Posted on 08/31/2005 1:23:17 PM PDT by DeuceTraveler
Director Steven Spielberg has infuriated the residents of Budapest, Hungary with his disrespect of their daily lives, while filming new movie Munich. PageSix.com reports fuming locals have faced an array of irritations since Hollywood came to town, including having their cars, which were in Spielberg's way, towed with barely any notice, endless traffic jams and severe warnings should they attempt to take pictures of the proceedings. And city-dwellers are particularly amazed by the Americans' arrogant attitude - as they assume Budapest should be honored to be the Oscar-winning director's chosen location. A source tells PageSix.com, "The best part is (Spielberg's people) keep saying, 'This is the biggest thing ever to happen to Budapest,' which is true if you discount the whole Roman and Ottoman Empires, World Wars I and II, the fall of communism and the European Union's accession."
They must be there all the time. It seems like every episode has a scene there.
Wrong. The revolution of 1956 (crushed by the Soviets) was one of the greatest events in the history of human liberty. A stupid Hollywood film is nothing in comparison.
Regards, Ivan
That, and in the movies it always gets destroyed. I think it has a running contest with Tokyo in that regard.
Jeff Daniels filmed a movie here in Jackson a few years ago it was a bit disruptive but it eas just a small budget movie.
It was nice that he chose to film the movie here close to home. He used a lot of locals for small roles and catering and other things needed to shoot a movie. Daniels isn't the typical Hollywierd liberal.
Man the battle stations!
Canada, like they do all the movies that supposedly take place in US cities.
In 1984, Ghostbusters did well all across the country but not so much in NYC because people were still bitter about having their commutte lengthened by the closures.
I actually sat in a man's shop while he told me about fighting the Soviets in '56. He was about in his 60s and told me that this one older man with only one leg organized him and other children to drop Molotav (sp?) cocktails through vents in the tanks. Supposedly, when the Soviets came back (after the Hungarians kicked them out) his tutor got burned alive after being shot with a one of the cocktails in his hand. Some of his childhood friends had gotten killed, also. Someone needs to go back, record these guys stories, and make a damn good history book. If you love travelling for culture and history, by all means go to Budapest. If you want to party, go somewhere else, though. The mob runs it now and you'll get yourself robbed.
My cousin collects historical artifacts - in his collection, he has a pistol used by Hungarian freedom fighters in the 1956 revolution. It's non functional now, but I did pick it up and felt like I was taking up the sword of liberty left behind by a patriot.
Never forget.
Regards, Ivan
With nothing other to watch on a late evening shift, I rented "Alexander" from a video store. What a bunch of crapola!! I couldn't even finish it.
I think the good citizens of Budapest should tell of Spielberg and company to pack up and go somewhere else. It's attitudes like he shows that really hurts our image abroad.
I was about to ping you on my "Spielberg is an arrogant ---" spiel. Are you sure his arrogance didn't seep into his portrayal of Oscar Schindler and the Holocaust?
The subject of "Munich", I gather, is the terrorist events and the murder of Israeli athletes at the Olympics.
Not to disparage the man out of hand - he did make "Schindler's List" - but the fate of the Jews of Hungary is one of the less well known horrors of World War II. It would therefore be more of a commericial risk to make a film about what happened to them, but it would also be the right thing to do to make a public display of respect for their memory.
Since his behavior was apparently so abominable in Budapest (my grandparents' birth city), I wonder if the Steven is aware that Hitler murdered 600,000 Hungarian Jews at the very end of the war (1945). Wanting to do as much damage as possible, Adolf picked on Hungary because they'd been thus far spared the worst of the Holocaust.
When I think of Budapest and Munich in the same breath, my mind still rushes to the horrible fate of those 600,000 Hungarian Jews at the hand of the Nazis. I can't help wondering if Spielberg - a Jew blessed beyond belief with intelligence, talent and incacalculabe success - was callous enough not to even honor the memory of his fellow Jews while he was in Budapest.
IF he pressed on with his current blockbuster hopeful project and didn't make a decided point of honoring the fallen Jews of Hungary, then he could be dubbed ugly indeed. And ungrateful as hell.
They're there a lot! I wouldn't mind if they'd give some indication that certain areas are off limits for through traffic so I could take a different route instead of having to backtrack and lose from 5-10 mins. on my way to work. But noooooooo ...
Well he's given millions to Holocaust charities and started the Shoah Foundation which goes all over the world recording testimony of survivors.
Most people don't know who directors are. They could rattle off who non entities like J. Lo and Angelina Jolie are dating but don't know who Martin Scorsese is. It's a shame.
The UGLY AMERICAN is best typified by Hollywood.
And don't forget that towering cinematic talent,Elaine May
She's a genius. Ishtar is underrated. She's more talented then Mike Nichols.
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