VATICAN CITY (CNS): The US film and television industry has undergone a “revolutionary” shift toward programming with positive values since the September 11 terror attacks, said Cardinal Roger M. Mahony of Los Angeles.
“September 11 had a very important impact on segments of the film and TV industry in our country,” said the cardinal, whose diocese includes Hollywood.
As an example of the entertainment industry’s new sensitivity, he pointed out the postponed release of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Collateral Damage, about a firefighter whose family is killed by international terrorists. Originally scheduled for last October, the movie premiered on February 4 in the United States.
“I think that’s pretty extraordinary,” Cardinal Mahony said. “I don’t recall any motion picture ever being delayed because of value reasons.”
He said he’d learned from talks with film and television producers that “they are really, really rethinking a lot of the programming in light of September 11, and in fact have rejected a huge number of scripts that they just feel people don’t want to see anymore”.
“It isn’t just a negative thing – trying to get rid of the violence – but they’re looking for programs that do have some positive contribution to make,” the cardinal said.
