Heart Of The Beholder

Want to watch a good movie? For free? Right now, at your computer?

Heart Of The Beholder is a riveting movie based on the true story of Ken and Carol Tipton, who opened one of the first video rental stores in the early 1980s. The drama begins when members of Rev. Donald Wildmon's National Federation for Decency (later renamed the American Family Association) insist that their store remove movies that they claimed to be "obscene or a detriment to the community and its children." Films such as Hail Mary, Taxi Driver, Agnes of God, Blazing Saddles, Animal House, Mr. Mom, The Last Temptation of Christ, and many other movies were targeted. They even demanded the movie Splash be removed: the movie promoted "bestiality" because Tom Hanks makes love to a mermaid. After refusing to remove these movies, blackmail and corruption are later employed to ruin the Tiptons.

I watched this movie a couple of years ago, and again last year. It was even better the second time. Despite film festival awards and positive reviews, Heart of the Beholder has had a long struggle with distribution because of persistent pressure by religious fundamentalists. (What they don't understand is that this movies bashes censorship, not religion.) Now the producers are offering the entire movie for free viewing online, segmented into clips (like DVD chapters). Get some popcorn, get comfortable, and watch the movie right here.