FILM / Rushes

A reader rings to complain about a performance of the Tina Turner biopic What's Love Got to Do With It at London's Odeon Swiss Cottage. She was alarmed to discover that she could barely hear the soundtrack, particularly galling as she was primed for a rock 'n' roll decibel fix.

After approaching the management, our reader was told that the sparse audience was 'middle- aged' and didn't appreciate being disturbed. The irritated patron was moved to ask, 'Why are they watching a Tina Turner movie then?' and suggested that the volume be raised; if anyone complained it could be turned down again. 'No,' came the answer. Disgruntled, the reader departed, ticket price refunded.

An Odeon spokesman explained: 'Film sound levels are a contentious issue. We have a pre- set volume in each auditorium, which, of course, is adjusted according to the film shown. We are actually following distributor Buena Vista's request that What's Love have a certain volume setting. It may interest you to know that a few minutes prior to your reader's complaint, another customer complained that the film was too loud.'

If you have a similar tale of cinematic consumer woe you would like investigated or explained, write to Big Screen Blues, Arts, 40 City Road, London EC1Y 2DB.

Sequel Hell: Tippi Hedren in The Birds II, The Next Karate Kid (despite a poor box office on Karate Kid III), Landmowner Man II (minus Stephen King's approval), 9 1/2 Weeks II (despite financial woes Kim Basinger has passed on the project), Wayne's World II (with Basinger on board as Major Babe) and The Fly III with Geena Davis - despite the fact that Davis's character died giving birth to Jeff Goldblum's maggot in The Fly II.

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