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Swinton attacks Hollywood studios' right-wing politics
The Scotsman ^ | 05-06-06 | ANNA MILLAR

Posted on 05/07/2006 11:48:18 AM PDT by veronica

ONE OF Scotland's leading actresses has lashed out at Hollywood, demanding "more wise and courageous distributors" and "distributors with the kamikaze vision that spreads the broad and long view".

Tilda Swinton also took a fiercely political swipe at a "goose-stepping" Walt Disney, just months after she played a leading role in a highly successful Disney adaptation, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

The Nairn-based actress delivered her opinions at the State of Cinema address as part of the 49th San Francisco International Film Festival.

In America, where there has been a shift away from big studios towards independent film-makers, Swinton has forged a successful career in both areas.

But she said: "If I'm posting any wish to my personal Cinema Santa this year, it is for more and more wise and courageous distributors, with more and more big and small and beautiful cinemas. Distributors with the kamikaze vision that spreads the broad and long view."

Swinton also spoke out about the right-wing religious influence still dominant in the film industry.

She told the audience: "Last year, in the process of promoting two fantasy films for different Hollywood studios, I was advised on the proper protocol for talking about religion in America today.

"In brief, the directive was, hold your hands high where all can see them, step away from the vehicle and enunciate clearly, nothing to declare."

Swinton followed these statements with an attack on the politics of many powerful figures in the film industry.

Speaking about The Chronicles of Narnia, which in the run-up to its release was given a huge push by the Church, Swinton said: "I love the idea of goose-stepping old Walt D making over $700m with the help of a Red Witch. He is more than welcome.

"At least we made her whiter than white, the ultimate white supremacist, and we managed to railroad the knee-jerk attempt to make her look like an Arab."

Swinton, who was born into a Scottish military family in London, began her acting career at the Royal Shakespeare Company. In her formative years, she also worked with the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh, before embarking on a career in film in the mid-1980s.

Early film work included several parts in the projects of director Derek Jarman, and also the title role in Orlando, Sally Potter's film version of the novel by Virginia Woolf.

In recent years, she has moved into more mainstream projects, appearing in Vanilla Sky with Tom Cruise, and The Beach, which also starred Leonardo DiCaprio.

Swinton also starred in Young Adam alongside Ewan McGregor.

In 2005, she starred as the White Witch in The Chronicles of Narnia, and had two other high-profile roles, as Penny in the Jim Jarmusch film Broken Flowers, and as Audrey Cobb in Mike Mills' film adaptation of the novel Thumbsucker.

Swinton, who lives in Nairn in the Highlands with her husband, artist and writer John Byrne, was unavailable for comment.


TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: disney; hollywood; narnia; tildaswinton
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To: Psycho_Bunny
I'd probably find her cute if she wasn't a moonbat

Look into her resentful eyes. She would do a Lorena Bobbit on you if you got anywhere near her.

41 posted on 05/07/2006 12:37:50 PM PDT by SauronOfMordor (A planned society is most appealing to those with the hubris to think they will be the planners)
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To: veronica

When 'actors' and 'actresses' use their breathtakingly overpaid fame and the media megaphone that coees along with it to bleat incomprehensibly about subjects that they know nothing about, such as politics, history and reality; it makes me even less interested in paying for a theater ticket than I was before. Why should I give more money to these halfwits?


42 posted on 05/07/2006 12:39:30 PM PDT by Stoat (Rice / Coulter 2008: Smart Ladies for a Strong America)
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To: veronica

She made these comments (I'm sure well received) at the - where else ---49th San Francisco International Film Festival. A sample of offerings:

The House Of Himiko

At a seaside rest home for gay men, a young woman confronts the father who once abandoned her to become proprietor of a transvestite bar. An offbeat comedy that offers a rare look at Japan’s older gay community


43 posted on 05/07/2006 12:44:12 PM PDT by eleni121 ('Thou hast conquered, O Galilean!' (Julian the Apostate))
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To: veronica

This is the first time I've ever read "Hollywood" and "right wing" in the same sentence.

The actress in question should stick to topics she's knowlegable about.


44 posted on 05/07/2006 12:44:23 PM PDT by Clintonfatigued (Illegal aliens commit crimes that Americans won't commit)
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To: veronica

Because as we all know, there is no evil force in the world except white supremacists (Sum of all Fears, anyone?).

