Posted on 09/02/2006 9:26:09 AM PDT by quidnunc
Gabriel Range is a documentary filmmaker, of whom few had heard until this week. His 2003 television production, The Day Britain Stopped, was a pioneering essay in the “fake documentary”, in which imaginary future events are synthesized in fine detail. He has now achieved fame, even before anyone has seen his new essay in that genre, Death of a President. It will premiere at the Toronto Film Festival, Sept. 10th, and then show on the British TV channel, More4.
The fame, or more properly, infamy, is for his audacity in making a film about the assassination of a U.S. President who is still alive. It will not be for the content of the film — as Mr Range must know perfectly well. The face of the actual George W. Bush is digitally “pasted” over that of an actor, to create the illusion of reality. This method can only reinforce the sensationalism; it can only distract from any serious narrative or philosophical premise of the film. Thus, we cannot doubt that the filmmaker’s purpose is more political than artistic: that he wants a political sensation.
Is the film a wish-fulfilment? One can go too far in psychologizing the behaviour of an artist, but it becomes irresistible in an environment where, as in Britain today, rhetorical suggestions that Bush should be assassinated have become “mainstream” and commonplace. Mr Range must at least have anticipated the criticism that his film could be a goad to an actual assassin. It starkly provides that crucial element of pre-enactment, that is the textbook conditioner of the diseased criminal mind. And in so doing, it becomes more effective than any conventional death threat.
To put this another way, the film presents, and is intended to present, a threat to President Bush’s life, in a way that gets around the law.
“Xenophobia, the hidden costs of war, and the nature of civil liberties in a hyper-media age, all come under the microscope.” I’ve extracted this line from the publicity puffery that accompanies the film. It will contain a “detective mystery plot”, about the identity of the assassin, in which a “Syrian-born” man is falsely accused. We can safely infer from this much, that the filmmaker’s political views are the glib, smug, clichéd, and indeed, asinine views we are used to hearing from the institutional Left, about the nature of “Amerika”. Needless to say, this plotline is already being flattered, by the same, as a “thought-provoking critique”.
-snip-
There were people who loathed JFK too. Would Rod Liddle have bought a round for Lee Harvey Oswald? These people are so sick.
Wow. Bttt.
LoL.. So true.. The Moonbats have met the enemy and enemy IS THEM...
I'm betting this is one of the guys who wouldn't show the Mohammed cartoons and protested Falwell's call to assassinate Hugo Chavez isn't he?
Can you see presidential debates between Dick Dheney and hillary? Oh, that's a double size bag of popcorn event!
While I like Pres Bush very much, I don't know if this would be "Bad" for the country. Especially if it heats up the "war on terror".
They should do a "DocuDrama" about an abortion sniper - or would that be "insensitive"?
Let me get this straight, are you saying that Bush's assassination wouldn't be bad for the United States?
This Englishman thinks he is analyzing the current status of things in America!! How would he know?? Guess he reads the New York Times. What a pathetic bunch these Europeans are.
This Englishman thinks he is analyzing the current status of things in America!! How would he know?? Guess he reads the New York Times. What a pathetic bunch these Europeans are.
Not a question to me but the answer IS...
Answer: NO it wouldn't be bad for the U.S., his family maybe, but the U.S.. NO..
He is only one man(Bush)..
1) Cheney would be President..
2) The democrats glee would be exposed as terrorist dupes..
3) And the face of the 2006 and 2008 elections would change immeasurably..
** Bush's assassination would throw cold water into the face of Americans that think, "WE ARE NOT AT WAR".. Kind of a hard way to make that happen but it would/could work.. Some democrats are insenitive but not all are.. Not only that but it would galvanize the republicans.. into a voting block..
I nominate this for "Quote of the Day".
So this will be reported in the MSM Sept 11.
Tells me all I need to know.
Dumb bastids
THAT is some really weird thinking.
No, I don't think so. They hate him so much as a person - they would think 'he deserved it' and would be apathetic to the short time remaining of a Pres Cheney's watch. Yes, even the moderate demos. Don't think the dnc doesn't already have their talking points prepared in the hope that this does happen.
dam*, I don't even like to talk about this - so no response is fine.
>>THAT is some really weird thinking.
Look at it this way: If some islamofacist assassinated the president, would we (as a country) be taking the WOT more seriously? (I think so) would the Dem's (particularly Hillary) have a snowballs chance against an incumbent Dick Cheney? (No) Would this save lives in the Future? (I believe it would)
I as a patriot would give my life to further the interests of my country. I believe President George W Bush feels the same way. (Not that giving you life is the goal, just if necessary) Would this "Clarity" be good for the country? I believe it would, so I have to say this would not be all bad, even though it would start with a terrible act, one that is difficult to even contemplate, but the liberals have pushed me to contemplate it and it really does not help them at all.
Think about this, if they bad mouth bush after an assassination, what will happen to them? (Answer, they lose the support of the older generation for whom the dead are sacred, think Wellstone memorial, but with more teeth init)
Can you imagine a movie based on the killing of the Clintons . Now you know the Mean Streak Media would be all over the producers crying Fowl . . .
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