Outraged but not surprised: Utah Theater pulls Brokeback Mountain film

Why am I not surprised? It’s another double standard. Graphic violence is o.k., love stories are not. Hmmmm…..

A local wealthy automobile dealership owner, property owner,owner of the Utah’s professional basketball team, Utah Jazz, amd noted LDS church member has pulled the film Brokeback Mountain from his Megaplex 17 Cinema Complex at Jordan Commons in Sandy, Utah. Brokeback Mountain is about two gay cowboys who rekindle their love after years of being apart and being married to women.

Larry Miller has not returned phone calls in response to the request that the Newspaper Agency Corp., which handles advertising, production and printing for both the Deseret News and the Salt Lake Tribune, to remove show times for the film from its ads, according to the Deseret News article.

The Jordan Commons Megaplex Manager was reached by phone but declined to comment.

Apparently conservative groups are applauding this move, which, in my opinion, only proves that they do not condone tolerance and understanding. But wait, doesn’t the LDS doctrine specifically teach those two concepts in the Articles of Faith Document (specifically #11)? I’m confused.

Conservative groups lauded the apparent decision to not show the film. Others said it was a decision that would deny Utahns a chance to see a true work of art.
“I think it sets an example for all the people in Utah and, like I said before, he’s my new hero,” said Gayle Ruzicka, president of the Utah Eagle Forum. “It’s such a terrible show, and it is such a horrible message. I just think (pulling the show) tells the young people especially that maybe there is something wrong with this show.”

The response from the gay and lesbian community:

Advocates in Utah’s gay and lesbian community expressed disappointment about the decision to pull the film, but Mike Thompson, executive director of the gay rights advocacy group Equality Utah, said he’s not calling for a boycott of Miller’s theaters.
Thompson described the movie as very tasteful with “nothing that even hints at pornography.”
“It’s just a shame that such a beautiful and award-winning film with so much buzz about it is not being made available to a broad Utah audience because of personal bias,” he said. “It’s just disappointing.”
Jane Marquardt, board chairwoman of Equality Utah, agreed, saying the decision is especially disturbing since Miller’s theaters are showing movies with graphic violence.
“It’s sad to think that someone would think a movie is that controversial simply because it’s a love story between two people of the same sex,” she said.

Double standards seem to be typical of conservatives and the religious right.

The article does point out, and I have been receiving updates on this, that the movie has sold out at Broadway Theater and the film stay has been extended.
Across the nation, 296 screens are showing the film. Utah ranked 12th last week with per-screen average earnings.

I call upon Mr. Miller to either reverse his decision and develop a policy where all films are shown or develop one whereby nothing rated above G be shown at his megaplex cinema.