Forrest Gump: Hero Or Chump?

[bellator]

The Burbs is one cool film

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Only one problem with choice #5, the Republican one: the movie was made in 1994. Clinton was president. It was a time of the Democrats.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

It got so much hype when it came out, I thought it would be better than it turned out to be.

"Life's like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get."

Philosophy written by a hollywood screenwriter, and not a great one at that.

Tom Hanks doesn't even do a credible retard..... er, retarded person.

 

[subversplat]

Only one problem with choice #5, the Republican one: the movie was made in 1994. Clinton was president. It was a time of the Democrats.

Films don't get made with a presidential mandate, you know.

 

[Mungy]

i liked it. i didn't see it when it came out, i think it was last year when i saw it. it told me even an eejit like me can achieve something.

 

[Dubversion]

Only one problem with choice #5, the Republican one: the movie was made in 1994. Clinton was president. It was a time of the Democrats.

what a ridiculous comment. Are you suggesting that only an incumbent group is capable of producing propaganda?

 

[Orang Utan]

Occasionally, as Shawshank does, mainstream movies manage it without the slide into insipid, slushy schmaltz.

I beg to differ - Shawshank is also 'insipid, slushy schmaltz'.

 

[irishshapes]

not offended and i didnt think you were calling me thick, not that i'd be overly offended, afterall it is just a forum, and none of you are real anyway

now if i am going to bitch against it, it is because it got best picture that year ahead of pulp fiction which annoyed me (though i'm sure that will start an additional debate on the merits of that movie)

and apologies to anyone if i did make it sound as though some of your opinions have been formed at a later date 'cos that would make you cooler amongst your peers', as i wasnt trying to say that either

 

[Flashman]

now if i am going to bitch against it, it is because it got best picture that year ahead of pulp fiction which annoyed me (though i'm sure that will start an additional debate on the merits of that movie)

I felt the same way about Always on my Mind beating Fairytale of NY - The Pogues in '87 for the Xmas #1, shocking.

Even Neil Tennent agrees.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

what a ridiculous comment. Are you suggesting that only an incumbent group is capable of producing propaganda?

I'm just trying to figure out how you'd associate a movie made in 1994 somehow with the Republicans, especially one directed by Robert Zemekis, and starring lefties Tom Hanks and Robin Wright Penn, wife of Sean Penn.

I think you were just trying to make a clever political dig, but put your foot in it instead.

 

[Dubversion]

I'm just trying to figure out how you'd associate a movie made in 1994 somehow with the Republicans, especially one directed by Robert Zemekis, and starring lefties Tom Hanks and Robin Wright Penn, wife of Sean Penn.

I think you were just trying to make a clever political dig, but put your foot in it instead.

On the contrary, not only do i stand by my point but you'll find any number of US and European critics who share precisely my view.

And by what definition is Hanks a 'leftie'?

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Perhaps leftie is too strong a word for an american: he falls to the democratic side of the spectrum in the US.

Some film critic may have dreamed that the movie contained some Ayn Rand message or something, but show me any links to any actual people involved with the movie, proving your thesis.

And I reiterate, Sean Penn's wife wouldn't have been involved in a Republican propaganda project.

And Zemeckis was the director.

http://www.newsmeat.com/celebrity_political_donations/Robert_Zemeckis.php

 

[Loki]

I'm just trying to figure out how you'd associate a movie made in 1994 somehow with the Republicans

Well for one thing, Newt came out with praise for the film for espousing the Republican party's conservative worldview.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Well for one thing, Newt came out with praise for the film for espousing the Republican party's conservative worldview.

Which might be Newts opinion of it, correct or no; that doesn't mean the film was made with that in mind.

Some people look at a rainbow and see God's handiwork. Doesn't make it so.

 

[Dubversion]

Perhaps leftie is too strong a word for an american: he falls to the democratic side of the spectrum in the US.

Some film critic may have dreamed that the movie contained some Ayn Rand message or something, but show me any links to any actual people involved with the movie, proving your thesis.

And I reiterate, Sean Penn's wife wouldn't have been involved in a Republican propaganda project.

And Zemeckis was the director.

http://www.newsmeat.com/celebrity_political_donations/Robert_Zemeckis.php

surely you know enough about cultural theory to realise that meanings are not always entirely intentional, johnny?

it's also worth bearing in mind that a certain amount of amusing hyperbole goes a long way in polls such as this, no?

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

Well for one thing, Newt came out with praise for the film for espousing the Republican party's conservative worldview.

But that doesn't mean much. Y-Front types praise LOTR for espousing a far right/white supremacist view. Doesn't mean it's true.

People can read different things according to what they want to read.

 

[girasol]

But that doesn't mean much. Y-Front types praise LOTR for espousing a far right/white supremacist view. Doesn't mean it's true.

People can read different things according to what they want to read.

That's very true... Also sometimes people just jump on a bandwagon without even watching/reading something, through, sometimes erroneous, reviews - hence perhaps all the negative press at the time.

I didn't watch the film back then because of all the negative press and i couldn't be arsed to go to the cinema, but when I finally sat down to watch it years later, having forgotten all the criticism, and saw it for what it was, I found it very hard to find any republican propaganda embedded in it - in fact I felt the film was leaning towards liberal/democrats, if anything.

 

[Iam]

Shawshank Redemption was not a particularly mainstream film upon its release though. In fact it was a relatively small film at the cinema, and only became such a big hit in the years subsequent to release. It was also panned by many probably-feeling-like-idiots critics.

It's the ultimate 'cult film' in many ways.

It was made by Columbia, hardly an indie. It's still a Hollywood movie, despite the fact that it may not have taken great box office receipts on opening. And it was critically acclaimed enough to get 7 oscar nominations...

I beg to differ - Shawshank is also 'insipid, slushy schmaltz'.

Fair enough.

The Green Mile is far, far worse though.

 

[zed]

I alwaqys thought that Gump was more to do with promoting American cultural, 'american dream' bullshit than having any covert poiltical intentions.

I was staggered that any people outside the US took it seriously.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

it's also worth bearing in mind that a certain amount of amusing hyperbole goes a long way in polls such as this, no?

but it got the second-most number of votes...

Besides, there's a law: for every humour action, there will be an equal and opposite wet blanket reaction.

 

[Grandma Death]

Is it a film with many messages-yes of course.

Were the messages intentional-debateable.

Is its sentimental tripe-yes.

Does it work-yes.

Is it shite? Well if you spend your whole time interpreting the messages a film may or may not be giving then yes arguably its clearly a piece of right wing propoganda with many messages about the good old american way of life.

If however you switch your brain off and just intend to watch it as a piece of 'entertainment' then its an enjoyable no brainer movie. Sentimental tripe but nevertheless well made sentimental tripe IMO.