War - Hollywood
 

Taken from THE WEEK magazine, October 24, 2003, page 14:

"Why Hollywood won't touch the war on terror"

"Why does Hollywood consider America's war on terror a taboo topic? asked Jonathan V. Last in The Wall Street Journal. It's now more than two years since Sept. 11, and not a single major motion picture has tackled the biggest story line of recent history. 'Contrast this with Hollywood's output during World War II, when it seemed like every fifth movie was about America's heroic struggle to fend off the Germans and the Japanese.' This gives us a clue: any film about the war on terror would necessarily portray Muslim extremists as the bad guys. In Hollywood, that's simply not politically correct. And who would the good guys be? Donald Rumsfeld? George Bush? As one industry insider put it, no self-respecting member of the Hollywood elite 'wants to be seen toadying to the president.' But the biggest reason for the missing war movies may be more basic. 'Historically, the cinema is a lagging, not leading, cultural indicator.' The definitive Vietnam movies, like APOCALYPSE NOW and THE DEER HUNTER, were all made after the fighting had stopped - and a consensus on the war had been reached. Ou rnation remains bitterly divided over the war on terror, and Hollywood is not about to choose sides. So until a consensus develops, we'll just have to settle for yet another MATRIX sequel."

???

:q: :af:

Yea!, Where is the Jessica Lynch story :) it is perfectly suited for a TV Movie of the week. They showed a movie last night about the 2 guys in Virginia that shot all those people and are on trial now and that was a year ago it happend. A movie about the 10-13 Saudi Nationals and friends hijacking 4 airplanes and crashing them would make a good movie of the week also! But Like Mike stated that would be showing radical Muslim extremest as bad guys and hollywood isn't ready to admit that yet:d:

Jerry -
I can see a whole bunch of interesting dramatic stories that have already come out of the war... the Lynch story for sure one would imagine, and the story about the two reservists who married Iraqi ladies, the pincher assault north through the desert storms to Baghdad, the massive supply deployment itself is fascinating, or behind the scenes at the White House from 9/11 - the invasions, special ops in Afghanistan, the flight of the Taliban, mysteries of Saud... so many things could be discussed, dramatized, documented, mourned, praised... it'll be interesting to see what and when anything does start showing up from Hollywood, or even from foreign film companies.

Movie for television titled, I believe, "Saving Jessica Lynch" is to be broadcast on ABC (?) tomorrow, Sunday, evening... still nothing major from Hollywood though.

I agree it will be interesting when Hollywood finally decides to make some big budget Action movies about the Iraq war. Like they did for WW2 like "Tora-Tora-Tora" or the "Fighting Leathernecks"

Long time before..............
 

we see anything come from the Hollywood elite. Everything is so polarized now that if anyone did make a movie about it, it would have to lie and make us look like idiots over there. The Hollywood elite want nothing to do with Bush so they can't make a movie that would portray Bush or the military in a positive light.

Bill

Bill -
This causes pain... pain because in war a people ought join hands in common purpose, and our president IS a good, decent and courageous leader, worthy of all that is due.

Though not yet as bad as it got in the 60-70s, it could go there, when it comes to our brothers and sisters in arms if the trend continues.

As we've elsewhere discussed lengthily, historical parallels are specious at best... and yet, the signs are rising. This time, we on the "other" side, WILL not let our own be hurt.

Truth will out.

Jerry D
 

<LABEL id=HbSession SessionId="273322329">Didja hear about that movie based on the '67 Arab-Iraeli War? It's called "Torah, Torah, Torah"! Get it?! Ya see instead of "Tora" it's "Torah" because its a Jewish thing and...ah, forget it!</LABEL>

Hollywood
 

As others have already stated, the sad state of political correctness will preclude any movie portraying the current administration or the military in a favorable light. Of the two movies of the Vietnam genre mentioned, neither portrayed the military very accurately or positively, surprise, surprise. In the exent case, political correctness has stopped any mention of the deeds of Muslim - excuse me while I make my point - MUSLIM extremists and terrorists, just as it has stopped intelligent passenger screening techniques from stopping and grilling Muslim-appearing passengers. Very few Scandanavian grandmothers have hijacked our planes, bombed our embassies, or caused much other harm, yet these people are screened as if they had 50 lbs. of C-4 strapped to their butt. We need to pull our collective heads out of rectal defolade and start dealing with the realities of who really means us harm.

Scout - Dan - Bill - Jerry

Interesting question Scout raises, so to you and anyone then:

WHICH films DO accurately portray, say, Vietnam, WW II, Korea, War of Rebellion (uncivil war) etc.????

That would make a VERY interesting list from warriors...