Posted on 07/23/2004 3:52:43 PM PDT by MadIvan
HOLLYWOOD’S choice of bad guy can say a lot about the state of the world at any particular time. So it is interesting to note that the generic Eastern European gangster, and more specifically the Serbian War Criminal, has received a massive boost in popularity as the action movie villain du jour.
Serbian baddies turn up in Matthew Vaughn’s forthcoming drug-dealing underworld drama Layer Cake; Serbian war criminals take their place at the bargaining table (alongside Hollywood’s evil stalwarts, the Asian despot and the dour German) to bid for the ultimate super weapon in Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle Of Life.
Serbian war criminals also take over an hotel full of extreme sports enthusiasts in Extreme Ops. And, in XXX, Vin Diesel battles an Eastern European nihilist gangster called Yorgi.
The evil Serb has ousted Hollywood favourite baddies “the crazed Arab” and “the ruthless Russian Mafioso”. However, the fact that Serbian villains turn up so regularly in American films does not indicate that the influx of gangsters from Eastern Europe is perceived as a real threat by the cinema-going public. Quite the opposite.
Pre-9/11, Arab terrorists turned up regularly as baddies intent on destroying the world. That’s a bit too close for comfort to pass as entertainment now. So, when golden all-American boy Owen Wilson finds himself in dangerous territory in Behind Enemy Lines, he is pursued by Serbs in Bosnia rather than Taleban in Afghanistan.
So far as most movie fans are aware, Eastern European gangsters are only really a threat if you muscle in on their drug cartel.
The ideal Hollywood villain is one who does not remind the audience of anything that they come to the cinema to forget, such as the threat of a terrorist attack.
one example of that is DANISH PASTERY.Hmmm... Next time I'm at the store I'll have to get a box of Hungarians. :-)
(I do use a form of Hungarian Notation at work.)
I don't know how many movies,from the '40s you've seen,but I've seen lots of them and frankly,I can't think of one,not a one,including shorts and cartoons,that ridiculed or made nasty comments about the Japanese and German people.It was ALWAYS the LEADERS and soldiers,who were made the villains and/or mocked.Though yes,the German crowds and spies were also villanized.Could you give me some examples of what you mean? Maybe AI missed those movies.Hmmm... you could be right there. Though I never noticed the distinction.
As to the studios,you've got it wrong,I fear.The studio heads and most of the actors and actresses,in the late '30s and through the '40s were NOT stinking Commies or even fellow travelers! A handful of actors and actresses were stinking commies;however,it was mostly the writers and a very few directors who were stinking Commies during that time.The studio heads fought the Commies mightily,who were trying to unionize and were behind the strikes.This is true, the studio heads especially & most of the actors (& probably the majority of screenwriters & craftspeople too) were fine Americans. I'm just saying that, during the height of the CPUSA's thrust into Hollywood, their tactic was to fully support the war.
If you'd like to learn more about this,I'd be more than happy to give you a book list.I've read Hollywood Party and several articles, but if you have others I'd like to see the list, thanks!
Crimson Tide, featuring Gene Hackman as the cold hearted, trigger happy skipper of a NOOK-LE-AR submarine. It's a darn good thing Hollywood decided to assign that noble Person of Color Denzel Washington as his XO, cuz without him mean ol' Gene would have started Armageddon.
Yes,you were correct about those who WERE stinking Commies supporting WW II,after Hitker and Stalin's split,but as I said,they were a tiny minority in Hollywood.
"AN EMPIRE OF THEIR OWN",is a good book to start with.If you want more books,I'll be happy to compile one and FREEPmail it to you.
My husband is Serbian. Serbians have been friends to America and to Israel. It's disgusting that they bash them and not the evildoers who want to kill us.
My husband is Serbian and in the last 10 years I have learned to LOVE the Serbs, their culture and their food.
This pisses me off a little being of Serbian heritage. My grandfather use to tell me that the Serbians went after Hitler with their rakes and hoes and whatever else they could grab. He could not stand the French since they built trees for the Nazis to march in shade.
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