Cinema Junkie Makes a Stand Against Bullshit

The Canadian grindhouse homage "Dead Hooker in a Trunk" screened in San Diego last year at Horrible Imaginings but the film has run into controversy trying to get a screening in Saskatchewan for the Dark Bridges Film Festival.

Censorship really ticks me off. The case involving "Dead Hooker in a Trunk" is the kind of censorship that business folks like brush off by saying they are not really "censoring" they are just responding to the marketplace. Only problem with that is sometimes the "marketplace" is just one person or a few complaining people trying to force their narrow boundaries of acceptable fare on others. And to make matters worse, the people who claim to be offended have never bothered to actually see what it is that they are trying to ban from public view. But wait, I get ahead of myself.

-Beth Accomando, Cinema Junkie

There is almost nothing in the world that I love more than a smart feminist. There are so many misconceptions on feminism and every time a 'feminist' speaks out without having all the facts, they make the rest of us look stupid. Like the 'feminist' that anonymously called complaining about the screening of DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK who also cowardly ripped down all posters advertising the screening festival in the middle of the night. Thank you for trying to get us bare foot and pregnant, making a delicious dinner in the confines of the kitchen. That said, 'anonymous' probably didn't think that far or farther than her own knee-jerk reaction to something she didn't have all the facts for.


Thank God that isn't the situation in all cases. One of the most brilliant and well spoken feminists I have ever had the pleasure of knowing is Beth Accomando. She has heard about this banning bullshit and she decided to look into it with this expertly articulate article and interview with John Allison, the programmer for the Dark Bridges Film Fest. Beth doesn't pull punches and says it like it is with a full knowledge of the entire issue and I love her for it.

Now I'm not saying that these films are inoffensive or that if the complaining folks had seen the films they would change their mind. Quite the contrary. These films are almost designed to be offensive and the the outraged parties might have become even more outraged if they had bothered to see the films or even watch the trailers. But the films serve up a gleeful kind of offense, the kind John Waters would be proud of because it offends as it skewers conventional values and suggests anarchy is better than a tame status quo. Plus there is such a sense of joy in the inventive, do-it-yourself filmmaking that if you love horror or just film in general it's hard not to take some delight in the filmmakers' passion. The real question is, "Are these films not just offensive but obscene, and obscene to the point that audiences should not be allowed the choice to see them?"

In my opinion these films are not obscene, and people who want to see them on the big screen should have the opportunity. A midnight screening with viewers made fully aware of the films' ratings and content seems perfectly reasonable. No one is being forced to watch and the late hour restricts who would be able to see the extreme films. So there has to be a very clear distinction made between merely offensive and obscene. Because as John Cleese once said: "Some people deserve to be offended."

Please take the time to check out the whole, informative article. It explores the whole issue without any sugar-coating which is precisely the way an adult discussion about censorship in today's world should be handled. I would like to thank Beth for looking into these events up North and sharing the story with people. Even if this wasn't our film that had come under attack, I would still be in an uproar that a film was banned from a theater without being viewed based on a satirical title.

I don't think the nay-sayers expected this kind of response from the horror community which has been looked down upon like a group of sadists with no artistic merit in the work they love. In a way, I'm happy that this happened. It gave outsiders an opportunity to find out who really makes up the horror community: intelligent, responsible, and informed individuals interested in an open discussion and exchange of ideas. So many beautifully put together thoughts, while they were probably just expecting us to say 'fuck you' and run away like frightened animals.


It's a great day for horror indeed. Despite the fights we will all be fighting for a very long time to educate those who don't understand us and why we are impassioned about what we are.

~Sylv

The Broadway Theatre Welcomes in Dead Hooker In A Trunk Despite the Controversy

Some of you may have noticed that we just changed the venue to The Broadway Theatre. We will now be screening both of these two movies at the original stated time and date (April 22 at 11:30pm). Even though we ran into a snag we still love the Roxy Theatre as much as we did before but we are extremely happy that The Broadway is willing to support us.

- Dark Bridges Film Festival

The level of class and dignity that John Allison and The Dark Bridges Film Festival have shown in the face of such ignorance in the banning of their films from the Roxy Theater - courtesy of Tom Hutchinson - is inspirational. The fact that the film was banned on title alone without anyone naysayer even bothering to watch the film or look into the background of the incredible team that made it still sickens me. I feel very sorry for those too close-minded to see their own levels of misinformation, but today is a new day and 'Dead Hooker in a Trunk' shall play.



Let there be Canadian-made indie horror for everyone to enjoy and have a good time - because that is what we are here for and why the film was made!

Now if you are even close to the area, I implore you in light of recent events, please come and see the film. Anonymous callers, you too, are more than welcome. Once you actually see the film - you will see why so many have stood by it to have it screened. This is a case of a book being judged wrongly by its cover. Huge thanks to those who used their joined voices to stand beside our film and freedom of expression through the arts --

Jennifer Cooper's petition to get the banning overturned.

