MovieChat Forums > Tonari no Totoro (1990) Discussion > I'm on probation for showing this film t...

I'm on probation for showing this film to some kids I was babysitting

posted 11 years ago by Yukandueet
56 replies | jump to latest

Well, long story short - I do some babysitting for neighbors and people at my local church, and one evening I thought this would be a good movie to keep the kids entertained... Well, long story short - one of the kids apparently told their mom I was showing them movies with naked people in it due to one scene in this film showing the family taking a bath together. The mom confronted me and I told her about the bath scene but that it was innocent and no big deal really. Anyway, the mom totally flipped out and called the police and had me arrested. I had to appear before the county court and explain to the judge why I was showing pornographic movies to children, and they even played the scene for the judge and jury. I figured the judge would see it my way, but he pretty much flipped out, and I said, "Your honor this is normal for families in Japan. It is their custom to bathe together." and the judge basically said, "I don't give a hoot in hell what they do over there in Japan, this is the United States Of America and we keep our private parts to ourselves in this part of the world!" and so anyway, long story short - I was found guilty and sentenced to 5 years in prison, but since I had no prior record the judge let me off on probation, but the downside is my copy of My Neighbor Totoro was confiscated, and this movie has since been banned in my township.

[–] welkin-au 11 years ago

On the bright side if you win tomorrow's big game of tractor chicken you can still date the Reverend's daughter.

[–] Yukandueet 11 years ago

I know you're trying to say my township is some kind of backwards hickville, but really it's not. Actually it's only a few hours drive away to NYC from here. And we have a shopping mall, an Outback Steakhouse and an Olive Garden, just like other big cities.

[–] welkin-au 11 years ago

What I'm saying is this was a very poor troll even by IMDB standards, you could have just gone for the angry mum story but oh no, you had to aim for the big house. Well I'm sorry kid but you're just not that good.

Put simply if you really have been given a 5 year suspended sentence for privately showing a movie dubbed and distributed by DISNEY and classified G by the MPAA, get yourself to the media and a better lawyer now because your money problems are about to be over.

If on the other hand this was a childlike attempt at a troll, read down through the Totoro threads, the bath scene/ stupid American angle has been trolled a lot... and better.

[–] Yukandueet 11 years ago

I really don't know what you're talking about, but if you're trying to say I'm a liar then why don't you google the McKean County, PA Gazette, archive date November 7, 2012, or just search keyword Totoro and then come back to this thread and tell me once again who is a liar? I think you'll find it corroborates my previous statement.

Oh, I guess next you'll say that it wasn't me, that I'm trying to take the credit for myself, huh?

[–] delopowitz 11 years ago

Well, I got curious and looked it up. Are you getting the name of the newspaper right? I can't find any McKean County, PA Gazette. Pittsburgh has a gazette, but it only announced that someone would be showing the movie. I did several internet searches of a variety of broad and narrow search parameters and there was absolutely nothing about a babysitter or anyone else being jailed or receiving probation for showing Totoro of any other movie to anyone. Really. Trying googling "probation movie babysitter pennsylvania" and see what comes up. Throw in Totoro and you'll get even less success, but less troubling results. There are articles from the first search about people getting probation for some truly horrible acts... but not for a movie.

If it can be found, you're going to have to find it and post the link.

[–] Yukandueet 11 years ago

Here's the link to the article.

http://www.bradfordera.com/rts/article_0cacf2dc-288e-11e2-9c4a-001a4bc f8ed.html

[–] edlitz36 11 years ago

Your link doesn't work. Also, really? You could have gotten 5 years for showing a G-rated Disney movie to kids? I could believe a story like that in Mississippi, maybe. I too live in PA. Easton to be exact. If that is possible, then a person could be jailed for allowing kids to watch an episode of The Simpsons or Family Guy.

Religion should be made fun of. If I believed that stuff, I'd keep it to myself. -Larry David

[–] Yukandueet 11 years ago

What do you mean it doesn't work? It works when I click it. What web browser are you using?

[–] edlitz36 11 years ago

I have Internet Explorer, Firefox and Google Chrome. Your link isn't found (404 error) on any of them. Conclusion: You're a bad troll.

Religion should be made fun of. If I believed that stuff, I'd keep it to myself. -Larry David

[–] welkin-au 11 years ago

When he grows up he wants to be a troll

Seriously, rated G by the MPAA and he got a 5 year sentence for it..... Oh but the downside is that they didn't give him back his DVD

Keep at it kid cause we all need a goal but maybe try writing it out in crayon before sitting down at the keyboard.

