I was forwarded a very interesting article by Steve Taylor today. Steve is the old CCM rocker turned filmmaker who directed the new Blue Like Jazz movie. Taylor chronicles the resistance of the Christian film industry to the film and its makers. It’s sad but predictable to hear that evangelicals have lined up to smear and defame Blue Like Jazz and its makers all in the name of protecting their hegemony – sad, predictable, and shameless. If Taylor’s version of what’s going on is true – and he’s a stand-up guy, so I’m guessing it is – then this is pretty bad. Taylor writes:
“Exhibit A: The Executive Pastor of Sherwood Baptist (where the Kendricks Brothers movies are produced) issued what amounts to a fatwa against Blue Like Jazz when he made it known that nobody who worked on our movie would be allowed to work with them in the future. (This strikes me as disingenuous at best coming from a church whose movies are distributed by Sony Home Entertainment, home of the The DaVinci Code. And tellingly, the edict was issued before the movie had ever even been screened.) Exhibit B: Provident Films, a co-distributor on each of the Kendricks Brothers movies, is also distributing a movie called October Baby next weekend. I have friends who acted in this movie, and while I haven’t seen it, as a longtime pro-lifer I certainly support its message. So why would Provident’s Vice President go to the extraordinary measure of attempting to get the Blue Like Jazz trailer banned from running in front of their movie? (This email was passed along to me, and I’m copying it unedited below.)
i think exhibitors are going to try to play the Blue Like Jazz trailer with october baby this can not happen – the trailer actually has the words “I hate Jesus” in the voiceover along with a number of images that will be very offensive to catholics it is in the best interest of theaters to not run the trailer because they are going to have a lot of angry patrons if they do thanks for your help here “
It’s an interesting article & should stir up some good discussion on how fellow artists should treat one another within the body of Christ. You can read it all here.
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