Heidi Honeycutt of FanGirlTastic who wrote a brutally honest and perfectly crass (why do women always have to apologize for language? I applaud hers, because she always knows how to get people talking) piece about the real dead hookers and ours.

Spooky Sean's open letter to the Roxy Theater and their stance on the film. Awesome as fuck.

Joel 'Ratman' Wells' piece on the banning on the film and the sheer lunacy of this censorship.

Zach Schildwachter and the most gracious team at the Bloodsprayer who have been there to get the word out about the film, now they're here to make sure people know the real facts behind the film and this censorship.

Alyse Wax of Feardotnet, What The Fear and her excellent piece articulating the pure ridiculousness of the accusations against the film and the reason behind the ban.

Dr. Gore of the Horror Society and Chad Clinton Freeman where they discuss the banning in details with an alternative - the Pollygrind would love to have us back.


I would like to thank Nia Edwards-Behi and Adam Williams of the Abertoir Film Fest, Andrew Rose of DOA Bloodbath Entertainment, everyone who signed the petition, wrote their own letters, and used education in hopes of clearing up an emotionally charged situation.

No one likes to hear someone else dictate what they can and can not see. At the same time, when there are real life homicides that are going unresolved with the problem not showing any signs of remedy - I'm not surprised that people are frustrated. What they should be is frustrated with their own municipalities for not taking this issue seriously, rather than directing that anger at a film that - believe it or not - actually gives dignity and humanity to the title character.

I will leave you with a clever quote posted by Simon Nisbet on the petition wall -

"What is freedom of expression? Without the freedom to offend, it ceases to exist."

- Salman Rushdie

For more information on this screening please click here. Again, because the drama that has arisen in the community about this screening, please do try to make it out. We would love to have you all there to properly represent the film and film goers.


I'd like to end with this, the grace and the class that you have handled yourselves with is beyond commendable. The general public has a very misguided view on horror, hence, a 'horror film' often loses merit before any further investigation into the project is done. I have seen countless treads and posts where people have stood by the film using logical conversation to try to educate about this field and this particular film. I can't thank you enough for your noble efforts.

People assume the horror community is made up of stupid, vile people - it's very nice to have this opportunity to show them just how wrong they have been.

~Jen and Sylv

DHIAT Censorship Controversy hits The Star Phoenix

Our story has hit the local news. If you haven't heard about all the fuss surrounding a double billing screening of our beloved DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK alongside THE TAINT through Dark Bridges Film Festival's John Allsion being banned and canceled by the Roxy Theatre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, you, my friend, must have spent the weekend under a rock.

But fear not, you can read about it here, as our story hit the local news.

Though the "anonymous" folks who protested the screening decided, in the true nature of anonymity, to not talk to the press, though I imagine they would have been more than free to remain anonymous, both sides of this argument were heard.

Allison believes the backlash is related to the Roxy's location in Riversdale.

"I don't want it to be about Riversdale. I had complaints of How could you put 'Dead Hooker in a Trunk' and 'Kill women' in Riversdale when there's so much violence against women in Riversdale.' That's the wrong way to look at this type of stuff for me," Allison said. "Violence is wrong, whether it's in Riversdale or elsewhere. We're perpetuating this myth that Riversdale is a bad area."

Allison said he understands why violence is a sensitive topic and why people might be offended by the poster, but he wants to encourage debate rather than outright censorship.

Though I sympathize with the murders anyone anywhere, regardless of their profession and given labels, I feel this was a mistake on behalf of the theatre and that our film has been used unfairly to voice outrage over how prostitutes and their murders in the area have not been taken seriously by the local law enforcement. This film is so much more than a unconventional title. It is a testament to independent and Canadian film. People should be allowed to choose to see the film or not.

But they should be given the choice.

~ Jen

Ripped Posters, The Aftermath of the Banning of 'Dead Hooker in a Trunk' by the Roxy Theater in Saskatoon

Sole surviving poster. Hope she's still up tomorrow. Probably not.

Torn poster. Ignorance couldn't rip through heavy duty tape.

More destroyed posters. The sad reality that people take things for surface value rather than what's actually there in front of them. Ironically, the film is facing the same-close mindedness from these individuals as the people they are 'protecting' do.

The more things change the more they stay the same
The more things change the more they stay the same
The more things change the more they stay the same
The more things change the more they stay the same

-Bon Jovi, lyrics from The More Things Change

My sincerest and most heartfelt apologies to John Allison for all this misdirected community outrage. After reading account after account of authorities 'not taking the problem seriously' in regards to actual murder victims, I am surprised that these efforts are being focused on the creative expression of independent artists rather than where it actually belongs.

Actually, not surprised. Just deeply saddened.

~Sylv