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Salon Reviewer Slams 'Secretariat' as Tea Party Fantasy 'Almost Worthy of Leni Riefenstahl'
NewsBusters ^ | October 9, 2010 | P.J. Gladnick

Posted on 10/09/2010 6:41:40 PM PDT by PJ-Comix

At one point in the checkered writing career of your humble correspondent, he criticized children's cartoons for displaying fascistic attitudes such as Snow White unfairly taking advantage of the labor performed by the Seven Dwarfs. One important caveat; I was just kidding. Yes, even though some people took me seriously, I meant the story to be satire.

In the case of Salon.Com reviewer Andrew O'Hehir, he has no such excuse. He actually meant his absurd review of "Secretariat" to be taken completely seriously. Just how absurd was his review? Well, O'Hehir drops any semblance of sanity in his very first paragraph by claiming "Secretariat" was worthy of a Leni Riefenstahl Nazi propaganda movie. So here is the kickoff of the laughable "Triumph of the Will" (or "Triumph of the Horse") fantasizing by O'Hehir:

"Secretariat" is such a gorgeous film, its every shot and every scene so infused with warm golden light, that I began to wonder whether the movie theater were on fire. Or my head. But the welcoming glow that imbues every corner of this nostalgic horse-racing yarn with rich, lambent color comes from within, as if the movie itself is ablaze with its own crazy sense of purpose. (Or as if someone just off-screen were burning a cross on the lawn.) I enjoyed it immensely, flat-footed dialogue and implausible situations and all. Which doesn't stop me from believing that in its totality "Secretariat" is a work of creepy, half-hilarious master-race propaganda almost worthy of Leni Riefenstahl, and all the more effective because it presents as a family-friendly yarn about a nice lady and her horse.


(Excerpt) Read more at newsbusters.org ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: andrewohehir; saloncom; secretariat
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Will Andrew O'Hehir pull a "Sheryl Crow" and claim that he was really (heh-heh) just kidding all along? It is the ONLY way he can spare himself complete humiliation but, as in the case of Crow, it probably won't work.
1 posted on 10/09/2010 6:41:44 PM PDT by PJ-Comix
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To: PJ-Comix

It appears as though little Andy O’Hehir has some “issues” he should try to get some help with. IMHO, he shouldn’t be out there walking around.


2 posted on 10/09/2010 6:46:32 PM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (Less than 30 days to go to election day. I'm giddier than a TV weatherman during hurricane season.)
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To: PJ-Comix

I’m especially liking the fact that Ebert is coming down on his crackpot review.

Lib fight! Get the popcorn!!!


3 posted on 10/09/2010 6:47:35 PM PDT by DemforBush (You might think that, *I* could not possibly comment.)
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To: PJ-Comix

Ok, that explains why I liked it so much. It did show how women were strong and feminine women at the same time, just like my mom. I absolutely loved this movie. Saw it yesterday.


4 posted on 10/09/2010 6:56:27 PM PDT by republicangel
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To: PJ-Comix

Oh, OK, I get it. The director is a Christian. I’ve been trying to understand how this movie could elicit such vitriol and hatred. Now I know.


5 posted on 10/09/2010 6:59:15 PM PDT by ElayneJ
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To: PJ-Comix
"Secretariat" is a work of creepy, half-hilarious master-race propaganda almost worthy of Leni Riefenstahl. . . .

A horse is a horse
Of course, of course
And no one can make it a force for Norse
That is, of course, unless the horse
Is that Secretariat!

6 posted on 10/09/2010 7:00:34 PM PDT by Charles Henrickson (The wag tailoring the doggerel)
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To: PJ-Comix

I take it there were no Greek columns.


7 posted on 10/09/2010 7:02:33 PM PDT by Mr Ramsbotham (Laws against sodomy are honored in the breech.)
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To: PJ-Comix

Worm him!

