USA: Controversial film from Filmmaker Kevin Smith entitled "Dogma"

Record ID: 705568

  • Title: USA: Controversial film from Filmmaker Kevin Smith entitled "Dogma"
  • Date: 3rd October 1999
  • Summary: PULL-OUT FROM FRAMED PORTRAIT OF POPE JOHN PAUL II TO FATHER GREGORY COIRO, WORKING AT DESK CLOSE-UP OF COIRO TYPING
  • Embargoed: 18th October 1999 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES AND TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA AND VARIOUS FILM LOCATIONS
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVA3WP3GY8THMVI40G7B4S4ZZWMD
  • Story Text: After residing in limbo for much of the summer because of protests by the Catholic Church, filmmaker Kevin Smith's new comedy "Dogma" has finally been picked up by the independent film company Lions Gate Films, the same group responsible for the Oscar-winning movies "Gods and Monsters"
    and "Affliction."
    Dogma tells the story of two fallen angels, played by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, banished to Wisconsin for eternity, who think they have found a loophole to get back into heaven.Unfortunately, if they do, it will cause a cosmic chain reaction that will mean the end of all life on earth.So another angel, played by Alan Rickman, talks a descendant of Jesus, an abortion-clinic worker played by Linda Fiorentino, into trying to thwart the angel's plan.
    The film was initially backed by Miramax, a part of the Disney empire, but when word got out about its subject, several religious groups complained that its theme was anti-Catholic and demanded that Disney not release it."The reaction to the film seems to be: it's anti-Catholic but it's funny," said Father Gregory Coiro, speaking on behalf of the church's anti-defamation arm, the Catholic League."No one ever says it's anti-Semitic but it's a hoot when there is a movie or anything that would be attacking Judaism or Jewish people," he continued, implying a relative standard in Hollywood's portrayal of different religious groups.
    Director Smith believes that the Catholic Church saw Disney's size as an easy way to get publicity for its groundless claim."By virtue of the fact that we were attached to Disney, with its theme parks and network and cable network, it became this polemic that it takes on the church and Catholic values," said Smith.
    Harvey Weinstein, co-chairman of Miramax, agreed to buy back the negative from Disney and sell it to another distributor so that neither Disney nor Miramax would have any connection to it.
    "Harvey was the guy that ponied up and bought the movie away from Miramax by writing his own check," said Mr.Smith.
    "He could have shelved it and that would have been that but he looked for a distributor and found one in Lions Gate."
    The movie was finally picked up this month by Lions Gate Films for distribution in North America and is set to open in November."If Lions Gate had been the distributor of this movie from beginning to end, the only thing you really would have heard about it is it's got those "Good Will Hunting" guys in it," said Smith, referring to Affleck and Damon.At the Toronto Film Festival, where it was screened, the film was met with a mixed response, not so much because of the religious content but because of the broadness of some of the humour.
    Lions Gate President Tom Ortenberg doesn't foresee any further outcry over the film."We believe the film will speak on its own merits.That the film is faith and spiritually affirming helps diffuse whatever controversy others might be trying to start."
    Lions Gate was responsible for last year's independent breakouts "Gods and Monsters" and "Affliction," both of which received several Oscar nominations.
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