Traders flog new-release movies and skin flicks

Traders flog new-release movies and skin flicks

By Johannes Simbolon

JAKARTA (JP): Donny, a first-grade student at a Jakarta
private university, prefers hiring movies from video rental shops
rather than going to the cinema.

"At video rental shops we can find movies not yet screened in
theaters, and uncensored pornography. I watched Jurassic Park
before it was screened at theaters," he said.

Donny said he rents laser discs (LD) from video rental shops
at Blok M bus terminal for Rp 5,000 a copy for movies already
playing at theaters, Rp 25,000 for new releases and Rp 10,000 for
pornographic films.

But Donny stopped hiring LDs when video compact discs (VCD)
hit the market in a big way last year.

"VCDs are smaller, handier and cheaper," he said, adding that
VCDs could be bought for between Rp 15,000 and Rp 25,000 at
several locations in Jakarta,.

Donny is not concerned about the copyright law and says he was
unable to differentiate original VCDs from pirated ones. As he
understands it, original VCDs have good sound and picture
quality, no Indonesian subtitles and, last but not least, are
uncensored. The same goes for most pirated VCDs here.

But he does not suspect the originality of a VCD when the
quality is inferior.

"The picture and sound are bad because the VCDs have been
repeatedly played," he said.

Donny might represent the majority of people with little
knowledge of the copyright law. They prioritize low price over
quality and are accustomed to the low quality of pirated discs.
When people choose price over quality, it is little wonder
pirated VCDs can be found at every corner in towns across the
country.

According to the chairman of the Video Film Importers
Association, Irawan Soekarno, 90 percent of the VCDs sold in
Indonesia are pirated.

He said between 50 and 70 titles were pirated each month, with
800 to 1,000 of each title pirated.

Between April 12 and May 28 alone, the association found about
450 pirated titles, excluding pornographic movies, illegally sold
on the local market.

Porn

Stores selling pirated VCDs in Jakarta are located in shopping
centers at Blok M bus terminal, Senen market, Glodok electronic
shopping center and Harco Mangga Dua shopping center.

VCDs are usually sold from Rp 15,000, except in Harco Mangga
Dua where traders sell a VCD for as low as Rp 7,000.

"Traders at Harco Mangga Dua sell at a low price because they
are selling VCDs which have been rented out several times," said
a trader at Glodok.

Traders at the shopping centers, apparently unconcerned about
police raids, openly display pirated VCDs on their counters,
except for pornographic movies. Most shops do not openly admit
they stock pornography.

At Blok M and Harco, traders only admit to the availably of
pornographic movies to regular customers. They are suspicious of
strangers who ask about such movies, wary of police pretending to
be buyers.

At Senen, if prospective customers are taking a long stroll
around the rows of bookstores with a dissatisfied look on their
faces, a man will often approach and whisper: "Do you need some
three Xs?"

If they nod, he will lead them to a secluded place where a
cache of pornography is kept.

But some prospective buyers have been robbed by people
pretending to sell pornography.

In the Glodok area even street stalls sell porn VCDs. Sellers
approach people who appear dissatisfied with the merchandise on
display and offer "three Xs movies".

Once a price is agreed upon (between Rp 15,000 and Rp 20,000),
the seller will send a sidekick to fetch the VCDs from somewhere
nearby. He will then furtively slip the merchandise to the
customer while keeping a watchful eye on other people in the
vicinity.

"There are a lot of raids now. This is a risky business," a
trader named Jack told The Jakarta Post.

According to Jack, police usually return confiscated pirated
VCDs to traders in exchange for money, except for skin flicks.

"Among the best sellers now are Japanese porn movies which
feature sadism and underage actresses," Jack said with a smile,
adding he had a collection of bestiality movies starring
Americans.

Many VCDs are of good picture and sound quality, comparable to
originals, which make people believe they are reproduced with
sophisticated technology. According to several traders, the VCDs
are reproduced abroad and smuggled into Indonesia via Batam.

Jack knows that selling pirated VCDs, especially pornographic
ones, is illegal.

"Still, it's kinder on the public than becoming a pickpocket,
right?" claimed Jack, who said that was what he once did for a
living.