Author Topic: Statute of Limitations on Spoilers?  (Read 3464 times)

fuzzyoctopus

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Statute of Limitations on Spoilers?
« on: October 04, 2005, 02:14:14 PM »
What, if any, statute of limitations exists on movie and books spoilers?
This has been an issue lately because my husband never read Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.  We bought the book when it was released. We even got an audio version of the book that he could listen to while at work if he wanted.  He still insists that he never had time to read it, and gets really mad whenever the rest of the family want to talk about it, and then finally last night his mom flat out said the ending in front of him.

I sympathize with him, and I went out of my way never to spoil for him, but it really makes me angry that he's so self-righteous about it but never made an attempt to read the book.  He'd rather play his video games than pick up a book, which is FINE by me - but does he then have the right to complain?

That's the first example, here's a different one.  I never saw the movie 'Psycho' until my second year of college. I sat down and watched it by myself all day, and when it was finished I realized that no one had ever spoiled the ending for me.  Which was pretty cool, but considering how old the movie is, is rather unexpected.  Who, for example, doesn't know the spoiler to the end of Citizen Kane?

So there you go; what is a reasonable statute of limitations on spoilers for books and for movies (since I'm assuming they're different).  With something like Harry Potter, especially - can you consider it invalid once the movie for a particular book comes out?  Before that?  Is there a year limit on movies?
« Last Edit: October 04, 2005, 02:16:02 PM by fuzzyoctopus »
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Re: Statute of Limitations on Spoilers?
« Reply #1 on: October 04, 2005, 02:21:24 PM »
5 years.
Screw it, I'm buying crayons and paper. I can imagineer my own adventures! Wheeee!

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The Jade Knight

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Re: Statute of Limitations on Spoilers?
« Reply #2 on: October 04, 2005, 02:26:00 PM »
I think you should respect someone's wish to avoid a spoiler, by giving them the opportunity to LEAVE when you're talking about it.

I don't really see a limitation.

However, I think your husband really ought to go ahead and read the stupid book out of respect for you.


For what it's worth, I'm well aware of the ending of Psycho, but not of Citizen Kane.  That's one movie, actually, I know surprisingly little about (other than context).
« Last Edit: October 04, 2005, 02:26:40 PM by JadeKnight »
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42

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Re: Statute of Limitations on Spoilers?
« Reply #3 on: October 04, 2005, 02:43:26 PM »
I think it kind of depends on the popularity of the movie, book, or play. Things that are hugely popular have a shorter statute of limitation than something that is only mildly popular or unpopular.

Essentially, if all your friends and family are talking about it, I would say the statute is only a few months. After that you better expect to find out some spoilers.
The Folly of youth is to think that intelligence is a subsitute for experience. The folly of age is to think that experience is a subsitute for intelligence.

fuzzyoctopus

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Re: Statute of Limitations on Spoilers?
« Reply #4 on: October 04, 2005, 02:50:31 PM »
Quote from: Jade Knight
link=board=rantage;num=1128446054;start=0#2 date=10/04/05 at 11:26:00
For what it's worth, I'm well aware of the ending of Psycho, but not of Citizen Kane.  That's one movie, actually, I know surprisingly little about (other than context).


See?  And I tried to be specific without spoiling anything  I was talking about, either.
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Chimera

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Re: Statute of Limitations on Spoilers?
« Reply #5 on: October 04, 2005, 04:00:32 PM »
This is a hard one for me, because I hate it when people spoil the ending. If someone starts talking about something that I haven't read/seen, I usually voice my disapproval by saying, "No spoilers!" However, I recognize that this is annoying, because I have been on the other end--when I really want to talk about a book or movie plot that I found exciting, and there is only one person in the room who hasn't and we can't talk about it out of respect for him or her.

