These soldiers say 'Over There' is 'bogus'

SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER ^ | 07/26/05 | M.L. LYKE

[Pikamax]

These soldiers say 'Over There' is 'bogus'

By M.L. LYKE SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

A truck tire hits a flagged wire, a roadside bomb explodes, a handsome private with shredded leg screams in agony. In the bloody chaos of the moment, his soldier buddies panic. One pukes.

Stop the cameras! Sir!

"People don't act like that when an i.e.d. (improvised explosive device) goes off. They make us look like idiots. We're not idiots!" said a first lieutenant previewing "Over There," the new TV series from Steven Bochco ("NYPD Blue," "Hill Street Blues") that debuts tomorrow night on FX cable network. It's set in Iraq, hyped as "true to life" by producers and hailed by critics as "unflinching" and "gut-wrenching."

[mystery-ak]

FYI

[RexBeach]

You think this is bad? Wait'll Oliver Stone's feature film on 9/11 comes out. Now THAT will be a travesty - guaranteed.

[COBOL2Java]

It's set in Iraq, hyped as "true to life" by producers and hailed by critics as "unflinching" and "gut-wrenching."

Oh give me a break! What the *&#% would critics know about this being "true to life"?

[COBOL2Java]

...or producers, for that matter...

[ladtx]

A line from the story linked above:

And where, soldiers asked, were the scenes of soldiers building schools, Iraqi kids waving American flags?

Typical.

[Peach]

In case you didn't see this.

[Tenacious 1]

Oh give me a break! What the *&#% would critics know about this being "true to life?"


What would anyone in Hollywood know about anything being true to life? I have a list posted next to my TV of "Stars" that are not allowed in my home. My criteria is simple. If I know their political views, they are not allowed. Hollywood exists to entertain me not educate or influence me. It is a region and community of jesters. They live in a fantasy world.

And still, our ignorant fellow citizens will absorb the message from fantasy land and be pulled further into the realm of make believe. They will then formulate opinions and ideas on how Amercans should work to change the make believe world Hollywood portrays.

Thus, the liberal is born.

[johnny7]

The brainwashing is being set to 'heavy-suds'.

[Mr Ramsbotham]

I've had one experience with "Hollywood" production values, and it wasn't a good one. The crew of the production company of Unsolved Mysteries was shooting a segment involving a very famous (or infamous) crime scene, and I was being interviewed as part of the process. I decided to stick around after my interview and watch the filming. Despite the fact that no expense was seemingly spared on details, the re-enactment was wrong, wrong, wrong. Not just a minor thing here and there, but, as the Caterpillar said to Alice, "wrong from beginning to end." When I pointed this out to the director she simply shrugged and said, "no one will know."

So now, anyone who watches this segment and knows nothing of the crime involved will come away believing that that was how it really happened.

I take anything produced by major American cinematic companies with a ton of salt.

[darkwing104]

Typical Hollywierd...They have no clue how real people live in the real world.

[narby]

The reality we saw with that video the other day of the soldier that got hit with a sniper round right in the flak vest. It knocked him right on his kiester, but in a second he was up, gun at the ready. And within 4 seconds had figured out which way the sniper round had come from and took cover. The sniper team that shot him was taken care of professionaly.

THATs reality.

[peacebaby]

Disappointed? Yes.
Surprised? No

And where was the Veteran consultant supposedly hired to give credence?

Friggin Hollywood's got its head so far up its own pattoody (sp) it wouldn't know real.

[Jeff Head]

By simple common sense, one can see that once the chin passes the orofice...it is nearly impossible to ever get out. In general, Hollywood is in there up past their elbows.

[Eagle Eye]

Thanks for the ping.

I can understand Hollywood not getting it in some respects because day to day in most any field is dull. Most cops never draw their weapon; most troops never even fire theirs let along kill anyone.

Holloywood is drama and there isn't enough day to day so they compress events, make composites and even invent it.

But focusing on the aberrations, like the pot smoking troop in the opening scenes, the overt racist attitudes, or women on the ground and helping out in an attack just alienate those that have the slightest clue about real life.

Why do they feel the need to revive tired stereotypes?

Part of it is that they don't know their market or else they'd produce FOR that market.

And no, I don't think that anti-American anti-war activists are watching this show just to reinforce their illconceived, preconceived ideas.

[COBOL2Java]

The height of folly was attained when these pampered Hollywood dimbulbs testified before Congress on a variety of topics, like alar in apples, farming, etc.

[COBOL2Java]

If you want to see what's actually going on over there, rent, or better yet, purchase "Gunner's Palace". I saw this at the theatre with my daughter and Son-in-law (both in the Army - Son-in-law recently returned from Djibouti). Both said it's a must-see documentary.

[peacebaby]

"By simple common sense, one can see that once the chin passes the orofice...it is nearly impossible to ever get out. In general, Hollywood is in there up past their elbows."

CONDITION FURTHER AGGREVATED BY SWELLING OF HEAD.

[Night Hides Not]

I hold Hollywood in even lower esteem than the worst of the REMF (Rear Echelon bleep bleeps) that I ever had to deal with in the Army.

[brytlea]

Most of what I see on TV these days is gut wrenching....that is it makes me want to throw up.
susie