in the audience, and everyone wants to hear something about themselves in pop culture).
In Russia, it would not only act as an insult to many Russians and Kazakhs, but it would only further the stupid anti Americanism based on nothingness (showing off rednecks and evangelicals as typical Americans will not help ease the "nation of cowboys" stereotype and the animosity that comes with it), something that a country trying to get ethnic related unrest under control and a more pro west outlook definitely does not need.
So my question to you is this: what is your opinion of censorship at large?
I have presented you with an example which is in my eyes justifiable due to political expediency and the fact that the banned object wasn't even meant for the place where it was banned.
I suspect many will have vastly diverging opinions.

[Miraj]

Borat is a comedy film. Not a propaganda film aimed at hurting any specific group. Whether or not the humour will be taken the wrong way is not the responsibility of the state.

If people can't get that this is a joke character whose main purpose is to make a fool out of average people then thats there problem.

And don't tell me Russians don't understand satire. Perhaps my fellow Muslims don't get it, but Russians and their sattelite states should be a lot smarter than that.

[Bwaho]

it's comedy... but I guess everyone don't like and that's fine

[sephodwyrm]

Russian satire is hard to understand.
Erm...this thread is suppose to be Russian satire right?

[danzig]

Its a comedy attempting to censor it regardless of the reasons is wrong imo. Hell he makes alot of Americans look stupid for falling for his character but I cant help but laugh my ass off at it. Cohen is just hilarious and nothing political about it.

[Lavastein]

i dont see why the russian government has their panties up their bum. its not like its a russian insult (at least i see it as not being) in fact id let it run just because it makes fun of a country that seperated from em. i wonder, if it was a georgian parody would the russians let it show?

oh well their loss.

[MaximiIian]

Banned in Russia? WTF. I'd understand it being banned in Kazakhstan, because it sorta makes fun of it. But Russia? This makes no sense whatsoever.

[Ó Cathasaigh]

The movie is just as offensive towards Americans, as it is shocking to see the reactions of many of the Americans....

Way to go Putin, I figured he didn't have a since of humor, but this makes it official.

[Ahiga]

The movie is just as offensive towards Americans, as it is shocking to see the reactions of many of the Americans....

Way to go Putin, I figured he didn't have a since of humor, but this makes it official.

This is what I heard people describe of it. It's basically making fun of us for thinking kazaks are this way, rather than making fun of kazaks as if they are this way.

It might just be the viewer deciding for themselves on the nuances of the film, but it makes sense - It shows that the Americans he interacted with actually may have felt the way they did. My uncle once asked my mother who was raised in the French part of Switzerland (or the german part, I forget) if they had electricity there. We're ignorant of others, as others are ignorant of us. We've got an entire ocean separating us.

I'm not for censorship at all. Whether it's the holocaust, Muhammad, or Borat, it shouldn't be silenced.

[RusskiSoldat]

Borat is a comedy film. Not a propaganda film aimed at hurting any specific group. Whether or not the humour will be taken the wrong way is not the responsibility of the state.

Yes, it is.

If people can't get that this is a joke character whose main purpose is to make a fool out of average people then thats there problem.

The character is aimed at Americans and features many American cliches which are unknown in Russia.
Watch a Russian made movie and see how many pop culture references you get.

And don't tell me Russians don't understand satire. Perhaps my fellow Muslims don't get it, but Russians and their sattelite states should be a lot smarter than that.

This movie can quite easily be interpreted as a perfect example of the west mocking the east, and has no reason to be shown.

i dont see why the russian government has their panties up their bum. its not like its a russian insult (at least i see it as not being) in fact id let it run just because it makes fun of a country that seperated from em.

Belarus separated from us, yet I have no doubt the government is doing everything it can to keep Lukashenko friendly.
Same with Nazarbayev. Americans got bases in Central Asia, the go ahead from the Russians for ex Soviet territory use, and full support from Russia 2001-2003 and have given us approximately nothing for it.
The USA can take but it cannot give, but rather in fact choses to sabotage Russia where it can.
As such keeping the Central Asian states from falling under US hegemony is very important.

Again, this gesture is largely symbolic since Russia has the second largest piracy rate in the world and this movie has already been out there since the day it was released, and as such anyone who wants to see it can pick it up for less than the price of a movie ticket.

[Lavastein]

lucky russians get it for less than a movie ticket? your right ruskki, it is about keeping good relations. So in fact its for no other reason than good relations.

[Sétanta]

Yay for censorship. When people stop realizing that comedy is making fun of people, regardless of who they are, the world will be a lot better. If it is interpreted as being propaganda, they are wrong, but still.

[the Eternal Cocoon]

The character is aimed at Americans and features many American cliches which are unknown in Russia.
Watch a Russian made movie and see how many pop culture references you get.

