2 Sundance flicks spur threats

A pair of films screened at the Sundance Film Festival were apparently so controversial that the films were the subject of threats.

Park City police disclosed Wednesday that they were called to investigate a pair of threats made over the films "Hounddog" and "Chapter 27."

"The filmmaker of 'Hounddog' did receive a threat," Park City Police Lt. Rick Ryan said. "We did increase our staff and security for that screening and for the main talents."

Park City police said the director reported receiving a death threat but was not interested in pursuing an investigation any further.

"Hounddog" was a lightning rod for controversy throughout the festival over allegations that it was child pornography and that 12-year-old actress Dakota Fanning had been sexually exploited during its making. Christian groups have called for a U.S. Department of Justice investigation.

Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff went to see the movie, praising it for bringing attention to the issue of child rape and child abuse. He concluded it did not violate any laws.

Last Thursday, police sent a bomb-sniffing dog into the Eccles Theatre in Park City after receiving information that someone had made a threat over the movie "Chapter 27."

The film, starring Jared Leto and Lindsay Lohan, is about John Lennon's assassin, Mark David Chapman. The film has sparked complaints from fans of the Beatles. Police said someone had posted a comment on an Internet Web site claiming the movie would "bomb" with an emphasis on the word.

"As a precaution, they (the filmmakers) asked that we do a search of the venue," Ryan said.

Nothing was found and the filmmakers opted not to pursue an investigation.

At least two Web sites, boycottchapter27.org and boycottchapter27. com, have sprung up since filming on "Chapter 27" began last year.

"This film purports to document the life of Mark David Chapman in the days leading up to his infamous murder of John Lennon," reads one Web site. "This film diminishes the horror of Lennon's brutal murder and sadistically shifts the historical focus from his career to his assassination. Most importantly, it fulfills Chapman's own prophecy of becoming famous through murdering Lennon."