The Ratings Myth
An odd myth about Blockbuster is that they do not carry Unrated movies. The truth is that while Blockbuster generally does not carry NC-17 and X movies, they do carry many Unrated movies. Here’s the official word from Blockbuster on this issue.
Question: What movie ratings does BLOCKBUSTER carry?
Answer: All films carried by BLOCKBUSTER carry ratings that have been established by the Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. In order to provide a wholesome environment for you and your family, we generally do not carry films with ratings of NC-17 or X.
The Censorship Myth
The most bizarre myth about Blockbuster is that they edit objectionable content from movies. The truth is that Blockbuster movies are not censored. Here’s the official word from Blockbuster on this issue.
Question: Does BLOCKBUSTER edit its movies?
Answer: No, BLOCKBUSTER does not edit the content of its films. We offer all movies for rental or sale the way we receive them from the studios.
Confirmation
These peculiar myths seem to be everywhere. Even David Pogue with The New York Times repeated these myths in one of his articles in April.
The strangest thing about these myths is they are incredibly easy to check with just a few minutes of simple research. For example, search for, the movie specifically mentioned in the New York Times article, Y Tu Mama Tambien at www.blockbuster.com, www.netflix.com, www.amazon.com, etc. You will find that there are two major versions of Y Tu Mama Tambien in the United States: an R version (100 mins) and an Unrated version (105 mins). You will also find that Blockbuster carries both versions, and the running times are consistent.
Continue searching for other titles on your own. You will find that Blockbuster carries many Unrated movies and clearly does not appear to be editing content. If you have any specific evidence to the contrary, please post it here.
R Version
Unrated Version
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