Film puts Utah in spotlight — again
Now, Utah's predominant culture is again being judged. This time because one theater owner, at the last minute, pulled a film about gay cowboys.
On Monday, Jay Leno poked fun at the move by Utah Jazz owner Larry H. Miller, saying: "A movie theater in Utah abruptly cancelled a screening of the movie 'Brokeback Mountain.' They felt it was inappropriate for the community standards. Instead they ran 'Deliverance.' "
Heath Ledger, who plays one of the cowboys in "Brokeback Mountain" said that "maybe the Mormons in Utah" believe the film was controversial and that the move to pull it was "very immature" of a society.
Even visiting speaker Michael Eric Dyson, author of "Is Bill Cosby Right?" took a moment during a Martin Luther King Jr. speech to poke fun at the move. He said maybe it's unsettling to see "two regular cowboys who look heterosexual to us, who might want to share something more than a saddle ride."
The chatter outside the state could equate to "basic ignorance, especially in this case — people not knowing much about the Mormon Church," said Glen Feighery, communications professor at the University of Utah, who studies religion and ethics.
Tori Baker, president of the Salt Lake Film Society, said 8,798 people saw the film the week of Dec. 30, breaking "New York Doll's" opening week record of 2,575. Her theaters ranked 10th and 12th in the nation for ticket sales during the film's first week of showing.
"That's outstanding for us," she said. "Usually Salt Lake City doesn't turn up in the realms of New York, L.A., Chicago."
Feighery said the global attention to Utah definitely involves faith, Miller's prominence and the controversy over the movie.
He found it interesting that most, if not all, observers have made the assumption that Miller pulled the movie because of his faith. However, Miller hasn't said why he pulled the movie. His wife, Gail, was reached by phone this week and declined to comment.
Miller attended the Utah Jazz-Miami Heat game Saturday night but his spokeswoman, Linda Luchetti, vice president of communications for Larry H. Miller Sports and Entertainment, said he would have no comment.
LDS Church spokesman Dale Bills declined to comment on either the movie or Miller's decision to pull it.
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