Hollywood Goes to War
Unfortunately, Jimmy Stewart has been replaced by George Clooney and Frank Capra by Brian de Palma....men "much too fine for nationhood."
Hollywood has gone back to war. And this time, it's appalling. All autumn long, the film industry released movies about America's battle against global jihad. With one exception--the competent actioner The Kingdom--each of these movies distorted an urgent, ongoing historical enterprise through the lens of a filmmaker's unthinking leftism. Redacted, Rendition, In the Valley of Elah, and Lions for Lambs characterize our soldiers and government agents as rapists, madmen, murderers, torturers of the innocent, or simply victims caught up in a venal and bloodthirsty American foreign policy. All this at the very moment when our real-life soldiers and agents are risking, and sometimes losing, their lives fighting the most hateful and cancerous worldview since Nazism.But I guess that's showbiz.
Needless to say, it wasn't always thus. During World War II, Hollywood stars like James Stewart and directors like Frank Capra enlisted in the military to combat dictators as willingly as Sean Penn and Michael Moore now tootle down to Venezuela and Cuba to embrace them.
The best article on Hollywood's cosmopolitan anti-nationalism yet.
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There are many actors and directors and producers who are just as pro-America and patriotic as you and I ! However because of "Corporate Greed" in the world market , films no longer look as the writers dream but as the camel designed by the committee to invent the horse .
Making a film on your own money is a risky business so producers actively solicit corporations to invest in their endeavor.
All of these investors have a "SAY" in how their product will be presented and thus a "SAY" in how the movie will be directed .
When you put a chunk of money out to fund a film a bank wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole..It is reasonable that you are allowed that "SAY".
Corpo..scratch that..Global companies (formerly American) do NOT care about an enlightening film as much as a World-Wide Blockbuster that puts it's product in a good light for the ENTIRE WORLD to see .
Their message is their product and ONLY their product and anything else that might leave a movie viewer with a bad taste in their mouth ,especially emerging countries who haven't yet had the opportunity to sample their product.. is anathema .
These Global conglomerates have many friends who will graciously direct a film to the desired outcome of the corporations board of directors.
They will also supply the names of actors who ,in the past, have aided their past motion pictures .
So , to succeed in Hollywood , it is best to march lockstep with the people who pay you in order to get another role or financing for a new film.
I know many of you think I now line my hat with aluminum foil but what I have stated is true .
Most of you businessmen know if you take money from someone on the condition they may make suggestions..you know damn good and well they NEVER shut up .
You don't need an aluminum lined hat to figure that one out .
And such now is Hollywood today .