The L.A. Times opinion section features a point-counterpoint between David Ehrenstein, Hollywood journalist and author of Open Secret: Gay Hollywood--1928-2000, and Andrew Breitbart, co-author of Hollywood, Interrupted: Insanity Chic in Babylon -- The Case Against Celebrity and publisher of Breitbart.com.
Ehrenstein takes satisfaction in the speed with which Hollywood has leaped onto the anti-war bandwagon, much more quickly than it did during in Vietnam era. Dismissive of a spate of movies that seem more driven to winning Oscars than making a political statement, Ehrenstein celebrates the release of Redacted by Brian DePalma, which includes a graphic rape and an on-camera beheading.
Featuring a no-star cast, this "fictional story inspired by true events" -- i.e., the rapes and murder committed by a U.S. patrol in Haditha in 2005 -- is shot in a highly unusual style. It consists of a number of films-within-films: a video shot by one of the soldiers; a documentary made by a French television crew; and online videos put up on the Web by insurgents, friends and family of the soldiers involved, et al...
...Clearly, "Redacted" is headed for limited release and the zillions who turned out for "Superbad" won't be going anywhere near it. But the slavering pajama-clad hordes of cyberspace will doubtless dine on it, since it offers far-from-flattering images of "our brave young men and women."
Heaven forbid that Hollywood should portray the men and women of our Armed Forces in anything but a "far-from-flattering light", which merits Ehrenstein's full approval, as he includes the scare quotes for "out brave young men and women."
Andrew Breitbart responds:
To the Hollywood defeat set the Iraq War is painted as Abu Ghraib and a soldier raping an Iraqi 14-year-old girl and killing her family. Anomalous hideous behavior for which the perpetrators are rightfully prosecuted is used to slander the majority in the pursuit of political propaganda intended to demoralize a nation in the pursuit of ending the war. Brian De Palma admitted as much. Shameful. Predictable.
To me and millions of other American filmgoers, those are nightmarish exceptions to the rule -- and certainly not a compelling argument to hire a baby-sitter and rush to the local mall to spend $50 -- especially when many have loved ones serving honestly and bravely. But to The Industry, America-as-the-global-antagonist is fast-track development time and a surefire route to standing ovations on the European film-fest circuit. Our soldiers fight inhumane ideologues funded and armed by terror-supporting totalitarian states while simultaneously trying to create order where it has never before existed in order to help stabilize the most dangerous region of the world ... and Hollywood reflexively turns its back on them.
In politically correct Hollywood speaking out against the threat posed radical Islam is considered hate speech, Breitbart notes, adding that "war was so much easier when the Nazis were white."
Via Power Line.
Trackbacked by The Thunder Run - Web Reconnaissance for 09/26/2007
A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention, updated throughout the day...so check back often.
Posted by: David M | September 26, 2007 at 01:19 PM