Axing a Despicable Film

Saturday, October 07, 2006

It looks like the major movie theater chains won't be showing "Death of a President" to audiences anytime soon. The faux documentary, which depicts the death of President Bush using a mix of real news segments and dramatized fiction, garnered both praise and controversy after it’s premiere at the Toronto Film Festival.

At least two chains are passing on the flick, according to Reuters":

"We would not be inclined to program this film," Regal Entertainment Group CEO Mike Campbell said. "We feel it is inappropriate to portray the future assassination of a sitting president, regardless of political affiliation."

Texas-based Cinemark USA also has declined to play the indie film, corporate spokesman Terrell Falk said. "We're not playing it on any of our screens," Falk said. "It's a subject matter we don't wish to play. We decided to pass on the film."

I do question the mentality of anyone who would find enjoyment in such a film, let alone wanting to see it in the first place.

To be sure, my opposition to many of Bush's policies is almost limitless, but to appreciate a film that depicts his fictional death while he's a sitting president is contemptible.