thedrifter
03-13-07, 04:52 AM
Operation Green Light
By: Christian Lowe
March 12, 2007 07:14 PM EST
Over eight months in 2004, Marines were ordered into, then out of, then back into the restive town of Fallujah to dislodge Iraqi and Al Qaeda terrorists. It ranks as one of the bloodiest campaigns waged in Iraq.
That may explain why the movie adaptation of a book about Fallujah -- "No True Glory: A Frontline Account of the Battle for Fallujah," by former Marine and military historian Bing West -- has been so controversial and slow in development.
Shortly after the book was released in 2005 and rumors of a movie deal were leaked, an online petition opposing the film cropped up. More than 720 noted war protesters called for Hollywood to scuttle the movie plan, asking its lead actor, Harrison Ford, to boycott the film. (See the group's online petition www.petitiononline.com/b7qrlb5/petition.html.)
Opposition to the movie -- including claims that it would glorify war crimes committed by U.S. troops -- gained traction in the prevailing anti-war political climate.
But so far the ball is still rolling, says West. In 2005, Ford signed on to play Gen. Jim Mattis, the Marine commander who led the first invasion of Fallujah in April 2004. Mattis went in after security contractors from Blackwater USA were killed and burned, their bodies later strung from a bridge in front of television cameras.
West believes the story surrounding the initial operation -- which lasted about a month and resulted in 27 Marine fatalities -- and Mattis' withdrawal from the city on the order of backbiting Iraqi politicians are compelling enough for Hollywood to move forward, even with protesters worried that the film could be unbalanced.
Add to that the second invasion several months later, and you've got a real-life politico-military drama. "Their valor has not received the attention it needs," West said in an interview.
Produced by Michael Shamberg, whose credits include "World Trade Center" and "Garden State," the movie's backers -- including Ford -- have not wavered, said West, though the script is still being rewritten.
But when the film eventually hits the silver screen in 2009, according to West's most recent estimate, movie studios are sure to hear some protest.
"Until the war is over and no longer part of our contemporary political situation, ... (the filmmakers) can assume they're going to get controversy," said Robert Thompson, professor of media and popular culture at Syracuse University. "This is going to have to be part of the marketing plan every single time."
Ellie
By: Christian Lowe
March 12, 2007 07:14 PM EST
Over eight months in 2004, Marines were ordered into, then out of, then back into the restive town of Fallujah to dislodge Iraqi and Al Qaeda terrorists. It ranks as one of the bloodiest campaigns waged in Iraq.
That may explain why the movie adaptation of a book about Fallujah -- "No True Glory: A Frontline Account of the Battle for Fallujah," by former Marine and military historian Bing West -- has been so controversial and slow in development.
Shortly after the book was released in 2005 and rumors of a movie deal were leaked, an online petition opposing the film cropped up. More than 720 noted war protesters called for Hollywood to scuttle the movie plan, asking its lead actor, Harrison Ford, to boycott the film. (See the group's online petition www.petitiononline.com/b7qrlb5/petition.html.)
Opposition to the movie -- including claims that it would glorify war crimes committed by U.S. troops -- gained traction in the prevailing anti-war political climate.
But so far the ball is still rolling, says West. In 2005, Ford signed on to play Gen. Jim Mattis, the Marine commander who led the first invasion of Fallujah in April 2004. Mattis went in after security contractors from Blackwater USA were killed and burned, their bodies later strung from a bridge in front of television cameras.
West believes the story surrounding the initial operation -- which lasted about a month and resulted in 27 Marine fatalities -- and Mattis' withdrawal from the city on the order of backbiting Iraqi politicians are compelling enough for Hollywood to move forward, even with protesters worried that the film could be unbalanced.
Add to that the second invasion several months later, and you've got a real-life politico-military drama. "Their valor has not received the attention it needs," West said in an interview.
Produced by Michael Shamberg, whose credits include "World Trade Center" and "Garden State," the movie's backers -- including Ford -- have not wavered, said West, though the script is still being rewritten.
But when the film eventually hits the silver screen in 2009, according to West's most recent estimate, movie studios are sure to hear some protest.
"Until the war is over and no longer part of our contemporary political situation, ... (the filmmakers) can assume they're going to get controversy," said Robert Thompson, professor of media and popular culture at Syracuse University. "This is going to have to be part of the marketing plan every single time."
Ellie