http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspxBy Mark Mullen, NBC News Correspondent   Sony, you can relax -- for now... The well publicized scare that copies of the anticipated blockbuster movie “Spider-Man 3” are already being peddled on the streets of Beijing even before the film’s U.S.en-USCommunityServer 2.0 (Build: 60608.1)http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspx#167803Wed, 25 Apr 2007 15:14:19 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:167803T.B., PittsburgIt's an issue of poverty and world economies. In china, software and movie piracy is common. Can you blame them? The average chinese makes about 1/100th of what an american makes and about 1/millionth of what a hollywood actor makes. who cares if they copy the dvds? let them? movies provide cheap entertainment and education for those in the world that can't afford it. http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspx#167804Wed, 25 Apr 2007 15:18:34 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:167804San PauloWhy are the movie companies in Hollywood so greedy? They should just give copies of the movies (for free) to countries where the people make no money. Movie piracy is also common in Brazil, but by watching American movies, it helps them learn English.http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspx#167810Wed, 25 Apr 2007 15:21:49 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:167810Lexie Yu, AlbertaSo what if the Chinese copy American movies. It will help them become less communist because they will see how great life is here. This whole issue of "movie piracy" is just a way to keep the Hollywood attorneys making money. You don't hear complaints like this coming out of Bollywood in India. http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspx#167815Wed, 25 Apr 2007 15:24:13 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:167815Tammy Lakes, Portland, OregonMovies should be free! http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspx#167823Wed, 25 Apr 2007 15:27:45 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:167823Stuff Itmost americans copy music, software, movies and make "illegal" photocopies all the time. the problem isn't the duplication effort, it's the "law". i'm sick of seeing that FBI warning on every movie i rent (and then copy).http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspx#167835Wed, 25 Apr 2007 15:36:09 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:167835Majorie Grimes, OaklandThe Chinese have been doing this for a long time. I read an article about five years ago that said that it was in our national interest to let them do it, because this way they might learn to speak english. Have you ever tried to communicate with someone from China? It's almost impossible. Once they speak some english, all the other american businesses can go in there and so it's okay if we don't crack down on piracy laws. http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspx#167840Wed, 25 Apr 2007 15:38:54 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:167840Aykroyd, DanDan Aykroyd is hillarious. Did you ever see "Spies Like Us"? I've got a bootlegged copy somewhere...http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspx#167845Wed, 25 Apr 2007 15:41:39 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:167845Bridget JonesMost of the movies these days are CRAP, so who cares?http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspx#167857Wed, 25 Apr 2007 15:46:52 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:167857Ricardo Espenoza, Phoenix, AZWhy doesn't the CIA make some movies that are filled with positive pro-democracy propaganda (and contain negative communist-chinese themes) and then we can "leak" them into the Chinese black market? It's a win-win situation for everybody. When the chinese farmers see the free movies, they will overthrow their chinese government. It's cheaper than invading them.http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspx#167864Wed, 25 Apr 2007 15:49:50 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:167864Naomi V., Austin, TXall i know is that the price apple computer charges for my kids to download movies onto their ipods is a rip-off. shame on them!http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspx#167872Wed, 25 Apr 2007 15:53:29 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:167872Hartford, CTHELLO, PEOPLE! HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO CHINA? MOST OF THOSE PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD SHOES, MUCH LESS $20 BUCKS FOR A MOVIE!http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspx#167999Wed, 25 Apr 2007 16:58:26 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:167999Corey, Phoenix, ArizonaAs easy as it is to picture this as a Scrooge-and-shoe-shiner situation, I think they are more afraid of the fact that their wide, mainstream availability in countries like China means their wide, mainstream availability to tourists and movie uploaders. I don't think they are bummed about not being able to pitch a $12 DVD to a street urchin as they are about Joe Walter American who is going to go there and discreetly bring back $100, or even $1,000 'worth' of DVDs, or the clever eBayer who is going to pawn them off to Americans for a $3 markup as 'Used DVDs' (after their DVD release in the 'States, of course)http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspx#168009Wed, 25 Apr 2007 17:06:57 