8 posted on 10/09/2010 7:02:33 PM PDT by kcvl
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To: PJ-Comix

“Now, clearly I could have written a more “normal” review, in which I said something like: “Secretariat” was kind of fun to watch, but it bugged me. It presents a prettied-up, phony-baloney vision of America in the early ‘70s, in a transparent effort to appeal to the “family-values” crowd who ate up “The Blind Side” — people who want a comforting and unchallenging movie without any sex or swearing. There’s nothing wrong with that as a way to make a buck, but this example is ultra-tame, scrubbed clean of any genuine conflict or drama, and I pretty much think it’s crap.”

http://www.salon.com/entertainment/movies/andrew_ohehir/2010/10/08/ebert_secretariat


9 posted on 10/09/2010 7:09:10 PM PDT by kcvl
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To: kcvl

We haaaaates the Christians. Yes we does.


10 posted on 10/09/2010 7:13:35 PM PDT by Interesting Times (For the truth about "swift boating" see ToSetTheRecordStraight.com)
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To: Charles Henrickson

LOL! Good one!


11 posted on 10/09/2010 7:16:55 PM PDT by combat_boots (The Lion of Judah cometh. Hallelujah. Gloria Patri, Filio et Spiritui Sancto.)
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To: kcvl

I think I now see why little Andy has problems with Christians.


12 posted on 10/09/2010 7:18:10 PM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (Less than 30 days to go to election day. I'm giddier than a TV weatherman during hurricane season.)
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To: PJ-Comix
This film has garnered numerous slams from the left. I will most definitely go see it.
13 posted on 10/09/2010 7:18:29 PM PDT by LiberConservative
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To: PJ-Comix

Well, a peer review is always a commendable. However, a movie about a horse reviewed by a horse’s ass???


14 posted on 10/09/2010 7:25:42 PM PDT by alecqss
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To: PJ-Comix

Unless he has been living under a rock,O’Hehir is fully aware that Disney makes movies that are scrubbed (for lack of a better word) of controversy and focus on a family friendly story. Just another guy trying to make a name for himself by attempting to be controversial. Fail.


15 posted on 10/09/2010 7:26:29 PM PDT by GQuagmire (Hey now!)
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To: LiberConservative

The movie is pretty good..better if you do not know the history..When I watched I though dam maybe Sarah will be president..


16 posted on 10/09/2010 7:28:08 PM PDT by Hojczyk
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To: LiberConservative

ME too.

If the Commie Dums are going balistic, I bet I will LOVE it.


17 posted on 10/09/2010 7:28:14 PM PDT by Marty62 (marty60)
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To: Hojczyk

I would not call it a christian movie..it is more I will do this or it will kill me..


18 posted on 10/09/2010 7:30:33 PM PDT by Hojczyk
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To: alecqss

“Now then: I do indeed compare “Secretariat” to “master-race propaganda almost worthy of Leni Riefenstahl,” a deliberately outrageous claim that, I suspect, pissed you off right at the outset. Let me elaborate a little. In my view, the most effective propaganda movies are not the ones about dudes with guns that espouse militarism, or the Soviet boy-meets-tractor films, or the Nazi cartoons about Jews. Those are too obvious. The most effective kind of propaganda depicts normal life, or rather an idealized vision of normal life, one that (as one of my readers put it) “makes a particular worldview seem natural, right and appealing.” Viewed that way, of course, a very large proportion of Hollywood movies could be considered propaganda, which is a subject for another time. (The shoe may fit.)”

http://www.salon.com/entertainment/movies/andrew_ohehir/2010/10/08/ebert_secretariat

“— what I refer to as the “fantasia of American whiteness and power,” which is, yes, going kind of far — is so built into this kind of movie you can’t get it out. I do, however, see Wallace’s desire to appeal to Christian audiences and a never-enumerated set of “middle-American values” as politically coded, at least to some degree. (Or rather, it’s coded if you want it to be; of course he’s happy with secular left-wing types watching the movie too.)”


19 posted on 10/09/2010 7:35:17 PM PDT by kcvl
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To: kcvl

He sees a good and wholesome movie and hates it ... for being wholesome. For attesting to family values and not showing the dark side of society.

He hates what is good, and wants what is evil.


20 posted on 10/09/2010 7:38:52 PM PDT by WOSG (OPERATION RESTORE AMERICAN FREEDOM - NOVEMBER, 2010 - DO YOUR PART!)
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