Seems as though the French get all pissy when watching certain horror movies.
According to an article over at Twitchfilm.com, at least 40 French theaters have abruptly canceled their bookings of SINISTER, which opened last week there. And it’s not even the Scott Derrickson film’s fault – it’s PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4‘s!
The site has it that audiences at screenings of PA4, which opened the week before, descended into borderline chaos, with people “looting candy counters, insulting cashiers, urinating on seats, etc.” Urinating on seats!
In a statement, Wild Bunch, the distributor of SINISTER in France, notes “Showing genre films in France is not easy” and asks that “future spectators please be respectful of the rules of courtesy.”
Perhaps the people who went to see PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4 were just making public displays of their thoughts on the film when they began to loot and urinate publicly. Doesn’t necessarily mean SINISTER moviegoers are going to respond the same way. (Or perhaps the theater owners are fearful of some kind of subliminal message being broadcast by horror films to create pee-stained chaos?)
Wild Bunch is urging fans to “not hesitate to demand that local theaters show the film next week,” which sounds like a good idea. And for the love of a croissant, folks, don’t crap on anything.