Oliver Stone pins 'Alexander' US failure on moral conservatism

Director Oliver Stone says rigid moral attitudes in America are behind the poor domestic performance of his epic film 'Alexander,' which has earned less than 25 percent of its 150-million-dollar production cost at the US box office. Stone spoke at the film's London premiere on 5 January 2005.

Stone, 58, called bisexuality's portrayal in the film a lightning rod for American audiences, noting that southern media reduced the story to tabloid shorthand that kept viewers away entirely. He had expected a historical biography of the 4th-century Macedonian conqueror to be uncontroversial, given his reputation for provocative filmmaking. Stars Colin Farrell and Angelina Jolie attended the London event.

Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this AFP wire report, first published in January 2005, in its own words.