Letter: Art-house variety

Sir: Emma Cook complains that the National Film Theatre offers "little diversity" in its programming (Irritations of Modern Life: Art- house Cinemas, 10 February). However, to take one example, films being shown on 10 February included: My Name is Joe; Body Politics Part One: The Feminine; The Stationmaster's Wife; Les Diaboliques; and Rush Hour. That is: British Socialist Realism; the Avant-Garde; New German Cinema; French Noir; and contemporary Hollywood.

On the contrary, it is the modern multiplex that shows a distaste for variety, filling its screens with nothing but $100m blockbusters (and the odd British film - as long as it stars Gwyneth Paltrow), and evincing a great fear of anything without special effects or with subtitles.

Blockbuster cinema can be wonderful - who isn't thrilled to the core at the thought of a new Star Wars? - but there's so much more to the medium.

And the reason anyone would disapprove of There's Something About Mary is that it's a deeply unfunny film.

MATTHEW LEYLAND

London E4