Iran angered over films 'The Wrestler' and '300'

[Saddle Bronc 124]

To reinforce my earlier post....

Iran protesting about these films is like Pakistan protesting negative portrayals of it in post-1966 Bollywood films; by officially banning all Indian films from being shown in Pakistan after 1965 war (although pirated versions are available), it basically cut any locus standi for protesting negative portrayals.

Same way with Iran and these films (made under US auspices, and officially banned in Iran anyway).

The objection isn't invalidated just because you object to the people raising the argument. The only valid argument is whether a person has seen the movies in question or not - in which case they can't have much of an opinion about the content. Certainly Iran IS trying to score some political points with the argument - but there IS a point to be addressed, even if the subject matter is ultimately inconsequential.

The little fact that they already have a vehicle for "protesting" (simplest one--blanket ban) does however invalidate their protest.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

This is a protest though - the art and cinema advisor is arguing that a 9 member team of Hollywood peeps shouldn't be allowed to visit without addressing issues defamation in US cinema.

Their argument is about the content of specific movies - I've not seen The Wrestler so I can't comment on that, but 300 is defamatory, in much the same way that popular movies about the Nazis are controversial in Germany - even though here we take cartoon bad guys for granted.

Edited March 2, 2009 by Paul Daniels

[Der Bücherwurm 1]

My husband actually liked the film. He thought it was silly that anyone got upset over the comic depiction of the Spartan/Persian battle since it's just a movie based on a graphic novel. He doesn't think that every movie about historical events has to be a 100% accurate documentary. He knew it was just a movie so he didn't find it offensive except for the fact that the Persian army were dressed like Arabs rather than Persians. That was his only complaint. He didn't care that the Persians were depicted as monsters, just that they were depicted as monsters in Arab dress. He thought they should have at least dressed the Persian monsters in Persian costumes.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

As I say - my objection wasn't the historical accuracy as much as the fascist subtexts in the graphic novel, which were further exaggerated for the movie.

To the earlier point it should probably be pointed out that its no coincidence that the "Spartan" who betrays the rest is the only one who isn't physically "perfect".

[Der Bücherwurm 1]

And so what if the author of the graphic novel was a fascist? Does it really matter? As an artist I can look at a good painting and appreciate it even upon finding out that it was a serial killer, a fascist or a broke, homeless bum that painted it. I'm not saying 300 is a work of art or if it is or isn't fascist. But if it is fascist, does that mean it should have been banned to please the PC crowd? I'm getting sick of all the California Political Correctness that's being spread around the world. It's keeping people from expressing themselves and saying what they really think. At one point the movie Das Boot was controversial in Germany because it gave a human face to sailors on a nazi submarine. How many films, photographs, paintings and sculptures are we going to start banning or destroying because the artist wasn't PC enough. And who will get to decide what is or isn't PC enough? Bottom line, if you don't like it, don't watch it and let everyone else decide what they want to see. Censorship is fascist as well after all.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Criticising it is a long way from suggesting that it should be banned. I don't believe in censorship.

[ProudWife 0]

Funny, I recall something about Iran asking for an apology for "Not Without My Daughter" starring Sally Fields? But, let's not jump to conclusions. There is two sides to every story. Go on YouTube and watch 6 parts from the alleged spouse abuser Dr. Mahmoomny of this one sided sensationalized film. The author of this book also wrote Midnight Express about Turkish people being violent and the whole gay persona #######. It's all about a VIEW POINT. These films are like a#sh#l#s; we all have one.

Mar 1, 2:43 PM (ET)

By NASSER KARIMI

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - An adviser to Iran's president on Sunday demanded an apology from a team of visiting Hollywood actors and movie industry officials, including Annette Bening, saying films such as "300" and "The Wrestler" were "insulting" to Iranians.

Without an apology, members of Iran's film industry should refuse to meet with representatives from the nine-member team, said Javad Shamaqdari, the art and cinema adviser to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

"In my viewpoint, it is a failure to have an official meeting with one who is insulting," Shamaqdari told The Associated Press.

The film "300," portrays the battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C., in which a force of 300 Spartans held off a massive Persian army at a mountain pass in Greece for three days. It angered many Iranians for the way Persians are depicted as decadent, sexually flamboyant and evil in contrast to the noble Greeks.

Iranians also criticized "The Wrestler" starring Mickey Rourke as a rundown professional wrestler who is preparing for a rematch with his old nemesis, "The Ayatollah." During a fight scene, "The Ayatollah" tries to choke Rourke with an Iranian flag before Rourke pulls the flagpole away, breaks it and throws it into the cheering crowd.

Neither movie was shown in Iran.

While American actors such as Sean Penn have traveled to Iran, it is rare for such a large group to visit. In February, Iran denied visas to a U.S. women's badminton team that had been invited to compete in a tournament in Iran.

The group includes the President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Sid Ganis; actors Bening, and Alfre Woodard; producer William Horberg; AMPAS Special Events Programmer and Exhibitions Curator Ellen Harrington; and Tom Pollock, the former

According to the Web site of Iran's Cinema Association, the group arrived Friday in Iran. They met a group of Iranian artists on Saturday, and will be holding educational seminars in directing, screenwriting, acting, producing, marketing and film distribution.

Shamaqdari says Iranians will warmly host the visiting Americans "but it will not stop Iranians from demanding an apology."

Iranian political analyst Saeed Laylaz downplayed Shamaqdari's comments, saying they were meant for domestic consumption. He pointed out that the visit must have been approved by the government.

"It is not likely any American, especially Hollywood people, could visit Iran without Iranian government approval," said Laylaz.

Meanwhile, the visiting Hollywood actors and industry officials held their seminars Sunday as scheduled. During one session, Ali Reza Raisian, the head of the Association of Iranian Directors, said the visit would improve Iran's movie industry.

Most ordinary Iranians were not aware of the visit since state radio and television did not widely report it. But those who had heard said they hoped it would improve relations between the two countries.

"The two countries have tried to wrestle in many ways," said Mahrokh Razani, a self-described movie fan who said he found out about the trip on the Internet. "I hope they can have better ties through movies."

Hossein Taghi, an Iranian businessman who often travels to the U.S., said he was surprised and elated that well-known Hollywood figures would visit Iran.

"This made my family and me very happy," said Taghi. "It is a sign of goodwill by both countries."

The visits come as President Barack Obama has indicated a new willingness to open up relations with Iran.

Relations between the two countries have been strained over concerns in the West that Iran is trying to develop a nuclear weapons program, something Tehran denies. The U.S. has also alleged that overwhelmingly Shiite Iran supports Shiite militias in Iraq, which Iran says is not true.

The two countries have not had diplomatic relations since the 1979 Islamic Revolution and the hostage-taking at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran.

Edited March 8, 2009 by Lisa Momeny