Anger over porn show plans

Published on 26/04/2004 01:00

CHURCH leaders expressed outrage today over plans to show a pornographic film featuring a bestiality scene at Capital cinemas.

The Good Old Naughty Days is a collection of some of the world’s first erotic movies and has the infamous R-18 classification. The city council is considering giving the go-ahead for the film to be shown at mainstream cinemas in the city.

But church leaders have called on the council to refuse to show the controversial film.

It has been reported that at least two Edinburgh cinemas are interested in screening the black-and-white collection of 12 short films, which were shot in France between 1905 and the late 1920s.

It includes scenes of bestiality involving a woman and a Highland terrier. Another segment features "nuns" being watched by voyeuristic "priests".

The Good Old Naughty Days was shown in London on Friday after it became the first movie to be given the R-18 rating by the British Board of Film Classification and then go on commercial release in the UK.

But religious leaders today urged the local authority to block any attempts to show the movie.

Reverend John Tait, of Pilrig St Paul’s Church, said the film sounded "disgusting".

He added: "I would think that this would be unacceptable.

"I hope the council consult with the Presbytery and other groups before making any decision. I do not believe that it should be shown in a cinema."

Reverend Elizabeth Ross, of St Martin’s Church in Dalry Road, added: "I don’t understand why they would want to show pornography.

"Scenes of people being degraded are not what we should be exposing people to. We should be saying that life has to be valued."

Reverend James Dewar, of Juniper Green, said: "I don’t think it is good or right for people to see this kind of film.

"Councils in these matters don’t tend to consult the churches first in these matters, but I should think that the Christian view in Edinburgh is that it should not be shown."

Iain Whyte, the Tory leader on the city council, predicted that the film was likely to be of interest to a small minority of people.

He said: "I don’t particularly believe in banning things, but if they want to show something like this they have to be careful about the publicity that goes out. It would have to be done in a way that wouldn’t offend people."

Council officials said they would not rule out showing the film in the Capital. They said that some movies shown during Edinburgh’s annual film festival had not been given any classification by the BBFC and that such decisions were made on an individual basis.

A council spokesman said: "They are judged on a case-by-case basis, and, if authorised, are shown at appropriate times and places."