Mark Cuban's Response to Me About Terror Film

Mark Cuban | October 15, 2005 | Hildy

[Hildy]

Earlier today, there was a thread titled: Mark Cuban's Film for Terror

I read it with interest because I've corresponded with Mr. Cuban before and I was surprised to read about the supposed point of view of this movie. The article, by Debbie Schlussel, encouraged people to email Mark. I did. The following is our back and forth conversation. I asked him permission to post it here at FreeRepublic and he said, "Go for it." I'm only leaving out the part where I remind him of who I am and our earlier emails. Please read it and judge for yourself:

Hildy:
I see you've made a choice as to what kind of movies you want to make. I'm sorry that I won't be seeing your recently released movie which, I hear, is sympathetic to terrorists. I don't need to be lectured to as to why terrorists hate me. I'm Jewish, I know they hate me. It doesn't really matter why, there's nothing I can do to make them NOT hate me or my people, except, if we were all to DISAPPEAR FROM THE FACE OF THE EARTH. Do you even understand that?

I really wish you had stuck to sports.

Mark Cuban:
I'm jewish

I would hope you would have the interest to read more than a single website and then make accusations

Did it cross your mind that maybe the lady who wrote the article had an agenda, or maybe wasn't too bright ?

She is wrong

Hildy:
OK, Mark..if this really is Mark and not someone designated to answer emails, you tell me what you wanted this movie to be, and I will go and post it onto the conservative websites I belong to, where I found the original Debbie Schlussel article. She is not stupid, Mark. She has been doing what she does as long as you have been doing what you're doing. Do you realize how ridiculous you are to dismiss her criticisms as "stupid"? (That's what makes me think this response was not really written by Mark Cuban). I'm curious, and I know the conservatives will have an open mind if you explain what it is you were hoping to convey. I found this article on FreeRepublic.com. It's the foremost conservative website, with tens of thousand of members. If you want to write something yourself, I will make sure you have a forum. Or, if you want a question and answer there, I can arrange that as well.

I've always respected you, as a businessman and as a person, and I'd love to know what drew you to making a movie like this.

Mark Cuban:
First, I wrote it.

2nd, I dont care what conservatives or liberals think. Im neither. I think for myself about every issue. I dont "club think".

I care what people who use their brains think.

As far as calling Debbie stupid, well maybe she only has an agenda,but her "criticism" doesnt reflect what happened in the movie. She picked her spots to create context that worked for what she wanted to accomplish. To make it seem like I am supporting terrorism, which is so far from the truth, its not only laughable. its stupid.

Forget the adjectives she used to describe me that had nothing to do with the movie. Forget that she gave up the ending, which if she had any professional pride as a reviewer , she would realize that hers is not the only opinion of the movie (many have liked it for the reasons below).

The War Within wasnt made to show empathy to terrorists. Just the opposite. It was meant to show the true cowardness behind terrorism

The War Within was meant to send several messages.

Right off the bat, we should the terrorist for the coward he is. He supposedly is full of conviction when he enters prison. Yet has no problem flipping. Would I show an American serviceman or woman doing this. No chance. A terrorist. Of course. Thats what cowards do.

IN this movie, the terrorist comes to the US under false pretenses and is taken in by people who care for him. Who grew up with him and came to this country and are living the American dream. They show him everything that is great about this country. Yet he is obvlivious to the truth.

Then he again does what terrorists do, he turns his back on people that love him and that he supposedly loves, in order to kill. Is there any lower act that any human being could do ?

Thats what cowards do. Thas what terrorists do.

It shows that the person next door to you may look innocent. Like any average guy, but could be the most horrific of people

Im sure the neighbors of Timothy McVeigh and the BTK killers never imagined the psychopaths they were having lunch and dinner with. In the War Within, we dont make the terrorist look like a crazed killer with a turbin and beard because they no longer are. THey are far more dangerous when they look and talk like us and walk among us.

The message is that we all must be vigilant and understand what this world has become. If we dont recognize it, our inaction only makes their job easier.

Thats what I find amazing about Debbie's comments. She says "And that's the point. Producers want you to sympathize with Hassan, understand his point of view. At the end of the film, viewers may find themselves actually rooting for this hail-terrorist-well-met to blow up Grand Central."

THanks for telling me what we want. She is completely wrong. But it sure made it so her blog could be passed around everywhere and she coudl get people to send me about 50 emails.

THen she uses that to take the Directors quotes completely out of context.

Thats sad.

Criticize the movie all you want. But criticize the movie. Instead she lies about our motives in order to make the blog entry controversial.

It says more about her than the movie.

The reality is, that if someone doesnt point out that terrorists walk among us , we are doomed to be their victims.

