Pathetic

A suburban Salt Lake City movie theater has decided not to show Brokeback Mountain.

A movie theater owned by Utah Jazz owner Larry Miller abruptly changed its screening plans and decided not to show the film "Brokeback Mountain." The film, an R-rated Western gay romance story, was supposed to open Friday at the Megaplex at Jordan Commons in Sandy, a suburb of Salt Lake City. Instead it was pulled from the schedule.

A message posted at the ticket window read: "There has been a change in booking and we will not be showing 'Brokeback Mountain.' We apologize for any inconvenience."

Cal Gunderson, manager of the Jordan Commons Megaplex, declined to comment…

The movie's distributor, Focus Features, said that hours before opening, the theater management "reneged on their licensing agreement," and refused to open the film.

Gayle Ruzicka, president of the conservative Utah Eagle Forum, said not showing the film set an example for the people of Utah.

"I just think (pulling the show) tells the young people especially that maybe there is something wrong with this show," she said.

I think Ms. Ruzicka is right—young people will get the message that there’s “something wrong” with Brokeback Mountain. And they’ll wonder, in the way that young people do, what the fuss is all about. And they’ll go see Brokeback Mountain at the Century 16 Salt Lake, where it’s showing at 12:55, 4:00, 7:00, and 10:00. Or at the Broadway Centre Cinemas, where it’s showing at 12:30, 1:45, 3:30, 4:30, 7:00, 7:15, 9:45, and 10:00. And they’ll find out that there is, in fact, nothing wrong with Brokeback Mountain; maybe they’ll even have the same experience as the commenter at IMDb, who noted: “I felt compelled to write this comment because I'm overwhelmed. It has changed my perception, I must confess, about certain aspect of same sex love because I didn't think of same sex when I was watching it, I saw two human beings (amazing performances by both actors)I have the feeling ‘Brokeback Mountain’ will make history, deservedly so.”

And just maybe they’ll come away from the film of the opinion that there’s something wrong instead with people who refuse to show it.

[Tart’s review; Shakes’ review.]