Posted on 01/19/2007 5:58:44 AM PST by MadIvan
Hollywood legend Robert Redford has called on US leaders to apologise for the war in Iraq.
The actor was speaking at the start of the Sundance Film Festival in Utah, where the opening movie recalled protests over the Vietnam war in 1968.
Redford said he, like many others, had shown a "spirit of unity" with the US government after 11 September 2001.
"We put all our concerns on hold to let the leaders lead," he said. "I think we're owed a big, massive apology."
The actor, whose Sundance Institute for independent film runs the annual festival, usually steers clear of political messages in his opening speech.
Festival opener Chicago 10 recounts the demonstrations surrounding 1968's Democratic National Convention, which saw protestors clash with the National Guard.
Using a cutting-edge blend of historical footage and animation, director Brett Morgen's film examines the trial of the famed "Chicago Seven," who were convicted of inciting riots.
Morgen, who took the stage to a standing ovation after the screening, said one of his goals in making the film was to "mobilise the youth in the country to get out and stop this war".
His film is one of many referencing the Iraq conflict at this year's Sundance festival.
Ghosts of Abu Ghraib deals with the abuses that occurred in an Iraqi prison in 2003, while No End In Sight is an examination of the Bush administration's conduct in the country.
Taboos broken
The programme for the festival has attracted controversy with the inclusion of films that include shocking sexual content.
A documentary called Zoo deals with the practice of bestiality.
And the dark drama Hounddog portrays the rape of a young girl, played by 12-year-old actress Dakota Fanning.
"Those are issues that are on the table, whether you want to face them or not," said Redford.
"If you don't expose these things, if you don't put the light on them, then they could get worse."
But the event also features many films with a more uplifting feel.
The Good Life, from writer and director Steve Berra, tells of a young man running an old cinema in a small town.
Padre Nuestro is about a young man who meets up with a group of illegal immigrants heading from Mexico to New York after he chooses to flee his criminal past.
More than 120 films will be screened throughout the 10-day festival, which ends on 28 January.
You aren't joking
Regards, Ivan
Regards, Ivan
Too much sun-dance. :)
Now I wonder how long 'big bad Redford' gives the President to reply to his order? I am mighty afraid he will wait a long time. If it hadn't been for Hollywood and the left-wing media, we may have been out of Iraq by now. They are for anything (like Iraq winning) if the President is behind it. These people make me sick~~~!!!!!!! Your description of the films they are making shows how sick these people are~~
Mighty weak justification for such self-indulgenent exhibitionism.
Redford and his bufoonery add nothing to popular culture.
And talk about delusions of grandeur..."
Redford also has unique views as to private property.
HIS acreage is PRIVATE. Everything you and I own is subject to his opinions and the jurisdiction of people Redford would vote into office. He did as he wished in a large canyon near Park City to build his place. Then he bitches about someone trimming trees for safety in their yards. He also owns properties in Nevada City, California. Rentals. He keeps them nice, but there he is surrounded by the interferring opinions of the Birkenstock and Brie crowd.
Truly a man who believe in "do as I say- not as I do.".
Gosh, I can't believe that picture~~ugh!!!
KMA, Bobby.
I can agree with you on those two. "A river Runs Through It" was a beautiful film.
Redford, Streisand, etc., all the same...so little facts..so much rage....democrats all...
Another Redford film HAVANA had his romantic interest working for Castro's rise to power. But the secret police bad guy's tirade against the communists was right on as was mobster Myer Lansky's outburst. What HAVANA needed to make it balanced was showing Arturo Duran and his wife going up against the wall to face Che's firing squads just as many other idealistic Castro supporters did in the wake of Castro consolidating power.
I demand Redford apologize for An Indecent Proposal."
AMEN.
Putting Dakota Fanning into "Houndog" to bring the problem of child abuse to the attention of the public is just plain nuts.
Indecent Proposal was supposed to be showing us that a rich man can buy a poor man's wife????????
Child abuse happens for a number of reasons. IMO, the biggest reason that rape, child abuse, wife abuse, etc is so far out of kilter is because men in the judicial system have for years treated the whole situation as tho the victim was the person at fault. Been there. Know what I am talking about.
The creep in Missouri who was caught with 2 missing boys in hos house has the gall to go to court and plead "NOT GUILTY" and his lawyer gets paid to "defend" him. How much more guilty can he be? The kids were there. One was known to be there for a number of years. They are old enough to testify against him.... And the county taxpayers are going to pay for his to have a trial. Give him to me. I will "give him a trial", and it will be short and swift and permanent. He will never hurt another person or animal.
There is a long term attitude that you can get away with anything in this country if you have a good enough lawyer. Time for more vigilante justice.
"how brave! how daring of all these leftists to really get out in front and face these issues."
imho, your sarcasm is well placed. leftists seem to take on a mantle of brilliance and courage whenever they embrace marxism. it is an illusion put forth and fostered by the main stream propaganda media. they are nothing but a bunch of totalitarian scu%bags who have succeeded in painting a positive picture of an evil-inspired political movement that relies on intimidation, manipulation and murder to succeed. (please excuse the expletives, but it is the only word which seems to be appropriate in describing them.) only the leftist cause of the day is allowed to be aired and blatant hypocrisy is ignored while it is attributed to others. (what a bunch of scu$bags.)
This is exactly the situation in the War on Terror.
I grew up in the same hometown as Jimmy Stewart; it's about the towns only claim to fame, and they do make the most of it. Learning all about Stewart's life, and especially his military career established a standard in my mind for the responsible use of one's celebrity status. It's a standard and expectation against which Redford fails miserably.
One of my favorite movies, "A Bridge Too Far," features Redford, who is not worthy of licking the boots of the real men of that era. I don't think however, that Redford's behavior is a particularly new phenomenon, as he seems to be precisely the type JS Mill was referring to when he wrote:
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
"Spirit of unity..." ?
Does he look better with his glasses on?
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