Quote:

---

Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:
Hey Whosit,

What was the fallout with the movie? I only heard bits and pieces, something to do with the laughable comments made by some of the Hollywood characters in the movie (namely those portrayed by Goodman and Arkin).

Do tell!


SGG

---

Quote:

---

Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:
Suasor,

"The only flaw I could detect was early on when they gave some "history" of the revolution that portrayed Iran as the victim of Western imperialism."

Given the theme of the movie, the well-known Hostage Crisis of 1979-80, and the not-so-well-known story of the 6 escapees, I thought the synopsis, although brief, fit to a T. Besides, in context, it was as accurate as the declassified facts would allow. The US Government did prop up and support the Shah (King) of Iran.

"During Mohammad Reza's reign, the Iranian oil industry was briefly nationalized under Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh before a US-backed coup d'état overturned the regime and brought back foreign oil firms,"

"other factors contributed to strong opposition to the Shah among certain groups within Iran, the most notable of which were the U.S. and UK backed coup d'état against Mosaddegh in 1953, clashes with Islamists, and increased communist activity. By 1979, political unrest had transformed into a revolution which, on 16 January, forced the Shah to leave Iran."

I remember when the Shah was granted asylum here in the US, due to so-called "medical reasons." It is curious to me why a nation that revolted against British Monarchy would support a Islamic Monarch. Nonetheless, the opening sequence to the movie did serve the theme of the story however distasteful to our current political sensibilities.

You bring up some interesting points about the "bullies" of the Mideast. In Iran's overall historical background spanning thousands of years, they may have been just that. The US Government, in their infinite wisdom, saw fit to contribute to a piece of that history. Was it to gain access to the untapped potential of the region's oil? I'm not smart enough to know the answer to that.


SGG

---

Quote:

---

Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:
Hey Sleepy,

Thank you for your positive words, but what I do is encapsulate my thoughts and motivations about the movie, I'm giving a short version. Partially because I'm so busy these days, but also because I'm an amateur, a lover of movies (as I believe you are as well). As part of my college curriculum I studied film and grew to love it even more, as the professor opened up my tastes for the medium (I once hated foreign films, ah youth!).

---

Quote:

---

But nonetheless, you make some good points, Affleck has become stronger with each film he directs, Argo, by far, is his best and damn near a masterpiece. I truly enjoyed the way in which he told the story, it was, as you say, not showy and very much on point. I agree that he allows the scene to unfold quite naturally. I found it very organic, like drinking a glass of milk after eating a chocolate chip cookie. Of course, I remember those harrowing days.

---

Quote:

---

I never actually gave him a thought regarding the next Star Wars trilogy, but it sounds like a plan.

---

Quote:

---

Originally posted by THESOMNAMBULIST:

Quote:

---

Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:
Hey Sleepy,

Thank you for your positive words, but what I do is encapsulate my thoughts and motivations about the movie, I'm giving a short version. Partially because I'm so busy these days, but also because I'm an amateur, a lover of movies (as I believe you are as well). As part of my college curriculum I studied film and grew to love it even more, as the professor opened up my tastes for the medium (I once hated foreign films, ah youth!).

---

No probs Shiny. It was good to be able to read it. Usually I have to stay clear as I'm not that current with newly released films. So I was happy to be able to click on your post this time :D Interesting you also studied film. I did that too. The first time was on an academic level and I enjoyed that. (I developed a profound love for Film Noir) the second time was a practical endeavour, which almost destroyed my love of films.

Quote:

---

But nonetheless, you make some good points, Affleck has become stronger with each film he directs, Argo, by far, is his best and damn near a masterpiece. I truly enjoyed the way in which he told the story, it was, as you say, not showy and very much on point. I agree that he allows the scene to unfold quite naturally. I found it very organic, like drinking a glass of milk after eating a chocolate chip cookie. Of course, I remember those harrowing days.

---

Indeed. I usually don't like 'Based-On-True-Events' Films. Not my favourite genre. But as I watched I just sank into the story, without concern for the film. That's unusual for me.

Right now I like Affleck styles a lot! He isn't using his films as a calling card or as a platform to illustrate some kind of 'style' or 'fashion'. It means he's taking on projects that he genuinely likes for the story.

Quote:

---

I never actually gave him a thought regarding the next Star Wars trilogy, but it sounds like a plan.

---

I think he could pull it off.
I like JJ Abrams but his work does have a 'look'. Wether that will interfere with the new Star Wars material I don't know, but for something like star wars that has an established look and feel, JJ's 'design' may jar with the content.
We'll see. Just out of curiosity, who would be your choice?
S


°...Well here I am.°

---

Quote:

---

(until the chase on the tarmac where, I felt Hollywood's "hand." Probably for dramatic effect).

---

Quote:

---

Abrams, on the other hand, does lean more toward style, although he does have an interesting approach to storytelling. Star Trek was half good, but he relied heavily on style. I liked it, but was not Wow'd. I believe he has great potential, but he's still searching for his approach, whereas Affleck already knows.

