Supercuts - 2:24pm

Growing pressure from activists led by the Rev. Jesse Jackson has led MGM to issue a statement regarding the charges of inappropriate humor and poor taste directed towards its current theatrical box office hit Barbershop.

The Ice Cube comedy came under fire last week when Jackson complained to USA Today that the film denigrated important historical African-American icons, including Martin Luther King, Jr., and Rosa Parks, and that the filmmakers should exercise self-censorship and remove the offending material from upcoming VHS and DVD releases of the film.

In a statement issued last week Jackson, president of the Chicago-based Rainbow/PUSH coalition, said: "We hope the actors and producers would care enough about these grievances to apologize," then called on them to "remove insulting scenes and insensitive comments from both films and videos."

The scene in the film cited by Jackson portrays Cedric the Entertainer, an old-time barber in Ice Cube’s Chicago shop, who makes off-color jokes regarding such figures as Parks' revered civil-rights leader, who the character jokes gave up her seat on the bus simply because "she was tired," and chides King for his alleged promiscuity.

MGM has now stated that they have no plans to make the cuts requested by Jackson and other protesters. "For the characters in the film and in that place, no subject is off limits, and the filmmakers were trying to be true to that," the MGM statement read. "No one else in the film agrees with him, and it’s not an opinion shared by the film itself, the filmmakers or MGM Pictures." The studio further added, "We have no intention of altering the film in any way. The filmmakers obviously struck a winning chord with critics and audiences alike, and we are already at work on the sequel."

"It was never our intent to upset anyone going to see the film. We by no means meant to disrespect those we give the utmost respect...especially civil rights leaders" co-producers George Tillman, Jr. and Robert Teitel said in their defense in their own statement issued last week.

For Ice Cube, the controversy appears to have been blown out of proportion. "People are making too much of it," he also told USA Today. "It's just a funny movie about a barbershop, and no one is exempt (from insult). Just because we talk about people doesn't mean we don't love these people, too." Stay tuned for more...

New Paramount titles - 2:24pm

In more lighthearted news, Paramount has just announced another batch of December DVD releases, led by two direct-from-Showtime comedies, Damaged Care and Bleacher Bums. Both are movie-only editions with full screen transfers, Dolby 5.1 surround tracks, and no extras. Also set to debut on 12/17 is the Ian Holm period drama The Emperor's New Clothes, presented in anamorphic widescreen and English Dolby Digital 5.1 surround, with the only extra the film's theatrical trailer. Retail is $29.95 each.

D-VHS goes wide - 2:24pm

In an attempt to jump-start sales of the new D-VHS D-Theater format, JVC and three major electronics chains have today announced wide retail support for D-VHS players and software. With a new lower price of $1,299.99, Best Buy, Circuit City and Sears will begin carrying the high-end JVC HM-DH30000U D-VHS VCR With D-Theater Encryption, as well as continue to distribute D-Theater encoded D-VHS titles via their websites.

So far, four major studios - Universal, DreamWorks, Fox and Artisan - are releasing select titles in the D-Theater format with retail prices around $30-$40, but with high player prices and limited software availability, industry sources indicate sales have not been as brisk as hoped. For more information, see the press release for the full details.