Why doesn't this get shown on tv? - Silkwood (1984) Discussion

[–] marriagesux 12 years ago

i was wondering the same thing. i just watched it on netflix and found it to be very good...its not violent and there isnt much sex that they can just edit out.

Patricia....Kill the lights, Hershel TWD

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[–] 12 years ago

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[–] dannieboy20906 11 years ago

I am sure that's why they never show "The China Syndrome."

I know, that movie has been shown on television multiple times. So was Silkwood, back when it was old enough to be cheap but no so old that it (did not) became a classic.

I am being sarcastic. It is not on TV, or cable because it is not sufficiently entertaining to people who have a political axe to grind.

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[–] RoseVioletDaisy 10 years ago

Silkwood and The China Syndrome air periodically on HDNetMovies and the Sony Movie Channel, respectively. Both channels tend to run the same movies over and over for about a month and then rotate to a completely different set of movies the next month and so on. It can take a year or two for a movie to get back into the airing rotation.

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[–] dannieboy20906 10 years ago

I also saw, last night, that it is coming up on TCM. I forget the date and time, but if they don't announce it again then you can look it up on TCM.com.

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[–] pullman1881 10 years ago

Silkwood is on now on TCM - Saturday night. I know China Syndrome has been shown many times on cable.

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[–] UnclGeorge 10 years ago

It's b.s. to say Silkwood lacks the entertainment value to be shown on TV. Just as a story, there's plenty of intrigue, but the fact that it's based on a true story makes it scarily creepy. This is an important film on many levels. At that time, the word green didn't even exist...in fact, corporations ran amok and got away with anything & everything they could resulting in disasters like Love Canal. Behind my own grammar school was a chemical factory that would stink up the air every week and release foamy discharge into Weasel Brook. This was in the middle of a residential neighborhood right next to an elementary school! The land is now a Superfund site.

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[–] methis 10 years ago

Cigarette nazis.

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[–] 10 years ago

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[–] 10 years ago

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[–] UnclGeorge 10 years ago

I just watched it on TCM
Over the last--OMG!--30 years, I know I've come across it before, but it seems more like programming that TNT would have. I'm surprised TCM is showing something so recent. And it's complete with uckfay, itshay, otherfuxermay, and the flashing.
I hadn't watched it since seeing in the theater. I haven't had premium cable in 15 years, but I know I've come across it, either on basic cable or syndication. But I can't say that other movies I went to see back then, e.g., Flashdance, Risky Business, Terms of Endearment, or Spring Break, are on TV all that much either. A Christmas Story, however, gets 24 hours all to itself every year on TNT.
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[–] catonryewithmayo 10 years ago

I agree with the poster above about the smoking. There was an insane amount of smoking in the movie and I think networks don't want to deal with that now.
I was watching it on TCM last night too; I was impressed that there weren't any commercials or heavy editing. I think I saw 3 nipples.

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[–] boulardo21 10 years ago

Tonight on BBC2!

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[–] gasmaskproductionsbooks 9 years ago

Perhaps the company owning the rights to it just doesn't want to agree to show it. I love Silkwood and think it should be shown on television (where I live it comes on television a lot, mostly on the CBC channel and A&E). Here are some reasons why it probably isn't shown on the channels you're watching:

-Some films cost the station money to broadcast

-Karen, Velma and Drew were partially nude (though not in an inappropriate way), in several shots

-The constant smoking (including pot)

-Drew drinks beer repeatedly

-Dolly is a lesbian in the film, and though in this day and age you'd think this wouldn't matter, to some more strict channels and stations it's deemed offensive and inappropriate

-The shower scene

-Winston harasses Karen and Dolly repeatedly

-Many incidences of swearing and offensive language

-Sex is mentioned and shown briefly, though Karen and Drew are covered by a blanket

-Karen had kids without being married; this could be considered wrong to some viewers

-Karen's torment and psychological stress of her spying is rather disturbing and sad to watch

-The deer dying on the road after Karen hits it is very disturbing

-Karen's death is sad and disturbing

-Karen's co-worker, Morgan, mentions seeing "a man drinking a glass of milk through his pen!s", which is rather inappropriate to say on TV

-Gelda gets a see through pair of panties as a joke birthday gift right before Hurley gets mad

Granted, editing would remove these scenes, but it would be time-consuming, costly and could take away from the story and plot of the film.

"The 21st century is all flash but no substance." ~ Smog City

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[–] Marywhitney414 9 years ago

I look for this movie on tv whenever I happen to think of it.i do wish it would be shown again.i really liked it.

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[–] Zebra 3 8 years ago

the TV butchers don't care about story/plot...I would never watch a censored movie on CBC or A&E.

'Huuutch!' - Starsky

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