(no subject)
CINEMAS in two US states have outraged movie goers by refusing to show Heath Ledger's new gay cowboy movie, Brokeback Mountain.
The cinemas, in Utah and Washington, pulled the flick after the influential Conference of Catholic Bishops gave it an "O" rating, for morally offensive.
In Australia, where the film opens on Australia Day, conservative groups are also rallying for a boycott because of the film's controversial storyline about two cowboys who have a secret love affair for 20 years.
Just two hours before a Salt Lake City, Utah, cinema complex was due to show the film on Friday, all screenings were cancelled after the owner learned of the film's plot. The only explanation was a ticket window message which read: "There has been a change in booking and we will not be showing Brokeback Mountain. We apologise for any inconvenience."
While Salt Lake City is the home base for America's conservative Mormon population, a local newspaper noted that other new movies with R-rated content, such as the marijuana-fuelled comedy Grandma's Boy and the horror movie Hostel, opened on schedule.
The move incensed the film's distributor, Focus Features.
"Only hours prior to opening Brokeback Mountain the theatre management reneged on their licensing agreement with Focus Features and refused to open the film as scheduled," a company spokesman said.
"Given the gigantic grosses already being posted in Salt Lake City for Brokeback Mountain this is their loss."
In Poulsbo, Washington, west of Seattle, customers were told they would be refunded for their Brokeback Mountain tickets after the cinema pulled the film at the last minute.
Christian Democratic Party national president Fred Nile said the party would support local cinemas in a boycott of the film.
"We would support the decision by any theatre chain to ban the film and we support those theatres in the US that have made the decision," Reverend Nile said.
-The Daily Telegraph