Zack & Miri Make a Porno won’t get any action in Utah
Comments(18)
- By drvenkman
This just baffles the hell out of me. Some peoples priorities are really screwed up, and I know for a fact that Utah has a lot of hypocrites. According to an article in The Salt Lake Tribune Megaplex Theaters in Utah will not screen Kevin Smiths ‘Zack and Miri make a Porno’ when it opens up nationwide on Friday. Here is the thing that gets me. They will ban movies with strong sexuality but torture porn is ok. Oh yeah! They showed films like the ‘Saw’ series and ‘Hostel’! But they won’t show a ‘R’ rated romantic-comedy. Personally I don’t think the movie looks that good anyway, but I am trying to make a point of the hypocricy that runs ramped in the state of Utah. Here is what is said:
Megaplex general manager Cal Gunderson told The New York Post, “we feel it’s very close to an NC-17 with its graphic nudity and graphic sex.”
Yeah and the MPAA gave it an ‘R’ rating not an NC-17. ‘Saw’ and ‘Hostel’ were OK for you to show though? They also played ‘Knocked up’ and ‘The 40-year-Old Virgin’ , and ‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’ as well. Is this because Porno is in the title of the film? So what is in the movie that is more offensive than torturing and killing people in the most horrific manner?
“Zack and Miri” features images of full-frontal nudity, male and female, but never together and never in a sexual act. Similar content can be found in movies that have played at Megaplex theaters. In April, the chain booked the comedy “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” which showed star Jason Segel completely naked. Earlier this month, the chain opened another comedy, “Sex Drive,” filled with sexual dialogue and bare skin.
They played other movies with similar content! Lets see they also recently released ‘Saw V’, what’s in that movie that isn’t offensive?
Among the grisly images in “Saw V” are a woman decapitated by blades in a collar and a man forced to crush his hands to escape being cut in half by a pendulum.
So that is the kind of stuff that is OK to show in a Utah movie theater. When they were asked about their little double standard Gunderson replied with:
“No Comment”.
What the hell? I have family and friends that live in Utah so I know not all people in Utah are Utards, but there are those that have their moments.
They wouldn’t show Brokeback Mountain, either. It’s just a red state conservative thing. We are the reddest state in the nation, after all.
I could understand your outrage if you were from Utah and you were pissed because this was your local cinema and you were pissed because you and your friends couldn’t see it. However, this is clearly not the case. This is a local theater owners who is making a decision about what programming he chooses to show to their community. Is his logic contradictory? Probably. Chances are that theater probably won’t suffer as a result. However, since it doesn’t affect you…so get off it.
PS – For someone who is seemingly taking a view of tolerating other ideas, calling the majority of residents of Utah “Utards” is pretty ignorant.
It’s a Larry Miller Exec decision, based on the books and which double standards make the most money. I love going to Larry Miller’s theaters because they are hands-down the best moviegoing experience in Utah, but when stuff like this happens I feel ashamed for spending money there. I agree with Fish, also; we’re not all Utards, Venktard.
Hey Fish and noko,
I didn’t mean to offend you or anyone else. I am just simply pointing out the hypocricy of it all. Why is it ok to show these other movies and not this one? I know it doesn’t effect me but the whole thing just seems silly. Violence and torture porn is ok to show but Zack & Miri is not. Thats all I’m saying.
I’d like to be outraged but I’m just not. I hate the Saw movies and Zack & Miri looks good. Thing is that I have a friend who’s kid is asking her what a “porno” is. He’s not asking her what a Saw is.
In a way the actual content of the movie isn’t so relevant because people can just not go and see it. The name is different, it’s in the public eye.
Larry Miller owns the theaters. He can decide to show Care Bears 24/7 if that’s what makes him happy– I don’t agree with how he runs his business, but I don’t take offense at it.
I do get offended that the whole state of Utah is painted with the hypocrite brush because of it! Look, I’m sure you’ll find some small owner-operated theater in San Francisco that won’t show Zack & Miri because the owner feels offended by the title. That’s their right as a business owner.
The only reason this is news is that Larry happens to own a lot of movie theaters. Happy day for him! But it’s not like you can’t see it if you live in Utah– you just can’t see it at his theaters. Please quit calling the entire state retarded and hypocritical because you don’t agree with one prominent businessman’s decision.
