Your views: Film industry riddled with claptrap

Is it me? I watched a video featuring some of the top names in the entertainment business and almost every other word was a four-letter one. It didn't matter much as the method they use these days to put a soundtrack in films and plays makes it very difficult to hear anything said. By contrast, I recently watched an old film, Breakfast at Tiffany's. There were no swear words, a delightful tale and every word clearly understood.

What has gone wrong with the film industry? Why can't they produce films one can comfortably sit and watch with the family without wanting to grab the remote and turn it down - or off? And why do we have to have that awful cacophony of noise?

Even news programmes appear to need this awful noise to accompany every announcement.

We watch that programme about the road accidents and bad driving, it is filled with unnecessary noise and scene shifting that is totally irrelevant to the plot. Why?

Why can't we watch the news or an entertaining programme without this offensive claptrap accompanying it?

Local television is the worst!

Aussie programmes are just as bad and in Britain, all the programmes are incomprehensible, unless they are repeats - in which case, the diction is clear and the background is void of noise.

Old films were, if not easy to comprehend, at least easy to understand. Is it me, or do others also have this problem?

JIM ADAMS, Rotorua

Police concern

I was so impressed by the kindness and consideration given to me by two police inspectors recently that I am moved to share my thoughts with the wider population.

On Tuesday, May 8, I was cycling along the Taupo-to-Rotorua cycleway and fell off my bicycle, sustaining injury. It so happened that two officers were driving south on that road and witnessed the event.

They stopped and showed genuine concern for my welfare, offering to call an ambulance and then refusing to leave me when I said I did not think that would be required. They then very graciously drove me back to Rotorua and arranged for another police car to take me to Lakes Prime Care for medical assistance.

I was aware that they had an appointment which would have been delayed by caring for me, and thus I all the more appreciate their assistance.

SUSAN TAYLOR, Rotorua

No quick fix

I am unable to accept that anyone would be so naive as to commit themselves and their descendants (for a one-time payment to reduce a few debts) to paying 49 per cent of their income in perpetuity.

Our state-owned assets generate considerable income for the Government yet Messrs Key and English show no sign of compunction in forcing this poorly conceived scheme as a quick fix for the financial woes, brought about by inept fiscal management by this and previous governments, on the taxpayers of New Zealand.

It is my view any capital realised by this scheme will be swallowed up by the system almost instantaneously, with very little economic benefit for the country.

JAMES MEGSON, Rotorua