From CHUD's review of The Ghost Writer

[seriousfic]

There's a scene in The Ghost Writer where Pierce Brosnan's Tony-Blair-In-All-But-Name ex-Prime Minister is looking at charges of war crimes and wondering where he can live without being extradited to the World Court that suddenly pulls you out of the story and reminds you that the director of the film himself recently learned a valuable lesson about nations with extradition treaties. Thankfully that's the only moment in The Ghost Writer that really draws attention to the weird conditions of the film's final post-production process, although many will insist on watching the film (if they can bring themselves to watch a movie from someone like Polanski at all, what with them being such arbiters of morals and justice, and what with them demanding only the most pure behavior from all artists) through that prism. But when watched as a film - just as a film - The Ghost Writer is smart and thrilling and funny and wonderfully told.

...YEAH, GUYS, HE JUST DRUGGED AND SODOMIZED A LITTLE GIRL, WHO ARE YOU TO JUDGE?

You know, I think I'm gonna side with Tony Blair on this one. If you're pissing off a child molester, you must be doing something right.

Comments

[colonel-green.livejournal.com]

My personal stance on Polanski was that I avoided seeing any of his movies so long as he was at large. Now that this will be settled, one way or another, I'm okay with paying to see one.

[seriousfic.livejournal.com]

I don't think I've ever actually seen a Polanski film and I don't much care to. I'd really rather not experience the human insight of an unrepentant child molester.

I can understand people going to see his films, of course, but the CHUD reviewer deriding anyone who doesn't want to see his movie as some sort of... self-righteous paladin doesn't just strike me as mockworthy, but as monstrous. It's like failing some basic tenet of humanity.

[tgirl78.livejournal.com]

agreed.

[rann.livejournal.com]

I've been tempted more than once to set up a website with a name like "Celebrities For Legalized Child Rape", and list all the "endorsements" from lickspittles like this.

[mcity.livejournal.com]

I can't believe I watched the trailer and went "Roman Polanski, Roman Polanski, where have I heard that name recently before..."

Good Book...

[tallyhohoho.livejournal.com]

Well, I won't see the movie because I'm not a movie fan; but the book The Ghost by Robert Harris is very good and well worth the read. The war crimes bit is from the book, which ticked Blair off more than the movie.

Polanski needs to have the case finished. Either do the time or let the victim have her wish and just toss it. He's a child rapist, but the system and the time lapse have dulled that edge, sadly. I dug Chinatown, but I can't rewatch it until this is settled.

[iteari.livejournal.com]

I know that there should be a division between what an artist is like and what his/her art is...and yet I keep thinking that I'm giving money to someone who raped a child.