OREM — After a recent court decision ended businesses' ability to edit films for content, Clean Flicks store owners and customers are exploring yet another option for making edited films available.

They gathered Saturday at a petition-signing party aimed at getting Hollywood directors to release the already-edited versions of their films shown on commercial airlines.

Daniel Thompson, owner of four Clean Flicks stores, says he believes there is a market for edited films and is using the petition to get his voice and many others heard by Hollywood producers.

Thompson said Clean Flicks will no longer exist come Sept. 1, regardless of the outcome of the petition. In the meantime, he said he wants to do everything he can to help his nearly 2,000 customers have access to clean entertainment.

Currently, many Hollywood producers and directors edit their own films and distribute them for use on airplanes, where R-rated films are not allowed. The petition pushes for the Hollywood directors involved with the court decision against film editing by companies like Clean Flicks, to agree to release edited versions of movies.

Many well-known directors were involved in the court battle to ban film editing, including Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and Robert Redford, among others.

Dana Robinson, a close friend of Thompson's, says he feels that catching the attention of Hollywood is half of the battle.

"This effort is like wrestling an 800-pound gorilla, but hopefully Hollywood will take note in a positive way and realize that releasing the airline versions of movies to the general public will benefit both those who support the petition and clean films as well as directors who would sell more movies."

Rep. Margaret Dayton of Orem was one of several elected officials at Saturday's petition party at the Orem Clean Flicks store, 908 S. State. She said she is one of many people who are disappointed to lose this option in family entertainment.

"It is wonderful to see the increased commitment of families who will stop at nothing to make clean entertainment available to them and their loved ones," Dayton said.

Doug Padilla, Orem, is well-known nationally as a marathon runner. Carrying a picket sign that simply read, "We want clean movies," Padilla was one of the first to sign the petition. He and his wife Lynette said they chose to take part in the petition signing because they believe in the cause.

Due to the graphic nature of some television programs, the Padillas say their family does not watch much television and uses Clean Flicks for most of their entertainment.

"If I were an actor or director, I would want my work to be seen, even if it meant editing the film," Lynette Padilla said. "As it is, if moviemakers don't allow edited films to be used by the general public, their work won't get seen by some people at all."

Robinson said the petition-signing party was attended by more people than organizers anticipated. Thompson assured those in attendance that the petition would be on its way to Hollywood first thing today.

---

E-mail: sstewart@desnews.com