There is some good news, and perhaps some troubling news today regarding David Mackenzie's "Spread" which will be making its UK debut at the Edinburgh Film Festival in a few weeks. First, court
esy of the fine festival folks, I have some brand new photos from the film here on my flickr, including what I think is vintage Mackenzie with a gorgeous shot of Ashton over LA, and this of co-star Anne Heche (also seen in the single preview clip of the movie. Tickets do remain available for the film which screens June 22 and 24th. Ashton's name was NOT included in the list of stars released due to attend EIFF, so dunno if he will be there alas
Speaking of previews, for the nearly two million of us who follow Ashton Kutcher on Twitter, today we got some news on the delay in a formal trailer for the movie, which will open wide on August 15.
In a series of tweets, Ashton described the stone aged wall he's hit from the MPAA resisting approving the trailer. Ashton is quite open and honest about the film noting:
"I'm having to battle over a shot of a girls ass in a bathing suit and me have half clothed sex w/ a woman for the trailer 4 Spread"
Not trying to make excuses he says honestly " the movie is a hard R and it should B. But there a different restrictions on the trailer even if U preview on other R movies" and also "the movie is a hard R (border line nc17) & I accept that, ths is just 4 the trailer"
Ashton rightly points out how terribly conservative the movie ratings are in this country when it comes to sex, yet horrible, obscenely violent films and trailers get shown all the time. He laments "The reason sex is Hot button 4 the MPAA is b/c thr R a lot of parents that dont wnt 2 take the time 2 explain things 2 their kids." He continued to encourage healthy discussion with children on sex and then states "I'm not saying that "Spread" is a movie 4 the kids, I just think seeing a butt cheek & dry humping in a trailer isn't gonna hurt any1"
No word on when or now IF we are going to get a proper trailer for the film any time soon alas, but Sweetonsigmafilms applauds you Ashton for sticking up for what you believe in
Well - this is curious - esp in relation to a DM film.
ReplyDeleteFilm trailers in the US are sometimes downright offensive, I think, but NOT because there is actual mutual sex being displayed but because trailers are readily allowed that completely sexualize women - lots of shots of tits & ass & camera shots that tell the viewer that such & such a female is the OBJECT of male desire. All of this is titilating (pardon the pun) nonsense is ok. I can not remember ever seeing a trailer that showed a male so sexualized. So in this regard - the film ratings folks are certainly permissive & only partly squeamish about sex.
What it sounds like from the tweet is that this trailer displays a somewhat equally balanced clip of a sex scene - a marker of DM - & if I am understanding the tweet correctly - how very interesting that this isn't ok but gratuitous shots in trailers of tits & ass etc etc are okey dokey.
Sorry Sue - I had an angry feminist moment there! But it is meant in the spirit of championing the MUTUAL, EQUAL approach that DM takes in his films towards sex.
As the mother of a young son - I don't care if he sees MUTUAL sex. Tits & ass shots of only one sex displayed before him - thanks, no.
Now that I have ranted I will depart - cringing all the while at the thought of how this film is going to be marketed to American audiences & their largely frat boy views of sex.
Hi Anna!
ReplyDeleteVery glad to hear from you; well stated as usual and I think you raise a fair amount of interesting points! Feel free to continue this! Although I do think they are hyping Ashton as the object in the trailer, but I do see your point.
I think esp on the points of children it bothers me very much at the inappropriate air times say on tv at 8pm when all sorts of horrible violent trailers air during shows when they know large and often times families are watching. I too feel that way when Im watching something with my son and he turns and goes woah mom what was that!
I realise this may make me a prude and at odds with many other media folk, but am often appalled at the general lack of good taste shown, not a desire on my part to censor anyone in the slightest far from it, just wish at times there was a better sense of taste shown, but these days its all about the advertising dollar and who is willing to spend it,s o that rules the day.
As for the marketing, when I saw the overseas use of "LA gigolo" being used, I knew certain doom was immanent and have given up lol on the frat boy marketing that is sure to come. Hot sexy and appealling is one thing, animal house exploitative tacky bleh stuff is another; i dread and hope they do NOT go the latter!
Thanks as always for stopping by; your thoughts and comments are always well appreciated and welcomed! :)