Note: I started this post last week and got sidetracked. I'm having a "finish what you start" kind of day, so I'm gonna post it even though I'm coming late to the table.
I thought I could be quiet about the Polanski arrest.
Folks more versed than myself, were saying what I would, but more concisely.
Honestly, in this day and age, can anyone defend a 40 yr old who had sex with a 13 yr old? Really?
But then a small contingent of "artists" had to put their .02 down on the wrong horse. Here is a list of folks I really lost respect for today:
Pedro Almodovar
Wes Anderson
Darren Aronofsky
Gael Garcia Bernal
Adrian Brody
Jonathan Demme
Penelope Cruz
Alfonso Cuaron*
Guillermo del Toro
Stephen Frears
Terry Gilliam*
Buck Henry (which makes his SNL character "Uncle Roy" really really gross.)
John Landis
David Lynch
Michael Mann
Jeanne Moreau
Richard Pena
Martin Scorcese
Tilda Swinton
Tom Tykwer*
Wim Wenders
This is not about a crime against artistic freedom or expression.
This is not a criticism of a man's creative work.
This is not about political persecution of an artist.
This is literally about the fact that after admitting to giving a 13 yr old girl alcohol/drugs and having unconsensual sex with her (read the grand jury testimony) and pleading down to lesser charges...after spending 45 days in jail and taking to a psychiatrist, Polanski jumped bail and left the country.
Period.
It's so overwhelmingly disappointing that these folks can't separate Polanski the filmmaker from Polanski the fugitive child rapist (because no matter what he pleaded down to? He raped that girl, folks.)
Some of these folk - their work - mi dios! It's had a big impact on the kind of stories I want to tell. So much so that I want to find an excuse for them for signing this petition. That they were in a rush when someone stuck a petition under their nose and they didn't really think about it and just signed.
But, I'm making excuses.
They signed it. And they're wrong. Period.
I'd add Woody Allen to the list...but honestly, I lost all respect for him in the mid-90's. Also, the complete lack of irony in Allen's support? Unfathomable.
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2 comments:
Well, we all know my man crush on Woody Allen. I still think he's gotten too much shit for basically falling in love with the 'wrong' person. I know it's icky, etc.., but, he didn't break any laws and he certainly didn't do what Polanksy did. but, I get your point.
snrub
True enough, Allen broke no laws.
But, I do think any link to him only drags on Polankski's "cause celebre."
1) having an affair is skeevy.
2) having that affair with your wife's daughter (biological or no), is skeeeeeeevy.
While the age thing is the moot, I have to admit, a 56 yr old making sexy times with a 22 yr old makes my mind go squigee.
But you're right.
He never broke any laws.
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