tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post1233614100208604068..comments2024-03-29T04:57:26.162-04:00Comments on John Kenneth Muir's Reflections on Cult Movies and Classic TV: CULT MOVIE REVIEW: Redacted (2007)John Kenneth Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629979615332893780noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-4653945832370907532009-10-10T12:27:53.219-04:002009-10-10T12:27:53.219-04:00Hey Le0pard13:
Thank you for your excellent comme...Hey Le0pard13:<br /><br />Thank you for your excellent comment. <br /><br />The problem is that the O'Reillys and Limbaughs can't see that two things can be true simultaneously: that U.S. troops can be worthy of our support; and sometimes, some troops may do bad things...and should be punished.<br /><br />They just want it all to be "Support Our Troops" cheerleading...and then nothing gets solved. <br /><br />Redacted is a tough film. It's disturbing and thought-provoking and I want to watch it again to get a better sense of the structure and artistry. But I don't look forward to the film because it is so hard, so brutal...and so honest.<br /><br />best,<br />JKMJohn Kenneth Muirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15629979615332893780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-8971250910569332672009-10-10T12:23:37.458-04:002009-10-10T12:23:37.458-04:00As I read your excellent article on Redacted and t...As I read your excellent article on <i>Redacted</i> and the (Medved, Limbaugh, O'Rielly, etc.) reaction it drew, I couldn't help but be reminded of <i>Casualties of War</i>. I read some very intelligent people who point out that Viet Nam seems to have too much an affect on certain generations' thoughts in that it skews their judgment towards today's geopolitics. And that may some hold water. However, totally ignoring the parallels in these <i>wars of choice</i> (there was no necessity, in either) opens us (and our country) up to more problems and self-inflicted wounds. The Jefferson quote of <i>eternal vigilance is the price of liberty</i> is spot on, JKM. Blind obedience seems to be what the extreme right wants ('dumbing-down' is a good analysis of this). Luckily for us, because of the type of troops we have in the field (like your good friend) we saw a push back among them (though it wasn't covered much due to complicity of our larger news organizations, sadly) on how the past administration was (horribly) conducting that war.<br /><br />But, I probably comment too much on this when I should talk more about the film. <i>Redacted</i> is one on my list to see. Your more in-depth analysis of De Palma's film will be one I will look forward to, John. Thanks for this.le0pard13https://www.blogger.com/profile/09421175808461787862noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-23640605870197998712009-10-10T07:52:53.932-04:002009-10-10T07:52:53.932-04:00DLR:
Excellent comment.
I spent far too much t...DLR:<br /><br />Excellent comment. <br /><br />I spent far too much time/space in my own review defending the artist's right to his subject matter. <br /><br />With that defense out of my system, I would like, at some point, to actually look more closely at the artistry involved in the creation of Redacted.<br /><br />But Redacted was treated in the press just as you said: as treason. Which of course is utterly ridiculous, and more than a little bit scary.<br /><br />Great comments...<br /><br />best,<br />JKMJohn Kenneth Muirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15629979615332893780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-58506696461338842952009-10-10T07:52:53.160-04:002009-10-10T07:52:53.160-04:00DLR:
Excellent comment.
I spent far too much t...DLR:<br /><br />Excellent comment. <br /><br />I spent far too much time/space in my own review defending the artist's right to his subject matter. <br /><br />With that defense out of my system, I would like, at some point, to actually look more closely at the artistry involved in the creation of Redacted.<br /><br />But Redacted was treated in the press just as you said: as treason. Which of course is utterly ridiculous, and more than a little bit scary.<br /><br />Great comments...<br /><br />best,<br />JKMJohn Kenneth Muirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15629979615332893780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-30297566329399333552009-10-10T06:43:50.745-04:002009-10-10T06:43:50.745-04:00Good article. "Redacted" is easily DePal...Good article. "Redacted" is easily DePalma's bravest work, considering a political climate where ubiquitous rabid jingoists declare any art critical of right-wing policies "treasonous" from positions at the forefront of US media... and, unfortunately, place reviewers and critics in the position of having to expend far too much effort defending an artist's choice of subject (even Leni Riefenstahl gets more of a "pass" than DePalma's <i>Redacted</i>, it seems to me)... making it difficult to look at his political movies, which seem to always be "hot". To me, it seems that it's no coincidence that Redacted and Casualties of War share so many themes in common, themes consistent with the politics of his earliest movies such as "Greetings". Both Redacted and Casualties seem to state quite flatly that War is Rape, and it empowers the worst of men and renders the best complicit. Brave thoughts in a time of cowards.DLRnoreply@blogger.com