Not All War Films Created Equal (Haditha Schlock-umentary)

The Hollywood Reporter ^ | Sept 27, 2007 | Scott Roxborough

[Lancey Howard]

SAN SEBASTIAN, Spain -- Getting your film to stand out at a major festival can be hard enough in the best of times, but these days, if your subject is the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan, it is even easier to get lost in the crowd.

Films as varied as Nick Broomfeld's "Battle for Haditha," Paul Haggis' "In the Valley of Elah" and Hana Makhmalbaf's "The Buddha Collapsed out of Shame," all get lumped together as "war films."

At the press conference following the competition bow of "Haditha," Broomfeld repeatedly dogged reporters' attempts to link his movie -- a dramatized retelling of the massacre of 24 Iraqi civilians by U.S. marines in November 2005 -- with other Iraq titles such as Brian De Palma's Venice Silver Lion winner "Redacted"

Broomfeld called talk of a new raft of Iraq films "lazy journalism."

[Girlene]

I think it will take a brave distributor to put it (in the U.S.)," Broomfeld acknowledged. "A lot of distributors like to take the easy option and go for the easy buck and I'm not sure my film is either of those things ... But I made the movie for an American audience, to start a discussion on what we should do about Iraq."

Start a discussion?....Okay, how this? Learn what's going on in Iraq before you make a stupid movie that's not true and denigrates American troops.

[smoothsailing]

I’ve seen it a thousand times. Thanks anyway.

So have I, and you're welcome, Marine.

[Chickenhawk Warmonger]

Does anyone know if this fool used the Marines’ real names in the mockudrama?

Someone with a legal mind should figure out if the Haditha Marines’ have a legal case against this idiot especially since their names and the word “Haditha” are practically synonymous in the media. Or at least force a flashing disclaimer during the movie that reminds the viewers “this is a work of fiction”.

[jazusamo]

Reading between the lines, it sounds like this clown Broomfield is falling flat on his face.

Yes it does, Lancey and well he should. This POS is the lowest form of life in the entertainment industry and hopefully no theaters will show his filth and lies in the US.

There is still one Article 32 hearing remaining and this blood sucker is trying to profit monetarily and/or put out his anti-war, anti-American message.

Broomfield is scum!

[jazusamo]

Thank you for sharing the email from the Chaplain in Iraq, Ma, it’s so inspiring. That is only one reason we have the finest military and military personnel in the entire world.

[Mr. Jazzy]

Thanks for posting those stills from that piece of crap movie.

These “useful idiots” who make these make me want to puke.

Lets get together and have some movies made about he child molesters and pervs who currently inhabit Hollywood and the starlets that were led to suicide because of promises that were broken.

NAHHHH! That will never happen.

I refuse to give them a single cent of my money for any of the trash they put out.

Notice how “Rescue Dawn” never made it to wide release?

[Marine_Uncle]

Lots of idiots will think this crap portraits some element of truth. Of course the idiots that view it will not remember nor care to remember the reports of how Saddam’s goon squads used to toss little babies from helos as the parents where forced to watch.

[USMCPOP]

I wonder if this guy has ever met a member of our military who walked those streets. Has he met any of these “victims”? Or is he just into fictional drama?