Che

[Tequila Zaire]

Che...yet another new film based on T-Shirt and Merchandise Idol/Revolutionary/Idealist/Doctor/I helped put a dictator in power/Dreamer Che Guevara is Steven Soderbergh's next big film.

Now given how controversial the old Che is the film will only add fuel to the fire. There are two camps when it comes to this man...those who see him as a hero...and those who see him as a villian. This split is more evident in spanish speaking countries where his myth. legend, and reality are always hotly contested.

Benicio Del Toro will play the title role in this Terrence Malick scripted epic (that worries me to no end since Malick may have a great eye but he's lost his sense of story pacing...see A Thin Red Line fot an example.)

The sad part of all this is that Hollywwod never gets these kinda films right since they want to stay profitable. Given how commerically sucessful Che's image has been in the states (He has a T-Shirt with his face on a kids shirt in Mervyn's for fucks sake) the film may only push that image to the limit and be the ultimate in Hero worship for profit.

To see an excellent example of this brought to stunning life check out And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself...pretty much ties into this whole thing so the reality of the film being repeated in ANOTHER film...is kinda spooky and shows not much has really been learned in terms rewriting history for the sake of entertainment.

It may be a bit early to tell how the film will go in terms of final tone and image...but given who's involved...I don't see it as turning out all that balanced in terms of truth and fiction. I know it'll be entertaining but with so many pushing films like this as truth...it gets kind of annoying when these same people push for truth in everything else yet will devour lies tailored to them.

It's gonna be an interesting 2005.

I've never been a huge fan of the man on a personal level but I do respect the man. He's just too interesting of a man not to.

[Morning Glory]

yeah, if there was one think that he was in favor of it is capitalist marketting.

[hewhoisagod]

The Motorcycle Diaries seems like a better Che movie.

[CPRB]

The book rules....

[Morning Glory]

ah come on, is castro really that bad of a guy? seems to me that if america was so great and we cared so much about the "plight of the poor cubans and thier oppressive dictator" then we would give them aid and support instead of complettly cutting them off economically. how does that help the people? it's bad enough that we have an embargo with them, but there is really no need to destroy thier tourist trade, and alienate cuban-americans. especially for a country that is in favor of a so-called "free market", but doesn't allow private business to have transactions with another country based on partisan politics. that's not a shun to castro, that's a slap in the face to american enterprise.

[Tequila Zaire]

ah come on, is castro really that bad of a guy? seems to me that if america was so great and we cared so much about the "plight of the poor cubans and thier oppressive dictator" then we would give them aid and support instead of complettly cutting them off economically. how does that help the people? it's bad enough that we have an embargo with them, but there is really no need to destroy thier tourist trade, and alienate cuban-americans. especially for a country that is in favor of a so-called "free market", but doesn't allow private business to have transactions with another country based on partisan politics. that's not a shun to castro, that's a slap in the face to american enterprise.

Actually they are the ones who want him out the most...plus many nations still do buisness with Cuba and visiting their even as an American is not all that hard...Castro is a problem but his inner circle pretty much take any money that comes into the nation and put it in areas that benefit them the most...many tourism is not the problem...development of everything else is. Cuba is an confusing lil place cause you get a diffrent story based on who you talk to...from hardline Anti-Castro sentiments of Cuban-Americans, mixed reactions from Cubans still IN Cuba and the general attitude of Cuba just not being important enough an issue for anyone...It's not brought up much in the states anymore and the rest of th world has found other vacations spots to exploit in easier ways.

Was the Cuban Revolution a success? Who knows...the outcome looks no better than what it rose against to overthrow. Castro can't live forever...but god damn he's outlived more presidents and world leaders than any other important political figure I know of.