Ridley Scott's Robin Hood ("a love letter to the Tea Party..")

http://www.villagevoice.com/2010-05-11/film/ridley-scott-s-robin-hood/ ^ | 5/12/10

[roses of sharon]

Is it an accident that Ridley Scott's Robin Hood plays like a rousing love letter to the Tea Party movement? It's certainly something of a surprise. When the movie was announced in 2007 with the title Nottingham, reports suggested that it would sympathize with the normally vilified Sheriff of Nottingham as a man torn between two extremes: the corrupt tax-happy monarchy, and Robin Hood himself, who in this version would be a self-serving rabble-rouser who'd play on the emotions of the struggling public to incite anarchy. Russell Crowe was at first cast as the sheriff; a year later, Scott told MTV News that his frequent leading man would play both the famed outlaw and his lawman rival, to better reveal the affinities between the two.

The film Scott ended up making is called Robin Hood, the sheriff's role is minimal, and Crowe plays only the title character, whose ability to mobilize commoners with empty, anti-government rhetoric equating taxation with slavery is posited as a virtue.

[eclecticEel]

That clinches it. I was considering this one already, now I’ll definitely check it out.

[Noumenon]

...we have traded one tyrant three thousand miles away for three thousand tyrants one mile away.

Outstanding quote! May I make use of it?

[GraceG]

The Libs are projecting again ...

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"He’s great in Master and Commander too!"

I loved that movie. You can tell by the ending that they planned to make more. However, I don't think it did too well at the box office, hence no more movies. I wish they would do a part II.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"Robin Hood as a right-wing militia leader and violent tax protester. I can see how that would make their heads explode."

So then I take it that the Sherriff of Nottingham is sort of the head of homeland security?

[Deb]

They also hated “The Dark Knight”, one of the biggest money-makers in history, because they said Batman was too much like George Bush. Hilarious.

[Deb]

You’re right. Clint is conservative.

[AngelesCrestHighway]

Nottingham....Many cool places to visit. I did pub crawls with relatives many summers ago.

[Deb]

Lupins, please!

[Little Pig]

I have to say, the original idea might not have been a bad movie either. Usually, the sheriff is depicted as a bully, and a “smaller” version of Prince John. Seeing him as a man trapped between his links to the region he lived in and the power of the throne could have been interesting.

[PapaBear3625]

So then I take it that the Sherriff of Nottingham is sort of the head of homeland security?

More like the combination of law enforcement and tax collection. The Sheriff (shire reeve) was the overseer of the lord's lands, and had the job of making sure the peasants did their work and the lord got his money.

[roses of sharon]

Beautiful, sounds like a blast...great vacation!

[AngelesCrestHighway]

Especially during the summer...the days are very long..doesn’t get dark til 10 pm...If you travel up to Inverness it never gets completely dark.

[vpintheak]

Better go see it if the left-tards don’t like it.

[DuncanWaring]

Certainly you've seen The Patriot, haven't you?

[DuncanWaring]

I thought it was “Dennis Moore ... Riding through the glen ... With no merry men.”

[Noumenon]

It’s a staple in my DVD library. “Aim small, miss small.”

The original three percenters.

[dfwgator]

He’s great in Master and Commander too!

And in South Park. ;)

[Finny]

He’s great in Master and Commander too!

Until that movie, I really didn't see what the big deal was about Russell Crowe.

But then again, that movies was well-cast all around. One of my very favorites.

[Nosterrex]

Robin Hood is the archetype of the hero that stands up against the tyranny of a large central government, such as a monarchy. King John is the archetypal tyrant. He demands higher and higher taxes to support his “government” programs until the people are broke and the economy collapses. King John creates laws that will forever enslave his subjects, such as limiting the use of public lands that would supply vital resources (wild game) and creating large national debts. I can understand how some people would see Robin Hood as a socialists, such as stealing from the wealthy and giving it to the poor. The money that Hood steals from King John was originally the people's money, and he was not stealing from private industry. If Robin Hood was stealing from individuals or businesses, he could certainly be thought of as a socialist. I tend to think of it as a tax refund and not a redistribution of wealth.
I see Robin Hood as someone fighting against the tyranny of big government and high taxation more than as an outlaw.