$14 for 11 Coen Brothers movies? It’s a steal!
With WIPO’s Diplomatic Conference on the Protection of Audiovisual Performances meeting in Beijing this week, counterfeit DVDs are not as ubiquitous here as usual. But there’s no shortage of them outside the city, as I recently found in and around Shanghai.
It’s how many, if not most, residents see movies. Cheap DVD knockoffs that can begin in English and end in Russian. But many reportedly are perfect, and there’s no question they are cheap. Here are some shots from a mom-and-pop video store in Sozhou.
The complete collection of “The Sopranos” would only set you back $25.
The packaging is surprisingly professional. And the price can’t be beat — 90 RMB for 11 Coen Brothers movies is about $14. Not bad for a collection advertised as “Black Comedy Great Director.”
Must see TV? $4.70 buys you a season of “Apprentice” or “Prison Break”
The offerings include some pretty recent titles, though I didn’t see any you couldn’t find yet in the States. Lots of TV titles, too, in case you find yourself in China desperate for some “Apprentice” (touted as “Irresistible” and “Compelling”) or “Prison Break” (“Prisons were made to be broden” [sic]).
Interestingly, a guide to living in Shanghai I found warns that U.S. Customs identifies DVDs when x-raying bags at the airport and confiscates obvious fakes. Ex pats here say not to bring them back into the States (though many have no problem buying them for use here). I don’t intend to test security measures on my flight back home — even in the name of investigative journalism.
Photos by STL.