[–] Yukandueet 11 years ago

Wait, I redid the link, try this one

http://www.bradfordera.com/politics/article_7c89d9f-b6f7-11df-90d4-001 cc4c002e0.html

Don't assume somebody's a troll just over a stupid technical glitch.

To Weltmau:

I don't appreciate your accusations. I am not trolling this board. If I wanted to troll this board I'd be creating threads like "LOL This movie sucks!!!!" And I wouldn't do that anyway because I LIKE this movie. There is a word for what you're doing and it's called slander and I could sue you for it. But I guess I'm just too nice of a guy to do that even though it's my legal right and what you're doing is WRONG so please stop accusing me and believe what I say because it's true whether you want to face that fact or not.

[–] speccyboy 11 years ago

If this is true, then US jurisdiction is going way out of their smeggin' heads. There's nothing pornographic about this film, for God's sake.

[–] Yukandueet 11 years ago

Yeah, that's what I tried to tell the judge, but he wasn't having any of it. Stupid old fart.

[–] wilsons-12 11 years ago

This is a hilarious thread. The kid makes an obviously false story, then tries to defend himself twice by posting links that don't work, and then he says that he should sue someone for slander that called him a troll. I don't care what kind of town you live in, nobody is going to get 5 years probation for showing ANY G rated movie. Troll on and if you feel like trying to waste your money suing me, have at it, lol.

[–] Yukandueet 11 years ago

My township doesn't recognize the MPAA ratings board. Do a little research and you'll find that there are several municipalities, townships, and counties in the U.S. and Canada that have elected not to recognize the standard U.S. movie rating system, so it makes no difference to a judge in my township if the film in question is rated G, R, or XXX. Illegal content is illegal content. Not saying I agree with it, those are just the plain facts.

Maybe you yourself should do a little more investigating into the facts before calling me a troll giving false stories. Thank you.

[–] catman56 11 years ago

Maybe we could take you more seriously if you would provide the docket number of the case so we could see the online court summary.

[–] Yukandueet 11 years ago

The docket number is 5336719937CQH45778201. I had to go to the town hall to look it up.

[–] catman56 11 years ago

Still no joy. Which court, which judge?

[–] Yukandueet 11 years ago

McKean County District Court #11. Judge Edward F. Sanders.

There, you happy now??? SHEESH!

[–] sunwitch6 9 years ago

You know what's hilarious?

I just managed to find Totoro vs the USA from F.C.I. McKean, Bradford, PA.

The catcher is that it is a fraud case involving a guy who's surname is Totoro. Okay so more accurately the guy was convicted of fraud and was sent to jail and was suing them for terminating a program at the jail.

https://casetext.com/case/totoro-v-us

I love what you can find on the internet and case closed.

[–] forksforrests 11 years ago

Your link still doesn't work...

Just copy and paste the article as a quote...

[–] Yukandueet 11 years ago

Here's the text of the article. (I'm blocking my name out for privacy though).

"Mizaki Film My Neighbor Totoro Banned in This Township"

The McKean County Court today found ################ guilty of showing pornographic content to minors which he was babysitting for his church and he was sentenced to 5 years probation and his pornographic video was confiscated by the town sheriff. The video which is called "My Neighbor Totoro" is a pornographic video created by Japanese citizens who do not have upstanding morals and values and wish to corrupt the youth of our God fearing nation.

Mr. ############# was quoted as saying after being found guilty, "I agree with the judges decision and am truly sorry for exposing these innocent children to this pornographic filth even though in Japan this is considered normal. But since we don't live in Japan and are not godless heathens I should have taken that into account, and for that reason I have been rightly found guilty."

All McKean county citizens owning a copy of My Neighbor Totoro are advised to turn in their copy of the video to the McKean County courthouse to be compliant with the new ordinance banning this film. All video retailers within the county have been issued a formal directive not to sell or rent this video or else face penalties at a minimum of $50,000 dollars and up to 20 years in prison.

[–] CapnKaos 11 years ago

1/10 for weak trolling.

There's no way in hell something this amateurish was written for an actual newspaper and then went to print.

[–] Sixxlet 11 years ago

Haha! I just found this thread and it sure is good for a laugh. Especially the 'article' that said person claims was in the paper.

r regarding the subject.
"The first time I saw you, I knew that I wanted to eat candy bricks out of your neck hole."

