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Edited songs in movies

post #1 of 9
1/19/04 at 10:32am
Thread Starter 
I just finished watching Blade 2 and was wondering, why do they use edited songs in a R rated movie? I could kinda understand it in a G or PG movie, really I would just use a different song. But why in a R rated movie? Even the music video that's on the DVD is edited. Now I know that Blade 2 isn't the first movie to do this and I sure it won't be the last. This isn't a knock at Blade 2. I like the movie. I just don't see why you would cut a word out of a song that is used in the movie.
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post #2 of 9
1/19/04 at 10:41am
Licensed from different places - and most likely the edited version used in syndication is the cheaper option.
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post #3 of 9
1/19/04 at 11:07am
Thread Starter 
I'm no expert but I would think the recording company would own the rights to both versions. The price could still be different but for an R rated movie they should go with the unedited song.

I don't know about anybody else but an edited song stands out to me. I like very little rap but I like it alot better uncut. It's like those censored movies on TBS, everytime they cut a word it gets to me. To me it's bad for the flow of the movie. I'm glad it only really stands out in the end credits.
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post #4 of 9
1/19/04 at 11:13am
Also, for promotional purposes for the picture, they may well use songs from the film on TV, so they'll cut costs and just buy the rights to the cleanest, most acceptable one there is. Unless they know that by having the unedited version they'll sell more units. Otherwise it aint always worth the hassle.

Seriously. It costs. It really does. Music licensing is one of the biggest black-money-holes in the film (probably entertainment) business...It can be $4000, $5000, $6000 to use a track like, say, Gary Jules' Mad World - as Donnie Darko would've as an extra feature for its DVD - and this would be even more if the artist is bigger and the picture is going to sell more units (which the fee is generally calculated on).

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post #5 of 9
1/19/04 at 11:51am
I thought this thread might refer to familiar songs where the instrumental portions are altered/spliced together for the sake of length, to fit a key moment of the film.

That shit alwys irks me, if its a song I know well enough to have it catch my attention.
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post #6 of 9
1/19/04 at 11:57am
Agreed. I remember when everybody went on about Cameron Crowe having put together the perfect soundtrack to VANILLA SKY, but it was all awfully edited. I remember being happy to hear the intro to Jeff Buckley's 'Last Goodbye', only for it to be cut before he starts singing to make way for another song. Absolutely fucking awful. And that's even before I get into the film.
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post #7 of 9
1/19/04 at 12:24pm
Quote:
Originally posted by General Logan
I thought this thread might refer to familiar songs where the instrumental portions are altered/spliced together for the sake of length, to fit a key moment of the film.

That shit alwys irks me, if its a song I know well enough to have it catch my attention.
Edited songs stand out like a sore thumb to me on radio or in movies. Thankfully we have some options like "Heavy Metal" with an example like "E5150/Mob Rules." (That battle sequence kicks ass).
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post #8 of 9
1/19/04 at 1:49pm
Thread Starter 
It may well cost less to use a "clean edit" but I wish they would just find a different song. I don't know of a movie that uses a "clean edit" of a song that couldn't have used a different one.

How many of you would buy an edited song over an unedited version? I'm 44 years old and have teenage kids and if I'm going to let them buy a CD or buy if for them there is no way that I would buy them an edited CD.
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post #9 of 9
1/19/04 at 2:02pm
Another issue is the film's rating itself. In theory, an "R" rated movie should be allowed to have as many "fucks" as they want, but it doesn't always work like that, especially if the language is being coupled with a lot of onscreen violence or gore. You never know what will send the MPAA censors over the edge. Throw in a song that says "fuck" fifteen times in three minutes, and you run the risk of pissing off the MPAA.

And a third issue is the eventual television versions of the film. Redubbing language in ADR is usually written into most actor contracts, so it doesn't cost the filmmakers any money. Obtaining an edited version of a song and splicing it back into the movie, on the other hand, does require extra money. (I think there's some sort of stipulation that prevents the filmmakers from re-editing the songs themselves.) If they have to choose between buying two versions of the same song, or simply buying the edited version, most producers are going to choose the latter.
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