Hollywood films closer to home

By JEREMY REES and THE INDEPENDENT

In America, the east coast's pain could be the west's economic gain.

Hollywood, which has long farmed out its movie production to locations in New York and Canada, is starting to bring its movies home after the September 11 terrorist attacks, bringing predictions of an economic boom in Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles Times said local production of movies could increase by 10 per cent or more, adding "hundreds of millions of dollars" to the city's economy.

The predicted boom comes even as Hollywood increases its security, with barricaded entrances, vehicle searches and tightened access.

Hollywood stars and producers, used to taking a plane anywhere, have become reluctant to travel after the hijacking of four jet airliners.

Men in Black producer Barry Josephson said: "The days when people jumped on and off planes are over. No more."

Studios have become nervous about filming in unusual but less secure locations such as the Middle East or Central America. Safer countries such as Australia and Canada, as well as Los Angeles, could benefit from the state of fear.

New Zealand film-makers said it was too early to tell if this country would gain.

In an effort to entice film crews back to New York - America's second most used location - Mayor Rudolph Giuliani has given them permission to restart filming in his city.

Filming on Manhattan streets was banned after the attacks.

Many television shows have either been abandoned or re-edited since September 11.

One episode of Friends had to be reshot because its action focused largely around an airport and its check-in procedures.

The CBS network pulled a new drama that made a direct reference to Osama bin Laden. One storyline from The Agency revolved around a bomb being planted at Harrods.

One unlikely victim in Britain was an episode of Emmerdale, which was purged to remove references to flights and flight attendants.

On the BBC, an episode of The Simpsons, titled Side Show Bob Turns Terrorist, was pulled and Drop Zone, a thriller about a killer on a Boeing 747, was also scrapped. A Timewatch look at the Empire State Building was postponed.

In America, the Blockbuster video chain has warning signs about videos featuring terrorism, saying: "In light of the events of September 11, please note that this product contains scenes that may be disturbing to some viewers."

Among movies put on ice was Collateral Damage, with Arnold Schwarzenegger as a firefighter whose wife and child are killed in a terrorist blast in a Los Angeles skyscraper.

The Walt Disney comedy Big Trouble, which shows a bomb in a suitcase on a plane, has been pulled from release indefinitely.

Men in Black 2 will also have to be altered because its ending takes place against the backdrop of the World Trade Center.

Bill Maher, host of the television show Politically Incorrect, ended up in hot water.

In an exchange with foreign policy analyst Dinesh D'Souza, Maher contrasted the supposed "cowardice" of the suicide hijackers with a US policy of conducting aerial wars with little or no risk to American lives.

"We have been the cowards, lobbing cruise missiles from 2000 miles away. That's cowardly," he said.

"Staying in the airplane when it hits the building - say what you want about it, it's not cowardly."

Within 24 hours, Federal Express withdrew its sponsorship, and the Sears department store chain followed suit.

Disney chief executive and ABC overlord Michael Eisner forced Maher to apologise.

The White House said all Americans "need to watch what they do".

Map: Opposing forces in the war against terror

Afghanistan facts and links