Red, Trite, and Blue
Now I haven’t read any articles about this, but apparently Disney’s new movie Americas Heart & Soul is supposed to be the anti-Fahrenheit 911. I don’t know all the “he said, she said” details about it, but this interview I caught on CNN this morning makes the director seem like an alright guys who’s inadvertently stuck in a mini-controversy :
KAGAN: And so here you are trying to make a nice movie about America and somehow find your way in the middle of what some would consider a controversy of sorts. People calling your movie the anti- “Fahrenheit 9/11″. What do you think about that?SCHWARTZBERG: Well, obviously, I think it’s hilarious because I’ve been working on this film for 15 years and Disney decided to distribute it a year-and-a-half ago before 9/11. The film is not political. This has been my dream, my passion and it’s a joke to be considered a right-wing kook, when, if anything, I’m an environmentalist and I love change. And the film is a populist movie. I’m letting ordinary Americans speak their own voice. And if anything, that’s the greatest political statement you can make.
KAGAN: Well, let’s kind of explain the right-wing kook comment just a bit. Now part of the controversy here is Disney made the decision not to distribute Michael Moore’s movie “Fahrenheit 9/11″, but is distributing your movie. And in response to that, Michael Moore on his own Web site posted a statement accusing Disney of joining forces with the right-wing kooks who have come together to attempt to sensor “Fahrenheit 9/11″.
Are these two stories that are just developing side by side?
SCHWARTZBERG: It’s totally untrue. I think Disney never intended to distribute Michael Moore’s film. I mean, it was actually funded by Miramax and the truth is, we showed our film to all kinds of groups and the grassroots effort across this country, the Sierra Club, the farmers, Boy Scouts, faith-based communities, as a way to get people interested in the movie.
Again, I made this as an independent movie with my own money, my own time and passion. And to compare the two is totally ridiculous.
KAGAN: No such thing as bad publicity, though. It gets people out there looking and seeing not just your movie, “Fahrenheit 9/11″ and just more focus on documentaries in general.
SCHWARTZBERG: Well, i think that’s a good thing. I mean, I think it’s actually a wonderful one-two punch. Mark Twain said that the definition of a patriot is someone who loves their country and isn’t afraid to criticize their government. I think audiences can go see both movies and have debate and conversation and dialogue because freedom of speech is our greatest freedom and that’s what I think we’re fighting for.
So whatever you hear about this movie, I’d take it with a grain of salt. From what I’ve seen of the movie, it looks stock footage to be used in political advertisements. Then again, every time I hear people use the words “heart” and “soul” in reference to something other than the blood pump in the middle of your chest or that little ghost that gets to hang out with Jesus after you die, my eyes begin to glaze over.
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Your post seems on the money as usual, Greg, until this unfortunate sinking statement:
“…every time I hear people use the words ‘heart’ and ‘soul’ in reference to something other than the blood pump in the middle of your chest or that little ghost that gets to hang out with Jesus after you die, my eyes begin to glaze over…”
I’m guessing that you probably don’t exactly mean that, but if you do, I encourage you to reconsider. In normal parlance, the words “heart” and “soul” mean a whole lot more than a physical organ and a Christian superstition (though I’m neither a doctor nor a Christian — I’m a Buddhist, a software developer, a blogger). “Heart” means the faculty to experience things like love and compassion and beauty and joy. “Soul” means the faculty to feel and empathize and harmonize. In my opinion, these are some of the most important things a human being is capable of doing, far surpassing intellect in power and importance. Dismissing and ridiculing the entire concepts of “heart” and “soul” seems like a big mistake to me.
Peace.
Comment by Kai — July 10, 2004 @ 12:16 am
i’m with Greg on this one. the name of his post was “Red, trite and blue.” the words “heart” and “soul” are used so often that they are virtually meaningless… of course anyone can look up a word in a dictionary and spout it’s meaning. But the use of the word is non-descriptive and boring. take these words, for instance:
“Heart” and “love” and “compassion” and “beauty” and “joy”- does the word itself actually convey an emotion?
You seem very intelligent too Kai- don’t make the mistake of assuming someone who thinks the words are trite does not have the “faculty” to experience it. I am most offended.
Comment by Erin — July 12, 2004 @ 10:03 am
When I hear the words heart and soul together i think of country singers kissing babies and farmers being patriotic. Cheesy? You bet your ass the phrase heart and soul has lost it’s luster. And why did it take this guy fifteen years to make the film. All the time and that’s the best title he could come up with? Sounds like the name of a Toby Keith song.
Comment by ShaunyP — July 12, 2004 @ 6:26 pm