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Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Actor Calls Out Michael Moore on 'ZDT'

A few days back, I posted the following:  Michael Moore--probably too close to the Hollywood community in this case--makes weak arguments backing Zero Dark Thirty on torture in the interview below.  All you have to know is that he calls it a work of "fiction" even though Bigelow says it's based on true events.  He claims it is actually anti-torture simply because it shows it, and doesn't care what lesson most people take from it--and says an "artist" has no responsibility to get it right.   He also claims, correctly, that torture rarely gets good info and 99 times out of 100 gets wrong info--but isn't bothered by the fact that the film does not show that.  In fact, it shows not one but several prisoners giving up something vital after, if not during, torture.

To update:  Time magazine asked Moore to write a piece defending the above.  Now David Clennon, the actor who is spearheading the Hollywood protest of the film, has now replied to that, addressing "Mike" directly.   You can see both his piece, and an expanded version of Moore's article, here.

One excerpt from Clennon: "Instead of being indicted, these torturers are presented as heroes, as brave and dedicated 'detectives.'  No one gives Maya or Dan the kind of scolding, which you envision Obama giving, off-screen.  Chastain’s Maya, is presented as especially admirable, a feminist action hero.  She not only gets her man; she also muscles CIA male chauvinists out of the way, as she pushes ahead on 'The Greatest Manhunt in History.'  And we’re supposed to empathize and cheer her on."  And:  "Do you get it, Michael?  Your heroine murdered another human being, in the course of torturing him.  And she is never called to account."  UPDATE:  New piece with fresh take on how the film justifies torture--through false "ticking time bomb" drama.


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