Dissector Daily Forum: Focus On The Movie “300″

March 15th, 2007 - by: danny

ANDREW HERMAN WHO CRITICIZED MY LETTER TO BONO WRITES AGAIN:

I see your point, but I am just reacting to the common response people have to my “lectures” about Africa. They often argue this point: “There are so
many people here who need help. Why shouldn’t we help our own people first? Then, once we have all of our problems solved, if there is any money left over, we could give it to Africa.”

I realize how ridiculous their argument is, but it is common nonetheless.

I am concerned that they would misunderstand the gravity of the African debt problem: LIFE and DEATH! Human dignity is at stake!

I agree with you however, this country is headed towards corporate-run servitude. They have us all over a barrel these days. Most consumers are too jacked up to notice it however.

I get pretty fired up over this stuff. I appreciate your response. Keep up the good fight, my good sir.”

Nadia Awad writes:

Here is the organization I was telling you about that does media literacy workshops with Arab and American students. I think there is a lot of potential with this group.

HOLLYWOOD’S 300 CAUSING A GLOBAL STIR

ASIA TIMES: By Kaveh L Afrasiabi

No doubt about it, four years after his famous and also infamous “axis of evil” speech, US President George W Bush’s crusade mentality has finally found its cinematic counterpart – in 300, a major motion picture centered on the epic battle between the Persians and the Greeks in 480 BC.

It is part history, part fantasy, safely buffering itself against potential criticisms, eg of its historical distortions or shortcomings, by the cinematic license optimally exploited meanwhile to preach to the audience about the values of freedom against the evil forces of unfreedom.

Portraying the past world in a contemporary language with the help of voiceovers in case we missed the message, the dramatic feature plunges into the midst of a violent battle that fully resonates with the contemporary discourses on “clashing civilizations”.

TWO REVIEWS OF THE MOVIE

The first is by former NY Mayor Ed Koch, no friend of Iran:

I didn’t think I would like this movie, and I did not. It describes the enormous courage of the Greeks from the City of Sparta who fought the Persians at the Battle of Thermopylae.

The Persians, led by King Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro), were seeking to conquer Europe and almost did. Spartan King Leonidas (Gerard Butler), against the counsel of his parliament, took 300 of his best men to stop the Persians who were massing in the tens of thousands and ready to descend on the Greek peninsula. The action, which is very graphic, bloody and gory, didn’t cause me to avert my eyes because it is done in comic book style. The blood streaming towards the viewers is more like rain falling on a windshield and being swept away by the regular movement of the wipers. The movie depicts cartoon-like creatures in the Persian army, including elephants and a rhinoceros used to rout the Greeks.

King Leonidas’ wife, Queen Gorgo (Lena Headey), offers to submit herself physically to Theron (Dominic West), Leonidas’ Parliamentary enemy which was actually the City Council of Sparta. The Greek traitor, who leads the Persians to a secret goat path, is a deformed caricature whose face and body resemble the elephant man.

The audience applauded lightly at the end of the movie, but I though it was a ridiculous film and a wasted evening. I tried to get a ticket to see the show on Friday night at a Cineplex which devoted five screens to the movie, but all shows were sold out. I saw it the next day at a different theater, and it was only 80 percent full. Maybe word is spreading. It’s all hype.

AN IRANIAN VIEW

And now a view from Iran where many HATE this new film, according to Iranian journalist Reza Noroozpour:

The movie, which is based on a comic-book fantasy version of the battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C., is believed to be a shame and an untrue picture of Iranian historically and demographically.

The movie, in which a force of 300 Spartans held off a massive Persian army, is totally false. Iranian culture and costumes have never been like that and everyone who knows a little a bout history, for sure most know this.

The way Persians are depicted in this film has caused a lot of controversy in Iran. Iranian people in contrast to Americans- who don’t know even the history of their country well- read history a lot and they all perfectly are familiar to Hakhamaneshi’s dynasty and Iranian’s glory in those epochs.

