Considering Philadelphia is filled with violence and some of the worst kind of professional wrestling fans, it amuses me to think they're so upset over a poster that has a gun on it. Under the guise of bemoaning the shooting of cop Chuck Cassidy, this hilarious report from the Philadelphia Daily News celebrates the removal of Hitman movie posters from its city.
"... Ads glorifying gun violence to sell movies can be particularly sickening. So we're glad to report that some in City Hall are taking it personally and saying, "Enough is enough," claims the story's writer, doing his/her best to sound like a 1950's housewife. "Billboards and SEPTA bus ads for the movie "Hitman" went up a few weeks ago. They show a man pointing a gun, with a nearly naked woman draped over him."
I love the reactionary way this piece is written. Oh NO, not GUNS and NEARLY NAKED WOMEN. The woman is in a dress, by the way -- maybe she needs to wear a yashmak for these sexually repressed writers? Kotaku got a shot of the poster itself, which is visible above. I've seen worse.
While I fully appreciate that a cop got shot recently, being overly sensitive and crying every time you see a gun isn't going to help matters. I seem to recall that the very cops complaining about a picture of a gun carry real ones with themselves all the time. Maybe if the poster said "shooting Philly cops with guns is brilliant, everyone do it," they'd have cause for bitching. At any rate, do read that Philly news story -- as a celebration of censorship and an example of blatant over-reaction, you won't find a more sadly funny article this morning.
[Thanks, Lemon]
Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize.
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Contest:
9:09 AM on 11.17.2007
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and it does have a certain Bond-ness to it.
I remember seeing a poster that was closer to their description though, where the woman was closer to being draped over Mr. 47, but it hardly makes a difference.
Plus, I've seen women walking around on the streets with more revealing clothes... then again, they were probably hookers.
Yes, the article is a little sensationalist in how it phrases things but, Jim, can you also be a little less unnecessarily alarmist about it? Whether you think it's justified or not, the community is going through a difficult, affecting time and this poster doesn't have a place there, right now. Especially when gun violence is a pretty significant problem in the area.
If Hitman is based on a game all about stealth and silencing your targets in a discreet manner, then why are there explosions galore in the trailer?
That guy is too short to be Agent 47.
Pretty fucking ridiculous.
The sheer idiocy of modern society is just dumbfounding. To any american people reading this, I implore you: please, please vote.
I am not the reactionary type but this story got to me as well, and I think people who are calling us out for whatever reason should just picture your dad doing his job and getting a bullet in the face from some piece of shit kid.
Also xmetninjax, trying sticking around for more than just a concert.
Awesome.
Cop gets shot, writer sounds like a 1950's housewife and complained about "half naked" females "draped" over people. I laugh.
That is the context.
Perfect.
You make good points and I agree on some of them, but I don't think I've communicated my point properly. If I was a victim of gunplay, I wouldn't go crying about posters or movies or whatever. I'm not saying anyone should. All I'm saying is that, in a somewhat extreme case like this, people need to be sensitive to those who are hurting or upset. It's a damn movie poster. I would want them removed out of sensitivity to the families. (I wouldn't protest them, but I would remove them if I had the authority to do so.) The world isn't about me and it isn't about you (general, not specifically you) and your (again) games, it's about other people. (Uh, that makes sense. Somehow. Trust me.) This is a harmless and inconsequential gesture (and no, I don't believe that this in particular is part of any slippery slope) and it's a small sacrifice to make. It's not something worthy of such a title as "Poster pulled for daring to have a gun on it".
Frankly, in a place so messed up with gun violence Philadelphia, I think it's far more sensible to keep guns out of the local advertising, than not to. Good grief, typing that out just made me realize how fucking obvious that should be. Think about it.
->Sharpless/Bastard: If the authorities have a problem with guns, they should ban guns and not pictures of them. Conversely, if they have a problem with pictures of guns, they should ban all of them. All films, games, TV shows, magazines, newspapers, documentaries by this logic should not be allowed distribution in phillie, otherwise it'd be a double standard. Seeing as I'm sure you'll agree this would be utterly insane, which is why I feel this banning is stupid. Society is me, and you, and the rest of them. It's a group of individuals. If everything that offended a small minority of society was banned, nothing would legally be allowed to exist.