Next month, independent DVD supplier Vanguard Cinema will ship to video retailers a movie about a video retailer.
If you're thinking it's a "Clerks" clone, forget it. "Heart of the Beholder", which is being released directly to video on June 24, tells the true story of pioneering video retailer Ken Tipton, who lost the Video Library chain he had founded and built up after battling religious extremists in St. Louis, Mo., over his decision to carry Martin Scorsese's "The Last Temptation of Christ".
The independent film, 12 years in the making, was written and directed by Tipton, who in 1981 pooled his savings and with his pregnant wife opened Video Library as the first video rental store in St. Louis. The store was an instant success and soon grew into a multimillion-dollar business, with six stores twice the size of the average Blockbuster and another six Movie Machine video kiosks.
But with success came attention from the St. Louis chapter of the Rev. Donald Wildmon's National Federation for Decency. The NFD insisted that Video Library remove films they deemed obscene, from "Blazing Saddles" to "Splash", the latter drawing their ire because they felt Tom Hanks making love to a mermaid promoted bestiality.
When Scorsese's "Temptation" was released on video in 1989, Video Library was the only video chain in St. Louis to offer it for rent.
If you're thinking it's a "Clerks" clone, forget it. "Heart of the Beholder", which is being released directly to video on June 24, tells the true story of pioneering video retailer Ken Tipton, who lost the Video Library chain he had founded and built up after battling religious extremists in St. Louis, Mo., over his decision to carry Martin Scorsese's "The Last Temptation of Christ".
The independent film, 12 years in the making, was written and directed by Tipton, who in 1981 pooled his savings and with his pregnant wife opened Video Library as the first video rental store in St. Louis. The store was an instant success and soon grew into a multimillion-dollar business, with six stores twice the size of the average Blockbuster and another six Movie Machine video kiosks.
But with success came attention from the St. Louis chapter of the Rev. Donald Wildmon's National Federation for Decency. The NFD insisted that Video Library remove films they deemed obscene, from "Blazing Saddles" to "Splash", the latter drawing their ire because they felt Tom Hanks making love to a mermaid promoted bestiality.
When Scorsese's "Temptation" was released on video in 1989, Video Library was the only video chain in St. Louis to offer it for rent.
- 5/21/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
WASHINGTON -- Responding to pressure from fundamentalist organizations, Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn., is attempting to jump-start legislation that would impose a tenfold increase on fines for indecent broadcasts, congressional and industry sources said. Frist is running a "hotline" on the version of the bill that won approval in the House last year. Hotlining is a procedure that allows the Senate to pass bills that are not expected to be controversial. Once a bill is hotlined, any senator with an objection to the bill can place a "hold" on it, which prevents the bill from being passed by unanimous consent. Hotlining also indicates that the Senate leadership is anxious to move the legislation. Groups like the American Family Assn., headed by Rev. Donald Wildmon, have been pushing for a vote on the measure. On Tuesday, Wildmon sent an "Action Alert" to members of his organization urging them to pressure senators to take a vote.
WASHINGTON -- Responding to pressure from fundamentalist organizations, Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn., is attempting to jump-start legislation that would impose a tenfold increase on fines for indecent broadcasts, congressional and industry sources said. Frist is running a "hotline" on the version of the bill that won approval in the House last year. Hotlining is a procedure that allows the Senate to pass bills that are not expected to be controversial. Once a bill is hotlined, any senator with an objection to the bill can place a "hold" on it, which prevents the bill from being passed by unanimous consent. Hotlining also indicates that the Senate leadership is anxious to move the legislation. Groups like the American Family Assn., headed by Rev. Donald Wildmon, have been pushing for a vote on the measure. On Tuesday, Wildmon sent an "Action Alert" to members of his organization urging them to pressure senators to take a vote.
Britney Spears' planned appearance on hit TV show Will & Grace has sparked anger from Christian campaigners the American Family Association (AFA). The Mississippi-based group are calling for the episode to be cancelled amid claims the storyline will see Spears star as a TV host for a program named 'Cruci-fixin's.' The AFA insists the show "mocks the crucifixion of Christ" and believe the designated April 13 broadcast slot "further denigrates Christianity" because it is the eve of Christian celebration day, Good Friday. The group's protests last month lead to the cancellation of NBC's The Book Of Daniel which featured a drug-taking priest. AFA founder Don Wildmon says, "NBC is clearly mocking the Christian faith. I think they are smarting from the Book Of Daniel defeat that they suffered, and this is their way to get even." NBC issued a statement in defense of the accusations, claiming Spears' role has yet to be determined. It read, "Some erroneous information was mistakenly included in a press release describing an upcoming episode of Will & Grace, which, in fact, has yet to be written."...
- 2/7/2006
- WENN
A conservative watchdog group is taking issue with NBC about its upcoming midseason series The Book of Daniel for its risque depiction of a fictional Christian community. The American Family Assn., a longtime critic of irreverent broadcast television shows dating back to 1970s fare like Charlie's Angels, began urging people on its Web site last week to send e-mails complaining about Daniel to NBC Universal chairman Bob Wright. The Rev. Donald Wildmon, chairman of the AFA, assailed NBC for the protagonist in the series, which he describes as a "drug-addicted Episcopal priest whose wife depends heavily on her midday martinis." Wildmon also criticizes portrayals of homosexual characters on the series as well as its "very unconventional" inclusion of Jesus himself, who is depicted in Daniel in conversations imagined by the priest.
- 12/28/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
WASHINGTON -- The FCC denied complaints filed by conservative Christian organizations alleging that language in Saving Private Ryan violated the nation's indecency laws. On a 5-0 vote the commission said the language, when taken in the context of the film, did not run afoul of the regulations. "In light of the overall context in which this material is presented, the commission determined that it was not indecent or profane," the FCC said in a statement. "The commission also said that while some complaints referenced the violence depicted in the film, the FCC's indecency and profanity prohibitions are not applicable to violent programming." OneMillionMoms.com and OneMillionDads.com, groups that are affiliated with the Tupelo, Miss.-based American Family Assn. run by the Rev. Donald Wildmon filed complaints with the FCC against ABC stations for airing the film.
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