Brokeback DID play in Utah. I saw it out in Logan, as a matter of fact. But I agree wholeheartedly with Tyler and James. I’m sure if you look around the nation, especially in the Bible belt, you’ll find similar instances of owners choosing to show or not to show a movie based on religious conviction, theirs or their customers. Just business sense, is all. Larry made his fortune selling cars, not making movies. Somehow, I get the sense that he isn’t much for the arts. Can you really fault a guy for not understanding art? I’ve got tons of friends who simply don’t get it, too. Is it unfortunate he’s in a situation to influence what other people see? Sure, but it’s not the end of the world. There are other movie theaters in UT.
If you don’t live in Utah, its kind of hard to understand why this makes sense, but perception is a big thing, and banning a movie with porno in the title scores points wiith mormons, which is good for the bottom line.
LOL, this is going to be a crazy movie no doubt.
Jiff
http://www.online-anonymity.kr.tc
The entire reason for this is to make money.
Having lived in Utah and having visited Larry H Miller’s theaters and auto-sales lots I can tell you one thing. His business is devoted 100% (like most businesses) to making money.
The theater is scared that having “Porno” in the title will offend people and send them to other theaters.
So this isn’t really an issue with the theater having an issue with the film because they show other films that most people would consider more graphic in every spectrum. Realize that most parents taking their kids to a movie don’t know what is in the average R rated movie, but as soon as they see the word “Porno” they freak out want to shield their kids and will go see the movie somewhere else.
No surprise. After all, Utah is the reddest (read as: filled with retarded sheep who bow down to decisions like this) state in the country.
Ok, no one has mentioned that the movie will be available at other theaters here in Utah (those that are not owned by Larry H. Miller; Jazz Owner, Car Dealer, and Giant Mo). Now, try to find a showing of Religilous here in the SLC – only one theater in the ENTIRE STATE is showing that one…
am i the only one who’s noticed that the movie has dropped the “make a porno” portion of their title? it’s now just zack and miri. pretty funny.
but venkman- i totally TOTALLY agree with the overall point you’re trying to make. it is a major hypocrisy of our society that parents get off their nut crazy about nudity (the human body is amazing by the way) and sex, but eh- it’s just a little violence. i don’t think either is good for kids to be around. in great britain- if you are younger than the age the rating gets i.e. 12, 15, or 18- you’re straight up not allowed in the movie theater. doesn’t matter if your parents are with you or not. sounds good to me. i went to see get shorty and sat behind a ten year old. it was horrible.
Surprisingly,’Zac&Miri’opens tomorrow here in the DFW area!!
Remember,in the DFW area,a woman in Burleson(Outside Fort Worth)was busted for having a sex toy party and in Richardson(Outside Dallas)the city went after a couple who operated a swinger’s club in their house!!*
(*FYI:You wouldn’t want to get bizzy at the Cherry Pit in Richardson!!What I’ve seen of it on local TV,it looks like a cross between a skid row flop house hotel and your localVD clinic!!).
Not to mention Deena Schlosser,the lady who cut her baby’s arms off because she was”Possessed By Demons!!”.
Yet,theyr’e showing here,’Porno’and all!!
Hell,just catch the next flight to Dallas or Fort Worth and watch it here!!
This is just my opinion but why would anyone waste their time and money to make and watch this movie? If I want to watch a porno, Ill rent one or go to the local adult bookstore and have my pick. This just goes to show that the morality of our society in on the downfall. But thats just my opinion.
RE “This is just my opinion but why would anyone waste their time and money to make and watch this movie? If I want to watch a porno, Ill rent one or go to the local adult bookstore and have my pick. This just goes to show that the morality of our society in on the downfall. But thats just my opinion.”
Um, dude… It’s NOT a porno! It’s a comedy by Kevin Smith, creator of Clerks, and Chasing Amy. I’m going to see it, here in Kansas.
My only complaint is Bob and Silent Jay won’t be in it. Anyway, banning a movie because the word Porno is in the title is pretty lame. The word is commonly used in mainstream, and it is not a curse word or anything. And a parent should rejoice their kid asks their parent to explain this word to them instead of just picking it up off the street. Only a LAZY parent who doesn’t have time or interest in educating their kid would balk at giving a careful but educational answer, like “It’s a movie only people over 18 are allowed to watch because of the sexual content.” — See? Easy as pie.
mcx
I’m in Utah and I also agree that it is nothing short of a double standard. I was absolutely outraged when Brokeback Mountain was banned. I have not been back to a Megaplex theater since.
Just to add… Most of us here in Utah who do not agree with Megaplex Theater’s business decisions (and there are many of us) understand that they have a legal right to ban or play whatever movie they want. However, to many people their decision is hypocritical, uneducated, and shows a lack of character.
Watching the movie now, but so bored, I decided how the bought and sold "movie review" souces online would review this dumb movie. I was not disappointed.