So the dishonest 300 Movie has caused a very growing anger and rage toward Hollywood and Warner Brothers Co. among all Iranians throughout the world. Shortly the movie is seen as an attack on Persian history, a source of pride for Iranians across the globe.

I ask you to comment on this issue. You know the anger of millions of people has worth to comment on. Please pay attention to this growing anger and the political points of view which can be seen in the movie on your blog.

I haven’t seen this movie and after reading all of this I don’t want to buy a ticket. It is upsetting that when movies can promote tolerance and understanding, the movie makers are doing the opposite.

911, 911, 911

Here is yet another letter from a 911 actiivist who faults my film WMD for not investigating 911 even though 911 is prominently mentioned and even though the film could not be about everything. (Our company did assist the production of 911 Press For Truth.)

Whats troubling to me is that some 911 truth activists don’t seem at all interested in the issues we do cover. They seem to have a total single issue focus: Also, most don’t know of all the articles on the subject we have run on Mediachannel or my book MEDIA WARS which examines the media coverage 0f 911

Jeff DeAngelis writes:

Having watched “WMD: Weapons of Mass Deception” last night for the first time, I’d like to comment as well as ask a question. Although I was impressed with the provocative nature of the documentary, and the organization of its content, it seemed to me to be worth mentioning the lack of coverage of one of the hugest movements perhaps in the history of this country. I realize, and expect you to reply as such, that the intent of the film was to confront the press’ role in the Iraq war. However, as you stated briefly in the film, the particulars of the US involvement in Iraq wouldn’t have been possible without 911. There would have been no need to dwell on the subject, but it was certainly worth mentioning. It is likely that many of the anti-war protests have an undercurrent of disbelief over the official 911 whitewashÃ¢â‚¬Â¦

I am somewhat disappointed that your film did not address this. I am somewhat disappointed that your website even fails to address this. You appear to be a courageous individual confronting the major influences to the main stream media. But you also seem to be sidestepping an equally (if not more) important issue.

I would encourage you to research the official story of 911 and compare it to the evidence that the independent journalists, scientists, and engineers are feverishly attempting to make public. What is there to be afraid of???

Jeff wants another film, not the one I made. If he will fund it, I will do it. I am not afraid Jeff–so please don’t be insulting.

BOOK: New Radicals: the Evangelicals You Need to Know

In “Preaching Revolution,” Huffington Post blogger Zack Exley uncovers a revolutionary evangelical movement that has nothing to do with neo-conservatives.

In “Preaching,” Exley examines how, using a back-to-basics approach to the Bible and old-fashioned grassroots engagement, groups of Christian “revolutionaries” have mobilized more than 20 million Americans around a theology as “utopian as the most far-out sect of antiglobalization anarchists.”

Combining in-depth interviews with movement leaders (including mega-church pastor Gregory Boyd and Sojourners founder Jim Wallis) with on-the-ground reporting, Exley captures the essence of a movement that may have a thing or two to teach secular progressives.

ENLIGHTENMENT, USA AS REPORTED IN THETHE LA TIMES:

SAN FRANCISCO — A California woman whose doctor says marijuana is the only medicine keeping her alive is not immune from federal prosecution on drug charges, a federal appeals court ruled today.

The case was brought by Angel Raich, an Oakland mother of two who suffers from scoliosis, a brain tumor, chronic nausea and other ailments. On her doctor’s advice, she eats or smokes marijuana every couple of hours to ease her pain and bolster a nonexistent appetite as conventional drugs did not work.

The Supreme Court ruled against Raich two years ago, saying that medical marijuana users and their suppliers could be prosecuted for breaching federal drug laws even if they lived in a state such as California where medical pot is legal.

MEDIACHANNEL NEEDS U

We hope you are noticing all the new changes on Mediachannel. David Degraw is back on board with a flurry of new design ideas and more diverse content building on what DJ started, But,sadly, content alone will not save us. We need funds to market and build traffic. If you value our work, this is the time to come to the aid of your mediachannel.

Comments and suggestions to: Dissector@mediachannel.org

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