Michael and Me

I bought two DVDs recently, neither of which I'd had any time to peruse until last night. While the movies were about as much alike as chalk and cheese - "Farenheit 9/11" and "Best in Show", unfortunately they do share one disappointing feature - the "special features" (interviews, extra scenes, new footage) in both is not close-captioned. This is not noted on either DVD case.

Why is this allowed? If movies on DVD are close-captioned by law, why are they allowed to sell DVDs on which a significant portion of the material - and indeed, often the very reason people buy the DVD after seeing the movie in theatres - is inaccessable?

In both cases the addition of new material was a significant part of the reason I shelled out $20 for each. Both are labeled "CC" with no indication that the Features are not captioned. I'm considerably pissed that once again, business nickels-and-dimes when it comes to their deaf customers.

I'm going to write letters to both companies (in the case of Michael Moore, who styles himself the voice of the little guy, I'll write him too - the irony is just too rich) but expect little to come of it. While a few hundred dollars shelled out once could make this material accessible to millions of deaf and hard-of-hearing customers on millions of DVDs, they frankly just don't seem to give a damn.


ronnie