Posted on 04/29/2005 1:00:01 PM PDT by missyme
We recently attended a preview of director Ridley Scott's crusader epic, "Kingdom of Heaven," which opens nationally May 6. The $130 million film -- which stars Orlando Bloom, Liam Neeson and Jeremy Irons -- tells the story of a 12th century blacksmith who rises to defend Jerusalem from Muslim invaders.
We're unable to officially review the film until its release, but we had these observations:
Although Scott put "Kingdom" in development before the 9/11 attacks, it's obvious that the War on Terror forms the backdrop for the film. "Kingdom of Heaven" is clearly intended to be a parable for our time, and it's therefore disappointing that a director of Scott's skill and experience (directing classics like "Alien," "Blade Runner" and "Gladiator") would opt for such a conventional, secular-liberal interpretation of the present conflict.
Even with its gorgeous settings, splendid action sequences, and some fine performances by Neeson and Irons, "Kingdom of Heaven" wears its politics too much on its sleeve.
The Western crusaders are too often dismissed as bloodthirsty and rapacious, and religion itself (both Christianity and Islam) is reduced to little more than a source of fanaticism. Scott doesn't glamorize the Islamic cause -- yet he can't understand it, either. Neither side's worldview is explored in any depth, because Scott assumes that war is the natural outflow of religion -- any religion.
Liberal Hollywood is struggling to find its voice in the post-9/11 world. Ridley Scott's effort may be the most ambitious yet in this regard, but the limitations of the liberal wordview in understanding our current struggle are become more obvious by the day. Aesthetically, "Kingdom of Heaven" may be a huge leap forward from "Fahrenheit 9/11," but its values are only baby steps removed.
you just cant admit that you have actually read what I have been posting so you just want to accuse accuse accuse....
With Kinsey once was enough.
Why are you ranting?
I saw Neeson's quotes on Kinsey with my own eyes.
I don't care that he took the role, but he didn't have to say what he did.
Oh and BTW, films and television are where a plurality of people get their beliefs from.
BTW...........I was actually just curious, because I took courses from Howard Zinn.
and that statement alone just proves you haven't yet read a thing I have posted....so why bother trying to get you to understand anymore?
Art shapes the way people see the world. As P.B. Shelley said, they are the 'unacknowledged legislators of the world'.
"I wish we could ask the thousands of Jews(who?)were burned alive in their synagogues rather than convert to Christianity."Nice shot Borges!BTW,Don't forget about the Hollocaust:)
Are you being sarcastic? If so that's a pretty bad joke. What I mentioned occured and is an important part of Jewish history.
You are applying this century's intellectual and moral standards to an ancient one. A time which had no policemen, no grocery stores, no standards for the vast majority of people other than pure survival.
Most did not read or write, let alone think any clearer than impulsively. They were not self aware as we experience it today after a life time of education, television, and cheap safe travel.
The western judeo/christian culture, has the most sophisticated sense of justice and concern for their fellow man then has ever been manifested in history. Witness stalin's russia, china, and islam's value of human life. Compare that to your own sense of outrage because of what little you know of the crusades. Yours, though uninformed about the specifics in the crusades, at least feels and can not tolerate the senseless destruction of human life, while the soviet union and china regularly purged themselves of anyone they did not like right up until a few years ago. they probably still do, and no one really raises a peep.
None the less, it has taken thousands of years to develope the values which you express, though certainly worth all of that effort, they have been learned in the school of hard knocks, with the influence of the church, despite all the regularly predictable villains.
Even in America, as late as the first world war, the usa had to reject something like half of the drafted young men because they were malnursihed. This finding insticated many of our government nutrition research and programs. In those days 70% or so Americans lived a hand to mouth excistence of farming. with no government programs.
Which reminds me, why do we never hear about the 'dust bowl' when people are talking about 'global warming'?
"In fact, next year, I'm gonna play Alfred Kinsey, the guy who did all the research on sexuality and sexual politics in America in the '50s. His results were astounding. Really big stuff. He got on the cover of Time magazine."
Neeson said he does not set out to play real people.
"What usually motivates me is the quality of the writing," he said. "But yeah, I guess I may subconsciously seek them out. These are people who stand for something, something that is good to remind audiences of. They had a code of ethics that you perhaps don't find anymore."
That's what you said.......if that post isn't equivocation of Muslim v. Christian I don't know what is. If that's not what you meant, fine, just say so.
I'm not going to do your research for you, but am amazed that you have not heard of what is probably one of the bloodiest chapter in history. Islamic historians, there own worst enemy, have recorded with great pride the slaughter of millions of Hindus following their invasion of northern India in 800 AD. There records, by the way, are in close agreement with the Hindu's.
are you blind? that IS what I said!!!!
the people NOT in the crusades on the Christian side back in the 1100s are in the same boat as the Muslims who aren't blowing themselves up in Palestine these days.
quit responding, this is hurting my head....
You think of Kinsey as courageous? Ha!
Most Muslims today know what's going on and most say nothing.
sorry about your head.
And I hear Derrida was a lovely guy as well...
Bookmarked for later, thank you.
I was just trying to help Borges.I just assumed you'd want to play the Holocaust card next:)
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