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:168009DiamJim, New york, NYServes greedy Hollywood right for overcharging us on movie tickets and DVDs..http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspx#168020Wed, 25 Apr 2007 17:13:32 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:168020John Doe, Seattle, WashYeah, screw the MPAA and the RIAA, I encourage everyone to do all in their power to bring those jerkoffs down. I saw a movie called 'This film is not yet rated', a documentary about a guy submitting a rather interesting film to the MPAA for ratings. Hilarity ensues. Check it out, reveals some amazing secrets about the MPAA. Anyway, bottom line is, if they start putting out movies that are worth buying, I'll buy them. Until then, I'm not giving a cent to any movie that sucks.http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspx#168114Wed, 25 Apr 2007 18:12:41 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:168114Jerry GarconaSpiderman is a comic book, NOT a movie! Go back to the roots and enough with progress already! Evolution will kill God!http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspx#168118Wed, 25 Apr 2007 18:14:26 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:168118MontanaRic, Mountain Home, ARaAlmost all of the above comments are crazy. Exactly how do you expect a movie that costs $100 million plus to make to give away copies anywhere? The ultimate result of movie piracy will be an unwillingness to put out quality product. For every blockbuster that makes a killing at the box office, there are a dozen that make little or no money. Those films will be the first to go when studio profits head south. DVDs are the cheapest entertainment bargain around. VHS tapes were much more expensive for first-run movies during their heyday and DVDs continue to go down in price and up in quality. Piracy is the theft of intellectual property. Those people who made the films deserve the profits from their efforts and investment, not Chinese, Taiwanese, Korean or American pirates.http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspx#168134Wed, 25 Apr 2007 18:21:27 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:168134Kal, NJWB released Superman Returns in China for $1.50 or something like that. You could also legitimately download it for $1.50 (or something like that). They fought piracy by undercutting the pirates. Way to go WB.http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspx#168153Wed, 25 Apr 2007 18:34:23 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:168153Casey Adams, MinneapolisPart of the fun experience of being an american tourist in SE asia was the ability to buy 2 dollar movies and 2 dollar fake rolex watches from the characters on the streets. you can also buy ralph lauren polo shirts for 3 bucks and they are almost as good as the $63-dollar ones you buy here at the mall. There's nothing wrong with globalization is all i have to say.http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspx#168178Wed, 25 Apr 2007 18:43:25 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:168178Kelly Branson, NHYeah, the attorneys for media companies are jerks. This is like those loser lawyers who are trying to sue individual citizens for $200K each for recording songs off of satelite radio like XM. We should put those bloodsucking leech lawyers in jail, they don't add any value to our system. http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspx#168183Wed, 25 Apr 2007 18:47:00 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:168183Jeff Szymczak, Idaho... as if Brangelena, Harry Potter and all of the other so-called "stars" don't already make enough! http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspx#168191Wed, 25 Apr 2007 18:52:18 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:168191Xing Ping, LAin china, everything is copied, it is accepted part of the culture. text books, movies, software for computers, car models, manufacturing plants too. it is an emerging economy-- what do you expect? this is how the world grows.http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspx#168195Wed, 25 Apr 2007 18:54:46 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:168195Joe MoralesYou people are pathetic. The epitome of the lazy American: expecting everything yet willing to give nothing. Movies should be free? Right… Pirating needs to end, period, and all arguments for it have no merit whatsoever.http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspx#168201Wed, 25 Apr 2007 18:58:21 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:168201Akron, OHIt's yet a further waste of U.S. tax payers' $ to hire beaurocrats to chase vendors on the Chinese movie black market. This is just one more example of the stupidity of our elected officials and the priorities of our justice system. We might as well be herding ducks. we should focus on real international trade laws like grain subsidies and the like.http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspx#168212Wed, 25 Apr 2007 19:01:55 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:168212Message for WashingtonI find it humorous that we are yelling at the Chinese to do more to stop movie pirating when we ourselves are doing everything we can to prevent them from getting a piece of the world's oil resources. We cry bloody murder when they tried to legally buy Unocal and thereby broke every rule in the World Trade Org handbook! We have crappy economic experts in Washington, the