School film ban ‘misguided’

Press, 14 April 1984, Page 8

School film ban ‘misguided’

PA Auckland The Education Minister’s ban on primary and intermediate pupils seeing such film classics as Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” because , of jtiteir censorship rating is “rnisguided and out of touch,” says a cinema executive, Mr Michael Moodabe. He was commenting in Auckland yesterday, on Mr Wellington’s directive that intermediate pupils may no longer be taken in school parties to films with a GY rating (suitable for people 13 years and older). Other classics such as “Richard HI,” “Jane Eyre,” “Wuthering Heights,” “Dr Zhivago,” and “2001, a Space

Odyssey” carry a GY rating. Mr Moodabe, Amalgamated Theatres’ marketing director, said the directive had already brought several cancellations of block bookings. While Mr Wellington did not mention GA rated films in his directive to schools, Mr Moodabe said schools were now cancelling block bookings for “Never Cry Wolf.” The film, an Arctic wildlife adventure based on a true story, carries a GA rating which means it has been passed for general exhibition but recommended as suitable for adults. Mr Moodabe said the ’book' on which the film is based 1 , by a biologist, Farley

Mowat, has been widely read in schools.

Mr Wellington said last evening that be, as well as parents, were worried by the time taken by school trips, such as ’ visits to cinemas. The cost of such trips also concerned him. He said that such considerations, and the question of the legality of taking primary and intermediate children to films rated by the censor as being suitable for children over 13, were reasons for a recent Ministerial directive banning such trips. “These sorts of things should be done with parents,” he said. Mr Wellington said he expected to be criticised for

his action, but his first duty was to children, to their time in schools, and to the law. The Association of Film and Television Teachers said this week’s release of “Never Cry Wolf’ highlighted the problems of Mr Wellington’s directive. Despite the GA certificate, the Walt Disney film was by far the most suitable film for school trips this year, said the secretary of A.F.T.T., Mr Martin Blythe. Mr Blythe, said the only films to which primary and intermediate children could now be taken, or could be shown at school, were G rated films for general viewing, and these were all cartoons.