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Author
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Topic: What is the deal with "Novocaine"?
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Evans A Criswell
Phenomenal Film Handler
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Posts: 1579
From: Huntsville, AL, USA
Registered: Mar 2000
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posted 12-08-2001 10:31 PM
On Friday, the local Carmike 10 in Huntsville was the only theatre in Huntsville or Decatur advertising "Novocaine" on its showtimes WWW site. I went to the theatre Friday night to catch it, since the Huntsville Times had printed a positive review, and was told that "the movie company pulled it because it was too mature for Huntsville". Today (Saturday), I went to Nashville, TN and after not finding a theatre showing it, got a newspaper and found that no theatre in Nashville, TN was advertising "Novocaine". Is it too mature for Nashville, too? I went back by Columbia, TN to the Shady Brook Cinema 12 (an independent, as far as I know), and they didn't have it either. Is anyone showing this movie? Why has it been pulled from so many places? If it's too mature for anyone to see, I've got to see it when it comes out on DVD.------------------ Evans A Criswell Huntsville-Decatur Movie Theatre Information Site
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Jerry Chase
Phenomenal Film Handler
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Posts: 1068
From: Margate, FL, USA
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 12-09-2001 10:31 AM
Evans, I can't prove it, but I suspect this is another case of subtle censorship in the Bible belt, which is a subject that nobody ever dares discussing, for fear of ruffling feathers or creating a backlash. There are some films that just don't "play" to the audience in certain areas of the south and midwest, even though these same films make a little money in more cosmopolitan areas, New England, and California. When the phrase "too mature" is used it can be a pc code word for "this will never play to the rednecks, the preachers will get upset, and we won't make any money anyway." Sorry to be so blunt, but the bottom line for theatres is money and a secondary part of that is not upsetting the community leaders. Because of the limited number of first run films, general focus of film on the lowest common denominator or teens, and natural ability to limit an audience, theatres don't see this type of censorship as much as other media, but the south is rife with it. Example: television station management and cable providers in Alabama and some other states will often flat out refuse to carry controversial programs. Example: The Birmingham News is (IMO) a total joke of a newspaper hardly worth being pooped upon by a bored bird. Compare it to the LA Times, NY Times, Miami Herald, or even the Atlanta Constitution and it becomes obvious that it censors content and is inferior in both news analysis and commentary. I had to get the B'ham News to check ads and showtimes, but learned to toss it and get the New York Times for news. The real shocker for me in the depth of this subtle censorship though, was the mix of books in the bookstores in B'ham during the early 1980s. Coming from Vermont and New York, I was used to well stocked bookstores with current books covering every imaginable subject. When I went to Alabama and made my first forays into the local and chain bookstores I was astonished at the paucity of titles and subjects available. I actually had to drive to Atlanta to find a bookstore with a slightly wider selection on the shelves, and ended up buying most of my books by mail order while I lived there. While the people of Alabama that I saw, met and knew were generally kind, generous, and personable, there were some subjects that were totally foreign to them. I'm sure things have opened up somewhat since that time, with the introduction of the Barnes & Noble and Border's megabookstores, and the leveling aspect of the internet, but the traces of educational recidivism in certain areas of the country may last for many more years. disclaimer- none of the above is meant to say that Alabama or the midwest aren't wonderful places to live, or that the people aren't bright, merely that some educational opportunities are denied to those unwilling to work to step outside the "norm" of the local culture.
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John Walsh
Film God
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Posts: 2490
From: Connecticut, USA, Earth, Milky Way
Registered: Oct 1999
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posted 12-09-2001 11:34 PM
I tend to side with Jerry on this, because, well, I can't see any other reason. I realise it's not a major blockbuster, but a film featuring Steve Martin, Helena Bonham Carter, Laura Dern is not "B" movie stuff.Apparently, it is in limited release right now, for whatever reason.
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Jim Ziegler
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 753
From: West Hollywood, CA
Registered: Jul 99
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posted 12-10-2001 05:59 AM
Mike,You are corrct on that.. Why make more $3k prints if the film doen't do the numbers to support it. Odds are, though, it will make it to DVD before it finds its way to small markets... John, There are tons of films with major starts that stay limited. Just because it has Steve martin does not mean it will appeal to everyone, or even a lot of people. Hell, before this thread, I never heard of it..
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Jerry Chase
Phenomenal Film Handler
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Posts: 1068
From: Margate, FL, USA
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 12-10-2001 09:08 AM
Mike, you wrote: "While we're tossing around conspiracy theories ... why don't we look at the most likely reason ... MONEY!!! "I wrote: ""this will never play to the rednecks, the preachers will get upset, and we won't make any money anyway." I expanded on this, and Evans agreed with my assessment. BTW, IMO Huntsville does have better news and bookstores, just like Evans said. The needs of the space program workers did wonders for Huntsville. If prints are being pulled in the cities, there is little reason to strike new prints. What little money was available in Evan's area could be gleaned with one of the used prints at no extra cost. As most of us know, other booking factors might be at work, such as a demand to play for X weeks coming up against a major opening, etc. It was only the fact that it was advertised and then pulled because it was "too mature" that made me remember some past personal experiences. Anyway, I'm not sure where you are coming from with your statement. I don't see any overt "conspiracy" at work, just a general mind set. The unsaid is often a powerful component within society, even if it is difficult to trace.
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