No Telford showing for Oscars winner The Artist

He's the silent film star who has made a big noise dazzling cinema audiences around the world.

But The Artist will not be making an appearance in Telford.

For cinema bosses say they have been unable to book the Oscar-winning film for the town's 10-screen Odeon, blaming 'limited distribution'.

But the black and white silent movie, starring French actor Jean Dujardin, is being shown at other venues elsewhere in the county.

Film fan John Evans, of Randlay, accused Odeon bosses of thinking people in Telford wouldn't understand the film.

He said he had approached the cinema to ask when the film would be shown – only to be told that it wasn't the type of film that played well in the area.

He said a member of the cinema's staff even said they had been to Birmingham to see it.

Mr Evans said: "It's really sad that after all we have heard about this film we won't get to see it."

The French romantic comedy drama, however, is being shown in Shrewsbury, at the town's Old Market Hall Cinema, and at the eight-screen Cineworld multiplex, where it is on all this weekend.

At the Ludlow Assembly Rooms, The Artist enjoyed a week-long run that ended on Saturday and extra matinee screenings have now been put on to meet demand.

And the film will also be shown at the Festival Drayton Centre cinema in Market Drayton this month.

A spokeswoman for Odeon cinemas said today: "Odeon can confirm that The Artist has, regrettably, not been shown at Odeon Telford.

"Despite its extraordinary success the film has a limited distribution meaning that, on this occasion, the distributor has been unwilling to supply the film.

"Odeon will continue to attempt to secure a booking, and would like to apologise to our guests for any inconvenience caused."

The black and white film tells the tale of silent movie superstar (Dujardin) whose career falters with the arrival of the 'talkies'.