[–] Kawada_Kira 9 years ago

Lol, you almost had me going until you posted that fake "article". I mean, you could have at least pretended you live in Saudi Arabia before writing an article like that, assuming you intended it to be taken seriously.

The people, and the people alone, are the motive force in the making of history.
-Mao Zedong

[–] JurijFedorov 9 years ago

Hahaha... that journalist is retarded.

[–] pufnstuff 10 years ago

You're a complete liar.
You say your town is "a few hours drive from NYC", but you don't know that McKean County is North Central PA, which is more than EIGHT HOURS drive from NYC. The second link you posted was from a Bradford PA newspaper, which is on the COMPLETE OTHER SIDE of the state from McKean County.

Get a Life.

"This signature really brings the room together, Does It Not?"

[–] velvetjoneslives 9 years ago

Bradford is in McKean county, but that doesn't change the fact that this is complete BS. First off, you are not sentenced to five years in prison, but then given probation. If he had said a suspended sentence, then it would be a more proper term. Second, this would not happen in Pennsylvania. Not a chance. Heck, this wouldn't even happen in Mississippi.

[–] KhurramAtta 9 years ago

LOL. This is the funniest story I've ever heard regarding movies. I hope this isn't real.

[–] unapologetic_mocker 10 years ago

On the bright side if you win tomorrow's big game of tractor chicken you can still date the Reverend's daughter
by welkin-au » Sun Mar 17 2013 22:20:37

This comment made this bulls#!t thread all worth it. Kudos.

[–] GonoManiax 10 years ago

hahhaha lolll!!!
Gladly I watched Totoro and Footloose just a week ago for the first time. LOL

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Jessica000 11 years ago

I have to ask - how good was your lawyer?

[–] Yukandueet 11 years ago

I didn't have lawyer. I chose to represent myself. I figured I had a pretty solid argument. Guess I was wrong.

[–] Jessica000 11 years ago

No kidding? They've got a case solid enough to take you to court and you didn't get a lawyer? Did you appeal?

[–] Yukandueet 11 years ago

No, since I got probation it's basically not a punishment as far as I can see. I do wish I could have back my copy of My Neighbor Totoro, but it's not worth an entire appeals process just for that. If I really want to watch it that badly I can go to my friends house who lives in another township.

[–] pinkskurvy87 11 years ago

In all honesty, if this movie was that disturbing..I don't think disney would have taken over it.

[–] Nemesis42 11 years ago

Sounds like the Spanish Inquisition in your township.

[–] Yukandueet 11 years ago

Yeah I agree. The county board is now also considering banning the rest of Hayao Miyazaki's films along with My Neighbor Totoro.

[–] Jessica000 11 years ago

Call the press and invite them to listen to that county board.

[–] Yukandueet 11 years ago

I already called our local news affiliate but they weren't interested in covering it.

[–] Towelie_Towel (1701) 6 years ago

Nobody was expecting it.

[–] spinflux 11 years ago

Maybe you could write a book about your experience, titled "Stuff That Never Happened".

[–] dichotomy 11 years ago

This is a very enjoyable thread!

Are you also from the past?

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

Funny thread!

[–] CapnKaos 11 years ago

Didn't you make this post a couple of years ago saying just about the same thing, possibly using a different account?

I seem to remember something along the lines of this movie being banned in your township and how the MPAA was ignored or something. You could at least try to come up with something more original next time.

[–] spinflux 11 years ago

Snicker. That's hilarious.

[–] Yukandueet 10 years ago

No why would I do something like that? I think your imagining things.

[–] boylesi 10 years ago

One of the most amusing threads I've read in a long time. Any miniscule chance of credibility went with the article though. I do however give Mr "l'm not a troll honest please believe me" a score of 10/10 for sticking with the thread where others would run away when found out. There's as much chance of this being true as Oswald killing JFK! Unless.....maybe he forgot to mention that he and all thr other little church kiddies were naked which is really why he was arrested! Can't wait for the next instalment.

[–] PsychiatricPezDispenser 10 years ago

Wow. I hope people don't actually believe this lol

[–] Thornspike 9 years ago

I just watched this film with my daughter. We rented it from the local library. As soon as I got to the bathing scene I pulled the DVD out and burned it in the fireplace.

Just kidding!! (Only about the removing and burning part) Ha.