Escalation is a funny thing. One day, you’re downloading movies illegally; the next, you’re murdering a policeman, defecating into his helmet and then sending it to his grieving widow. As the French would say, ‘C’est la vie.’

That is, unless you’re watching the spoof of those annoying Motion Picture Association of America anti-piracy ads from the British comedy show, ‘The IT Crowd.’

The original ads appear among movie trailers in theatrical releases and force themselves upon viewers on DVD menus. They equate illegal movie downloads to shoplifting and stealing a car, claiming that if you wouldn’t steal a car, you shouldn’t steal a movie.

Now, besides the obvious question concerning citizens that feel totally fine stealing cars and shoplifting, one also wonders how far the MPAA is willing to go to protect copyrights.

‘The IT Crowd’ takes this idea to its logical end, creating an ad showing all kinds of depraved acts, including those mentioned above, stealing a baby and more. They also go further than the MPAA ads by showing the ultimate consequence for stealing a movie: The FBI will put a bullet in the back of your head.

Don’t miss the irony that this clip from their copyrighted television show appears on YouTube for free.

Published on September 12, 2007 at 12:00 pm