Wellington Airport vowed last Tuesday to press on with plans for a “Wellywood” sign in the New Zealand capital despite local opposition and legal threats from the guardians of the original US “Hollywood” landmark.
The 8m-high sign across a hillside owned by the airport was designed as a tribute to Wellington’s film industry, which has created blockbusters such as The Lord of the Rings.
But the idea has divided the city’s residents, with some labeling it “crass” and a “try-hard” attempt to ride the coattails of the real Hollywood, while others defend it as an edgy promotion that will boost tourism.
Photo: EPA
照片:歐新社
An opinion poll of 300 Wellingtonians released last Tuesday found opponents were in the majority, with 64 percent, while only 22 percent thought it was a good idea.
The plan also prompted a protest involving about 80 people at Wellington Airport last Monday night, where demonstrators disrupted traffic and displayed placards opposing the sign.
By last Tuesday evening, a Facebook page opposing the plan had more than 23,000 “likes” while a “Support Wellywood” page had just over 10,000.
And Prime Minister John Key said he was not convinced the plan was a good idea, adding: “I don’t mind if they do it. It’s up to them, but personally I’d put Wellington up.”
The airport’s problems mounted when the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce also weighed in, saying it was disappointed the idea had not been scrapped after it was first mooted last year.
Chamber chief executive Leron Gubler accused Wellington Airport of ignoring his organization’s concerns and said he wanted recognition that the chamber held trademark rights on the famous lettering in Los Angeles.
“Otherwise, the lawyers can sort it out, but that seems a shame, particularly in regard to a project that appears to be controversial in Wellington already,” he said in a statement emailed to AFP.
Gubler added: “We are not without a sense of humor, nor without legal rights.”
In response, Wellington Airport released a letter dated early last month in which it raised the possibility of paying a licence fee to the chamber.
“Although this does not change Wellington Airport’s position in relation to proceeding with the Wellywood sign, Wellington Airport remains open to discussions with the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce,” it said in a statement.
The original Hollywood sign was erected in 1923 to advertise a property development called Hollywoodland.
The last four letters were removed in the 1940s and by the 1970s it had fallen into disrepair until Playboy mogul Hugh Hefner persuaded celebrities to refurbish it by each sponsoring a letter.
(AFP)
威靈頓機場上週二誓言堅決繼續進行在紐西蘭首都架設「威靈塢」標誌的計畫,不顧當地人的反對,與原本美國「好萊塢」地標維護者威嚇提告。
八公尺高的標誌,橫跨架設在一座機場管轄的山腰,是要向拍攝《魔戒》等非常成功電影的威靈頓電影工業致敬。
不過此舉造成市民兩極化的反應,有些人甚至稱利用真正好萊塢的聲望來促銷自己是「愚蠢」與「刻意」的嘗試,但支持者辯解這是個犀利的推銷,以增進觀光產業發展。
一項上週二公布對三百位威靈頓人所做的民調顯示,反對者佔多數,有百分之六十四;而認為這是個好點子的支持者只有百分之二十二。
這項計劃也促使約八十名抗議人士上週一晚上,在威靈頓機場阻礙交通,並且展示反對架設此標誌的標語牌。
直到上週二傍晚,一個反對這項計劃的臉書網頁,已有兩萬三千人點選「讚」,而「支持『威靈塢』」的網頁僅稍高於一萬人。
紐西蘭總理約翰‧凱伊說,他沒有被說服這項計劃是個好主意,他補充說,「我不介意他們架設此標誌。這由他們決定,但我個人寧願架設『威靈頓』的字樣。」
在好萊塢商會也介入後,機場的問題攀升。商會說,這個點子在去年被討論後,至今並未被刪除而感到失望。
商會會長萊倫‧谷伯樂控告威靈頓機場忽視商會的顧慮,他並說他要讓座落於洛杉磯著名的字樣標誌,被公認為商會的註冊商標。
在一封給法新社的聲明電子郵件指出,「不然,此案可交由律師搞定,但這看起來丟臉,特別是關於一個似乎在威靈頓已引發爭議的計劃。」
谷伯樂補充說,「我們並非缺乏幽默感,也並非沒有法律權益。」
威靈頓機場上個月發布的一封信回應,內容提出支付商會一筆權利金的可能性。
其在一篇聲明中指出,「雖然這並沒有改變威靈頓機場攸關架設『威靈塢』標誌的立場,機場方面保持開放與好萊塢商會討論的空間。」
架設於一九二三年的原創好萊塢標誌,是要為一個稱為『好萊塢莊園』的地產開發打廣告。
在一九四零年代時,最後的『莊園』字樣被拿掉,一九七零年代時,此標誌已年久失修,直到《花花公子》大亨修‧海夫納說服政商名流,請每位贊助修復一個標誌的字母。
(法新社/翻譯:林亞蒂)
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