Matabele
Journey Man
Gay cowboy cinema snub
Email Print Normal font Large font By Angela Cuming and Christine Sams
February 5, 2006
MILLIONS of Australians have been denied the chance to see the Academy Award-nominated film Brokeback Mountain because of a distributor's decision that some regions are not sophisticated enough to view it.
Despite being one of the most talked-about releases of the year, the movie is not being shown at cinemas in Sydney suburbs including Campbelltown and Blacktown, nor in regions including Newcastle, the Hunter and the Central and South coasts.
A spokesman at the Greater Union complex at Campbelltown said staff had been flooded with calls from people wanting to see the film.
"A few calls? We have had so many it is ridiculous," he said. "We could definitely fill cinema after cinema [if it screened] but the distributor decides where it goes and because it is classified as an art-house film Campbelltown doesn't qualify to see it.
"They must think we are second-rate out here."
But you can see Brokeback Mountain in Wagga Wagga and Dubbo.
Despite the apparent audience divide in Sydney - with western suburbs ignored - cinemas in well-heeled suburbs including Mosman have also received complaints the film is not screening locally.
Locals from western suburbs are particularly miffed about missing out on Brokeback Mountain.
"I find it strange that a movie with an Australian actor with the international recognition of Ledger is not being seen on every screen across the state," Campbelltown Mayor Russell Matheson said.
Mr Matheson said he found it strange and disappointing the film was not screening in the region.
"The Greater Union complex is at Macarthur Square, which is the biggest regional shopping complex in NSW and it looks after the entire region," he said.
Some moviegoers have been forced to travel long distances to see the Oscar favourite.
David Potts, a 31-year-old plumber from Campbelltown, drove for an hour to attend the 9.10pm Friday screening at the Palace Academy Twin in Paddington with his girlfriend, Emily Bell.
He said if the film managed to move him, it had the potential to appeal to suburban audiences.
"I'm a heterosexual male from Campbelltown and it made me feel . . . it was the emotion, the heartache," he said.
"Just the emotion will hit you more than the flesh."
At the same screening was Sean Smith, 22, who drove 30 minutes from Hornsby after discovering his local cinema was not screening the movie.
"It's annoying because it kind of deals with the same themes as other movies," he said.
Joel Pearlman, managing director of film distributor Roadshow, said a "strategic release plan" led to the movie being categorised as "art house" and not suitable for regions including Campbelltown. He said the film's campaign was a "slow build", with an expectation that demand would increase over time.
When questioned about the film's lack of screenings in Sydney's western suburbs, Mr Pearlman said: "It is on at Norton Street, Leichhardt, and the Dendy at Newtown."
The film, which was released on Australia Day, tells the story of two male American ranch hands who fall in love. Apart from Ledger's Academy Award nomination for best actor, the movie is nominated for best film.
Source: The Sun-Herald
Email Print Normal font Large font By Angela Cuming and Christine Sams
February 5, 2006
MILLIONS of Australians have been denied the chance to see the Academy Award-nominated film Brokeback Mountain because of a distributor's decision that some regions are not sophisticated enough to view it.
Despite being one of the most talked-about releases of the year, the movie is not being shown at cinemas in Sydney suburbs including Campbelltown and Blacktown, nor in regions including Newcastle, the Hunter and the Central and South coasts.
A spokesman at the Greater Union complex at Campbelltown said staff had been flooded with calls from people wanting to see the film.
"A few calls? We have had so many it is ridiculous," he said. "We could definitely fill cinema after cinema [if it screened] but the distributor decides where it goes and because it is classified as an art-house film Campbelltown doesn't qualify to see it.
"They must think we are second-rate out here."
But you can see Brokeback Mountain in Wagga Wagga and Dubbo.
Despite the apparent audience divide in Sydney - with western suburbs ignored - cinemas in well-heeled suburbs including Mosman have also received complaints the film is not screening locally.
Locals from western suburbs are particularly miffed about missing out on Brokeback Mountain.
"I find it strange that a movie with an Australian actor with the international recognition of Ledger is not being seen on every screen across the state," Campbelltown Mayor Russell Matheson said.
Mr Matheson said he found it strange and disappointing the film was not screening in the region.
"The Greater Union complex is at Macarthur Square, which is the biggest regional shopping complex in NSW and it looks after the entire region," he said.
Some moviegoers have been forced to travel long distances to see the Oscar favourite.
David Potts, a 31-year-old plumber from Campbelltown, drove for an hour to attend the 9.10pm Friday screening at the Palace Academy Twin in Paddington with his girlfriend, Emily Bell.
He said if the film managed to move him, it had the potential to appeal to suburban audiences.
"I'm a heterosexual male from Campbelltown and it made me feel . . . it was the emotion, the heartache," he said.
"Just the emotion will hit you more than the flesh."
At the same screening was Sean Smith, 22, who drove 30 minutes from Hornsby after discovering his local cinema was not screening the movie.
"It's annoying because it kind of deals with the same themes as other movies," he said.
Joel Pearlman, managing director of film distributor Roadshow, said a "strategic release plan" led to the movie being categorised as "art house" and not suitable for regions including Campbelltown. He said the film's campaign was a "slow build", with an expectation that demand would increase over time.
When questioned about the film's lack of screenings in Sydney's western suburbs, Mr Pearlman said: "It is on at Norton Street, Leichhardt, and the Dendy at Newtown."
The film, which was released on Australia Day, tells the story of two male American ranch hands who fall in love. Apart from Ledger's Academy Award nomination for best actor, the movie is nominated for best film.
Source: The Sun-Herald