Dutch theatres ban Alice in Wonderland release   

By The Holland Times Tuesday 16 February 2010, 10:02

Dutch cinemas will not show the highly anticipated Alice in Wonderland movie from director Tim Burton. The Dutch association of Cinema Operators (NVB) announced the decision on Monday.

The Netherlands is not the only country to stoplight the film. Throughout Europe as well as within the United States major cinema operators have banned the movie, citing dissatisification with the release policy of the film's distributor, Disney. Disney wants the movie's cinematic release to be in early March with the DVD to be available in June.

This policy goes against prior agreements between cinema operators and the DVD industry. Officially, at least four months must pass between theatrical screening and a film's DVD release. Otherwise, cinemas say they have too little time to offer a film to the public.

The Dutch cinema industry is joining the international decision to not show Alice in Wonderland. "It is not a Dutch problem," stresses Youry Bredewold of Pathe theatres, the largest cinema operator in the Netherlands. "All major companies in europe and America have rallied behind this decision."

The behavior of Disney shows no respect for prior agreements within the industry. According to Pathe, their decision is "very threatening to the cinema. With a new production, you have to have time for people to spend money in the cinema. Disney is shooting themselves in the foot with this policy."

Disney has had similar problems in the past with the film Up, which was available in DVD format just three months after its theatrical release. Alice in wonderland is a partially animated 3D version of the famous book by Lewis Carroll. The film stars major actors inlcuding Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Stephen Fry and Alan Rickman.

Disney is currently considering a response to the decision made by the cinemas.