A couple of weeks ago we told you about how some people are freaking out over Zack & Miri Make a Porno. Not because they’re sick of Seth Rogen or think Kevin Smith should stop making movies — although those are both perfectly legitimate reasons — but just because of the title. As you may have noticed, it has the word “porno” in it. Oh noes! Smith could have called it Zack & Miri Make a Movie with Bad Acting and Embarrassing Sexual Content, but that wouldn’t really differentiate it from every other movie he’s made.
You know who else doesn’t like the flick? Mormons:
HARVEY Weinstein won’t be seeing his favorite “porno” in Salt Lake City. Utah Jazz owner Larry Miller’s Megaplex Theatres refused to book the Weinstein Company’s new R-rated comedy “Zack and Miri Make a Porno,” starring Seth Rogan and Elizabeth Banks, saying it’s too raunchy for religious, conservative audiences. “We feel it’s very close to an NC-17 with its graphic nudity and graphic sex,” the chain’s Cal Gunderson told us. Asked why Megaplex has no problem showing the R-rated, ultra-violent “Saw V,” which shows a man forced to crush his own hands to escape a pendulum cutting him in half, Gunderson said: “No comment.”
Cal Gunderson, wasn’t he the sheriff’s husband in Fargo? Anyhow, those Saw movies are the sickest thing ever. It’s totally ridiculous to approve those but not some dumb, harmless sex comedy.
Was it Lenny Bruce who talked about how you can show a guy stabbing a woman’s breast, but not kissing it? Way back in the ’60s? Check a calendar, Utah. But then, I suppose if you choose to live there, you deserve whatever you get. (Sorry, Utah. I don’t make the rules.)
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“Okay, Sheriff – we’re gonna f*ck ya now…but we’re gonna f*ck ya SLOW!”
- G. Carlin
While showing Saw and not this movie is a bit stupid at least the theater owner, and private citizen, is able to do what he thinks is right. He won’t be able to come the coronation of Obambi.
PORNO PORNO PORNO!
California Dave and I are on the same page.
Graphic sex? Graphic sex like in the Brown Bunny? Or graphic sex like in 9 1/2 Weeks?
Thats right Hurricane, cause Obama is gonna take away all our rights and the ability to think for ourselves!
I can’t wait to rise up against the MAN!
How about a violent Rape? Where does that fall in the “can I see it, can I not” category?
Saw this movie through a friend’s contacts last week, and its like a poorly done comedic version of Boogie Nights poorly shot on a Blair Witch budget. Kind of torturous just to have to sit through it. On the plus side it was obviously shot for such little money that it had to be profitable for the studio.
5/10 stars
I also saw the Aya Sugimoto film film “Flower and Snake” mentioned here a month ago, and I will say I had to fast forward quite a bit, but there is copious nudity of attractive women and a lot of bizarre bondage scenes involving rope. Something is clearly lost in translation, and the plot exists only to string together nude scenes. Not sure if its porn, but almost.
6/10 stars
The 1974 version of “Flower and Snake” is a better film Pasta. THe plot of that film is actually well structured and concludes somewhat logically. But the women aren’t of Aya Sugimoto quality.
Torture porn, amateur porn, they’re still porn.
That said, maybe the difference is that the violence, while gross to look at, is never real. While the sex scenes are never real either in a mainstream movie, those really are the actress’s breasts or the actor’s wee-wee.
I don’t know, I’m trying to help out Cal here…
I live in Salt Lake City and Larry Miller is the same guy who wouldn’t show Brokeback Mountain but had no problem with Hostel or the other Saw movies. His theaters are the biggest and nicest in Salt Lake City, and it sucks that such a huge hypocrite is in charge of them. My friends and I gladly go to smaller and older theaters that truly support the arts…in all their forms.
Well I can tell Simon Scowl does not like Kevin Smith or his movies…do I detect a note of jealousy. I do like Kevin Smith. His movies are slightly retarded, but they usually good storylines. And the censoring of…anything…ever..is just re-donk-culous. Don’t even get me started. I could rant incoherent gibberish all day long on that subject. (a lot of pent-up rage towards society in this girl!!)
Rats! Who let Hurricane in on our evil plot? Who told him that the only movies that will be played in the USA anymore will be made by Michael Moore? After Obama is elected, we will all be in the land of 1984, monitored, cajoled to conform via television screens and ratted out by our kids when we step out of line. I can’t wait for my own personal rat helmet!
In Zach and Miri, do we see peen or onscreen copulation? (trying to keep it clean for the kids) I have no intentions of seeing this movie because it looks kind of dumb and I am getting a wee bit tired of Seth Rogan. Can anyone tell me what is so offensive about the content?
Absolutely, it is the theater owner’s right not to show a movie but I agree that if you are going to be all anal retentive about content, doesn’t masochistic torture count as naughty? Perhaps even naughtier than a silly movie about making porn?
