Censorship Watch: ‘Shame’ Pushes Boundaries

If you truly want access to the widest range of art, film, and other forms of speech, you also need to watch out for subtle restrictions which narrow the type of art you get to see. Even restrictions which might be legal and seem reasonable, change the type of art that is created.

‘Shame’ is acclaimed director Steve McQueen’s unflinching look at sex addiction through the eyes of a disconnected New York yuppie and stars Michael Fassbender and Academy Award nominee Carey Mulligan.  Initial reviews have been strong and its already attracting Oscar buzz.

The only problem is that very few people outside of New York and L.A. will get to see it.

The MPAA has slapped the film with an NC-17 rating, due to its full frontal nudity and explicit (albeit non pornographic) sex scenes.  With mainstream media outlets still refusing to run any ads for NC-17 films and large theater chains also shying away from them, this could severely hurt the movie’s box office potential.

Fox Searchlight Pictures, which is distributing ‘Shame’, will not re-cut the film and is proceeding with its December 2nd release.  Steve Giulia, co-head of the studio, recently told The Hollywood Reporter. “We believe it is time for the rating to become usable in a serious manner’ Steve Giulia, co-head of the studio recently told The Hollywood Reporter.  ‘The sheer talent of the actors and the vision of the filmmaker are extraordinary. It’s not a film that everyone will take easily, but it certainly breaks through the clutter and is distinctive and original. It’s a game changer.’

If you want to let the studios, media outlets and theater chains know that you want to be able to see, and know about a wider variety of films, support Fox Searchlight’s decision to put art over money by going to see this film opening weekend (Dec 2).  If you can’t get to a theater showing ‘Shame,’ you can voice your opinion by talking about the film on twitter, facebook and anywhere else.  Leave comments here and on other articles about the film, and pass this story around.