Well it’s been almost two weeks since my last post. I haven’t had too much to report. I’m still alive and feeling pretty much like myself. I’ve written a few new jokes, and gotten a few hundred new grey hairs. Otherwise life has been quiet lately.
Last weekend I went to Yuks for first time in what seems like ages. I did some time, it turned out to be a really good set. I was in full rock star mode. Sometimes I like it when that part of my character comes out to play. He doesn’t come out too often these days, but when he does, you can follow him by the trail of empty scotch glasses left in his wake.
Other Stuff…
I'll probably get hate mail over this one...
I just watched the trailer for United 93. I think it’s very sad that 9/11 is a marketing machine unto itself. (Not that it’s terribly surprising…) It strikes me that there should be a big difference between “never forgetting” and “beating a dead horse.” Alas it seems there is not.
Every time a movie like this gets made, it cheapens the tragedy just a little more, and tarnishes sorrow with a slick veneer of patriotism. We need little reminder that we live in dangerous times, and yet we are bombarded with this message on a daily basis. As if America needs to be reminded to be paranoid. If there’s one thing America is good at, it’s paranoia.
It would be different if this were a movie made to set some sort of historical context. Not that it really needs to be put in a historical context… It’s still very fresh in everyone’s memory. Truthfully if anything this topic has too much context. Any conversation lasting more than an hour these days will be rife with 9/11 references.
This movie was made to make money. It’s fairly plain and simple… Universal is doing nothing more than milking the 9/11 teet. (Or leaving a huge ass tooth under their pillow for the 911 fairy…) I’m not sure you could get tackier.
How do you market this? I think it takes a lot of balls to turn to the public and pass this crap off as a memorial. I sort of imagine it like this.
Montage: Planes colliding with the trade towers, dissolve to a tattered but still fluttering American flag.
Voice over: Parking 5 dollars, movie ticket 10 dollars, popcorn and soda at the concession 15 dollars, that sinking feeling that your intelligence and sensitivities are about to be insulted… Priceless.
It’s amazing that the hogs at the trough will hoard just about anything. There is no dignity, just old-fashioned greed. Apparently anything can be churned into a dollar and that’s just not right.
The biggest problem here is that any sense of humanity and compassion has been totally stomped out in favour of schmaltz, and that is the biggest tragedy of all. I agree that we should never forget what happened, but isn’t time to stop milking it? It’s been nearly 5 years. Aren’t their other, better things to sap cash from? Like Iraq for instance…
2 comments:
Who cares if 9/11 stories make money for people. At least the horrible event is not being swept under the rug. Those who knew someone at the trade centre whether is was family or friend, and those who were there will always remember. Others who had an aquaintace, watched it on TV, and live in other countries will have to be reminded. Not possible? Everyone knows about 9/11 with the planes and the buildings right? Yes. But do you actually sit back and think all about it everyday of your life. Is it what keeps you up at night? Ask that question to a survivor of the attacks or anyone who lost a close friend or relative in those fires and explosions. Sure life goes on. Hopefully most have moved on, but I expect that the memory of the hooror that happened keeps those people awake and creeps into their thoughts at least 20 times a day.
I firmly believe it can happen anywhere to any number of people at any time. No I do not live in fear. But every once in a while... any terrorist movie can get you thinking "Gee, I wonder if it would really happen that way?"
Others will try and tell you that "HOLLYWOOD" over dramatizes everything real about life. I have never seen a movie come close to the drama and horror that occured that morning.
I watched the movie "Dirty" this weekend and cried real tears and cringed when someone pulled a gun on a little girl. I threw up when I saw that airplane hit one of the towers. Sure one is reality and one is not but the events of 9/11 showed me that the most horrible thing you can imagine can actually happen.
I probably had not thought about 9/11 for months until I saw this post.
Everyone has the right to an opinion. Mine is that people need to be reminded.
See I knew I'd catch shit...
How can it be swept under the rug? It is the most super fantastic event of the century.
But if we remain paranoid about it then the "Terrorists win!!!"
Amazing how that buzz phrase got misused and abused.
Although truthfully they already have won, because 9/11 has become a staple of the modern lexicon.
It has become the phrase that has permitted the glorification of war, the restriction of person freedoms, and the
slaughter of a lot of innocent bystanders.
I agree that we should remember with sincerity what happened. I just think that making money off it is crass. I think it's vulgar, and universal should be ashamed.
Is it too much to ask not to put a price on human dignity?
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