Chinese don't care what we think now.http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspx#168214Wed, 25 Apr 2007 19:03:30 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:168214World Economic Forum, Geneva"the U.S. filed two complaints with the World Trade Organization (WTO)"... what??!! I thought the U.S. RAN the WTO!!http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspx#168235Wed, 25 Apr 2007 19:13:51 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:168235Mack Bent, Hollywood, CAThe Chinese will be making their own movies soon, just like in India where they now have Bollywood. From a global movie perspective, the era of US-based Hollywood is almost over. Which is probably a good thing, because Hollywood is run by a very small group of the same people and has served thier propaganda machine far too long.http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspx#168241Wed, 25 Apr 2007 19:16:45 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:168241Glenn Lundquist, NY2 bucks is still to much for a moviehttp://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspx#168281Wed, 25 Apr 2007 19:38:24 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:168281Taylor, Austin, TexasAre they watching Chinese dubbed copies or English? In Korea, servicemen from America can buy the English versions for two bucks. While the prices have to be what the market will bear, for those who think the studios are greedy, you have to remember that "Spidey III" probably cost 100 million or more to make (star's salaries, equipment rental, crew salaries, hotel, special effects, digital animation, music, costuming, stunts, licensing of the franchise,....etc.)and that even though they may make that back (or not sometimes)they are a studio, so they make other movies that bomb from being bad or good movies with bad timing (think disaster movies just prior to 9/11). So, what I'm saying is, they have to balance a profit for ALL the movies they make at year's end, or they go broke. After all, they are in the movie business, not a not-for-profit. BTW, I think we ought to give free TV's to China and the middle east then beam our shows dubbed in their language over to them to corrupt them into our way of life! http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspx#168292Wed, 25 Apr 2007 19:43:55 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:168292matthew payson, vermontTechnically, it's not "piracy". It's called sharing with those who don't yet have a copy. The huge media moguls have been gouging the americans for years. http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspx#168340Wed, 25 Apr 2007 20:04:38 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:168340opheliaI have a solution: I suggest that the Hoolywood crowd DONATE FREE MOVIES (and microwave popcorn) to all countries that have average per capita incomes less than 1 dollar per day. This would be a show of good faith. Sort of like all the music legends raising money and singing for food aid for Africa back in the 80's draught. http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspx#168351Wed, 25 Apr 2007 20:10:20 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:168351P.O.I have about 250 pirated digitized movies on the hard drive of my xbox360. do you know how much that would cost if i had to actually pay for them?! paying for movies is like paying taxes... it's only for the stupid who haven't figured out how not to. no way am i going to support the glamorous lifestyle of the rich and famous movie stars. http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspx#168386Wed, 25 Apr 2007 20:28:42 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:168386Aykroid FanLet's send in the FBI! Oh wait, they're still working on their $100 billion dollar computer system that doesn't work. Let's send in the Scientologists! http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspx#168532Wed, 25 Apr 2007 22:12:22 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:168532james Meng, Bristol, U.KThe chinese government have been making efforts to controlling these kinds of illegal copies for some time already. But it's really hard to achieve in a short peroid of time. Chinese big-name movies are also faced with the same situation, not only those from the US. As to the argument of Changing Communist regime, i believe it is irrelevant. What Chinese can learn from these movies? violence? Crime? Self-imaged hero? so-called liberal democracy?http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspx#172928Fri, 27 Apr 2007 22:43:13 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:172928Captain Jack SparrowOnly in the US would we care for such a stupid thing. People in other places have other things to worry about and if cheap copies of movies helps them keep entertained for a bit i say let them. But definitely not so that "then they can learn English" that's just as bad as pushing the US, 20 dollar DVD business into a place that doesn't want it. Savvy?http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/25/167745.aspx#174511Mon, 30 Apr 2007 01:03:32 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:174511Tony Wong,Nanchang City,ChinaBut maybe sometimes we should let it go.Coz Chinese government is trying their best to control and avert piracy.They need some time,China's so huge,dealing a problem in China is not as simple as it is in Singapore.And,sometimes I think Chinese government really did a good job,we should give them some time.