There's an interesting article over at Variety which talks about the marketing for this year's action flick SHOOT' EM UP' and how these posters below that advertised the film back in September, have now been banned from ever being showcased in the U.K. again...
The reason they have been banned is the worrying concerns over the rising gun crime in the U.K. and after many complains of 'insenstivity' to the families of gun related victims that have plagued the country this year. Apparantley the reason the posters got past the Advertising Viewing Committee of the Film Distribution Association in the first place was because the guns held by Clive Owen and Paul Giamatti in the posters were angled away from the viewer. But after so many complains, the posters will no longer advertise the film's release onto DVD and there's no question that they won't be used for the DVD cover. So were the posters insensitive or are families over-reacting towards the 'over the top' posters used for an action/comedy? Also, what does this mean for the future of film advertising in the U.K? Will movies no longer be able to use an image of a gun in it's advertising at all, or at least long enough until people feel it's ok to use such imagery again?