British film investment
Sir: Your leading article (16 June) com- pletely ignores the ground on which the case for government assistance to our film production industry is based: the mainte- nance of our national identity in the important international medium. It is also disgraceful to suggest that those attending Mrs Thatcher's seminar are trying to obtain tax-payers' money to line their own pockets. Any government money invested in films earns its proper share of equity and is monitored by the DTI.
Of course everybody admires and enjoys some American films but we do not want to be completely dominated by simplistic values and adolescent violence that is demanded by the American market. It is not an acceptable situation that our film- making talent should be forced to pursue the flesh-pots in Hollywood and that our magnificent facilities should be devoted to the manufacture of American block- busters.
Surely we have a national creative voice that deserves to be heard even if what it says is not to the liking of Spectator readers. I personally did not like Sammy 'I wish you wouldn't do this every time we arrest an England fan.' and Rosie Get Laid but it expresses the point of view of a talented writer and a significant segment of opinion in Britain. Surely it is not the view of your leader writer that government assistance should be an instrument of censorship.
The trouble with the British industry is that we share a common language with the Americans. Our distributors and exhibitors prefer to acquire American product — and the immense hype that goes with it rather than risk investment in the produc- tion of British films. There is plenty of money in theatrical distribution and exhibi- tion — the cinemas earn £30 million annually for screen advertising alone and video distribution produces £800 mil- lion per annum.
If the government can devise some means of persuading these cash-rich sec- tions of the industry to invest in production — as they do in America — there would be no need to petition Downing Street.
Michael Relph
Southdown Cottage, Bepton, Midhurst, West Sussex
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