Golden Globe Winners Spark Anger In Christian Right
Wed. January 18, 2006 12:00 AM by GayWebMonkey.com
Hollywood, CA -
Conservative Christian groups are sparking a furious campaign against Hollywood today, accusing the Golden Globe Awards of promoting films with gay or “leftist” themes to serve a political agenda.
The criticism was made after Brokeback Mountain, a film about the forbidden love between gay Wyoming cowboys, won four awards. Other winners included Philip Seymour Hoffman, named Best Actor for his portrayal of gay writer Truman Capote, and Felicity Huffman for her role as a transgender woman in Transamerica.
“Once again, the media elites are proving that their pet projects are more important than profit,” Janice Crouse, of Concerned Women for America, said. “None of the three movies — 'Capote', 'Transamerica' or 'Brokeback Mountain' — is a box office hit. 'Brokeback Mountain' has barely topped $25 million in ticket sales. If America isn’t watching these films, why are they winning the awards?”
Brokeback Mountain has broken records for audience attendance per theatre since its initial limited release in early December, 2005. The film has consistently averaged more than $10,000 per screen, rare numbers in a year that has seen several films flop at the box office.
In surprising markets such as Boise, Idaho and Little Rock, Arkansas, Brokeback is averaging as much as $20,000 per screen. The film opens wide Friday, as does Transamerica, a film which has played on just six screens a week since opening Christmas day and earned more than $400,000.
Oscar pundits are now questioning whether the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will also reward Brokeback Mountain, potentially souring Hollywood’s relationship with the Christian audience even further.
Members of the Academy must hand in their nomination forms by Saturday. The nominees will be announced on January 31 and the ceremony will be held on March 5.
Religious groups also pointed to the alleged political agenda of winners including George Clooney, who won for his supporting role in Syriana, a film about the ethical pitfalls of the oil business. Mary Louise Parker was rewarded for her performance in Weeds, a television comedy about a suburban mother turned marijuana dealer.
Much of the anger was directed at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the group of 92 journalists from non-American publications who hand out the Golden Globe Awards.
Written By Ross von Metzke
The criticism was made after Brokeback Mountain, a film about the forbidden love between gay Wyoming cowboys, won four awards. Other winners included Philip Seymour Hoffman, named Best Actor for his portrayal of gay writer Truman Capote, and Felicity Huffman for her role as a transgender woman in Transamerica.
“Once again, the media elites are proving that their pet projects are more important than profit,” Janice Crouse, of Concerned Women for America, said. “None of the three movies — 'Capote', 'Transamerica' or 'Brokeback Mountain' — is a box office hit. 'Brokeback Mountain' has barely topped $25 million in ticket sales. If America isn’t watching these films, why are they winning the awards?”
Brokeback Mountain has broken records for audience attendance per theatre since its initial limited release in early December, 2005. The film has consistently averaged more than $10,000 per screen, rare numbers in a year that has seen several films flop at the box office.
In surprising markets such as Boise, Idaho and Little Rock, Arkansas, Brokeback is averaging as much as $20,000 per screen. The film opens wide Friday, as does Transamerica, a film which has played on just six screens a week since opening Christmas day and earned more than $400,000.
Oscar pundits are now questioning whether the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will also reward Brokeback Mountain, potentially souring Hollywood’s relationship with the Christian audience even further.
Members of the Academy must hand in their nomination forms by Saturday. The nominees will be announced on January 31 and the ceremony will be held on March 5.
Religious groups also pointed to the alleged political agenda of winners including George Clooney, who won for his supporting role in Syriana, a film about the ethical pitfalls of the oil business. Mary Louise Parker was rewarded for her performance in Weeds, a television comedy about a suburban mother turned marijuana dealer.
Much of the anger was directed at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the group of 92 journalists from non-American publications who hand out the Golden Globe Awards.
Written By Ross von Metzke
Article provided in partnership with GayWebMonkey.com.