This movie is a reminder.

Only a fool would think the message is empathy. Only a coward blows himself up and kills the innocent and people he supposedly loves. How in the world is that empathy for terrorism

As you have found out, if you question my patriotism or my motives in making this film, im not going to sit back .

As I told you, if you want to see where my politics lie, visit my fund www.fallenpatriotfund.org.

[bobbyd]

You're right, but at least one of his errors wasn't a simple typos: "cowardness" for cowardice.

I Love This Place!!!

[Hildy]

How crazy are you? Have you seen the movie...did you read what he said? All I have to say is ... wow. if if if...

[Hildy]

I saw the movie last week and it was a good movie and certainly did not support terrorism as some nitwit said in the press.

I think that needs to be restated.

[Petronski]

Can we authenticate these messages? Do we know he wrote them? Would an educated man write "cowardness" for cowardice, or "should" for showed?

[Hildy]

Believe me, he wrote it. You'll just have to take my word for it.

[Petronski]

If you're vouching for it, I'll accept that. I guess becoming a billionaire requires a "big picture" approach, rather than a schlub like me who sweats the small stuff. ;O)

[Hildy]

You said it, not me. :))

[beckett]

Schlussel:

Then, he is called several obscene names and violently nabbed by American agents. We next see secular, innocent Hassan in a dark Karachi, Pakistan dungeon--questioned, tortured, and mutilated. Throughout the film we are treated to views of his various ugly scars and his flashbacks of the torture.

I really doubt Schlussel is lying. Perhaps you think she is. Knock yourself out.

A main character subjected to torture speaks volumes about the the dramatist's intention in establishing audience sympathy. These tricks are as old as Hollywood, indeed, as old as Greek tragedy.

[Hildy]

See post #29..

[truthandlife]

Thanks for clarifying and I had a feeling Debbie was off base. I don't always agree with Mark Cuban but he is not stupid. He understands where his "bread is buttered." Dallas is a very conservative town and he could not afford to make a pro-terrorist or pro-Islam movie.

[Jalapeno]

If you go to the landmark cinema's website, and watch the "extended" trailer, which appears to be the first 8 minutes of the movie, you can see for yourself how Hassan is getting his motivation.

Website is here:

http://movies.aol.com/movie/main.adp?mid=23490

Schlussel does have a point here.

[Hildy]

You're going to judge an entire movie by an 8 minute trailer?

[Jalapeno]

You're going to judge an entire movie by an 8 minute trailer?

No, you are missing the point. The point is that Hassan is the central character. He is the one we observe through the life of the film...and his motivation to take his actions, whatever they are, are generated on false pretenses, that he was kidnapped and tortured by Americans (through a Paki proxy).

One of Schlussell's points is that this false pretense is not a good basis for the action in the film. And I think this is a valid point. Instead, it tries to plan the age old argument of "America made them through America's actions" as opposed to the jihadists making themselves through a corrupt culture and taking on a violent religious POV.

The producers of the film seem to have the mantra "we must know our enemy", but Hassan's motivator is not the motivator of our enemy, though they would love for it to truly be.

I do plan to go see it, for it did look like the acting was credible, and the subject matter disturbing enough to provoke thought, but based on what I am seeing as indicators for Hassan's driving force, I would hope people would acknowledge it as flawed, for I do believe it is.

[Hildy]

I don't think his point of view has to do with money. Did you read his passionate response. He wrote me after and said he picked up the distribution rights to this movie:

VOICES OF IRAQ

He said he picked it up after nobody else would. It looks pretty good but I've never heard of it, have you? Why do you think that is?

[Hildy]

Bttt

[Jalapeno]

I went and saw this today, and I would say it is not a sympathetic movie to terrorism.

However, it does use the kidnapping/torture angle introduced as his motivation. And at several moments in the film he flashes back to this event to fuel himself.

It really is a shame, because there are also scenes which indicate his interpretation of Islam is a motivator. But this is overshadowed by the vindictive element. It only begins to explore what I think should have been examined deeper.

So I think the writers did themselves a disservice with the kinapping/torture part, because in the end it really did not add to the plot, and it made the character less realistic, less believable. And it obviously points to a blame American syndrome, when there are more complex issue I would have wnated it to explore. One can only question why...

I would recommend it to all as an interesting film. I don't think it is going to convince anyone to go blow themselves up.

[Hildy]

Thanks, I'm going to send your post to Mark. Being you're one of the few who actually SAW the movie, it means the most.

[veronica]

Good for you!

I generally find Debbie to be spot on, and Mark Cuban is a jackass, so I'd have to see the film to know for sure.

[Hildy]

one more time...