[MOPO] -Birth Of A Nation - (/11 - Oliver Stone

[Glenn Taranto]

I heard about this on local LA radio.   The funny thing was the guy who runs the theatre was very apologetic to "all those I have offended" but then when pressed on the issue he started to tell it like it is.   They were going to show the movie and put it in historical context.  It was more of "class" if you will then a screening.  There was to be a panel discussion. A point of his, which was very well taken, was that you can go into any video store and rent this film and see it completely out of context which he said, and I agree, is the real danger.   Not to stir up a hornets nest it's the same as Michael Moore's 9/11.  People can't put it in the context that 9/11 is just a film with a decided view point of the director as creator such as Griffith, Moore and Stone.  Anyone who looks at a historical film as directed by Oliver Stone and takes it as gospel is also shortsighted.   It's all a joke to me because there is great folly here but you can't reason with people's emotion. Just can't be done.    There is a complete loss of common sense these days on what is right and what is wrong.  I don't know how it's gotten as bad as it has...  A gradual progression I guess...   Glenn           ----- Original Message ----- From: posterdoctor To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2004 9:19 PM Subject: [MOPO] Question on LA film showing-Birth Of A Nation I was sent the following information about a cancelled LA showing of Birth Of A Nation.  Can anyone confirm that this is a true story?   Thanks, Danny / Seattle     The owner of the Silent Movie Theater in Hollywood canceled a planned screening of D. W. Griffith's The Birth of a Nation after the Los Angeles branch of the NAACP and a group called the National Alliance for Positive Action vowed to picket the theater. Although owner Charlie Lustman had planned to show the film with a disclaimer stating that he does not endorse the racist content of the film but wants to honor its place in cinema history, the two groups had charged that the film would continue to poison race relations. Lustman said that he had also received threatening phone calls and was concerned about the safety of patrons and 92-year-old Bob Mitchell, the onetime leader of the famed Mitchell Boys Choir, who was to provide organ music to accompany the film. Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content. Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.