Cinema, Soldiers and Cynics
Tom Abbott
http://www.washtimes.com/commentary/20020127-5251232.htm
January 27, 2002
Cinema, soldiers and cynics
Oliver North
Even a stopped watch is right twice a day. And there
are times in life when even those who consistently get it
wrong, sometimes get it right. This is one of those times.
Now, I will admit that I have criticized the "entertainment"
emanating from Hollywood, and I don't retract a word of it.
The gratuitous sex, grossly inaccurate historic portrayals
and mockery of religion are just a few of the ways producers
and filmmakers in Tinseltown consistently get it wrong.
The optimist in me believes that if those same
producers and filmmakers are told when they make a good
film, they just might make more of them. Last week's release
of "Black Hawk Down" is a case in point. The Ridley
Scott-Jerry Bruckheimer film is a remarkably accurate
adaptation of Mark Bowden's best-selling book by the same
title. It portrays, with stark, unflinching realism, what
actually happened during a 15-hour firefight in Mogadishu,
Somalia, on Oct. 3-4, 1993. The operation, which is still
the bloodiest single day of combat for U.S. forces since the
Vietnam War, claimed the lives of 18 U.S. Army Rangers and
Delta Force soldiers. An additional 77 were wounded.
This is no "Saving Private Ryan" with fictional
characters "gallantly" carrying out a fictional mission.
This is no "Pearl Harbor" with a fictional love-triangle
"bravely" built around an historic event. The events in
"Black Hawk Down" actually happened. The actors portray real
soldiers. The battle scenes, from the chaos of the
helicopter-borne insert all the way to the survivors'
eventual rescue are as authentic as any depiction of combat
I have ever seen this side of the real thing. And the fear,
perseverance and heroism recreated on the screen are every
bit as real as that which I have witnessed in other
firefights in other wars. At the end of the movie, one is
led inescapably to the conclusion that American soldiers are
tough, resourceful, caring and courageous. Maybe that's why
the critics seem so intent on shooting the film down like a
U.S. helicopter in an East African gunfight.
The movie wasn't nominated for the Golden Globes and
will likely be snubbed by the Oscars. Josh Hartnett, the
actor who portrays Sgt. Matt Eversmann, said, "I don't see
how a movie so realistic about an important event didn't get
nominated for anything."
Josh has a lot to learn about political correctness. To
be acceptable to the Hollywood elites and the
"critic-ocracy," movies about American soldiers, sailors,
airmen and Marines must depict them as drug-crazed,
pot-headed marauders and the officers who lead them as
venal, corrupt, cruel and incompetent. If a movie-maker
doesn't show them that way, look out.
end excerpt
Yeah, the poor troops couldn't get any respect from the
American Left. Now that an attack has been perpetrated on
the homeland, many on the Left are changing their tune.
Which just confirms my theory that most liberals don't
deliberately try to harm U.S. national security, they are
just oblivious to danger until it smacks them in the face
(conservatives seem to be much more aware of potential
dangers facing the nation). Once smacked, liberals then get
on the right track. Most of them, but unfortunately there
are still some who will never change: who will always blame
America first; and will always consider the troops to be
criminals.
TA
Marc Sylvestre
"Tom Abbott" <tab...@intellex.com> wrote in message
news:4ak95u49dhtaheint...@4ax.com...
> Found at:
>
> http://www.washtimes.com/commentary/20020127-5251232.htm
> Oliver North
While it's besides the point, I'll mention that Oliver is a lying twit and a
convicted criminal to boot.
>
> At the end of the movie, one is
> led inescapably to the conclusion that American soldiers are
> tough, resourceful, caring and courageous. Maybe that's why
> the critics seem so intent on shooting the film down like a
> U.S. helicopter in an East African gunfight.
? I have read a number of reviews of this film - including reviews at
washingtonpost.com and salon.com, and this film is universally praised. Who
is shooting the film down?
> The movie wasn't nominated for the Golden Globes and
> will likely be snubbed by the Oscars.
Was it released in 2001 or 2002? If it was 2002 of course it won't get
niminated.
>Josh Hartnett, the
> actor who portrays Sgt. Matt Eversmann, said, "I don't see
> how a movie so realistic about an important event didn't get
> nominated for anything."
thats just plain silly. Being "realisitic" and "about an importnat event"
doesn't mean a film is anuy good, o worthy of awards. Look at past oscar
winners - American Beauty was not about any important event - and Titanic
was just a suck-wad melodrama not worth a discounted ticket price.
> Josh has a lot to learn about political correctness. To
> be acceptable to the Hollywood elites and the
> "critic-ocracy," movies about American soldiers, sailors,
> airmen and Marines must depict them as drug-crazed,
> pot-headed marauders and the officers who lead them as
> venal, corrupt, cruel and incompetent. If a movie-maker
> doesn't show them that way, look out.
Utter horseshit. Black Hawk Down is a pro-military film, pro American film,
and nobody on the left is attacking it that I have heard. Ya know, sometimes
it amazes me what a odd seried of contradicting "truths" cons ust have to
hold in their heads just so their paranoid view of reality will work in
their heads.
>
> end excerpt
> Yeah, the poor troops couldn't get any respect from the
> American Left.
Again, who is attacking the troops from the film?
>Now that an attack has been perpetrated on
> the homeland, many on the Left are changing their tune.
> Which just confirms my theory that most liberals don't
> deliberately try to harm U.S. national security, they are
> just oblivious to danger until it smacks them in the face
> (conservatives seem to be much more aware of potential
> dangers facing the nation). Once smacked, liberals then get
> on the right track. Most of them, but unfortunately there
> are still some who will never change: who will always blame
> America first; and will always consider the troops to be
> criminals.
This is a view without any factual foundation that I have ever read anywhere
in the last 12 years. I gota wonder about the lefties you hang out with.
>
>
> TA
Keynes
wrote:
I'm a lefty and I think we're being set up.
Compare this film with all the 'war' films of 50 years ago.
Glory. Dehumanize the enemy. Put the idea that america's
enemies are the devil deep into our subconscious so we
won't even remember where we got the idea from.
Make us foam at the mouth and march off to battle
where ever and when ever our masters tell us.
Not so good IMHO.
"Thou shalt not bind the mouths of the kine that tread the grain."