Live in Utah? Wanna See Zack and Miri? Too Bad.

Posted by Dr. Cole Abaius (cole.abaius@filmschoolrejects.com) on October 28, 2008

According to an article in The New York Post, Megaplex Theatres is refusing to show Zack and Miri Make a Porno in its home-base of Utah, citing that it’s “very close to an NC-17 with its graphic nudity and graphic sex,” and the ultra-conservative audiences won’t flock to it.

Meanwhile, the theater chain has no problem showing Saw V.

By now, we’re used to seeing a major disparity between sex and violence on screen, but this is the closest we’ve come to actually seeing the double-standard in focus. While one movie depicts the gruesome violence of decapitation and a man’s hands crushed before being sliced in two by a pendulum, the other features a ton of female nudity, a some really filthy language, and Jason Mewes’s penis. The two films will overlap each other in theaters, except in Utah, where the theater chain has made it clear who wins in a battle between sex and violence. Why, Megaplex, are you denying the people’s right to see Jason Mewe’s penis?

Normally, I’d refrain from calling censorship on what is clearly a business decision – they don’t think the film will make money because of their demographic make up – but when the spokesman for the theater chain brings up the film’s content as a reason, it seems clear that there’s a bit more going on than just cost/benefit analysis. Apparently, Megaplex didn’t realize that they already have a rating for “very close to an NC-17.” It’s called R.

If you live in Utah, you should feel insulted. A major regional theater chain has decided that you’re too immature to deal with the film’s contents on your own. Apparently Megaplex feels that your fragile sensibilities will be crushed like the hands of the first victim in Saw V.

We all know there are people in Utah who want to see Zack and Miri, and I have no doubt that DVD sales and rentals will reflect that fact in a few months, but for now, residents of the Beehive State will have a hunt ahead of them if they are determined to find the flick in theaters. And they should – Katie Morgan’s assets are even more impressive on the big screen.

Megaplex is owned by Larry Miller (who also owns the Utah Jazz and a website with bandwidth issues), so if you want to contact them, click here.

Wait – Beehive State? Really? What’s that about?

Either way, we hope the thousands, if not millions, of Utah residents who have a sense of humor and want to enjoy a funny movie will find a theater chain willing to cater to their needs. Best of luck Utah!

What do you think? Is Megaplex wrong for refusing to show the film?

Read more articles by Dr. Cole Abaius