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Thursday, October 18, 2007

The Ten Commandments Movie Release Creates Controversy and Media Storm

The Ten Commandments Movie Release Creates Controversy and Media Storm

Startling Poll Results and Controversy Over the Use of the Word 'God' in Movie's Advertising Spawns Hundreds of News Stories

Christian Slater ('Moses') to Discuss the Movie's Release on Fox & Friends and Hannity & Colmes, Thursday, October 18

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Oct. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Amid controversy and media buzz, Promenade Pictures is set to release The Ten Commandments movie featuring the voice talent of Academy Award(TM) winner Ben Kingsley (narrator), Christian Slater (Moses), Alfred Molina (Ramses) and Academy Award(TM) nominee Elliott Gould (voice of God) on Friday, October 19.

The movie's release comes exactly 53 years after Cecil B. DeMille's epic Ten Commandments film starring Charlton Heston, but its arrival has been greeted by a vastly different climate in society and in Hollywood.

   The media hype surrounding the film focuses on three issues:    1. A poll conducted in conjunction with film's release shows that 86% of      Americans surveyed cannot name the Ten Commandments (poll conducted      September, 2007 by Kelton Research on behalf of the Ten Commandments      Commission).    2. News outlets are reporting that a radio advertisement for the movie was      altered at the request of Radio Disney to remove the word "God."    3. Organizations nationwide are responding in support of the producers'      right to use "God" in their movie ads, and launching Ten Commandments      awareness campaigns.    Startling New Ten Commandments Poll  

A new poll conducted by Kelton Research (on behalf of The Ten Commandments Commission, and The Ten Commandments movie) shows that Americans remember the ingredients in a Big Mac hamburger and the characters from the Brady Bunch much better than they remember the Ten Commandments.

Out of the 1,000 respondents, almost two in five (35%) can recall all six Brady kids, a quarter (25%) could name all seven ingredients of the Big Mac, but only just over one in ten (14%) can accurately list all Ten Commandments (more on the study can be found at http://www.10commandmentschallenge.org/).

News links: (Due to length of some URLs, please cut and paste into browser.)

Christianity Today http://www.christiantoday.com/article/survey.americans.more.familiar.with.big. mac.ingredients.than.10.commandments/13698.htm

Yahoo http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/071009/latu128.html?.v=65

Reuters http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSN1223894020071012

Other News Links http://www.firesociety.com/forum/thread/18570/TEN-COMMANDMENTS-MOVIE-DISNEY--- WHICH-GOD-/?src=103 http://ipastor.blogspot.com/2007/10/big-mac-vs-ten-commandments.html http://www.rayfowler.org/2007/10/16/more-on-the-new-ten-commandments-movie/ http://familyactionorganization.wordpress.com/2007/10/15/disney-bans-god-from- the-ten-commandments-movie-ads/ http://www.kusi.com/entertainment/10505212.html http://www.postchronicle.com/news/entertainment/article_212108185.shtml

Disney Controversy

The Ten Commandments movie has also caught media attention for a controversy over ads running on Radio Disney. Fox News ran stories on Fox & Friends and on Weekend Live this week reporting that Radio Disney execs requested the removal of the words "Chosen By God" from the movie's radio ads.

Promenade Pictures' CEO Frank Yablans (who was the former head of Paramount Pictures, and was co-founder of Disney's Buena Vista Pictures), responded to the demands by saying "Who do they think gave Moses his power? Tinkerbell?"

News links:

World Net Daily http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=58158

One News Now http://www.onenewsnow.com/2007/10/liberty_counsel_announces_petition_.php

Organizations Respond in Support

Liberty Council founder and chairman Matthew D. Staver is rallying his members to protest Disney's actions. Staver says, "It's highly offensive that the family-friendly company Disney portrays itself to be would actually eliminate God from an ad about The Ten Commandments." The organization is asking Radio Disney to use what Staver calls "common sense" and stop censoring Promenade's ad.

Many other influential Christian organizations, including the American Family Association, have endorsed The Ten Commandments film in an effort to launch a new campaign to build awareness of the Ten Commandments in society.

                 "A dazzling animated epic for the family"                           ~ The Dove Foundation  "A great story...a great Moses...great reasons families should see The Ten                               Commandments"  

~ American Family Association, Rev. Donald E. Wildmon, Founder and Chairman

                      "A wonderful movie for families"                        ~ MovieGuide, Dr. Ted Baehr  "The Ten Commandments film is both delightful and powerful.  It is one of          those rare films that every child and adult should see"             ~ Mission America Coalition, Paul Cedar, Chairman  

"What usually comes out of Hollywood is not worth commenting about, but every now and then there is a cause to celebrate...I commend Promenade Pictures for their work in helping bring The Ten Commandments to the heart and soul of the

                                  nation"        ~ Ten Commandments Commission, Dr. Ron Wexler, President/CEO   

In addition to publicity hits on nationwide media outlets, Christian Slater, who plays Moses in the film, will appear on Thursday, October 18 on Fox & Friends and Hannity & Colmes.

Los Angeles based Motive Entertainment, which directed the grass roots marketing campaigns for Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" and the record breaking Walden Media/Disney epic series, "The Chronicles of Narnia," has developed a grass roots campaign for the film, with a variety of materials aimed at helping people learn and memorize the Ten Commandments.

About Promenade Pictures

Promenade Pictures was founded and is led by studio pioneer and entertainment industry legend Frank Yablans, who serves as CEO. Cindy Bond, who serves as President and COO of the company, oversees a team of veteran media industry executives including Ron Booth, Charlie Gay and John McAdams.

Promenade Pictures has established itself as a full-service production, distribution and marketing company specializing in the distribution of theatrical motion pictures appropriate for the entire family.

The company has leveraged the expertise and relationships of its principals and senior executive team to build a highly successful operation that in just a few short years has emerged as one of the leading privately held independent film and television companies focusing on the family market.

Promenade continues to maintain its independence and aggressively explore opportunities that will build upon the company's business mandate. Further branding itself in the family arena, Promenade has already entered into contracts and associations with many of the most recognized moral-valued authors, filmmakers and brands.

   For more information, please visit http://www.promenadepictures.com/    About Kelton Research  

Kelton Research is a full service market research consultancy with offices in Los Angeles, New York, and Washington DC. Kelton serves as a strategic partner to both Fortune 500 corporations and smaller companies, utilizing a wide range of qualitative and quantitative methodologies to drive tactical recommendations for clients.

   Publicity Contact:    L.A.B. Media   Lesley Burbridge-Bates   615.321.6400   lesley.bates@labmediaonline.com  

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Promenade Pictures

CONTACT: Lesley Burbridge-Bates of L.A.B. Media, +1-615-321-6400,
lesley.bates@labmediaonline.com, for Promenade Pictures

Web site: http://www.promenadepictures.com/


Profile: International Entertainment

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