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Author Topic: What would you do about a controversial film? Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-19-2003 02:37 PM                     We are playing the movie, "Secretary" this evening. Yesterday, I built the film and screened it, etc. The boss watched it and thought that it might be to controversial for some of our audience members. Yeah, yeah, I know what you're going to say... Maybe somebody should have gotten a "screener" and actually watched the film before booking it. I don't book the films. Besides, it's too late for that. The film goes off at 8 PM tonight. Certain suggestions have been made such as: Making an announcement before the film starts to the effect that the content is more "graphic" than we had anticipated. If anybody feels this might be a problem, please come forward and we will issue a rain check/refund. There should be an "accident" that causes the film to break just seconds before the offensive material. (Where James Spaeder masturbates.) Oh! One more bit of information... This is a Catholic College. Although we were founded by The Sisters of Mercy who preach tolerance and acceptance of other points of view, there are some who feel that this film goes too far. (Masturbation is immoral in the eyes of the Catholic Church.) Neither I, nor my boss feel that there is anything in this movie that really "goes too far". After all, there is only one real graphic sex scene and the rest is, for the most part, innuendo and suggestion. We have shown movies with brief nudity in them before... even full frontal... without any criticism. We have even shown "Lolita". (The 1997 version with Dominique Swain and Jeremy Irons.) Not a word was said about it. Frankly, I see no problem with this. We have shown much worse movies (in both senses of the term) and have had less controversey. I just think there are one or two people who have a bug up their ass about something. I'm inclined to just let the film roll and give anybody who complains a rain check or refund if they so choose. So... What would you do?  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 02-19-2003 02:59 PM                        If you feel some of the audience may be offended, perhaps a short plot synopsis and general description of the questionable content posted at the boxoffice would be a good idea. Here is a link to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops movie ratings, which may be appropriate for Mercyhurst: http://www.usccb.org/movies/weekly.htm  |  IP: Logged Chad Calpito Film Handler Posts: 23 From: San Diego, CA, USA Registered: Jan 2003 posted 02-19-2003 03:06 PM                     Well Randy, my main solution to this is to inform the patrons of the films content as you have described in your posting. If the patrons decide to accept the rain-check/refund, then that is their choice. I know I would do the same if I was running a controversial show so as to avoid highly probable complaints later on. Chad  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-19-2003 03:23 PM                     We're going with the first option... Warn people and offer refunds to people who come forward early on. If they watched more than 1/2 the movie before they decide they don't like it they will only get a rain check. The only reason the second option was mentioned was that when I built the print yesterday, there was some significant film damage in reel #5, the one with the "nasty scene", that caused the projector to shut down. (Had to order replacement reel from T.E.S.) We hypothesized that somebody who had this print had had an "accident" right before the nasty part. Personally, I don't think it's a good idea... for several reasons. Just somebody else mentioned it to me. That's why I said it in my post. John, Some of the movies that we have shown in the past have had the Bishops' highest rating of "Offensive". (Or is that LOWEST?? ) "Lolita" is one. Few, if any people complained about that one. I, personally, thought that movie sucked! Made me sick to the stomach! On the other hand, I don't fault anybody else's right to watch it.  |  IP: Logged Carl Martin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1424 From: Oakland, CA, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 02-19-2003 03:30 PM                        don't warn people. many will not appreciate spoilers of any sort (well, i wouldn't). just post a sign saying, in big letters, "if you are easily offended..." and then describe the "problem" in small letters, so the less prudish will not have to bother. the only exception to the above should be if there is some medical concern. when you show irreversible, for example, make damn sure that no epileptics are admitted. carl  |  IP: Logged Carl Martin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1424 From: Oakland, CA, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 02-19-2003 03:51 PM                        i checked out that bishops' ratings site. what a load of horseshit. if they just stuck to enumerating potentially offensive scenes, i suppose it could be a valuable site for prudes. but they presume to cluelessly interpret and evaluate. they claim, for example, that pulp fiction glamorizes drug use. huh? if these bishops had any capacity to contextualize and look at the bigger picture they would see that the consequences of irresponsible drug use are amply depicted. they confuse mere depiction with advocacy. is there any more shallow mode of criticism? and let's not even get into the homophobia of some of their ratings. consult this site for laughs only! carl  |  IP: Logged Dino Panagiotopoulos Expert Film Handler Posts: 139 From: Windor, Ontario, Canada Registered: Jan 2003 posted 02-19-2003 04:01 PM                     Carl brings up a valid point. I guess you should just screen it the first night or two and find out how your public reaction is then take it from there. If nobody is offended by the film then there should be no reason for you to "spoil" the film for others that are coming in. If you do end up getting those few people who wont agree with it, always remember that in this business you will never satisfy 100% of your customers and its expected.  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-19-2003 04:02 PM                     No, we're not going to say much about the plot of the movie unless people ask. The statement is going to be to the effect, "This movie has turned out to be more controversial than we had anticipated." We DO hand out printed synopses and reviews of all our movies to each parton who wants one as they enter the theater. (Right at the ticket taker's podium.) This particular film is listed as, " Rated R -- Restricted for sexuality, language and depiction of abnormal behavior." It's printed right on the sheet. I have spoken to a couple people this afternoon as they were buying tickets. Nobody that I have talked to seems to think this is going to be a problem. Yes, I also agree that the website (and the reviews contained therein) is a crock. However, I think that might provide our "Out", in a manner of speaking. Other movies we have shown have had the "O" rating (Lolita) and nobody has complained about them. If people didn't complain about THAT movie, why are they complaining about THIS movie? I just think there are one or two people who are trying to "stir up a hornet's nest", so to speak.  