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.