Posted on 10/20/2003 12:56:33 PM PDT by jonalvy44
According to Daniel Pipes: Jonathan V. Last notes in today's Wall Street Journal that the war on terror is not the subject of a single U.S. feature film already produced or in the works. When asked why should be, head of the Motion Picture Association of America, Jack Valenti, replies with questions of his own: "Who would you have as the enemy if you made a picture about terrorism? You'd probably have Muslims, would you not? If you did, I think there would be backlash from the decent, hard-working, law-abiding Muslim community in this country."
(Excerpt) Read more at pabaah.com ...
Damn, that's too easy-hire a bunch of Swedes as terrorists then the decent, hard-working, law-abiding Muslim community probably wouldn't object, right Jack, you senile old nitwit.
We certainly can't have a movie about people who commit terrorist acts and behave like terrorists. It might p@@@-off sleeper cells and cause them to strike innocent Americans before they had planned to any way.
It's really too bad that Hollywierd refuses to make the kind of movies that they made during the WW II.
We gave America a reason to keep on keeping on and portrayed our enemies doing the same brutish things that they were doing.
PC has definitely ruined much of what is good in America.
Now that is a major achievement.
Though I admit they still go a little PC.
The WWII depictions were moving in their portrayal of Soldiers, so much so that they undoubtedly contributed mightily to the overwhelming celebration those brave men recieved upon their victorious return, and the gratitude they recieved from all America.
That the history of American films, which contains so many outstanding war movies, will NOT have anything of note to remind us all of this most recent and brutal chapter in our country's history is nothing less than a crime.
It would seem that the days of such honorable luminaries as Clark Gable, John Ford, James Stewart, Lee Marvin, and Henry Fonda (ALL of whom VOLUNTARILY served in the Armed Forces), just to name a few; and such others as John Wayne, who portrayed the American Soldier with such obvious respect and admiration, are long gone. Notice, that in the wake of Black Tuesday, exactly ZERO Hollywood "stars" volunteered to suspend, even temporarily, their pampered, million+ dollar-a-movie lives to serve the country which made it all possible. NONE, not actors, not directors, and not screenwriters, are even TRYING to do this war the justice that those fighting it deserve. Its beginning, its implications, and its ultimate results mean nothing to them.
I ask again, for the millionth time it seems, how did we get to this? Was it the '60s generation and its aftermath? Because so many of them chose to desert their country, and then to offer ludicrous rationalizations for their cowardice, that ANY conflict, no matter how justified and righteous, is now "tainted" in the eyes of the elites?
As an American Seviceman myself, far now from my home and family, I count this as nothing less than a betrayal of my service and my country. My country in particular, as there are MILLIONS of Americans out there whose children and spouses and parents' exploits will not be honored in film. How many millions of dollars is THAT, Hollywood? Can the Terr-allied CAIR match THOSE dollars, you ignorant, mercenary bastards? If you cannot bring yourselves to practice patriotism for its own sake, what about the money, Honey? Are you so desperately afraid that by making films honoring those men and women battling right now for YOUR liberties that it will make You, the serial-marrying, coked-out gigolos and gutter sluts with glitter about you, seem so smalll that people might finally see you for what you are, depite the money?
There is more pure honor and decency and pure AMERICA in the lowliest, grease-covered aircraft maintainer in my squadron than there is in ten million of you. One Sailor, Marine, Soldier, or Airman in his uniform is more admirable and worthy of respect than any thousands of you in your Armani and body-waxed fakery. Obviously, he is far more dependable in a bad time, too.
Enjoy your wealth and priviledge, dogs. Wallow in your laughable, screwed-up-like-Hogan's-goat personal lives. Snort up Peru if it numbs the truth to you, and let the personal trainers give you a body that at least LOOKS tough. However, remember well exactly WHY you get to live that way. Remember who it is that enable your pampered, sycophant-slobbered lives as you spit on them. And remember, WE will remember, too.
We'll remember when we return home, once again, to a silent airfield or pier. We'll remember when we decide whether to see yet ANOTHER remake-of-a-remake of a classic from the days you still had consciences. And we'll remember when and if we by chance see one of you out among the "little people" you swear to "care" about, but truly despise in your hearts. We'll remember, all right...to spit on YOU.
After all, turnabout is fair play, mongrels.
Ping everyone you can. As alongtime film lover, this is especially painful to me. As well, one of the chief ways servicemen while away the hours of boredom we sometimes face is by watching movies. The question of why we haven't seen any Terror War movies has come up quite frequently.
Used to be, Hollywood cared very little for the overseas market...that was just gravy. Seems to me that they've already driven away a chunk of their audience in the States...witness the major turkeys they've lost dough on the past few years.
It seems that lately, all they can do is 1. Remake older, better movies; 2. Movieize old, fondly-remembered TV shows; 3. Sequelize the above until the property is bled dry; 4. keep trying to make morons like Adam Sandler a star.
LC, you sure have a way with words, sailor. Ever thought of re-training into the public affairs field? :)
I agree with all you wrote FRiend except one part. There's nothing "lowly" about a grease-covered aircraft maintainer - heck, I married one!!! - or any person in uniform no matter what his or her rank or job description. Every link in the chain of command is important and necessary for the military to accomplish its mission.
THANK YOU and all who serve! You won't win Oscars or make millions of dollars but you all are the best of America, in my opinion.
~~~~~SALUTE~~~~~
I wasn't trying to be snobbish with the "lowly", I was referring to rank. Also, possibly the fact that the largest majority of these dedicated, awesome people come from a part of America the H'wood Harlots wouldn't wipe their shoes on.
And as to doing the other things you suggested, I have often thought about writing professionally. I've actually started a few books, but never seem to be able to finish them.
True.
But having made a hash of the American market with crap, they now rely on the overseas market to generate their return on investment.
The stars aren't under onerous studio contracts anymore--they get paid FIRST, no matter how bad the film.
Used to be, Hollywood cared very little for the overseas market...that was just gravy. Seems to me that they've already driven away a chunk of their audience in the States...witness the major turkeys they've lost dough on the past few years.
Some of it is driving away the market with anti-Americanism...and some of it is that they give megabucks to untalented morons and say "Make a movie." Resulting movie is a lot better if it's got subtitles and played for a non-English-speaking audience.
Gresham's Law: "Bad money will drive out good."
Poohbah's Corollary: "Bad movie-making will drive out good."
The ONLY Hollywood figure I can think of who has the resources necessary for such a film, and the skills to produce, direct, and star in it would be Mel Gibson, and notice how he's getting beaten about the head and shoulders lately, just for making a historic movie about Christ?
My bet is, he'd make a good war film (he's done it before), but he might be a little tired of getting mercilessly attacked at this time.
That movie was good, up until the part where the CIA turned out to be the "real" bad guys and the worst thing to happen was the rounding up of Arabs.
Last anti-terrorist movie I saw was "Executive Decision" with Kurt Russel and Halle Barry. Muslim terrorists hijack a 747 which they aim at the Capitol. David Suchet played the Mohammed Atta villain.
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