I'm actually surprised Hollywood didn't try to make "Hotel Rwanda" into a story where the plucky black heroes fight off genocidal white supremacists.

If they ever make a movie about the Tiannanmen Square massacre, it will probably be white supremacists driving the tanks.


45 posted on 05/07/2006 12:45:07 PM PDT by Pete98 (After his defeat by the Son of God, Satan changed his name to Allah and started over.)
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To: Clintonfatigued

No kidding. What a Moon-Bat....


46 posted on 05/07/2006 12:45:38 PM PDT by Sprite518
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To: veronica

In L.A. we say that actresses in this kind of dither are "dehydrated and exhausted"


47 posted on 05/07/2006 12:46:05 PM PDT by BenLurkin (O beautiful for patriot dream - that sees beyond the years)
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To: veronica

I would be willing to bet this Leftist thinks Michael Moore is just middle of the road type of person.


48 posted on 05/07/2006 12:47:19 PM PDT by Sprite518
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To: veronica

Sounds like Eleanor clift saying Hillary is like Reagan. What are they leaving out of the water in Hollywood?



49 posted on 05/07/2006 12:47:31 PM PDT by Right Wing Assault ("..this administration is planning a 'Right Wing Assault' on values and ideals.." - John Kerry)
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To: veronica
Speaking about The Chronicles of Narnia, which in the run-up to its release was given a huge push by the Church, Swinton said: "I love the idea of goose-stepping old Walt D making over $700m with the help of a Red Witch. He is more than welcome. "At least we made her whiter than white, the ultimate white supremacist, and we managed to railroad the knee-jerk attempt to make her look like an Arab."

My take on what the whack-job was trying to say (it would be far too bourgeois for her to simply SAY it): Disney was a right-winger (goose-stepping reference to Hitler-era Germany), and she finds it ironic that someone in the right-wing persuasion would make tons of money from an evil influence (witch). And most witches are portrayed darkly, which is done to make them look like Arabs. They went the other direction this time and made the witch white, which is really appropriate since it symbolizes all the evil of white domination of everybody else on Earth.

I think that's what she's trying to say. She must be a real joy to live with.

MM

50 posted on 05/07/2006 12:51:18 PM PDT by MississippiMan (Behold now behemoth...he moves his tail like a cedar. Job 40:17)
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To: MississippiMan
Oh yeah you know the saying white people are evil while Arabs are peaceful and good.
51 posted on 05/07/2006 12:54:41 PM PDT by Sprite518
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To: veronica
For some reason, I want pancakes now.
52 posted on 05/07/2006 12:56:51 PM PDT by Ukiapah Heep (Shoes for Industry!)
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To: veronica
She must have the same Dr. as Patrick Kennedy.
53 posted on 05/07/2006 12:57:04 PM PDT by BallyBill (Serial Hit-N-Run poster)
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To: veronica
the knee-jerk attempt to make her look like an Arab."

why would anyone want to do that?

54 posted on 05/07/2006 12:57:14 PM PDT by wildwood
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To: veronica

Give her a break, please. She is no doubt already "in character" for her upcoming role as drug-addicted Warhol ex-superstar Nico, an incomprehensible German of no obvious talent who the film will almost certainly portray as a tortured artiste undone by conventional bourgeois morality.


55 posted on 05/07/2006 12:57:23 PM PDT by Hoya1
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To: Pete98

White supremacists with English accents.


56 posted on 05/07/2006 12:58:56 PM PDT by English Nationalist
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To: All

57 posted on 05/07/2006 12:59:24 PM PDT by monkapotamus
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To: veronica
"Swinton, who lives in Nairn in the Highlands with her husband, artist and writer John Byrne, was unavailable for comment."

May it always be so

58 posted on 05/07/2006 1:00:06 PM PDT by muir_redwoods (Free Sirhan Sirhan, after all, the bastard who killed Mary Jo Kopechne is walking around free)
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To: Enterprise

"In 2005, she starred as the White Witch in The Chronicles of Narnia, ..."

Apparently this role WASN'T MUCH OF A STRETCH FOR HER.


59 posted on 05/07/2006 1:00:14 PM PDT by WOSG (Faith & Reason)
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To: veronica

Be Courageous then, send back the Check!

Pray for W and Our Freedom Fighters


60 posted on 05/07/2006 1:00:38 PM PDT by bray (The only thing lower than Bush' numbers are the press')
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