President Hugo Chavez Gives Danny Glover $18M to Make Movie

Danny Glover's going to make a movie about the slave rebellion:

http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2084331,00.html

The Kid Rasta 8)

 

Oh, shit! Oh, shit!

This movie first went ino the pre-production stage over a year ago and had a very good cast lined up for it. But production never got rolling. That's not a surprise. Hollywood and even independent production companies don't pony up money for films that deal with legitimate "black issues" or black history. When you add on the complication that the movie was going to be about salvery, and that the location was in Haiti and that the historical fact being dramatized concerned blacks overthrowing their white masters, well, that made financial backing even harder to find. Still you would have thought Glover could have found other sources to get the money from. Like some very rich black celebs? But the again that was probably unrealistic too.

Chavez is interesting. Did you guys know his father was black? And that Chavez is very open about this? Unlike most Hispanics (outside of Afro-Cubans) with black blood but who look something other than "black", Chavez doesn't attempt to hide his African origins. I admire that about him. I also admire many of his political stances and his negative opinions of some world leaders (like our president). This is a man who has offered to give fuel, oil and gas to the poor in America (offer refused by our government). This is a man who offered millions in aid to the victims of Katrina (offer refused by you know who). This is a man whose idol is Martin Luther King Jr.

Alas this is also a man who seems to be sliding backwards in his thinking and is becoming more and more of a dictator and a petty ruler who holds ridiculous grudges towards citizens of his country who differ with him. It is as if the power he has attained has truly corrupted him...to an extent. He is in part becoming what the right-wingers in the USA have accused him of being. I hope he doesn't fall further prey to his worst temptations.

Glover has been a target of the right-wing press and conservative moviegoers for the last few years. They will have a field day with this latest bit of news. Part of me is happy Glover will get a chance to make this film. The other part of me is worried over the hell, negative press, public lambesting, boycotts and possible career jeopardy Glover will face by using Chavez' money to make this motion picture.

 

I co-sign everything you've said. If you read the New York Post or one of those nutty right-wing papers, they'd have you believe Chavez is the biological son of Satan. But nothing could be far from the truth. Amongst other things, he's been accused of being a murderer who eliminates political dissidents; well here's the truth, many of his "dissidents" are right wing guerillas who've attempted many coup plots on him and his followers, kinda like the Contras in Nicaraguas. Most of these groups have been backed by, ding! ding! ding! America. But seeing as there is no legitimate cause to start a war in Latin America right now, they'll not do away with him. When there is a "cause" (read: gain) for America, they'd intervene like they did with Torrijos, Noriega, Allende and the rest.

Secondly, you're very correct about his pride in his heritage. In case you didn't know, Chavez is as popular with Harlemites as Bill Clinton is. He's beloved in New York a lot and for good reason; as you pointed out, he's offered aid to Africa and he's one of a very few Latin Americans who promote Afro-Latin heritage. In his administration, he's recognized black cultural events and he supposedly has a portrait of MLK and Malcolm in his office.

His friendship with Glover isn't anything new. They've been friends for a long time. Even Dr Cornel West of Princeton is his friend. Obviously the American press will never like that and this is no exception but i don't think they care. I hope Danny Glover gets the money and makes the movie.

 

Hugo Chavez was legitimately elected by the people in Venezuela a few times (verified by an international delegation of election observers). He is a legitimate leader. Perhaps, you could characterize him as a dictator -- but he gets things done. In Latin America particularly, strong men are needed in order to get things done. Most Latin American governments are corrupt, but the Chavez govt has yet to be charged with corruption.

BTW, I don't think Danny Glover is the least bit worried about any possible backlash for making this film at this point in his career -- he just wants to get this flick made.

The Kid Rasta 8)

 

Bush tried to overthow Chavez not once but twice and failed. The elites in his country are protesting for "freedom". They owned the media and made a lot of nonsense about him. Hope the movie be made. I will buy the DVD when released.

 

Is that why Chaves just shut down the biggest news/radio broadcasting station in the country?

Control of information=dictatorship. Maybe you've learned this in a political theory class.

 

I guess since a handful of companies own most of the media outlets in the USA and none of them are particularly critical of government if not 100% in support of it (Fox News) we're in a dictatorship, too, by your logic.

 

The US media is critical of the government when it draws in viewers and generates more ad dollars. That isn't a dictatorship controlled by the government - it's sensationlism controlled by capitalism. But still a far cry from the worry of being shut down by the govt.

 

The truth is always clouded by those who don't want it out. Good info on Chavez there. Makes you think. Here's hoping Danny gets this movie made.