O no! saomeone might not get a joke? the horror! Bad or incomprehensible jokes are not reasons to ban something. If you call russia a democracy you have to let it through, its private property that will be shown to people in private property ( inside movie theaters)

This movie can quite easily be interpreted as a perfect example of the west mocking the east, and has no reason to be shown.

it has no reason not to be shown too, other than someone in the cultural department not likening it. What harm would showing it do to anyone? if someone doesn'y like the movie, or thinks it offends the glorious nation of kazikstan, they can simply not go ot see the movie. But you cannot tell people that they cannot do something as simple as watch a movie, its a flagrant disregard of people rights. What worries me more is that the cultural department has the absolute authority on what is savory, and what is offensive.

Again, this gesture is largely symbolic since Russia has the second largest piracy rate in the world and this movie has already been out there since the day it was released, and as such anyone who wants to see it can pick it up for less than the price of a movie ticket.

that makes no difference. It should not be a crime to watch a movie just because someone in the government does not like it. It brings no harm to anyone, and so banning it means disregarding the people's right to see whatever movies they want.

[humvee2800]

Everyones its not realy as simple as that, muslems are very easily offended and almost everyone knows that, plus in order to run effectively russia needs to be on friendly terms with muslems, also for different cultures comedy is different. I can definately see how someone could see Borat as a movie directly making fun of muslems rather then laughing with them (if that makes sence)

[Erik]

Everyones its not realy as simple as that, muslems are very easily offended and almost everyone knows that, plus in order to run effectively russia needs to be on friendly terms with muslems, also for different cultures comedy is different. I can definately see how someone could see Borat as a movie directly making fun of muslems rather then laughing with them (if that makes sence)

I don't think Borat is a Muslim.
In fact: I don't think there were any Muslims in that movie.

Being portrayed as excessively liberal is not the same thing as being portrayed a medieval freak show of a country.

It's the same kind of thing because they are both unrealistic stereotypes.
90% of the people understand this and laugh at the stereotypes.
But apparently the Kazakh's need to act all offended.

So it's now foolish to boost relations with a neighbor and nation closely tied to us at next to no expense?

At the expense of showing the world that you still have soviet style censorship.
Good luck finding investors who are confident enough in your government to pump money into your economy.

I think people should be proud to be labeled as liberal.
Liberal tends to mean rational IMO.

Thanks

But what I actually said was "pot smoking sex addict", not "liberal".
That's not exactly a positive image with most people.

[greek302]

So much for Russia being a free country.

[Erik]

The movie is not an insult for Kazakhstan.
Not any more than the hundreds of movies that portray the Dutch as pot smoking sex addicts are an insult for the Netherlands at least.

The fact they make such a big deal out of this tells a lot more about the backward thinking in Russia and Kazakhstan than this movie could ever do.
So GJ making a fool out of yourself, Russia

ps: am I the only one who thinks the movie was a big disappointment?
IMO the Borat sketches from the Ali-G show were a lot better.

[danzig]

ps: am I the only one who thinks the movie was a big disappointment?
IMO the Borat sketches from the Ali-G show were a lot better.

Honestly yeah thought the same thing, maybe its cause we sat there for length of the film knowing what to expect next but on Ali-G show never knew where he'd pop up. Sadly the Borat character probably has a limited lifespan so hope Cohen doesnt try and milk it and ruin it.

I'm not for censorship at all. Whether it's the holocaust, Muhammad, or Borat, it shouldn't be silenced.

Bravo, the only place censorship belongs is in the dictionary as an old, long dead word.

[Erik]

Honestly yeah thought the same thing, maybe its cause we sat there for length of the film knowing what to expect next but on Ali-G show never knew where he'd pop up.

Yes I think that's it.
There shouldn't be a storyline because it only makes it predictable.
And the storyline was fairly terrible anyways.

I also suspect that Cohen normally trows away 80% of the sketches, and only broadcasts the few that work out.
This ensures that every piece that does make it to an audience is good.
But you can't do this if you have a storyline to think about: you must keep certain parts ever if they aren't funny or else your story doesn't make sense anymore.

Sadly the Borat character probably has a limited lifespan so hope Cohen doesnt try and milk it and ruin it.

His whole act has a very limited lifespan because it only works while there are still people don't realize that he is an actor.
Like James Broadwater, who was a candidate for Congress who exposed himself as an anti-semite because he didn't realize that Borat was just an actor:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=MXTc1fNiPFE

After this movie I don't think he will be able to find people who fall for his act, even if he invents a new character.

Russian movies suck ass anyway. What do the russians know about movies?

Well, the Soviets pretty much invented modern movies.
Everything Hollywood makes can be traced back to the techniques used in Soviet propaganda movies.

But modern Russian movies? I don't know, they don't seem to make it in the West (unlike some movies from former East-Block countries)

Not with money.

Give a liberal a billion dollars, and he's like a kid in a candystore...spend spend spend.

He wasn't talking about American-style "liberals" but REAL liberals (ie: before Americans reversed the meaning of the word)
And btw: Bush spends spends spends a lot more than Clinton. :hmmm:

[Bwaho]

Like James Broadwater, who was a candidate for Congress who exposed himself as an anti-semite

how did he expose himself as an anti-semite? I mean what did he say?