This, though, is a deciding factor for me: if the book/movie is really important to me, I make it a point to read/view it. I agree with 42. I think if you really want to avoid a spoiler on a really popular book or movie, you better make the effort to read/see it before too many people talk about it. Especially if all your friends and family are really into it and are definitely going to see it. And there is always that person who WANTS to spoil it for other people--not everyone will try to respect your wishes, like fuzzy has done for her husband. So it's either a) see/read the thing, b) avoid all contact with the people who might spoil it for you, or c) spend time with them and recognize you are consciously risking spoilers by not choosing to see/read the media.

I know there should be some leeway for time constraints--not everyone has as much leisure time. But if your husband is playing video games and expecting at this point not to hear a spoiler about the latest Harry Potter--I don't know. That's expecting a lot of restraint from a lot of people.
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The Jade Knight

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Re: Statute of Limitations on Spoilers?
« Reply #6 on: October 04, 2005, 05:43:07 PM »
Quote
when I really want to talk about a book or movie plot that I found exciting, and there is only one person in the room who hasn't and we can't talk about it out of respect for him or her.


Thus my rule that if they want to avoid spoilers, you politely request they leave the room.
"Never argue with a fool; they'll bring you down to their level, and then beat you with experience."

JP Dogberry

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Re: Statute of Limitations on Spoilers?
« Reply #7 on: October 04, 2005, 07:43:41 PM »
Well, you're allowed to talk about how Aeris died, but that's old news, and you're also allowed to talk about how you don't play as Snake in MGS2, which wasn't that old.
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Re: Statute of Limitations on Spoilers?
« Reply #8 on: October 04, 2005, 08:07:38 PM »
/me wonders who Aeris is
If you're ever in an argument and Entropy winds up looking staid and temperate in comparison, it might be time to cut your losses and start a new thread about something else :)

Fellfrosch

fuzzyoctopus

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Re: Statute of Limitations on Spoilers?
« Reply #9 on: October 04, 2005, 08:59:30 PM »
Final Fantasy 7.
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Re: Statute of Limitations on Spoilers?
« Reply #10 on: October 04, 2005, 10:38:10 PM »
Argh...you ruined it for me!

Not that I was ever going to play Final Fantasy 7, but I might suffer a concussion and be able to relax enough to play video games. Then I might play it and remember the what you just said about it and the whole thing will be ruined for me. Then I'll be so frustrated that I'll pick up hunting as a way to release my penned-up anger. And while I'm hunting I'll see a doe that will remind me that Aeris dies, so I'll kill the doe. That doe, as it happens, is Bambi's mom. See what you did? You just killed Bambi's mom!

::)
The Folly of youth is to think that intelligence is a subsitute for experience. The folly of age is to think that experience is a subsitute for intelligence.

fuzzyoctopus

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Re: Statute of Limitations on Spoilers?
« Reply #11 on: October 04, 2005, 10:56:15 PM »
Nope, Jam already said it's ok to talk about how she dies.
"Hr hr! dwn wth vwls!" - Spriggan

I reject your reality, and substitute my own. - Adam Savage, Mythbusters

French is a language meant to be butchered, especially by drunk Scotts. - Spriggan

Entsuropi

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Re: Statute of Limitations on Spoilers?
« Reply #12 on: October 05, 2005, 12:07:27 PM »
42, you'd have to first survive 80 hours of watching the exact same over-long, unskippable, attack and spell animations over and over and over and over again.
If you're ever in an argument and Entropy winds up looking staid and temperate in comparison, it might be time to cut your losses and start a new thread about something else :)

Fellfrosch

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Re: Statute of Limitations on Spoilers?
« Reply #13 on: October 05, 2005, 01:24:26 PM »
And then if you're sad enough about the death there's plenty of fan fiction where she doesn't die.  Oh, just to be nit-picky, it's Aerith not Aeris, Aeris was a mistranslation from the Japanese to English versions (she's called Aerith in Kingdom Hearts too).

Also you do play Solid Snake in MGS2, the 1st 1/5 of the game is him.
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CtrlZed

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Re: Statute of Limitations on Spoilers?
« Reply #14 on: October 05, 2005, 05:46:52 PM »
If you could read minds, the whole spoiler issue would be moot.  What a sad, pitiful existence that would be. :-/