Post by dreamy on Nov 17, 2005 23:18:11 GMT 10
DOUBLE 0 HEAVEN: Sir Sean Connery takes a closer look at Richard Murphy's design for the proposed new cinema.Picture: DAVID MOIR
Sir Sean is out of the picture after snub by city movie buffs
GARETH EDWARDS
HE is the world's most famous living Scotsman, known around the globe as a Hollywood icon.
Sean Connery is instantly recognisable as a former James Bond and the star of scores of blockbuster films.
But moves to name the Capital's new showpiece cinema after Edinburgh's most famous son have been met with a storm of protest from film fans.
Around half of the 40-odd people who have commented about the new plans have asked that the new cinema is not named the Sean Connery Filmhouse.
Staff at the existing Filmhouse on Lothian Road were stunned by the responses, written in a comment book forming part of a display about the new plans in the cinema's foyer.
Some film fans feel that Edinburgh is more famous than Sir Sean and want to see the Edinburgh Filmhouse retain its current name.
And some believe that while Sir Sean's work includes an impressive array of movies, performances in mediocre films such as Meteor and Zardoz - in which he stars alongside a giant flying stone head - showed he was not worthy of the honour.
Film fans insisted that Sir Sean wasn't "that great" an actor and that if the cinema was to be named after him, he should contribute to the cost.
A scale model of the new £20 million cinema has been on display in the Filmhouse foyer for the last three weeks, to give the venue's regulars a chance to have their say. The actor has already confirmed his support for the development, which would feature five cinemas, a cafe bar, film shop, exhibition space and educational facilities.
Filmhouse Development Officer Beverley Nicolson said: "I had a flick through the comments book a few days ago and I did notice there were quite a lot about the possibility of naming the building after Sir Sean.
"I was quite surprised to see that so many people were against the idea, although it is worth noting that none of them left their names beside the comments.
"Obviously, it is something that will be talked about in further discussions about moving the project forward, and certainly nothing has been set in stone in terms of the name of the building."
The cinema, planned for Festival Square in Lothian Road, would provide a new home for the Edinburgh International Film Festival.
Richard Murphy, the architect, said: "I really don't understand that reaction. He is one of the most famous film stars in the world and he is from Edinburgh, so it would seem a bit churlish not to name it after him. But I suppose there are some funny people out there.
"With public comments it is always difficult, as it seems whenever you propose a new building in Edinburgh there are howls of protest, and yet once it's built people are queuing up to get in. It's nice that some people can see it is about more than just building a cinema, and that it could help an area that really isn't being used properly at the moment."
heritage.scotsman.com/traditions.cfm?id=2194132005
but due to his often outstanding performances in films .