---

Quote:

---

Then there's Joss. I think he would make a great director for the next chapters. Of course my all-time favorite is Irvin Kershner.

---

Quote:

---

Originally posted by AFRICOAT:
I'm no film pundit but I found both Argo and Lincoln extemely boring, to a point where I fell asleep during the movie. Maybe it had to do with knowing the events that took place beforehand

---

Quote:

---

Originally posted by THESOMNAMBULIST:
Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:

Quote:

---

(until the chase on the tarmac where, I felt Hollywood's "hand." Probably for dramatic effect).

---

Yes this was the only point where I did find myself wanting to check this out too for authenticity. However given the outlandishness of the 'real' events I sort of could believe it.

Quote:

---

Abrams, on the other hand, does lean more toward style, although he does have an interesting approach to storytelling. Star Trek was half good, but he relied heavily on style. I liked it, but was not Wow'd. I believe he has great potential, but he's still searching for his approach, whereas Affleck already knows.

---

Totally agree!

Quote:

---

Then there's Joss. I think he would make a great director for the next chapters. Of course my all-time favorite is Irvin Kershner.

---

Joss would be great, and the best writer for the job too, but there's a part of me that doesn't want him becoming involved in Star Wars. It's like crossing the streams. You don't cross the streams! :D

Kershner R.I.P.

°...Well here I am.°

---

Quote:

---

Affleck may be a great director one day, but it's too soon to tell. He's only directed one film in which he did not act, Gone Baby Gone, and that one was just okay, fairly predictable. I've always wondered about actor/directors. They must have a very good assistant director to help out or else things could get overwhelming for them.

---

Quote:

---

Originally posted by ecgordon:
Well it won Best Picture, not that I care about that, but I guess I chose wisely by watching it last night. It is the only one of this year's nominees that I have seen, so I'll have to wait until later to say if it deserved it. While good, I wouldn't say it is a great film, but it was entertaining.

Affleck may be a great director one day, but it's too soon to tell. He's only directed one film in which he did not act, Gone Baby Gone, and that one was just okay, fairly predictable. I've always wondered about actor/directors. They must have a very good assistant director to help out or else things could get overwhelming for them.

---

Quote:

---

Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:
. . . it was solid from start to finish pretty much. A good story that was told in a good way, no frills, just the story. There was emotion without melodrama, there was pace and timing that helped to drive the story.

---

Quote:

---

Originally posted by ecgordon:
One of my criteria for classifying a movie as great or not is, will I buy it to watch multiple times? The answer for Argo is no, I doubt I'll ever feel the need to see it again.

---

Quote:

---

Originally posted by ecgordon:
The reason you couldn't find it here is because my last response to you was in the "Your Oscar Picks" thread.

---

Quote:

---

Originally posted by two:

Quote:

---

Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:
. . . it was solid from start to finish pretty much. A good story that was told in a good way, no frills, just the story. There was emotion without melodrama, there was pace and timing that helped to drive the story.

---

I was told that Argo was a true story, but noooo! It is a movie "inspired" by a true story.

One of the actual diplomats, Mark Lijek, noted that the CIA's fake movie "cover story was never tested and in some ways proved irrelevant to the escape." The departure of the six Americans from Tehran was actually mundane and uneventful. "If asked, we were going to say we were leaving Iran to return when it was safer," Lijek recalled, "But no one ever asked!...The truth is the immigration officers barely looked at us and we were processed out in the regular way. We got on the flight to Zurich and then we were taken to the US ambassador's residence in Berne. It was that straightforward." - www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-21003432

Furthermore, Jimmy Carter has even acknowledged that "90% of the contributions to the ideas and the consummation of the plan was Canadian [while] the movie gives almost full credit to the American CIA...Ben Affleck's character in the film was only in Tehran a day and a half and the real hero in my opinion was Ken Taylor, who was the Canadian ambassador who orchestrated the entire process."

The Americans never resisted the idea of playing a film crew, which is the source of much agitation in the movie. (In fact, the “house guests” chose that cover story themselves, from a group of three options the CIA had prepared.) They were not almost lynched by a mob of crazy Iranians in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, because they never went there. There was no last-minute cancellation, and then un-cancellation, of the group’s tickets by the Carter administration. (The wife of Canadian ambassador Ken Taylor had personally gone to the airport and purchased tickets ahead of time, for three different outbound flights.) The group underwent no interrogation at the airport about their imaginary movie, nor were they detained at the gate while a member of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard telephoned their phony office back in Burbank. There was no last-second chase on the runway of Mehrabad Airport, with wild-eyed, bearded militants with Kalashnikovs trying to shoot out the tires of a Swissair jet. - www.salon.com/2013/02/18/why_argo_doesnt_deserve_the_oscar/

The Joss Whedon script for "Serenity," where Wash lives, is
Serenity-190pages.pdf at www.mediafire.com/two

---