The Revenge of Dr. Munich
I used to watch Saturday morning television. Well, mostly cartoons whenever they would come on. Saturday morning, 3 p.m., whenever.
I remember one time watching the animated G.I. Joe cartoon. Now, imagine if you will, 20 minutes of mindless, stupid, violence where no one gets hurt and then, at the VERY END, G.I. Joe would show up and tell “Billy” that he needs someone to hold the ladder if he’s going to climb the house. What this told me was that it’s okay to have 20 minutes of violence – as long as you spend 15 seconds giving some stupid kid a lesson.
That’s how I felt after watching “Munich.” I love Stephen Spielberg. I would have his baby. I would be dirt in one of his films. I would allow him to sit on me instead of a Director’s chair but I was highly disappointed by “Munich.” It’s not that the film isn’t good. It’s actually a great film in terms of pacing, photography, action, suspense. SS is the only guy I know who can make a 2 hr and 40 minute long film, seem to go by in about 90 minutes. The man knows what he’s doing and he does it so very well.
What my problem is, is that this is a basic propaganda piece. It’s not so much that I have a problem with THAT as long as I know going in. If I watch porn, I don’t expect there to be much of a plot. But when this film came out the critics and others were saying that this film really took a hard look at the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and that it was, well, “Balanced.” Ha! It’s as balanced as Rush Limbaugh.
The problem that I have with it in terms of it’s balance is the same problem I had with “G.I. Joe.” The “Balance” comes in when the guy at the end questions what he’s done. Oooh, never saw that before. Besides not really having a third act, the script does the cop-out of letting us revel in the violence and gore and brutality and then has us question the main character as the main character questions his actions. It’s only THEN does the “moral” of the story come out. Which bothers me. It also bothers me that the death of these 11 athletes, as horrifying as it is, seems to weigh especially heavy on the main character (to the point he thinks about their brutal killing while he’s having hot monkey sex with his wife – not something I usually think about). Maybe this is to represent something deeper in his soul or something – I don’t know. I found it a bit disturbing. Is this act of violence (as horrific as it is) really that much of a driving force behind this main character. Really? Maybe I thought that it would make more sense to have one of the athletes be his brother, or his father or a second cousin twice removed – something that would draw him MORE to the core of his soul as he’s taking out the “bad guys” (who are BAD GUYS we never see them in anything resembling three-dimensional characters – one guy tells stories, another has a family – as if that’s enough for us to think about them).
Maybe if I was Jewish. Maybe if I was Palestinian. Maybe.
I also watched: “The Revenge of Dr. X” – a 60’s movie about a mad scientist who, basically, creates a carnivorous plant out of a venus flytrap and some underwater seaweed. The plant, like “Little Shop of Horrors,” wants blood and wants it now. But this plant walks around all buffed out like a Mr. Universe. All the while, Dr. X, yells at his assistant and then compliments her and then yells at her again. Though he works for NASA and this is his “vacation” – he’s hell bent on creating this plant.
Best line: “The earth is your mother, the rain is your blood!”
About two thirds through the otherwise G rated film, the assistant, seeking some dive help, runs over to a group of topless hot Japanese women who bounce on up and listen to the mad scientist tell them where to dive. The scene goes on for quite a bit of time. Who cares that the assistant always wears a swimsuit top.
I’m feeling better now.
I remember one time watching the animated G.I. Joe cartoon. Now, imagine if you will, 20 minutes of mindless, stupid, violence where no one gets hurt and then, at the VERY END, G.I. Joe would show up and tell “Billy” that he needs someone to hold the ladder if he’s going to climb the house. What this told me was that it’s okay to have 20 minutes of violence – as long as you spend 15 seconds giving some stupid kid a lesson.
That’s how I felt after watching “Munich.” I love Stephen Spielberg. I would have his baby. I would be dirt in one of his films. I would allow him to sit on me instead of a Director’s chair but I was highly disappointed by “Munich.” It’s not that the film isn’t good. It’s actually a great film in terms of pacing, photography, action, suspense. SS is the only guy I know who can make a 2 hr and 40 minute long film, seem to go by in about 90 minutes. The man knows what he’s doing and he does it so very well.
What my problem is, is that this is a basic propaganda piece. It’s not so much that I have a problem with THAT as long as I know going in. If I watch porn, I don’t expect there to be much of a plot. But when this film came out the critics and others were saying that this film really took a hard look at the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and that it was, well, “Balanced.” Ha! It’s as balanced as Rush Limbaugh.
The problem that I have with it in terms of it’s balance is the same problem I had with “G.I. Joe.” The “Balance” comes in when the guy at the end questions what he’s done. Oooh, never saw that before. Besides not really having a third act, the script does the cop-out of letting us revel in the violence and gore and brutality and then has us question the main character as the main character questions his actions. It’s only THEN does the “moral” of the story come out. Which bothers me. It also bothers me that the death of these 11 athletes, as horrifying as it is, seems to weigh especially heavy on the main character (to the point he thinks about their brutal killing while he’s having hot monkey sex with his wife – not something I usually think about). Maybe this is to represent something deeper in his soul or something – I don’t know. I found it a bit disturbing. Is this act of violence (as horrific as it is) really that much of a driving force behind this main character. Really? Maybe I thought that it would make more sense to have one of the athletes be his brother, or his father or a second cousin twice removed – something that would draw him MORE to the core of his soul as he’s taking out the “bad guys” (who are BAD GUYS we never see them in anything resembling three-dimensional characters – one guy tells stories, another has a family – as if that’s enough for us to think about them).
Maybe if I was Jewish. Maybe if I was Palestinian. Maybe.
I also watched: “The Revenge of Dr. X” – a 60’s movie about a mad scientist who, basically, creates a carnivorous plant out of a venus flytrap and some underwater seaweed. The plant, like “Little Shop of Horrors,” wants blood and wants it now. But this plant walks around all buffed out like a Mr. Universe. All the while, Dr. X, yells at his assistant and then compliments her and then yells at her again. Though he works for NASA and this is his “vacation” – he’s hell bent on creating this plant.
Best line: “The earth is your mother, the rain is your blood!”
About two thirds through the otherwise G rated film, the assistant, seeking some dive help, runs over to a group of topless hot Japanese women who bounce on up and listen to the mad scientist tell them where to dive. The scene goes on for quite a bit of time. Who cares that the assistant always wears a swimsuit top.
I’m feeling better now.
posted by WipeYourFeetOnTheMatt at 10:25 AM
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