Oh, of course. I’m jealous of all the people I make fun of here. You cracked the code. In fact, I’m jealous of you right now.
Michael Moore still makes movies?
D— you are a moron. It’s simple because the government will step in and make private business service everyone despite the private business owners personal beliefs. We already see it with pharmacists, wedding photographers and doctors who perform artificial insemination.
It’s clear, D—, that you are the only one unable to think for yourself. Facts and reality have no bearing to you. More Kool-Aid?
Oh, and Queen Bee- you’re intellectual vapid as well. The argument is about private ownership of businesses and the rights they currently have and whether or not the Dems in power take them away. But that is too heady of a subject for you.
Perhaps we should all be discussing the merits of Saved By The Bell so you can keep up?
I have to agree with Hurricane. You should change the tag from “You know who else doesn’t like the flick? Mormons” to “A” Mormon. I agree, hypocritical to show one and not the other, but it’s his personal choice as a businessman. And if he made that choice based on his faith, well that’s also his choice, but to paint all Mormons with the same brush…just a little unfair on your part.
So, anyone who doesn’t see the world as you do has drank the Kool-Aid? A fun historical fact, Jim Jones put cyanide in Flavor Aid then had his followers drink it themselves or administer it to their children. Those people were truly morons. As of yet, Obama hasn’t asked any of us to do that. If he does, I’ll be sure to let Hurricane know so they can give us all a good, “I told you so.”
Pastafarian, Michael Moore will the main State film maker. He will make films showing us the glorious nature of Obama. Kind of like Leni Reifenstahl, only fatter and way less hot.
Michael Moore wishes he could make movies as effective as Leni Reifenstahl. I know he tries but…
I believe I’m intellectually vapid too. Way to yell, name call and show us how you are all intellectually superior. Too bad I have already voted or I would totally change my mind and vote for McCain based upon the strengths of your arguments. I’m sure there are plenty of undecided voters on these pages that you can cajole into seeing things exactly the same way that you do. Keep up the good fight!
As for Saved By the Bell, I find the high school years by far more high brow and relevant than the college years.
As far as the election goes, I’d be careful about counting chickens before they hatch.
Alright, guys, let’s try to play nice.
What is “Kool-Aid”? Who is Kevin Smith? Is Seth Rogen that fat guy?
What is wrong with the word “porno”? It’s not the n-word or the c-word, so why all the fuss?
Too many question marks? I think so too.
Wow Hurricane – thanks for noticing my post….I think that is the first time I have been called a moron. I don’t think for myself (dang my client is gonna be pissed)?
What am I? Dem? Rep? You do realize that we can no longer think of the MAN is a white male if Obama is elected, so you see rising up against the MAN is an obscure not funny, lame joke
I don’t think you can take this to mean that Mormons prefer gore over sleaze. Many view neither.
I think you could explain the decision with a look at the local culture and good business sense. Those theaters are in an area where a lot of people just don’t go to R-rated movies. Some do. Many do not. If you never went to R-rated movies, you probably wouldn’t know just how badly Saw V would offend you, so you probably wouldn’t hold the theater accountable for putting up posters about it, as long as the posters aren’t as gross as the movies. If anything indicating porn appeared in poster form in such a theater, however, it crosses a line, and the posters alone could cause those customers to walk away in favor of other, smaller, local theaters with better family values. Business-wise, it’s asking for angry letters — people would think the theater was turning into one of those businesses people don’t want near their houses and schools.
I’m sure there are plenty of movies that Miller and other theater owners allow their theaters to show that they themselves wouldn’t view. I guess you could call them hypocritical for that, but if they really only showed movies that their consciences would let them view, they’d tick off the other customters who enjoy R-rated movies. It’s a tough balance running a business.
There are similar discussions about shops being open on Sundays. A considerable portion of the population will tolerate higher prices from a smaller store that refuses to open on Sunday. But it’s not like the larger stores don’t get business on Sunday. It’s hard to please everybody.
I don’t live in Utah (anymore) but I’m one of those customers who will choose who I do business based on things like these, if there is a choice. I think it’s great that businesses have this kind of pressure on them to not peddle sleaze.
Didn’t you admit two weeks ago that you hadn’t seen either Clerks film? Aren’t you now criticizing his work? Don’t you run a blog on hypocrisy?
To “This guy”: There are actually three of us co-blogging here. I wrote the first piece about Kevin Smith, and I noted that I had never seen the “Clerks” films. I’m assuming Simon did see them. Ask him. If I’m wrong, feel free to lock him to a pillory and lash him with a wet noodle.
I’ve seen three or four of them. Enough to defend my opinion to This Guy or That. Kevin Smith stinks. Well, there were parts of Chasing Amy I liked. But mostly there’s the smell.
Fair enough. Retracted.