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-19-2003 10:19 PM                     Just wanted to let y'all know that the movie played fine. There were no major complaints. We made an announcement before the film and allowed people to walk out gracefully to get a refund. Only one person took us up on the offer. (Out of a house of 400+) In fact, the overwhelming majority of the audience liked the movie. There was even a round of applause at the end. Like I said, I'm sure it was only one or two people who were stirring things up. Happy ending...  |  IP: Logged Leo Enticknap Film God Posts: 7474 From: Loma Linda, CA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 02-20-2003 02:07 AM                        I found that the biggest factor that determined how the audience reacted was advance publicity. There was such massive press coverage when Crash and Romance were released that no-one who came to see them was in any doubt as to what they were letting themselves in for. We'd have one or two complaints from people who, frankly, seemed to enjoy being outraged, but that was the limit of it. I imagine Irreversible will get a similar reception. The worst film I can remember for audience objections was Wilde. It was advertised and trailed as a blue-rinse costume heritage movie. OK, the posters did state that it had an 18 certificate, but there was no hint as to why. The trailer was full of witty Oscar Wilde one-liners but hardly even alluded to issues of sexuality (apart from a brief shot of the trial scene). So as soon as the buggery scenes started rolling all hell broke out, mainly among older customers. On one show we had to give out 20-30 refunds, and eventually had to put up our own posters in the lobby stating that the film included explicit sex scenes.  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 02-20-2003 01:33 PM                        The only film that I can remember which caused a lot of trouble here was "The Last Temptation of Christ". There were elderly ladies who patrolled in front of the theater and warned us that seeing this film could endanger our soul. However, having already read Kazantzakis` book, I was damned anyway and had nothing to lose.  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 02-20-2003 09:00 PM                    What sort of a reaction do films like Max or Im toten Winkel - Hitlers Sekretärin receive when shown there?  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-21-2003 08:57 AM                     There are some movies that have been vetoed even before they got off the ground. There have been 3 or 4 movies that were vetoed. The only one I can think of off the top of my head would be Cyclo, a film from Thailand or some place like that which depiced the life of a street thug who made his living off drugs, prostitution and violence. There were even a few movies that never even got out of the gate. The list of candidates was submitted and they were simply crossed out even before they were booked. Here's a funny story: ((Background -- My job here at the college is Technical Director for the Performing Arts Center. We have three stages here and I'm in charge of lights, sound, etc for these venues.)) This weekend, there was a performance of The Vagina Monologues scheduled at one of the other venues on campus. The day after the Secretary played we got a note that V.M. would be postponed indefinately. <Boring historical background> Although this is technically a Catholic School, it's pretty liberal. We were founded by the Sisters of Mercy, an order of non-cloistered nuns. They are very much into tolerance and helping the poor, etc. All students who go here must complete a certain number of hours of community service in order to graduate. You don't have to be Catholic to work or study here but there is an implicit promise that you will "behave yourself" (ifyouknowwhatimean) while you are on campus. Throughout the history of the Sisters of Mercy, they have gotten a lot of "flack" about their "liberal" policies. Catherine McAuley, the founder of the order didn't even really want to be a nun. She ran a "boarding house" for young underprivileged girls but the Catholic Bishop told her that if she wanted to continue running such a place it would have to be a convent.... So she went to a convent, herself, and became a nun. When she returned she turned her house into a convent and founded an order. Thus the reason it's non-cloistered. </Boring Historical Background> Like I said before, I think there was one or two people who were stirring things up. Now I think you can guess who they were without me having to go into details. Frankly I don't think this movie was all THAT bad! We have shown ones that I think were a lot worse. (Some were just plain BAD movies!) Oh, well! It'a all over now. We're none-the-worse for the wear! We'll just lay low for now. Next week's movie is Bowling for Columbine!  |  IP: Logged Don Bruechert Mmmmmmmmm, bird! Posts: 340 From: Manitowoc, WI, USA Registered: Jan 2003 posted 02-21-2003 09:06 AM                        I guess, to put it bluntly, they're all big boys and girls and they can decide for themselves what they want to watch. One would assume they have seen a trailer for the movie - if not, and they come out in a reasonable period of time, we will let them see something else. If they ask our opinion at the box office we will tell them how others have reacted to it, or what WE think if we've seen it. We had considered putting out a notice for Gangs of New York that it was very violent, but we decided to just let the chips fall where they may - although we did challenge parents with children that the movie was very violent and they may wish to consider not bringing their kids. No one complained about the movie at all that I am aware of. Because we only have 6 screens we don't get to show everything, and we have a pretty good feel for what will or won't sell in our town, so unless we get forced into it by the distributor we can easily pass on some of the "less popular" titles, and then bring them in later on if there seems to be demand for them.  |  IP: Logged Tom Ferreira Expert Film Handler Posts: 203 From: Conway, NH, USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-22-2003 05:37 PM                     I'm kind of curious if anyone has exhibited the film "Battle Royale". I'm not sure sure if any prints made it here to the US, but I'm sure that would have been a BIG problem.  |  IP: Logged

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