BRüNO CUT DOWN TO SIZE

By Graham Young on Jul 14, 09 07:42 AM

AFTER breaking the record for the highest grossing 18 certificate opening weekend comedy (pray, just think of all the competition it's had before!), Brüno is now being cut down to size in a pioneering move.

Find out why below.

Universal Pictures UK is now hoping to take even more money by releasing a specially edited version of Brüno with a '15' certificate to go into theatres across the UK from Friday, July 24.

It is believed to be the first time in the UK that two different versions of a single film have been released at the same time.

Interestingly, the '15' version is only one minute 50 seconds shorter than the original '18' film.

It would have been a lot better if it had aimed for a 15 certitificate in the first place since its over-the-top sexual nature does not do anything for its quality.

The really bad news about doing this to a film is that some distributors might well see this as a way forward.

But putting two versions of the same movie into cinemas would simply mean more hogging of screens.

What real filmgoers want is a decent choice of proper movies so that we might get to see the likes of The Private Lives of Pippa Lee playing in some Birmingham multiplexes.

Now that would be worth crowing about, because the nearest current screening of this film, starring Robin Wright Penn and Keanu Reeves, is in Oxford!

Meanwhile, Universal Pictures International president David Kosse says: "For Brüno to become the biggest '18' opening Friday of all time in the UK is phenomenal.

"Due to the overwhelming demand by fans who are desperate to see the film, we're really pleased to be able to offer a '15' certificate version.

"Both of these versions will allow many more of Brüno's fans in the UK to enjoy the film."

In the UK, Brüno took an estimated £5m in its opening weekend.

It also opened at No 1 in the US grossing $30.4m on its way to grossing $55.4m worldwide during the first weekend of its release.

Brüno is the latest film from celebrated British comedic actor Sacha Baron Cohen who stars as an outlandish gay Austrian fashion TV presenter with an unquenchable thirst for fame and celebrity.

The film is directed by Larry Charles (Religilous, Borat) and written by Baron Cohen, Anthony Hines, Dan Mazer and Jeff Schaffer.